We are currently living in the age of social media, the internet and digital technology. It has never been so easy to take and share a Photo as it is now. When we are travelling we have such a huge opportunity to take the most incredible photos and you don’t want to miss out on these great opportunities by using a Camera that doesn’t give you the desired outcome.

Choosing a camera that is right for the task can seem so daunting when there are so many options on the market.. how do you know what is going to work best?

I have put together a guide to assist you in choosing the best camera for your needs so you won’t have to go through all the heartache of not knowing what to choose!

What style of camera do I need?

The style of camera that you choose will depend on a number of factors.

• Do you want to learn how to use manual features to have the most control over a photo?
• Are you wanting something that you can quickly use to take a great photo?
• Do you need a camera that is lightweight and can be tucked away or do you have the ability to take something a bit bigger?
• Are you wanting to take photos where the camera can get wet?
• Do you want to take photos where you can zoom at high levels?

Think about the style of travel that you do and how technical you would like to get with your photography.

If you don’t want to spend the time learning how to use a complex camera, you have a lot of options for simpler cameras that take great quality photos but if you take the time to learn, you can have the control to take the next level of photo by utilizing a full SLR camera.

If you are needing to pack light and are not willing to carry the camera separately, you may require a smaller camera so that its easier to pack away.

The styles of cameras that we will look at are as follow:

• Simple point and shoot cameras
• Standard compact cameras
• Enthusiast compact cameras
• Superzoom cameras
• DSLR (Digital SLR) cameras
• Waterproof/Underwater cameras

Simple Point and Shoot Cameras

Point and shoot cameras are the simplest camera to use and usually the cheapest as well.

The point and shoot cameras today still take a fantastic photo and often have some features such as WiFi connections, panorama ability and HDR. You are a lot more limited to what you can do with these cameras but if photography is not really a passion, then this might be a simple camera for you.

Something to note with these cameras is that they usually take AA batteries rather than lithium batteries that you find in more complex cameras. The downfall of this is that the batteries tend to deplete quickly so you will need to ensure you have some spares on hand.

It is worth trying to ensure that the features that you look for in these cameras help you to take a quality photo. The most important feature I would recommend that you look for is image stabilization. The quality of the stabilization function won’t be as good as in the higher end cameras, however they do make a huge difference and can help you avoid taking too many moving blur photos. Having a tripod on hand can help with this problem as well.

Some popular point and shoots are:

Nikon Coolpix

Sony RX100

Standard Compact Cameras

A standard compact camera, like the simple point and shoot, is simple to use and very lightweight which makes it easy to carry around.

Where these cameras differ from the point and shoot is that they have more features such as wide angle lenses and greater automatic features and they take lithium batteries which means that they tend to have a much better battery life.

The downfall of these cameras is that they are small. While this can be a positive feature, it can also mean that its harder to see the photo as you’re taking it and can mean that when you look at the photo on another medium, it’s not quite what you expected.

That being said, standard compact cameras of today do take a great photo so  if a small camera suits your needs, then it may be the way to go.

Some popular Standard Compact Cameras are:

Sony Cybershot

Canon Powershot ELPH

Enthusiast Compact Cameras

The aim of an enthusiast compact camera is to bring a higher image quality to a smaller camera.

This is usually achieved with a sensor that is larger than normal and a high quality optic zoom. There is usually an option to choose a manual function as well.

If you master the use of this style of camera, you can often get the image quality of that taken on a full DSLR camera.

Some popular Enthusiast Company Cameras are:

Canon G9x

Samsung Galaxy Cam

Superzoom Cameras

Superzoom cameras use the small body but combine it with the flexibility of a wide focal range.

Many of these cameras also have manual options and options to change the aperture and shutter speed which can mean that you have more freedom and ability. It is especially useful when trying to take night shots.

The biggest features of these styles of cameras is that you can take photos that are a lot closer than you can with any of the earlier cameras. The camera also has a high quality stabilization system, although sometimes when taking close up photos, it may be worth turning this setting off because the camera will work a lot harder to try and stabilize the photo. It may be worth using a tripod instead.

Some popular superzoom cameras are:

Nikon P900

Panasonic Lumix FZ200

DSLR Cameras

DSLR cameras are for someone who wants to make their holiday about photography, or the person who wants to understand the technical skills behind a photo.

With a DSLR, you have complete control over your photo. Most now have auto functions as well, so you can switch between auto and manual, however you have the option too create a photo in whatever depth, you mind can imagine.

You also have the option of changing to different lenses and flashes.

Some popular DSLR cameras are:

Canon EOS 6D

Nikon D610

Waterproof/Underwater Cameras

You can find cameras the claim that they are waterproof, however it is essential that if you’re camera is going to get wet that you are sure that the camera is actually designed for the task and that it has been proven that it will survive.

You also need to know how deep the camera is waterproof to and ensure you don’t take it deeper that its requirements.

That said, underwater cameras allow you to take some incredible photos that normal cameras will not allow you to have access to.

Some popular waterproof cameras are:

Nikon Coolpix AW130

Olympus Stylus Tough TG-870

Accessories for your Camera

Once you have chosen your camera, you want to make sure that it can do everything for you that you’re wanting it to.

There are some accessories that will help you.

Some of these are:

Tripods

Tripods allow you to get a steady shot. While it may not be good for a photo of a moving object on the fly, it can be amazing, if you’re wanting to take any kind of landscape, posing people and so forth.

You want to make sure that your tripod can be folded away so it’s easy to take with you and that it is easy to assemble on the fly.

Shutter Release Buttons

These are for the ultimate selfie! Once you set up your camera for the photo, you can get yourself into the photo and press the button as many times as you like and whenever you like to release the shutter and take the photo.

Camera Rain Cover

Unless you’re using a waterproof camera, once you purchase your camera, you really don’t want to get it wet, even if you are travelling in a rainy place.

The way to combat this problem is using camera rain covers.

Conclusion

I hope I have helped in making the process of choosing your perfect travel camera a whole lot easier!

Happy snapping and I hope to see some of your amazing photos!

– Life of Adventure Travel

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