Since I spent countless hours reading reviews and testing different lenses before we left to travel around the world, I thought I might share what camera I gear I decided to drag around the world with me.
Camera Body: Nikon D7000 DSLR
I looked long and hard for the perfect travel camera and came to conclusion that one does not exist. They are either not rugged enough, too slow, too heavy, or too expensive. In my personal opinion and experience, the Nikon D7000 (or the newer D7100) is about as perfect as you can get. It has a rugged magnesium frame, dual SIM card slots, high FPS, great image quality, easy to use controls, and not too expensive. The file sizes are also manageable, which to me is very important when traveling. So why did I choose Nikon over Canon? While Canon makes nice cameras, I chose Nikon for the fact that I can use older Nikon lenses, whereas you cannot do that with Canon. I looked at the mirrorless camera options, but found too many limitations and prefer the speed and quality of a DSLR.
To make manual focusing much easier, I installed a KatzEye Optics split prism focusing screen. I initially purchased a much cheaper Chinese made one, but found it worthless. The KatzEye is not cheap, but is highly recommended if doing any manual focusing.
I have also added a Crumpler Industry Disgrace camera strap, which I highly recommend.
To see specs, CLICK HERE
Lenses:
Nikon 28mm f/2.8 AIS (manual focus)
This little 28mm manual focus lens is amazing and is my favorite lens. It is optically a masterpiece and built like a tank. I love to use this for long exposures, landscapes, and street photography.
Nikon 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G AF-S DX VR
My D7000 came with the 18-105mm kit lens and I found the images it took to be too soft. It was also too heavy and bulky for travel, so I sold it. I had heard good things about the cheapy little 18-55 lens and thought I would give it a try. I found the images sharper than the 18-105mm and it’s easy to walk around all day with this lens on the camera.
To see specs, CLICK HERE
Tamron AF 90mm f/2.8 Di SP Macro
I thought it might be good to have a macro lens and this lens came highly recommended. It was also said to be an excellent portrait lens. I have a love/hate relationship with this lens. While it is not too heavy, it is really bulky. I do not do too many macro shots, and have had problems with this lens hunting for focus when shooting in the distance. When the lens does nail the shot, the images are stunning and the bokeh is nice and creamy.
To see specs, CLICK HERE
Nikon 180mm f/2.8D ED-IF AF
I love this lens! The optics are amazing, the bokeh is smooth and creamy, and it is fast! I use this lens for shooting animals and portraits. I would love to have the even more impressive Nikkor 70-200mm, but the size and weight make it not a very good candidate for long-term travel. This little 180mm is built like a tank, has a built in lens hood, and is a very manageable size for travel. When I first bought it my test shots had a purple fringe around high contrast areas, but as soon as I placed a Hoya UV filter on the front, the purple fringe went away.
To see specs, CLICK HERE
Tripod: Benro A1691T Travel Angel
It may sound crazy to drag a tripod around the world, but it has helped get some amazing night shots. I looked at so many different tripods and finally decided on the Benro A1691T Travel Angel. It’s lightweight, compact, affordable, and is really stable. It also converts to a monopod for places that do not allow tripods. This is a great tripod for travel!
To see specs, CLICK HERE
Misc.
- Nikon Lens Pen (highly recommend)
- Air Blower
- Vivitar remote (a wireless remote would have been nicer)
- (2) Lexar Platinum II 16 GB memory cards
- Spare Nikon EN-EL15 battery
- OP/Tech Neoprene camera case
- 52mm Hoya HMC ND4 neutral density filter
- 52mm Hoya HMC ND8 neutral density filter
What I would change
Now that I have been traveling with this gear for over a year on the road, I wish I had done a couple of things differently. I should have purchased either the famed Nikon 24-70mm f/2.8 lens or the older and much cheaper Nikon 35-70mm f/2.8D lens. There have been many times where I could have benefitted from one of these pro lenses. The 18-55mm I have is nice for a lightweight walk around lens, but when I need to have pro glass and autofocus, the 24-70mm or 35-70mm would have been a really nice addition.
The other thing I would have done differently is brought along a messenger style camera bag. I started with a camera backpack, but ended up sending it back home due to it’s size and limitations. I am currently looking for a messenger bag and will buy one as soon as I can find one!