A Practical Guide On How To Pick The Best Camera For Traveling

Let me start by saying there’s no right or wrong choice here. It’s all about making the choice that suits your travel style and needs best. The best camera for traveling is not the most expensive or fanciest on the market, it’s the one you’re going to use. With that in mind, I’m going to go through the main types of cameras I use on different trips and what they are best suited for. This way, you can evaluate and decide which type is best for you.

A Practical Guide On How To Pick The Best Camera For Traveling

Disclaimer

There are affiliate links included in this post. This means at no extra cost to you, I earn a commission if you book through the link.

GoPro

Good for: Versatility, adventure, families, videos, fast pace.

Not good for: Experimenting with a range of settings & photography styles, long-distance (when you need to zoom).

Accessories I use: 

• Shorty Pole (compact selfie stick and tripod)
• Floaty selfie stick for underwater adventures

The GoPro is perhaps my favorite all-around camera for travel, especially solo female travelers, because of its compact nature that helps you be discreet, its ability to take a great selfie, ease of use, and versatility to be used in a lot of environments. I love that I can take it from a hike to a swim without needing to pack extra equipment to go from one to the other.

I think it’s also a good choice for families if you want to keep up with the fast pace of children and get photos of them quickly without needing to fumble with any settings because the auto settings on the GoPro are awesome.

With a GoPro, you have a lot of different capabilities in the one camera – from time warp and slow-motion videos to night photos and self-timer. So there’s a lot to experiment with!

It’s not the best for every travel experience though.

For example, if you go on a wildlife safari, it’s not going to get the best photos of animals because they will most likely be too far away. The new GoPro has zoom capability, but it’s not quite as good as a zoom lens just yet.

However, it’s pretty great for most scenarios which is why it’s a good all-around choice.

Taken in Italy using a GoPro and Shorty Pole.

Sony Alpha a6000

Good for: Solo travelers, beginners, people who want to advance their skills, versatility for lots of different environments, and lens options.

Not good for: If you just want nice photos but don’t want to experiment with settings or lenses.

Accessories I use:

• 35mm lens
• Polarizing filter or clear filter depending on weather

Sony Alpha a6000 is a great beginner camera if you are wanting to get started using manual settings and experimenting with different lenses.

I love this one for travel because it is lightweight and not as chunky as a lot of other cameras at this price point. I’ve traveled with it in my small purse and carried it around discreetly, but it still takes powerful, high-quality photos.

When I am traveling, I always have a filter on it – usually a polarizing filter for daytime which cuts a lot of the brightness from the harsh, bright sun, and in lower light conditions or night time, I use a clear filter. Both of these add a protective layer against water, dust, scratches, or anything else and they are much cheaper to replace than a lens.

You can experiment with settings, styles, and lenses so you can do a lot with this camera. I love it for taking photos of the places I visit and taking night photos. You can also take this one swimming if you buy a waterproof housing for it.

If you’re not interested in experimenting with different lenses or advancing your skills, then I don’t think this camera is necessary.

Taken in Iceland using Sony Alpha a6000.

Sony rx100 IV

Good for: People who want a lightweight point and shoot camera, people who want the option to learn manual settings, vlogging.

Not good for: People who want to experiment with different lenses.

Accessories I use:

• Gorilla pod tripod

The last camera on the list is a Sony RX100 IV.

This one is a great option if you want something quick and easy to take nice photos and videos but you’re not interested in using different lenses. It’s so compact that you can fit it in your pocket which makes it discreet and easy to have with you everywhere.

You can experiment with manual settings using this camera, but it also has good auto settings if you just want to point and shoot quickly. It also has 4k video capability and I use it for a lot of my vlogs.

It has a flip screen that makes it really handy for taking selfies because you can see what’s in the photo and line everything up easily.

The photos are good quality but not quite as powerful as the a6000.

If you want to advance your skills down the line and use different lenses, then I recommend starting with the a6000 instead. This way, when you’re ready to step up your game, you only need to buy a new lens instead of a new camera.

Taken in Portugal using Sony RX100 IV.

Other posts you might enjoy:

• My Top Tips On How To Get Photos As A Solo Female Traveler
• Travel Photography Tips For Beginners – Improve Your Shots In 6 Easy Steps
• How To Care For Your GoPro After Your Underwater Adventures

If you found this useful, return the favor by sharing it or following me on Instagram!