Recommended Equipment for Travel Photography
Ten years ago, most serious amateur photographers carried a good amount of camera equipment in addition to a good camera. You needed several lenses, numerous color filters, numerous black and white filters, a light meter, and a tripod with a good tripod head. Additionally, you needed several rolls of film – often of different ISOs for the different conditions you would encounter.
In the last few years, we have seen the introduction of technology that makes most of this equipment unnecessary for most situations. Some of the newer features include image stabilized cameras and lenses, high quality ISO settings, and high dynamic range settings.
Even with new technology, you still need some basic equipment to go along with your camera. Here are my recommendations for “tourists.”
Filters:
A circular polarizer filter: The need for using most filters has been eliminated with post-processing software. However, post processing software has not been able to adequately replace a polarizer filter. It deepens blue skies and increases color saturation. I highly recommend a circular polarizer – especially on sunny days.
A UV filter: Most European cities are dirty and grimy. I like to protect my lens with a UV filter when I am not using a polarizer.
Other Essential equipment:
A tripod: For a tourist, the use of a tripod has largely been eliminated with advances in technology. However, there are times when you need one – this is especially true if your camera cannot take high quality, high ISO shots. I hate to carry a tripod, although I do pack two tripods: (1) a light, but “full height” travel tripod, and (2) a table tripod.
Lens Hood: This keeps bright light out of the path of the lens. It reduces lens flare and may increase color saturation.
Memory Cards: It goes without saying that you need memory cards. However, you will probably need more than you think – especially if you shoot with RAW files.
Optional Equipment:
Flash: Most cameras have built-in flash systems. Most photographers hate these units. However, they are certainly better than nothing. When I travel, I use natural light and will not typically carry an extra flash unit. However, my skills are very limited in this area. The pictures I take with flash systems tend to look “unnatural.” So, I usually leave the flash unit at home.
Additional Lenses:
In my list of recommended cameras, I included several “all-in-one” lenses. I find that these are convenient and offer a good compromise. However, serious amateurs and professional photographers probably would not use an “all-in-one.” They have a minimum of three lenses: (1) A wide angle, which is roughly 10-22mm, (2) A mid-range zoom, which is roughly 24-105mm, and (3) a long range zoom lens, which is roughly 70mm to 300mm. The problem with having three lenses is that you have three lenses. They are a pain to carry. They take up room (especially when enclosed in a padded case). They will force you to carry a dedicated camera bag. Most of photographs taken after 2005 on this website were all taken with an “all-in-one” lens. If these photographs are good enough for you, you probably do not need additional lenses.
When would you use an additional lens? If you want to take pictures of buildings in Europe (especially the interior of churches), you might want to purchase a wide angle. On the other hand, if you are going on a safari in Africa, you would probably want to buy a long range zoom in addition to your “all-in-one” lens.