My Current Camera and Backpack Set-Up

I make every effort to carry my photography gear with me whenever I travel, which means I will always have to pack heavier than a normal travel nomad. Over the years, I asked myself this question: When I travel, what do I really value when it comes to traveling with my camera gear?

Style.

Lightweight.

Comfort.

If you value these same traits, then keep on reading. Let me describe what I currently use and why I absolutely love them.

Favorite travel backpack: WANDRD PRVKE 21L

When I walk around these new cities, I want to be able to comfortably and safely carry my camera around, all the while look stylish while doing it. The backpack that fits my needs extremely well is the WANDRD PRVKE bag. I think it is one of the sleekest bag in the market right now, and it just looks so nice whether you are biking around town or going for a hike. This bag is perfect for photography, commuting, and everyday travel.

The roll-up top is perfect because you can roll it up when you don't need the extra space, making the backpack appear small. However, if you need to pack 1-3 days of clothes for your adventure, you can easily expand the top. The water bottle pocket is major key because not only do I always carry my Nalgene water bottle with me, but I can also put my handy dandy tripod in the same pocket.

​Best travel camera: Sony A7iii full-frame camera

My first camera was a Nikon so naturally I stayed with Nikon bodies when I first started photography. However, I switched over to Sony and purchased the A7iii and never looked back.

​Why did I leave Nikon for this camera?

Here are 3 reasons why.

1) The Sony A7iii body is so much lighter than my old Nikon D750 (650g/1.43lbs vs. 840g/1.85lbs). At the time of purchase it was Sony's flagship mirrorless camera, so I did not lose that much quality.

2) It's fantastic if you want to shoot both video and photos. At one point in time I thought I would do a lot more vlogs, so I figured to have a body that has excellent auto focus and superior low-light performance. The A7III features a highly sophisticated autofocus system with 693 phase-detection autofocus points that cover a wide area of the frame, which means it is ideal for capturing fast-moving subjects accurately. On the other hand, the D750 only has 51 AF points and relies on contrast-detection rather than phase-detection.

3) The versatility. I can take this everywhere I go, whether it is a 3-day backcountry camping trip or a couple engagement shoot. Obviously, the lens (which we will talk about next) are more important, but it brings me back to the point that because I take it everywhere, the weight is super important to me.

Lens I currently carry in my PRVKE backpack

The PRVKE backpack can carry my Sony body along with at least 2 lens. Nowadays, I walk around with two lens mostly: the Tamron 17-28mm f/2.8 lens and the Rokinon 50mm f/1.4 lens.

I carry the Tamron 17-28mm lens everywhere because it only weighs 420g and I mostly use it for landscape and nature photography as it provides an extremely wide angle view and it is durable in the elements. Furthermore, while extremely light, it does not feel cheap at all when you hold it. If you are looking for a wide-angle lens and don't want to break the bank, this is your lens.

The Rokinon 50mm F1.4 AF Series II came out in 2022 and is arguably the lightest 50mm lens in the market, weighing at 420g. It is more expensive than the Sony 50mm f/1.8, but 2x cheaper than the Sony GM. I bought the lens for ~$550 USD (€510), so you cannot beat the price for the quality you get. You can read more about the lens in the link I shared above, but this lens provides excellent value and my portrait shots have come out amazing with this lens.

Other Accessories I Carry

MeFoto Aluminum Backpacker tripod ($129 / €120)

I have a MeFoto aluminum backpacker tripod that I bought in 2017 and I chose this one due to it being lightweight and cost-effective (truly the theme of this post). I have taken this tripod to may sandy beaches, Iceland, and several volcano hikes, and it has never failed me once.

Peak Design Clip ($80 / €75)

I'm not a fan of camera neck straps so I usually carry my camera around or mount my camera on the Peak Design clip that I have attached to my PRVKE backpack. I pair the clip with a hand strap so I can easily access my camera. I just don't like how the camera can easily move around or accidentally bump into something if I carry it via the neck strap. The strap also gets in my way whenever I put the camera on the tripod, so it has made me extra careful when handling my gear since there is a higher risk of dropping it if I'm not paying attention.

There you have it! I swear by this set-up I have currently for how I like to travel and also what I like to shoot. Please note that I am not partnered with any of these brands. This is truly my own opinion on the gear I currently use and I love them dearly. Happy to answer any questions you may have if you're uncertain what kind of gear or lens works best for you. Simply reach out to me here!