My Travel Gear
Sometimes I get questions from people asking what type of camera, drone, or other gear I use, so I’ve put together this list of my travel essentials to help you get started.
These aren’t all of the items I use while traveling, but they’re some of my must haves. I’m a big fan of all of these items, and I’ve had lots of experience with them over the years, but if I upgrade to something new then I’ll try to update the list as well.
This is almost everything you need to travel the world and take lots of photos and videos while doing it! If you have any questions about any of this gear, feel free to ask me!
My Travel Camera
โข Fujifilm X-T5 Mirrorless Digital Camera
This is my current go-to camera for most of the photography I do in my travels. You can see some photo samples in my Gallery or Photo Essays, although most of the pictures on my site were taken with the older X-T2 model.
I’m now using the newer and better X-T5 version, but I still have a lot to learn before I master this thing. I love to take pictures with the Fuji X-series cameras and the prices are quite a bit lower than what you’d normally pay for a kitted out DLSR.
Camera Bag
โข Manfrotto MB MA-H-S Advanced Holster
This camera bag is small and handy, so it’s easy to use on the go. I usually keep it in my backpack for an extra layer of protection, and it fits in there perfectly! It also has some spare pockets for extra batteries or SD cards.
Memory Cards
โข SanDisk Extreme PRO SDXC Memory Card
These memory cards come in all different sizes, from 64GB to 1TB. The 128GB card holds up to 1,500 raw photos from my camera, or more than 5,000 JPEG photos at a time.
My Drone
โข DJI Mavic 2 Pro Drone Quadcopter
I’ve used almost every model of drone over the years, but the DJI Mavic 2 Pro is still one of the best midrange options on the market right now. It shoots high definition 4K videos and 20MP photos, and it’s surprisingly small and easy to fly.
Drone Batteries
โข DJI Mavic 2 Intelligent Flight Battery
Drone batteries typically only last about 30 minutes per charge, so it’s a good idea to bring at least one or two spares. I always keep at least 3 spares with me for when I may be doing lots of filming.
Drone Memory Cards
โข SanDisk Extreme PRO microSDXC Memory Card
It’s a good idea to bring a couple of microSD memory cards for the drone. One 128GB card is good for about 3 hours of filming at 4K resolution, but you’ll want to keep a spare handy in case you forget your main card.
Underwater Camera
โข GoPro HERO7 Black โ Waterproof Digital Action Camera
GoPro is nice for underwater filming and such. I’m not a big fan of GoPro for other situations, but they are great for easy underwater photography, and prices are coming down lately.
Dry Bag
โข Earth Pak Waterproof Dry Bag
I love this dry bag and I will probably never use another brand. The 30 liter Earth Pak bag has kept my electronics safe from water in some of the most bizarre and extreme situations while island hopping in Indonesia and the Philippines.
Hammock
โข Winner Outfitters Portable Double Camping Hammock
This hammock folds down into a small package, making it super portable for hiking. I’ve used it with great success on some epic backpacking trips like the Kalalau Trail in Hawaii.
Truck Tent
โข Napier Backroadz Truck Camping Tent
I love this tent and it’s the perfect way to travel the United States on a budget. One time I slept in my Napier truck tent for 6 months and drove 20,000 miles in 8 states, hiking and filming scenic places all over the US. This tent kept me safe and dry through lots of bad storms and temperatures as low as 20 F (-6 C) in the mountains. Plus it just looks awesome!
Photo Editing
โข Adobe Lightroom – PC/Mac Photo Editing Software
Lightroom is the perfect program for editing and organizing your pictures. This will give your travel photos a huge boost!
Video Editing
โข Adobe Premiere Pro – PC/Mac Video Editing Software
I do all of my drone video editing with Adobe Premiere. It handles 4K video files like a charm.
External Hard Drive
โข Seagate Expansion 4TB Portable External Hard Drive
Extra storage is important if you plan to be taking lots of photos or videos. This USB 3.0 drive is super portable (barely bigger than a smartphone) and has tons of storage.
Travel Adapter
โข Worldwide All In One Universal Travel Adapter / Wall Charger
This travel adapter works in 150+ countries. So far, I haven’t found a country where it doesn’t work! It also has 2 handy side ports for USB charging.
