Best Camera for Hiking or Backpacking 2020

best camera for hiking

This post takes the BS & mystery out of finding the right camera. A camera that meets YOUR needs & YOUR budget. And you don’t need an expensive camera to take superb backpacking photos. Some of the best lightweight backpacking and hiking cameras cost far less than you think. You might already own one!

The best backpacking and hiking camera is the one you have with you

Or put another way, the best camera is the camera you can quickly pull out and shoot. Many superb photos have been taken on iPhones. Being in a beautiful area and taking a photo in the right place at the right time matters far more than the camera.

That being said, if you are in the right place at the right time, some cameras take better photos than others. This post will help you 1) find your “best” camera and 2) give you techniques to get the most out of it when hiking or backpacking.

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This photo was shot with an inexpensive, semi-pro camera, a $500 Sony a6000 camera with stock 16-50mm kit lens.

2020 Highlights

Here are some of our picks for the best new hiking cameras

best camera for hiking - Sony Alpha A6100 Mirrorless Camera

The new Sony a6100 camera with stock 16-50mm kit lens at only $698 is the best semi-pro hiking, backpacking camera value on the market! Improvements from the old a6000 include much, much better autofocus, significantly better image quality, and better battery life.

Also see Sony a6100 or a6600? – How To Choose. Pros and Cons of the cameras.

New! Best Sony a6x00 upgrade lens at a sweet price: The Sony E 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS (27mm to 202mm equiv.). This is a very attractive do-it-all backpacking and hiking lens. It is 1/4 lb lighter, more compact and has a longer reach than our old favorite, the Sony 18-105mm F4 G OSS lens.

Two new Sony RX100 cameras:

  • The Sony RX100 VI is particularly exciting as it boasts a sharp 24-200mm equivalent f/2.8-4.5  zoom lens making even distant wildlife shots possible but with no increase in size! It also has touchscreen control, a much easier to use, one-touch EVF, and bluetooth so you can pair it with your phone for geo-tagging.
  • And the Sony RX100 VA, an upgrade to the V which shares some of the upgrades of the VI, including faster processing/operation, 315 point hybrid focusing, and less EVF lag, but retains the faster but shorter 24-70mm equivalent f/1.8-2.8 lens.

Can’t decide? See How to Choose the Right Sony RX100 Model including the less expensive RX100 III.

New, much improved Peak Design Capture Camera Clip V3 for mounting a camera to your backpack strap for fast access while hiking. Use it and you’ll get far more pictures on every trip! This is lighter than the previous version with a very smooth action making it almost effortless for you to get your camera in and out of the clip.

View a 15 second video below to see this fast system in action.

Note: I have no relationship with Sony. I do not get free gear from Sony and I am not an ambassador for Sony. All camera gear here was purchased with my own funds, as I believe it represents the best light camera gear with the highest image quality.  If you think you know of a lighter higher image quality camera in a similar class, e.g. crop format or full-frame, I would love to hear about. -a

2020 Highlights

Sony a6100 or a6600? – How To Choose. Pros and Cons of the cameras.

Tips & Hacks on how to get the best photos with your iPhone and Android

Sigma 16mm f/1.4 DC DN Prime Lens (24mm to equiv.). Pair it with a Sony a6x00 camera you have a killer (but light and low cost!) landscape camera kit that can go up against the big dogs.


Looking for Full Frame Hiking Cameras?

See – Professional Quality Cameras for Hiking and Ultralight Backpacking
The Sony a7R III and a7R II are the perfect, full-on professional cameras for hiking and ultralight backpacking. They give you full-frame pro quality photos but without the weight. Contains a list of the best and lightest, professional full-frame camera bodies and lenses. [Note: This gear is heavier and more expensive than what’s listed in this post.]

Short on Time?  Skip to One of These

In addition to “The Two Cameras I Take on Almost Every Trip” (below), you can jump to:

best backpacking cameras

Cameras I take backpacking: L to R, iPhone, Sony RX100 and Sony a6000 or a6500. There is no right choice! Each camera has its strengths and weakness. BUT the Sony a6500 on the right has almost 3x the resolution of the other two – 15 pMP vs 5-6 pMP.


The Best Backpacking Cameras

I take the following two cameras on almost every trip:

  1. My Smartphone, iPhone X (but it could be an 8 or 8 plus, or a Google Pixel…)
  2. My semi-pro Sony a6100 camera. With its low weight and great image quality challenging far heavier cameras that cost 2-3 times or more, it’s not surprising it’s the best selling camera in its class!

While my iPhone takes great pictures, at some point there is no substitute for a “true camera” like the Sony a6000 with a good lens. This is especially true if getting top notch photos is a serious trip objective. The table below shows why this is so.

* n/a values for iPhone(s) are unknown. But given their image sensor is 6.5x smaller than the RX100’s you can assume that Dynamic Range (ability to capture light and dark), High ISO (low light) performance, and Color Depth are all lower. BUT! here’s the huge caveat that closes the gap between smartphones and traditional cameras. The new iPhones (and other high end smartphones like the Google Pixel) are intensely applying sophisticated “computational photography” (software image processing) to significantly improve dynamic range, color, contrast, texture, etc. of their photos. See more on how to utilize this power below.

Perceptual Megapixels

Perceptual megapixels” (pMP) is a measure of the “sharpness,” the actual detail resolved in the final image.  pMP is the resolution of the combination of a particular lens and camera—not simply the native resolution of the camera sensor! As an example, for most 24 MP, APS-C (crop sensor cameras like the Sony a6000, Nikon D7200 or Canon EOS 80D) the perceptual megapixel resolution final image maxes out at around 17 MP or around 70% of the native 24 MP sensor resolution—even with the best and most expensive prime lenses. Zoom lenses typically resolve less, especially inexpensive ones. See more about perceptual megapixels here.

best backpacking cameras

I have a 20×30 print of this on the wall in my bedroom: I used a semi-pro camera with a sharp lens to capture fine detail and handle the huge dynamic range between the afternoon shadows and the bright snow and glaciers of the Andes in full sunlight.


Camera 1: A Smartphone – BUT Intelligently Used

What’s Good About Smartphone Cameras for Backpacking

  • Under the right conditions, and with the right technique they take some stunning photos!
  • “Zero cost” — You likely own a smartphone with a good camera, so zero additional cost
  • “Zero weight” — You’re likely  bringing your smartphone anyway, so no additional weight
  • Easy and fast to use (and you are likely proficient with it)
  • They do double duty as the best hiking or backpacking GPS

And the Newest Smartphone Cameras Kick Ass!

The new iPhones (and other high-end smartphones like the Google Pixel) are intensely applying  “computational photography” (sophisticated software image processing) to significantly improve photos. This includes dynamic range (ability to handle large differences from the lightest to darkest parts of the photo), color, contrast, texture, and even focus to their photos. The improvements can be dramatic. So much so, that many times the photos from the new smartphones often look better than photos from much larger “traditional” DSLR cameras. It may take a lot of editing of photos from a traditional camera to clearly see the benefits of a larger sensor.  That being said,  read my article:

10 hacks and accessories for better smartphone hiking photography

It will help you get the very best out your already great smartphone camera.

smartphone hiking photographyBasic Smartphone Photography Accessories L to R: [Joby GripTight Tripod at (REI) or new JOBY GripTight ONE GP Stand] both better for larger phones & are more adjustable), iPhone X on a JOBY GripTight ONE Micro Stand (smaller & lighter), Apple headset used as a remote shutter release, a Bluetooth Smartphone Camera Remote Shutter (Joby), Jackery Bolt 6000 mAh USB Battery (keeps phone charged for days of use),  Black Diamond Headlamp (gets you safely to and from the magic light of dawn & dusk for superior photos).


Camera 2: Sony a6x00 – when high quality photos are a major objective

best backpacking cameras

The full Sony a6100/a6600 kit: Sony a6100 camera with stock 16-50mm kit lensPeak Design Capture Camera Clip V3 (mounts to backpack shoulder strap, pic is of older version), Pedco ultra-pod II (small tripod), Sony NP-FW50 Battery, and a Quick Release Tripod Head – Mini Fish Bone Style.

For me, the Sony a6100 is a clear choice for serious backpacking photos. It’s an incredible value for a semi-pro camera! With the right lens it has superb image quality challenging heavier cameras that cost far more. It’s light, and is easily carried on the shoulder strap of my backpack. I have the option of a number of great lenses, many of them inexpensive. And perhaps most important, it is super fast to use with an excellent electronic viewfinder (EVF). In summary, it’s the perfect complement to my iPhone.

And here is how I use that system backpacking, so I have immediate access to my camera at all times. The camera is surprisingly light and non-intrusive while I hike.

For me the maximum weight of a camera is determind by what I an comfortably carry on the shoulder strap of my pack.

For me the maximum weight of a camera is determined by what I can comfortably carry all day on the shoulder strap of my pack. Pictured is a Sony a6000 camera with the stellar Sigma 30mm f/1.4 lens (22 oz total wt). They are mounted to a Peak Design Capture Camera Clip V3 on the shoulder strap of my pack. View a 15 second video below to see this fast system in action.

My Sony a600x System

Camera Item Oz Comments
Camera APS-C
crop format
Sony a6100 camera with stock 16-50mm kit lens
new model: Sony a6600
16.0 Among lightest 24mp APS-C cameras. It has image quality equal to much heavier cameras camera’s costing far more.
Sony a6100 or a6600 – How To Choose?  See more below
Battery spare Sony NP-FW50 Battery (1.5) Alt less $: Wasabi Power Battery (2-Pack) & Charger (Note a660 uses larger Sony NP-FZ100 Battery)
Mount Peak Design Capture Camera Clip V3 2.5 Take more photos! Fast access to camera!
Attaches to backpack shoulder strap
Mini Tripod Pedco utra-pod II 114g, 4.0 oz For small mirrorless SLR cameras
Tripod mount Quick Release Tripod Head – Mini Fish Bone Style 51g, 1.8 oz For quick attachment of camera with Peak Designs Micro Plate
 Full tripod For serious photos (only 920g) Sirui T-025SK Carbon Fiber Travel Tripod w B-00 Ball Head one of the lightest and best. It’s the tripod I’m holding in the lead photo of this article.
Remote shutter Wireless remote control JJC Remote Control for Sony A6000 – reduce camera shake on tripod. Great for selfies!
Protection Gallon Freezer ZipLoc To protect camera gear from rain
TOTAL 19.3 ounces
xx

Photo: Dolly Sods Wildness with the 16 oz Sony a6000  with stock zoom lens (in table above). I needed a small tripod, because 1) it was in the magic light of evening, and 2) I wanted  a slow shutter speed (~1-2 seconds) to get a slight blur of the water.

Sony a600 or a6500 – How To Choose?

I’m guessing many of you are confused as to which of these great cameras to get. To help you to decide on the right camera for you, I’ll try to summarize the key pro’s and cons:

Sony a6100 camera : The a6000 has the same 24 MP resolution but is a few oz lighter than the a6600. It is considerably less expensive. With the save money you can a nice lens still come out ahead. E.g. the Sony E 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS  and/or the new Sigma 16mm f/1.4 DC DN Prime Lens (24mm to equiv. for great landscape shots). The a6100 with both lenses will significantly outperform the more expensive Sony a6600 with the kit 16-50mm lens. The a6100 doesn’t have in-body image stabilization but if you stick to the image stabilized Sony lenses (OSS) this no big deal. On the other hand, if you are shooting with a non-stabilized lens like the Sigma 16mm f/1.4, you’ll end up on a tripod sooner in low light to get sharp photos.

Sony a6600: The a6500 has the same 24 MP resolution but but has a bit more dynamic range than the a6600. This the maximum range of light to dark it can capture and still retain detail in the photo. And the a6600 uses a large battery that will give much more use between battery changes.  But the most important upgrade to the a6600 is image stabilization built-in to the camera body. This means that you can shoot hand-held far longer in low light with non-image stabilized Sony lenses like the super sharp  Sigma 16mm f/1.4.  This is a pretty big deal for hikers and backpackers. Finally the a6500 has a touchscreen display. The best part of this is just touching the screen where you want focus. I find this especially useful to get super accurate focus when shooting on a tripod.

a6x00 lens upgrades

As noted in the table at the beginning of the article, you can get almost 3x better resolution with higher quality, but heavier and more expensive lenses. They are especially helpful if you think you might want to make large prints from your photos. My favorite lens for most trips, despite its weight and moderate cost, is the Sony 18-105mm G Series Zoom (far left in the photo below) and the Sigma 16mm f/1.4 Prime Lens.

xxx

If good photos are a serious objective for your trip, here are some lens upgrades I frequently use: On camera is the Sony 10-18mm F4 G OSS zoom (15mm to 27mm equiv.); center is the Sigma 30mm f/1.4 (normal lens); and far left the Sony 18-105mm F4 G OSS lens (27-160mm equiv.) Not pictured: 1) the game-changing landscape lens: the Sigma 16mm f/1.4 DC DN Prime Lens (24mm to equiv.) and our new favorite upgrade lens the Sony E 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS Lens (27-202mm equiv.)

Type Lens Oz Comments
Additional High Quality Zoom Lenses
NEW!
Allpurpose Zoom
Sony 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS 11.5 Best upgrade lens for most folks. 27mm to 202mm equiv. covers most needs, including much wildlife photography. Lighter than the 18-105 f/4. Carries nicely on pack shoulder strap. Sharp, compact. Good price. Image stabilized.
Allpurpose Zoom Sony 18-105mm F4 G OSS 15.0 Old favorite upgrade lens (27mm to 160mm equiv.) Faster at the telephoto end than the 18-135mm. Carries nicely on pack shoulder strap. Sharp, reasonably light. Good price. Image stabilized.
Wide Zoom Sony 10-18mm F4 G OSS 8.1 Very wide angle (15mm to 27mm equiv.) Great for landscape/dramatic perspective. Image stabilized.
Additional High Quality Prime (fixed focal length) Lenses
Landscape
NEW!
Sigma 16mm f/1.4 DC DN Prime Lens 14.3 Game-changing lens for backpacking landscape photographers. Fast, superb resolution, 24mm equivalent. Use dawn & dusk. And low cost! Great w image stabilized a6500 for handheld use.
Normal HQ Sigma 30mm f/1.4 lens 9.5 Highest resolution lens for camera. Wide aperture for low light. Great w image stabilized a6500 for handheld use. Or a tripod w a6000
Normal HQ Sony 35mm f/1.8 Prime Fixed Lens 6.2 Fast, superb resolution, normal lens. Use dawn & dusk. It has image stabilization, so perfect with the non-image stabilized a6000
Budget Lenses (but good!)
Landscape Sigma 19mm f2.8 DN, w hood 6.1 For landscape. Light, inexpensive. 2x sharper at 19mm than the a6000 16-50mm kit lens
Normal budget Sigma 30mm f2.8 DN, w hood 5.7 Low cost good resolution for only $199! Light.
Mild-tele Sigma 60mm F2.8 EX DN Art 6.7 Mild-telephoto/portrait lens. Super high res! Only $240!
Astrophotography Lense(s)
Astro lens Rokinon 12mm f/2.0 Wide Angle 8.6 Lens of choice for APS-C astrophotography. Inexpensive given its wide angle and speed!

Killer sub-$1,000 setup that can take down far heavier cameras costing 3x more:  Pictured the game-changing, super sharp landscape lens, the Sigma 16mm f/1.4 DC DN Prime Lens (24mm to equiv.) with the Sony a6000 camera mounted on a Mini Tripod Pedco utra-pod II.

A Point and Shoot Camera that Can Run with the Big Dogs – My Third Camera

The very light and compact Sony RX-100  crushes smartphone cameras. It has image quality approaching the Sony a6000 with kit lens. This is in part because it has an image sensor 6.5x larger than the best smartphone sensors. It also has a high-quality Zeiss zoom lens. As such, the Rx100 occupies a valid but narrow niche between smartphone cameras and mirrorless cameras like the a6000.

But note that the RX100 has its limitations:  It is just a bit too large and heavy to be truly “pocketable.” Its image quality is not quite as good as the lower priced Sony a6000. And finally, its single lens while similar in performance to the a6000 kit lens, is not interchangeable.  Thus, the RX100 cannot match the 3x better resolution of high quality interchangeable camera lenses for the a6000, like the Sigma 30mm f/1.4 Contemporary lens. Finally, it’s a bit delicate and needs to be treated with care.

rx100-500h

Which Sony RX100 Model? – How To Choose

We suggest you go up the camera versions until you get the features that matter to you. That being said, the list can be shortened to two, (possibly three) major options:

  1.  Sony RX100 III – This is what we’d recommend for most folks and the camera Alison and have used for years. The III was the game-changer for the series. It upgraded to a sharp and fast 24-70mm equivalent f/1.8-2.8 lens, full HD video, and a pop-up 1.4m-dot EVF (fantastic for bright daylight pics)! The III is also $450 cheaper than the current top model, the VI.
  2. Sony RX100 VI – Was another big surge forward for the series. It is what we’d recommend for high end buyers looking for top performance — especially those who want a lens longer than 70mm. The VI adds a longer 24-200mm equivalent f/2.8-4.5 lens (albeit a bit slower than 24-70 on previous models). This makes even wildlife photography possible with a 10 ounce pocketable camera! It has faster focusing with a Hybrid AF system using 315 phase-detect points. It also has touchscreen control, a much easier to use, one-touch EVF, and bluetooth so you can pair it with your phone for geo-tagging. Downsides of the VI are the slower f/2.8 lens and no built-in ND filter. But for most that is a small price to pay for the longer reach of the 200mm lens
  3. Sony RX100 VA – This revision to the discontinued V splits the difference between the V and the VI models and is $200 less than the VI. It will appeal to hikers that want processing speed and some of the other electronic improvements of the VI but want the faster 24-70mm equivalent f/1.8-2.8 lens. In addition, it retains the built-in, 3-stop ND filter of both the III and V (the VI sadly lacks an ND filter). This is great for video as well as getting nice blurred water shots.

In the end, the decision will likely come down to which lens you prefer; the longer but slower 24-200mm equivalent f/2.8-4.5 lens or the faster the faster 24-70mm equivalent f/1.8-2.8 lens.

The Sony RX100 Kit

Camera Item Oz Comments
Highend
point & shoot
Sony RX100 (280g) 10.0 Highest image quality for a P/S camera. But pricy!
Large sensor, good in low light, has EVF
Discount
Camera
Older versions of Sony RX100  If you don’t need the latest/greatest you can save $
And these are still great cameras!
Battery spare Sony NP-BX1 (24 g, 0.8 oz) Alt: (2) BM NP-BX1 Batteries & Charger
Tripod P/S JOBY GorillaPod (44g) 1.5 For smaller P/S cameras. Also Pedco UltraPod
TOTAL 11.5 ounces

Hacks to Get Good Photos Handheld – No Tripod Needed

Non-technical Canyon Backpacking in Utah

Handheld photo with a mirrorless camera similar to the Sony a6000. The low light of the deep shade of the canyon late in the day was a challenge. A fast(er) lens, moderate 1S0 increase, and image stabilization all helped to keep the photo sharp with good color and low noise — without resorting to a tripod.

One of the major tenets of serious outdoor photography is that you need a tripod to get good results. But this not necessary true. There are some good options to steady your camera for reasonably-sharp photos before you need to resort to using a tripod. These also have the advantage of being a lot faster to use vs. setting up a tripod. And of course you don’t have the extra weight of carrying a tripod.

The following hacks, when combined, can gain you 6 to 8 stops (camera shutter speeds). This means that a photo goes from a completely unmanageable 1/2 of a second shutter shutter speed (super blurred when handheld) to a very manageable 1/120 of a second shutter speed which should give you a nice sharp photo!

  1. Image Stabilization, +2-3 stops: Check to see if your smartphone, true camera and/or lens has image stabilization (most do). Built-in image stabilization (IS, VR or OSS) gains you about 2 to 3 stops (shutter speeds) when handheld. This goes a long way to increasing the number of shots that you can take without a tripod.
  2. High ISO, +2-3 stops: There have been dramatic improvements in ISO performance (low light). For true cameras Sony probably leads the sensor technology here. Both the RX100 and a6000 have sensors with low light performance challenging that of much larger sensors. This gains you 2 to 3 stops. The RX100 (“working” high ISO ~600, about 2 stops) and a6000 (“working” high ISO ~1400, about 3 stops). For a smartphones like my iPhone 6+ its base ISO goes from around 32 to a working high ISO of around 125, so around 2 stops. [But note this is still far less than the ISO 600 to 800 of the Sony cameras. This an inherent downside of the smartphone’s sensor being 6x smaller than the RX100’s sensor.]
  3. Fast Lens, +2 stops: For true cameras, purchasing a f1.4 to f2 lens will give you about 2 stops over a basic f3.5 to f4.0 of point and shoot lenses and many DSLR kit lenses. If you aren’t striving for depth of field, a faster lens will increase the number of shots you can take hand-held.

Hack – Improvise a “Tripod” to Stabilize your Camera

You can get much of the benefit of a tripod to stabilize your camera by improvising a “tripod.” You can brace your camera up against a rock, tree, or even your trekking pole. Remember to squeeze off that shutter gently! Better yet, you can use folded garment (or other prop) on top of a rock, or fallen tree to make a an  improvised tripod/camera rest. Now that you are not holding the camera, remember to put the shutter release on a 2-second delay for sharpest results, or use a remote (see gear lists above).


For the Sharpest and Highest Quality Photos – Use a Tripod

But even with all the hacks above, if you want the very sharpest photos, ones that will enlarge to 20×30″ and hang on your wall, you will likely need a tripod of some sort. This especially true during the low light, “magic hours” of dawn and dusk. In those instances you want low ISO (~100 true cameras, ~32-50 smartphones) and and aperture of f/4 or more. This leads to shutter speeds in the range of 1/2 of a second or longer, not remotely doable handheld. The good news is that for just a few ounces you can get a perfectly serviceable mini tripod.

5 Most Important Features for a Backpacking Camera

Sometimes to get the highest image quality (e.g. 20×30″ prints to go on your wall), you need a sharp prime and a small tripod. In this case the Sony a6000 camera with the super sharp Sigma 30mm f/1.4 lens  (50mm equiv. – normal lens) or Sigma 16mm f/1.4 Lens (24mm equiv. -landscape lens). At only 22 oz, this camera/lens combo has image quality equal to or exceeding the very best, and much heavier & costlier APS-C camera systems.

Mini Tripods

Any serious backcountry photographer should consider taking a small ultralight camera tripod like a Gorillapod or UltraPod. Compared to the techniques mentioned earlier, they provide better camera positioning and stability at a fraction of the weight of a full-sized, conventional tripod. These mini-pods are far from perfect. At some point, when conditions get difficult enough, there is no way around a “real tripod.”

  • JOBY GorillaPod. My choice for point & shoot cameras like the Sony RX100.
  • Pedco ultra-pod II 114g, 4.0 oz. This is my first choice for a smaller mid-sized cameras like the Sony a6000. Just put the shutter release on a 2-second delay and you will get sharp results even in low light.

Pro Cameras for Hiking and Ultralight Backpacking

A Light and Compact Full Sized Tripod

Finally, you may need (or want) a full sized tripod. This is especially true if photography is your main trip objective. One of the lightest, “full-sized” tripods with true stability for a camera like the Sony a6000, is the 2 pound Sirui T-025SK Carbon Fiber Travel Tripod w B-00 Ball Head. While heavier compared to the Gorilla-pod or UltraPod, it is far more stable and provides better camera positioning. And it extends all the way up to 58 inches, for a convenient non-stooping work height. Finally, the Sirui packs down to only 16″  so it easily fits in your pack.

And remember to use remote shutter release like this JJC Remote Control for Sony A6000 to reduce camera shake on the tripod. Or set the camera’s shutter to a 2 second delay.


How I Carry my Backpacking Camera – or how to get more photos

For me, it’s all about the speed and ease of taking a photo. Since I changed to using the Peak Designs CapturePRO mounting system on the shoulder strap of my pack, I get 2 to 3 x more photos per trip. More than I ever got with a point and shoot camera in my pocket!

Note in the video how quickly and easily I put my pack on with the camera already attached to my shoulder strap. No camera spinning around and twisting up the shoulder strap.

Lead photo above: Author working in Iceland with light but serious photo gear. [Photo credit – Peyton Hale]

229 replies
  1. Madi
    Madi says:

    Hi Alan, I bought a Sony a7c hoping to take it on log gravel bike trips. When buying it I was not aware the IBIS (in-body image stabiliastion) is a mechanical part that you can literally fell moving inside the camera if you turn the camera body up and down. This is a great functionality when taking photos without a tripod but I fear it also makes the camera more delicate and prone to damage. I’d really love using this camera while cycling but I fear the vibrations would damage it. May I ask your opinion? Is IBIS sturdy enough or am I worrying for no reason? Thanks a lot!

    Reply
    • Alan Dixon
      Alan Dixon says:

      We have carried Sony and Olympus IBIS cameras on a number of bikepacking trips without issue https://www.adventurealan.com/bikepacking-gap-trail-co-canal-trail/. I would recommend that you put the camera in is some sort of shock absorbing case or bubble wrap if you are carrying it in a pannier or frame bag. Less of an issue if it’s in a fanny pack or backpack that you are wearing. Best, -alan

      Reply
  2. Scott
    Scott says:

    Hello, Alan. I’ve been researching hiking-friendly cameras and found your article quite helpful. Right now, an online retailer has the Sony A6400 with 18-135mm lens on sale for $1,298 minus 10% ($1,168). Do you think it is worth it to spend a little more for this version of the camera instead of the Sony A6100? I assume each generation of the camera brings with it additional features and improvements. Your input is much appreciated.

    Reply
    • Alan Dixon
      Alan Dixon says:

      Hi scott sorry for the delay on this one. For general use and backpacking either will do you fine. The a6400 is better weather sealed but we never had an issue with the older a6000 in when were Iceland and Patagonia on multiple trips. The A6100’s EVF has less resolution: 1,440,000 vs 2,359,296 dots on the a6400. With the S-Log3 profile, the A6400 can reach 14 stops of dynamic range (according to Sony). Dunno how deep your are into photo tec, but if you understood the last one, then you will know whether it is of value to you. If not you likely won’t care. Finally, the a6100 is slightly lighter. So the Q is, are any or all of the a6400 advantages worth around $100. Only you can make that call. Warmest, -alan & alison

      Reply
  3. Sam G
    Sam G says:

    Hi Alan, I have been coming back to this article for years. You do a great job of distilling down all of the information and options into a backpacker-oriented summary. Thank you.

    I was curious about your thoughts on the new Sony 16-55mm f/2.8 lens as a general-purpose option. I have seen various reviews that show exceptional sharpness across the entire frame, rivaling the Sigma 16mm f/1.4 lens. Do you own this lens? Have you tried it out in the backcountry?

    I currently use an a6500 equipped with the Sigma 16mm f/1.4 and the Sony 10-18mm f/4 (I have a Canon G7X Mark II for my telephoto needs). I found my copy of the 10-18 to be quite soft at the edges. The Sigma 16mm is great, but I would love a little extra reach. I am headed out to the Beartooths in 2 weeks and I was just curious to hear what your thoughts were on this lens. Thanks!

    Reply
    • Alan Dixon
      Alan Dixon says:

      Hi Sam, yes the Sony E 16-55mm f/2.8 G Series lens is exciting, and sharp and fast is are admirable attributes. But let’s take a step back. This is an ultralight backpacking and hiking site. As such weight of gear matters. And altho sharp and fast the 16-55mm f/2.8 G Series is over a pound. I guess if that was the only lens you carried it would be OK but since we carry the a6600 to reduce weight adding that lens to the a600 changes things quite a bit and it becomes a heavy camera. Altho I guess you could make the argument that it might also make a decent astro lens in a pinch. So I guess you need to figure out what you want the lens for. For us, our copy of the 10-18 is plenty sharp enough on the edges and we’ve taken some amazing photos with it on the a7Riii at around 12mm. And it’s 1/2 the weight of the 16-55mm f/2.8 and significantly wider. And the E 18-135 is still significantly lighter and has the ability for medium tele for wildlife shots and landscape details. So unless you are blowing things up to large wall mounted prints you have to ask yourself if the greater weight and cost as well as limited range wa (vs the 18-55) or tele (18-135) is worth the additional sharpness and aperture. No one but you can make that call.

      For us, given that the a6600 is suppose to be our light camera for hiking and backpacking, we’ll likely stick with the 10-18 and/or the 18-135 for our extended field work. Oh and last month we took the 18-135 for 10 days in Alaska N. of the Arctic Circle with no support for those 10 days so packs just a bit over 30 lbs with camera gear. Hope this helps, -alan

      Reply
      • Sam G
        Sam G says:

        Thank you for your perspective, that is helpful. It seems the sigma 16mm and sony 16-55mm are pretty close in mass (sony is heavier by 89 g). I’ve backpacked with the sigma extensively and haven’t had any weight complaints. Hard to know what an extra 89 g will feel like. As you said, I will have to be the one to decide if it’s worth it to me. Thank you again.

        Reply
  4. Marissa
    Marissa says:

    Also, P.S. your affiliate links for the a6100 link to the a6000 on amazon, and I’m just double checking, which one are you recommending (at this point) – the a6100 and the a6600?

    Reply
  5. Marissa
    Marissa says:

    Hi Alan!
    Wow, great blog. Thank you for sharing this info. I have a question. I am considering a new camera, specifically for the combination of landscapes and trail running/hiking/backpacking. I like the sound of your setup of the Sony a6100 with the E 18-135mm lens and the Sigma 16mm f/1.4 lens. I’m curious to hear, have you ever run with the clip you mention on your backpack strap (as opposed to hike) and what are your feelings on its durability/stability holding the camera in place on a backpack strap while running?
    Thanks!
    Marissa

    Reply
  6. Jeremy
    Jeremy says:

    Dear Alan,
    Great article. I recently got a Sony a6000 and some lenses. I do packrafting/hiking combo trips and wondered if you might have any recommendations for waterproof (perhaps hard-sided?) camera cases for the alternate lenses or even the camera? I was thinking along the lines of Pelican…Something that can handle splashing and jostling.
    Cheers,
    -J
    P.S. Beauty Hyperlite pack!

    Reply
    • Alan Dixon
      Alan Dixon says:

      I usually do a combo of a handmade bubble wrap protector for the camera or lens for impact — combined with a very heavy duty ziplock, inside a fairly light drybag. The whole combo is used when you really want to 100% protect the camera for very rough sections of water. Lighter and less expensive than a Pelican. So far, I my equipment has survived. Best, -alan

      Reply
  7. Shane
    Shane says:

    Alan, I’m back again with another question. I still have yet to buy a camera and now I’m kind of leaning towards a Canon M50, particularly because of what i understand to be far superior video and battery life to the Sony a6000. Anyways, what I’m having a hard time figuring out/understanding, is how all these people on Youtube are able to get some incredible quality footage all the while hiking. For example, the peak design clip makes a ton of sense from a photography standpoint of just taking it on and off rather quickly, but how do people seamlessly film while hiking? It appears that the camera will be pointing down at the ground when utilizing the peak design clip. As opposed to looking in the direction your hiking of course. I’m just trying to figure out the best method of documenting my trip with video and with images and the video part more than anything is throwing me off. How do you do it hands free just while youre hiking? Anyways, any help in this case is good help

    Reply
  8. James Johnston
    James Johnston says:

    What product do you think works best for having an emphasis on video, not still photography? E.g. imagine you want to take a bunch of video snippets from your trip and edit it into a 3 – 5 minute video, instead of having a slideshow. Perspectives might be taking clips of other hikers on the trip, and also taking clips from a first-person view.

    Reply
  9. Marco
    Marco says:

    For backpacking I use an old, very old, Zeiss Ikonta 520 with its Tessar lens. It’s a folding medium format camera made in the 1930s and makes wonderful images. I sell photos made with that camera in a gallery. For metering I use a tiny little selenium cell meter. No batteries at all with this setup.

    Reply
    • Alan Dixon
      Alan Dixon says:

      That is so cool! Can you post a picture of your setup. I shot with a speed graphic for a while in the 80’s. Best, -alan

      Reply
  10. Mike
    Mike says:

    Why do you never discuss bridge cameras using 1 inch sensors? I’m thinking any of the Sony RX10’s or the panasonic fz1000. I’ve owned both the rx100 iii and the fz1000 among others and tried an a6000 which I tried and sold. The fz1000 is my favorite camera hands down especially consider I paid 450$ for it new on a mega sale. In a package under 2 pounds you get a 25-400mm equivalent lens that looks as good to me as the 24-70 equivalent lens on my rx100iii when I pixel peep. Although I’ve never used them, from everything I’ve read the rx10 series is as good or better optically than the rx100 series and you get a 24-200mm in the i and ii version, for under 2 pounds and a 24-600mm in iii and iv a little over 2 pounds and weather sealing.
    I don’t understand why one would even consider a mirrorless camera given how good these bridge cameras are. By the time you take a mirrorless camera, slap lens even remotely equivalent to what you get in these bridge cameras you have a package as big or bigger than the the bridge camera. When I played around with the a6000 + kit lens I thought both my fz1000 and rx100iii looked better.

    In addition now that we have 1 inch zooms that are compact with a longer zoom like the panasonic zs100 or the rx100 vi and vii I’m really not seeing the point to a mirrorless camera this day in age unless there is a lens you need that these compact or bridge cameras don’t provide which is realistically only super wide angle.

    Reply
    • Alan Dixon
      Alan Dixon says:

      Hi Mike thanks for your insights and thoughts on cameras. The PANASONIC LUMIX FZ1000 is indeed a good camera and at a reasonable price. And if you aren’t too concerned about weight and volume, it’s a good choice. But if weight and volume are a consideration (ultralight backpacking) then compared to other 1″ sensor cameras it’s big 813g vs 300g for a Sony RX100. That is the fz1000 is almost 3x the weight for a similar sensor and image quality camera. The 24-200 range of the RX100 vi is a great lens for hiking and backpacking. As such it is the point and shoot camera that we feel is well suited for ultralight backpacking and hiking. Again, if you aren’t focused on reducing weight and volume in your pack then the fx10000 is a solid choice — just depends on your criteria. Wishing you a great year of photography. Warmest, -alan & alison

      Reply
      • Mike
        Mike says:

        I agree, compared to other 1 inch sensor cameras like the RX100, the RX10 or FZ1000 are big.

        BUT that was not my point. My point was, if you talk about an APS-C, ( or M43, FF) ILC, stick a zoom lens with a larger range than the normal kit range (24-75) lens like the 18-35 lens you mention for sony APC-C, you have a package that that is as almost or considerably bigger depth wise as an fz1000 or rx10 (i-iv) with no real image advantage. The 1 inch sensor has gotten good enough for 99% of people and the faster lens on the rx100, rx10, and rz1000 make up for the 1 stop advantage you get from the bigger sensor. And to repeat, sticking a big zoom lens on an ILC you negate the size advantage when we have amazing cameras with 1 inch sensors from small to big.

        Unless you are making giant prints, need super wide angle, or are doing sports photography in low light no one has any need for anything beyond a 1 inch sensor cameras. If sony didn’t have such aweful ergonomics on the rx100 it would really be the ideal camera.

        Interesting blog post saying that a modern 1 inch sensor is as good as medium format film and beats 35mm film which was the standard for a long time.

        Reply
        • Alan Dixon
          Alan Dixon says:

          Point taken Mike. And “how good is good enough?” is an excellent question to ask. For you FZ1000 works. For me, I still find the crop sensor better vs. 1″ sensors, especially the newer breed of crop sensors. (Physics determines this. All things being equal, more sensor area are equals more light energy collected and ensuing better resolution and better image quality in a number of areas). For me, in low light landscape photography I can see the advantage of a larger sensor for noise and color saturation, etc. So no matter what the pixel width of your photo that’s going to hold constant and give you a better photo. I have a clear instance of this where my partner’s crop sensor camera could not handle early dawn photography vs. my full-frame camera. Noise and color, even resolution were just not as good.

          Anyway my friend, wishing you a great year of hiking and photography. Warmest, -alan & alison

  11. Emily Anderson
    Emily Anderson says:

    Hi Alan,

    I really appreciate your thoughtful article about your backcountry camera kit. I’ve been trying to find a good backpacking camera for a long time. I have a Nikon D7000 which I consider too heavy to take but I like using on other trips. I shot mainly with a 35mm prime lense. In the past I’ve had some small point and shoots that have been ok but have all died in various ways (most often moisture) I do long distance trips so weight is important to me. I most recently had a Sony rx100v which I thought was great until it broke — twice in the exact same way. (Dropped about 6″ onto hard surface while in case by one of my kids). I paid $300 to fix it the first time but at this point it’s not worth it to me for something that breaks so easily.

    Anyway, my point is durability and weather proofness is looking good at this point. I want to be able to shoot in weather on our backcountry trips. The alpha a6000 you use seems great but I haven’t been able to find any info about weather sealing on it. I am also considering an old Pentax k50 which is supposed to be really splashproof but is significantly heavier. Or I could go with a GoPro or something similar which at least I know won’t get broken. Most of the weather sealed cameras I’ve found are much larger & heavier & more $$ than your setup Anyway, I would love if you have any info to share on the durability/moisture seal on your a6000. Thanks! Emily

    Reply
    • Alan Dixon
      Alan Dixon says:

      Hi Emily, Sorry for the late reply, a glitch in the comment-works here. My a6000 has been down the Grand Canyon to Patagonia, Iceland, and Alaska many times and is still fine. So the short answer is that they do OK in light rain. The trick is to use a shower cap to keep it dry when not using. And when it’s raining hard enough to be a problem, it almost certainly to drecky to take photos. At that point we put our cameras in a heavy duty, gallon ziplock freezer bag. If you feel like you need to keep your camera out and unprotected in pouring rain, or shoot photos as you go through a huge rapids on the Grand Canyon, then you’ll likely need a more weather sealed camera than any of the a6000 series. But again Alison and I have used them all over the world without moisture being an issue. Hope this helps. And wishing you some great photos. Warm regards, -alan & alison

      Reply
  12. Andrew
    Andrew says:

    Hello! I came across this wonderful article as I am shopping for a travel camera. I am looking for the best possible camera (under $1500), that can fit into a jacket or cargo pant pocket and that can be used on light hikes outdoors and also casually, in museums or with friends, and in places with less-great lighting. I’ve been pleased with my Canon G7 Mark II but am looking for an upgrade, either to compact cameras such as the Canon G5 Mark III or Sony RX100 VI, or the smallest mirrorless such as the Sony a6100/6400 and Canon EOS Mark II. If I buy one of the latter two I will be limited to the smallest size lenses so that I can easily slip the camera with lens into my pocket and take it out quickly.

    This brings me to my question – in terms of image quality and low light performance, is the overlap between the RX100 or Canon G5, and the a6100 using the smallest lens, such that the images are equal? If so, I would probably prefer the smaller camera. But if the image quality is still better with the bigger one, even when using the small or stock lens – I would go bigger.

    Reply
    • Alan Dixon
      Alan Dixon says:

      Hi Andrew, Sorry for the late reply, a glitch in the comment-works here. The short answer is go with one of the Sony RX100s if you want the smallest camera for around $1500 that can fit into a cargo pants pocket. And note that most cargo pants pockets are not all that large! Because of that any of the Sony A6x00s are out. But they will fit into a larger jacket pocket just fine, especially with a smaller lens. The advantage of the A6x00s is that with the right lens they will outperform smaller sensor cameras like the RX100s, and are far more flexible for different photo and video needs. So if you can deal with the size, I would say the new a6600 with the new 18-135 lens (just above $1500 right now) would be the lightest, best performing camera in that price range. Hope this helps. And wishing you some great photos, -alan

      Reply
  13. Julie
    Julie says:

    Hi Alan,
    thank you for this interesting article! I am currently planning a 3 months backpacking tour in Southeast Asia (Myanmar, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia). I love wildlife photography and am using my Nikon DS3200 with a tele since many years. I am looking for a lighter alternative for this trip as you am not sure if my Nikon is too heavy for it. I am thinking about the Sony RX100VI or Sony a6000. What would you recommend?

    Thank you so much!
    Julie

    Reply
    • Alan Dixon
      Alan Dixon says:

      Hi Julie, apologies for the late reply. I was on a 100 mile trek and am just now checking up on comments. I would say that the Sony a6000 would be the better choice. The base model is less expensive. And it has more flexibility since you can change lenses. For an all around travel lens I would suggest the the Sony E 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS (27mm to 202mm equiv.). This is a very attractive do-it-all backpacking and hiking lens. It is 1/4 lb lighter, more compact and has a longer reach than our old favorite, the Sony 18-105mm F4 G OSS lens. I would likely do everything you need for your trip including having enough reach to do decent wildlife photos. Wishing you a great trip. Warmest, -alan & alison

      Reply
  14. Luke
    Luke says:

    Hi Alan, a very in depth review of those cameras and lenses! I studied photography in University however it’s been a while since I picked up a camera! Would love to get your thoughts on a reliable DSLR + overall lens that will have a good aperture range to cope with as much depth as possible (much like the Andes picture in your post). I’ll be going to Mexico with it (where is a slight chance of hold-ups and theft) so wouldn’t want to spend ‘too’ much on it! There just seems to be so much choice and variation I can’t quite pick any one in particular that stands out. I’ve always used Nikons in the past but did mess around with a Canon Mk3 also. I was even considering taking just a little 35mm film camera and getting a decent lens? Let me know your thoughts, e-mail directly if that’s easier!

    Reply
    • Alan Dixon
      Alan Dixon says:

      Hi Luke, nice to hear from you. I think Sony a6000 with stock 16-50mm kit lens would likely be your best choice. It is inexpensive, small and light. So it’s easy to keep close to you (even fits in a largish pocket) which will help with theft. And if stolen is not the end of the world monetarily. Finally, you can upgrade to a better lens anytime you want in the future. The other option is to look a one of the less expensive older model RX100’s. Hoping this helps and wishing you some great photos in Mexico. Warmest, -alan & alison

      Reply
      • Luke Kitchiner
        Luke Kitchiner says:

        Hi Alan + Alison

        Thanks for the speedy reply! I’m just looking at the lens’ now and I’m wondering if the 16mm f/2.8 would offer any advantages over the stock 16-50mm lens?

        Regards
        Luke

        Reply
        • Alan Dixon
          Alan Dixon says:

          It does. It is both faster and sharper. Takes better low light photos and has more control over depth of field. Downside is that you have to be happy only shooting at 16mm (or about 24mm equivalent) that is fairly wide for a general purpose fixed lens. A more conservative wide angle choice for a fixed lens would be the 19mm lens. And of course there is the super sharp 30mm lens which is normal (or about 50mm equiv). But again you have no zoom options with these lenses which can be a limitation in the field where you can’t swap the lens out for something else longer or shorter. No right or wrong answers here — just personal preferences. -a

  15. Amy
    Amy says:

    Hi Alan,
    Thank you for all this helpful information! I am climbing/hiking Kilimanjaro summer 2020 and am panicking over the camera situation. I currently have a Nikon D7000 with multiple lenses, but this is a very heavy load to take up to the summit. I will have my iPhone X with me, but as a back-up. I am concerned about weight, but also want professional quality photos. I am considering the Sony you recommended, as it sounds like it could be the right choice for quality and weight. What are your thoughts on which Sony and which lens(s)? I also need to be conscious of battery life at the extreme altitude. After the trek we will be at a safari camp for a few days, so I would like to use the same camera for this as well (trying to avoid bringing the Nikon). Would love to hear your recommendations for all of this and if you think it is worthwhile for me to bring the Nikon (34 hours, 4 flights, with heavy camera bag) for just the safari portion. I would love to find something that can do it all! Thank you in advance!

    Reply
    • Alan Dixon
      Alan Dixon says:

      Hi Amy, apologies for the late reply. I was in the backcountry when you posted your comment and then it slipped through the cracks. If you are going on safari and spending all that $ and time to go to Africa then I’d recommend you buy a decent camera. I learnt this via the school of hard knocks. I went to the Galapagos without adequate lenses (esp. telephoto reach) and am still kicking myself about it.

      I think one of the Sony A6x00 cameras would be a good choice for low weight, reasonable cost, and good image quality. You can take a look at this post for lens options. But given you are in Africa and on Safari the The Sony E 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS (27 mm to 202 mm equiv.) would be a front runner since it will work as a decent short range telephoto for safari but will also work for your Killi tek. The other great lens is the 10-18 which we also use on our A7’s and would be good on Killi for some dramatic wide range perspectives — it’s one of our favorite lenses and goes on every trip whether we take an a6000 or the a7Rii’s. Finally for Safari, to save $ you might consider Lens Rentals.com for a telephoto in the range of 400 to 600 mm equiv. Wishing you a great trek and safari. Hope this helps. Warmest, -alan & alison

      Reply
  16. Robert Croll
    Robert Croll says:

    Hi Alan,

    This article has been so helpful. I started by reading this article and then spend many hours researching other options, Full Frame cameras, lenes and ended up back here!

    Could have saved myself the time but it was time well spent never the less.

    I decided to keep my old a5100 and buy the Sony 18-135mm lens. Professionals gave it mixed reviews but on the a5100, it is sharp down to pixel level, so the quality is higher than the APS-C sensor. Also bought the Sony 10-18mm that appears just as good.

    I followed your advice and bought a Sirui tripod but not the T-025SK. Sirui have just released a new model, the T-024SK which is the same I believe, except the centre column is extendable. Worth having a look I think.

    Also look forward to an article in the future maybe, regarding filters. Hey, you got nothing better to do, right LOL.
    Thanks again for everything UL and Cameras as well now I want to take my bushwalking photography to the next level.

    Regards,
    Rob

    Reply
    • Alan Dixon
      Alan Dixon says:

      Hi Robert and apologies for the late reply. I’ve been guiding Alaska’s Brooks Range for the last two weeks and will soon head back in to Alaskan mountains for another two weeks. Sounds like you have a great camera kit. And the 10-18 is a favorite lens of ours. And at F4 & 10mm, it will do in a pinch for an Astro lens. Actually Alison and I use it on our A7Riii’s where it does quite well full-frame from 12mm to 16mm without serious vignetting. Some of our best photos were taken with this lens — lead photos for the tent guide, and lead photo for the Cerro Castillo Trek.

      As to filters, we usually take a polarizing filter, and a neutral density filter (0.9 and/or 1.8) for each lens. And given the tougher backpacking environment a UV filter is always on the lens. We prefer the B&W thin filters like the “010M” series. Hope this helps. Best, -alan & alison

      Reply
  17. Kanilreddy
    Kanilreddy says:

    I have been looking at the Sony RX 100 as a backpacking camera. Do you think the value is there in the mark III for the extra $150? Is the original RX 100 close to the mark III in terms of picture quality? I would rather pay out the money for the less expensive camera. I am far from a professional photographer. I am really looking for a nice point and shoot that will take much better photos and video than a standard cell phone.

    Reply
    • Alan Dixon
      Alan Dixon says:

      Kanilreddy, the mk III is really the first RX100 I would consider. Vs. mk II t bumps up to the much better 24-70mm f/1.8-2.8 lens. And it has a pop-up electronic viewfinder that is great for daylight photos when the rear LCD screen can be difficult to see. Hope this helps. And wishing you a great year of photos. Warmest, -alan

      Reply
      • mckeer
        mckeer says:

        I’m also considering the sony RX100 III for backpacking. Do you think it can also handle some basic night photography? Long exposures of the night sky/ milkyway?

        Reply
        • Alan Dixon
          Alan Dixon says:

          Hi mckeer,
          Yes you can do quite respectable (as opposed to fantastic*) astrophotography with Sony RX100 III. The camera will need to be a on reasonably solid tripod (Pedco ultra-pod II at a minimum). ND Filter: Off,
          White Balance: Daylight or Custom: 3900K, Long Exposure NR: Off SteadyShot: Off.

          Shoot at 24mm and F1.8. Manually put your shutter speed to around 20-24 sec ISO 1600 (see rule of 500 for more info — it’s complicated by the 1″ sensor on the RX100). If you are getting star trails you need to shorten your exposure. Use a remote shutter release, or set your camera to 2 sec shutter delay. Finally, the hardest part is getting a good manual focus on the stars as your camera’s auto focus will not likely do the job. This may take a bit of trail and error. I find the zoom option for manual focus the most useful. Wishing you some great trekking and photography. Warmest, -alan & alison

          * For top-notch astro photography you need a large sensor camera (FF or crop format) and something like a 12 to 16mm lens, around f/1.8-2.0. That’t some serious weight and $! But for its size the RX100 III does an amazing job!

        • Alan Dixon
          Alan Dixon says:

          Oh, and apologies for the late reply. Just back at a computer after a month of guiding Alaska’s Brooks Range and then some personal trips in Alaska. Now digging out of the backlog of being away from the internet for a considerable amount of time.

  18. Shane
    Shane says:

    Alan, about a month ago I commented on here but it appears something happened and my message didn’t go through. I posted a follow up, you responded, but then I forgot. Anyways, thanks for seeking to help.

    First off, your review is great. Nice work. The Sony A6000 looks like the camera for me. I’m seeking some purchase help from you though on making my best decision. Background about my camera experience and my type of hiking. Camera experience: zip, zero, zilch, nada. I literally know nothing about cameras or photography which is why after reading yours and many others the Sony A6000 seems like a good pick for a noobie photographer looking to go from phone quality to semi professional quality. Backpacking experience and what I want to do with the camera: I’ve been backpacking for 11 years now this year done about 23 trips and it’s my favorite passion by far. I may end up doing 10 trips this year alone. I’m not an UL backpacking snob, but I definitely have a gear catalog with all my stuff weighed lol. I love your setup with the lock mechanism straight from the shoulder strap of your pack and that’s what I would intend to do as well when backpacking for very quick access to the camera for timely shots. Weight to value to easy of use is essentially what I’m looking for in a bundle like purchase with this camera. I dont want to “worry” about the camera and or bring more than one additional lenses and minimize my accessories. I envision with the right setup I would take 100s-1000s of pictures this summer alone. Looking to stay under $800 for total purchase price of the camera and all accessories. At least for this year. Amazon has numerous different bundle options with tons of different accessories and lenses options but I honestly have no clue what to buy. Can you please suggest an option or two with the link that you think is in my best interest? Best bang for my buck on the whole 9 yards is what I’m after. Picture quality, simplicity of use and ease of access to it, weight, price is are the things I’m most concerned with. Outside of that any other little things I should be aware of such as storage capacities, charging capabilities or how that even works with the camera etc. Would be greatly appreciated. Thanks for the help once again Alan. I appreciate you and your time.

    Reply
    • Alan Dixon
      Alan Dixon says:

      Nice to hear from you Shane. Bang for the buck the Sony a6000 w kit 16-50mm lens is what you want. Yes, there are better lenses for the camera but they are heavier and far more costly and you may not even notice the difference. After that you want the, Peak Design Capture Camera Clip V3, Wasabi Power Battery (2-Pack) & Charger, a UV filter to protect the front of your lens, and a small tripod if you want to take sharp photos in the low light of dawn or dusk, or great selfies.

      I have oulined this in my article in the section “My Sony a600x System.” Hope this helps. And wishing you a great year of backpacking and photography. Warmest, -alan & alison

      Reply
      • Leah Overmyer
        Leah Overmyer says:

        Alan, Hi. I hike and backpack all the time and LOVE to take pictures. My Olympus TG4 recently died and I have been back and forth on what kind of camera to get. I got the TG4 because of its rugged features but was disappointed and felt like my Samsung S8 phone took way better pictures. I have been looking at the Sony point and shoot and the A6000 you mentioned. I have also considered just getting the new Samsung S10. I am not wanting to do much editing. Just a high quality camera that takes nice sharp photos, mostly landscape, flowers, and wildlife. Also, I use it for traveling so good pics of people in front of destinations. I do print out a lot of my pictures, mostly nothing bigger than 8×10 but occasionally I will print a larger one on canvas. What would you recommend for me. I have always had an actual camera but with the phone/camera technology being so good now I dont know what to do. A better zoom than my phone or TG4 had would be good but not critical. Thank you for your advice.

        Reply
        • Alan Dixon
          Alan Dixon says:

          Hi Leah, I think the a6000 kit with the 16-50mm lens described in this post would do you fine. If you find you really like it you could upgrade to a longer range zoom lens at some point. But no rush. And for what it’s worth, in my opinion the point and shoot camera is not all that relevant in this day and age — it’s now lost in the limbo between good cell phone cameras, and crop format cameras like the Sony a6000. As such I don’t think it makes much sense for most people to get one if they already have a phone with a good camera. Wishing you a great year of photos. Warmest, -alan

  19. Peter
    Peter says:

    HI Alan,
    Recently got myself an A6500 with the Sony 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS lens you recommend above and have been pleased thus far. This past weekend I was hiking, and was snapping some pictures that looked great, until I compared the raw vs. JPEG on my computer. The article below (reference the Geometric distortion section) is exactly what’s happened with the dark spots on the corners, and I was curious if you had seen this, have any tips to avoid it, and any other thoughts? I’m mostly doing landscape shots, so perhaps I should stick with that lens instead? Although I really like the versatility of the 18-135mm.

    Appreciate your feedback as always!

    https://www.imaging-resource.com/lenses/sony/e-18-135mm-f3.5-5.6-oss-sel18135/review/

    Reply
    • Alan Dixon
      Alan Dixon says:

      Peter, the dark corners is called Vignetting and is fairly common with many modern lenses. Most lens correction software (in camera to JPEG) can handle this — and the lens designers rely on it as well as handling lens distortion. And it is not too difficult to deal with post processing in either Lightroom or Photoshop. Once corrected is essentially a non-issue.

      Vignetting is usually a most obvious shooting a lens at its widest angle setting and its widest apertures. Stopping down a bit usually reduces and/or eliminates it. Also make sure that your filters (and possibly lens hood) aren’t the real culprits. I usually buy the extra think UV filters to avoid this problem. But when I stack a polarizing and/or a neutral density filter on top of it, then I usually get some vignetting. That’s pretty much the way it goes. Hope this helps. Wishing you a great year of photography. Warmes, -alan & alison

      Reply
  20. Tim
    Tim says:

    Hi Alan,
    thanks for this excellent post!
    I just ordered my A6500 with the 18-135 lens, and the 16mm Sigma to take on hiking trips.

    I was wondering if you use (UV) filters on these lenses as standard?

    Kind regards,
    Tim

    Reply
      • Alan Dixon
        Alan Dixon says:

        Hi Tim,
        Good question. First, since I primarily use my cameras in the backcountry, for protection from dust, and damage all my lenses have a UV filter on them at all times. I prefer the thinner B+W ones. Second, as to polarizing filters, I do use them. Primarily when I am shooting around water — lakes, rivers and waterfalls. And for rivers and waterfalls I also use a neutral density filter to get a long shutter speed to blur the water. BUT if you shoot early in the day (less light and longer exposures), you can sometimes get by with just the polarizing filter and stopping down your lens to something like f/11. Hope this helps. And wishing you a year of taking great photos. Warmest, -alan & alison

        Reply
  21. Shane Tweedy
    Shane Tweedy says:

    Alan, I’m not in any rush or anything, but just curious if you received my message I sent you? It’s rather long.

    Reply
    • Alan Dixon
      Alan Dixon says:

      Nice to hear from you shane! Apologies, but I just scanned through all my comments here and see nothing from you. How can I help? Best, -alan

      Reply
  22. Peter Boudreau
    Peter Boudreau says:

    Alan,
    Thanks for all the tips!
    Is there a way to swap between the lightweight tripod and the clip or is the only way to unscrew the plate itself and swap between the two? A friend has the same setup and mentioned this as a pain point, and I’m looking at the same setup and thought there must be some sort of adapter.

    Appreciate your help!
    -Peter

    Reply
    • Alan Dixon
      Alan Dixon says:

      Hi Peter, good question. The Capture Pro plate on the camera body fits most Acra Swiss compatible tripod head clamps — that is to say most tripod heads, e.g. Sirui T-025SK Carbon Fiber Travel Tripod w B-00 Ball Head and many other tripod brands. My only tripod head head it didn’t work was my Really Right Stuff Lever Clamping head. And for that I simply exchanged just the the top clamp for a RRS knob tightening version of the clamp and everything was hunky dory. So in the field it’s just take the camera off the PD Capture Pro and mount it on the tripod head. Maybe 15 seconds total. Hope this helps. Wishing you a great year of photos. Warmest, -alan & alison

      Reply
  23. Greg Rowe
    Greg Rowe says:

    Hi, Alan. I’m looking to change my backpacking/hiking cameras. Am impressed with your review of the Sony a6000 with the 18-135 lens. Between it and the Nikon Coolpix A-1000, which would you recommend? FYI, I’m used to Nikon, and find its download software much easier than Canon’s. Current cameras are a 2007 Nikon D80 DSLR with 18-135 lens. It’s 10 megapixels, heavy but has been to summit of Mt. Whitney and numerous Grand Canyon treks. Other camera is a Canon Powershot G12, 10 megapixel. It somehow got a scratched lens that makes the center of photos look cloudy, which is why I’m looking at replacing it.

    Reply
    • Alan Dixon
      Alan Dixon says:

      Hi Greg, nice to hear from you. Apologies for the late reply but I was working hard on the Dirigo 2 Tent review and video. While bulkier and heavier I would go with the Sony a6000 and Sony a6000 with the 18-135 lens. While the Nikon is lighter, less expensive and has a much longer zoom… it’s sensor is not as good nor its lens as sharp. The sensor seems to do poorly in low light “noise is already prevalent at the relatively slow setting of ISO 800.” Finally, the Nikon does not have interchangeable lenses which will always be a limitation for serious photography. For instance, if you wanted to get an astro lens. If you really want a small compact camera with good image quality I would look at one of the older Sony Rx100’s. Hope this helps. Warmest, -alan & alison

      Reply
  24. YANG LU
    YANG LU says:

    Hi Alan,

    I wish I found your web site earlier. It has a lot of information I am looking for. Thanks for sharing!

    I am also a backpacker. Sometimes I need to carry 10 days of food (a lot of weight!) into wilderness. I am also a serious photo hobbyiest. I am looking for some advise from you. I always carry a tripod under any conditions and usually only take serious photos at sunset of sunrise. In day time I pretty much only use cellphone. Image stablization seems not a concern for me.

    I own an a6000. Do you think if makes sense to upgrade to a6500? I see the weight will increase a few ounces by gaining weather proof. But do you think it can improve the image quality in any noticeable way?

    My lens are Zeiss 16-70, 55-210 and Rokion 12mm F2. Would you share your insight on 16-70? If I want to upgrade, which lenses do you recommend? Reading your article, I think I probably want to add Sigma 16mm and Sony 10-18.

    Thanks,
    Yang

    Reply
    • Alan Dixon
      Alan Dixon says:

      Hi Yang, this is a good Question and apologies for the late reply I was out backpacking and am just now seeing this. I don’t see the need to upgrade the a6500 for water resistance. I have had my a6000 in a fair amount of rain and it has always done fine. I usually keep it on a Capture Pro Clip and then put a Women’s shower cap over it when not in use (also great protection from windblown dust). As to lenses my first choice would the the 10-18 it’s a nice sharp lens and a great focal length for sweeping landscapes and dramatic perspectives. And if you ever get FF Sony it works great from about 12 to 16 on any A7xxx. Alison and I have gotten some stunning shots on this lens including the lead photos for both the Cerro Castillo Trek Guide and the 2019 Best Backpacking Tents | Lightweight & Ultralight. As for the 16mm, get it if you want but I find that I don’t end up using prime lenses that much in the field. Hope this helps. Wishing you some great photos this year. Warmest, -alan & alison

      Reply
  25. John
    John says:

    Hi Alan – hoping to get some advice. A couple years ago, I followed your recommendation and bought an Olympus OMD E10 Mark II. I got the kit wider zoom and telephoto zoom, and the cheap (affordable) prime you recommended. Last week I dropped the camera and I think it’s toast/too expensive to fix.

    So, now I have a dilemma. A) buy a new body, B) Buy something like the Sony A6000 w/ kit lens, C) buy the Sony RX 100 III. Each of those options seems to cost about 500-600 dollars, same price Olympus quoted me to fix my current body.

    I’m curious about whether any of your thinking/experience has changed since writing about the Olympus. The lenses I have aren’t particularly great (other than the prime), so I don’t feel super locked in by them.

    I’m an amateur photographer who is willing to make modest efforts to take better pics than I can with just my phone. But, not really a pro, and kind of cheap.

    Any suggestions on which way to go?

    Many thanks!

    Reply
    • Alan Dixon
      Alan Dixon says:

      Hi John, apologies for the delayed reply. Alison and I have been trekking in Patagonia the last few weeks. Sorry to hear about your Oly camera, but stuff like that happens. And better it happen to an moderately priced camera with a few years of use. Guessing you already got your money’s worth out of it :-) Unless you are going to take the big jump to full frame Sony (and I am guessing that it will waaaay be heavier and more expensive than you want) — I would just go ahead and buy the OMD E10 Mark III. The added expense of both buying a new a6000 body plus the equivalent lenses for the Sony would not be worth the cost for the slight increase in image quality. Hope this helps and wishing you some great photo sessions in the outdoors. Warmest, -alan & alison

      Reply
  26. Ashley Hold
    Ashley Hold says:

    Hi Alan

    Thanks for the very useful website. I’m currently rethinking my camera kit for hiking, and looking at Sony A6300. The quick release adaptors for your set up particularly interest me, but the fishbone style QR tripod clamp you mention, on Amazon comes in six sizes, and I have no idea which to get, to pair with the Peak Design Micro plate. Could you advise me?
    Thanks

    Ashley

    Reply
    • Alan Dixon
      Alan Dixon says:

      Hi Ashley, Apologies for the delayed reply but we’ve been out trekking in Patagonia for a few weeks. Good Q. And I can see that the link is confusing. You want the HF-25, the smallest, least expensive one. Hope this helps. Warmest, -alan & alison

      Reply
  27. Samuel
    Samuel says:

    Dear Alan,

    I have really enjoyed this year’s updated post on lightweight backpacking cameras. You always do such a nice job. I was wondering if you had ever tested the Sigma 16mm f/1.4 on the Sony a6000 in bright sunlight shooting handheld? How is the sharpness? What is your success rate on handheld shots? What about on an overcast day with intermediate light? I know this lens/camera body combo does not offer stabilization, but I was just curious if you had any experience testing this combination out in a handheld fashion.

    The sharpness of the Sigma 16mm is unlike any other lens I’ve seen for the a6000, but I would be apprehensive to purchase this lens if I couldn’t get sharp handheld shots. I realize that for the sharpest possible shots, one should use a tripod, but would handheld shots with the a6000/sigma 16mm combo be “acceptably sharp” in your experience? I’ve read that, for an average person, sharp handheld shots can be obtained with shutter speeds of 1/focal length of the lens, but I wasn’t sure if this was true in practice.

    For low-light shots, I would move to the tripod if I were to purchase this lens. But for daytime shooting, I would really prefer to shoot handheld.

    Thank you for your insight!
    Samuel

    Reply
    • Alan Dixon
      Alan Dixon says:

      Hi Samuel. Apologies for the delayed reply but we’ve been out trekking in Patagonia for a few weeks. If you are doing handheld shots I would recommend moving up the a6500 with the built in image stabilization. The 16mm lens is so sharp that any handshake will negate its ultimate resolution. Maybe in bright sunlight of you made sure it has a sufficiently fast shutter speed ( maybe ~1/250 sec or higher?) it may work. Since everybody’s handheld technique is different it would be hard to comment authoritatively on this. But my best guess is that it would work for you handheld on light to moderate overcast days if you were very careful to squeeze off steady shots. FWIW we’ve had excellent results with our a7rii’s handheld in on overcast days at 70mm — essentially reaching the len’s full resolution. Hope this helps. Warmest, -alan & alison

      Reply
    • Alan Dixon
      Alan Dixon says:

      Hi Chris,
      and apologies for the delayed reply, we were out on a 350 mile trip. I have not tried the 18-135 lens yet. From what I understand it has very good center sharpness across its focal range. On the other hand seem to suffer from soft edges from 18-25mm. And there is some significant vignetting around 18mm. In summary, optically from 25mm up it is as good and likely better than the 18-105. Sony 18-135 f3.5-f5.6 is obviously a variable aperture lens so at some point it will have an aperture less than the constant f/4 of the 18-105. Likely not much of an issue, unless you shoot at the longer focal lengths and need the wider, f/4 aperture. The optical image stabilization appears to be better than on the 18-105 which might likely more than compensate for the lower f-stops when using the lens handheld. Finally the 18-135 is more compact and lighter than the 18-105 and of course has a long focal length.

      The only arguments I can see for the older 18-105 is that it is sharper at 18 (focal length I shoot at a significant portion of the time — approaching 40 to 50%) and that it is faster at the longer end of the focal length. Other than that, the 18-135 seems to be the superior lens, especially from about 22mm on out. I may need to buy one soon.

      Hope this helps. Warmest, -alan & alison

      18-135 $598 and 11.5 oz – 2.65 x 3.46″ / 67.2 x 88 mm
      18-105 $598 and 15.6 oz – 3.07 x 4.33″ / 78 x 110 mm

      Reply
  28. madeline
    madeline says:

    hello alan,
    terrific post – thank you!
    i currently use a canon rebel t2i with a 18-200 lens and a prime lens. i am tired of the weight!
    i just cannot decide what to get…
    P & S or a mirrorless…sony or stick with canon

    canon is the only brand of camera i have used i have heard sony is complicated to use…and the lenses – how to choose?

    i mostly use for travel & hiking.

    Reply
    • Alan Dixon
      Alan Dixon says:

      Hi Madeline, most of my Canon friends have switched to Sony mirrorless. I think you might like one of the Sony a6x00 cameras (a6000, a6300 or a6500) with the Sony 18-105mm F4 G OSS Lens. This is our favorite general purpose zoom lens for the camera. The Sony is no more complicated to use than any other crop format camera like your Canon T2i. Wishing you great trekking and some fantastic photos. Warmest, -alan

      Reply
  29. Hank
    Hank says:

    Thanks Alan for your great work, this is the best article for backpacking cameras.
    I’m a seasoned hiker but a photography newbie; I had always taken photos with my iPhone during previous backpacking trips.
    Now I would like to step into the photography field, here are my options.
    1. RX100 MK III, IV or V
    2. Sony a6000 + Sony 10-18 f4 lens
    3. Sony a7ii with kit lens
    With limited knowledge/skills, option 1 might be better for me and it is really pocket-able.
    The reason for option 2 or 3 is my enthusiasms will only last 2-3 months if I don’t treat it seriously with money.

    Could you shed some light on me?

    Reply
    • Alan Dixon
      Alan Dixon says:

      Hank, these are all good options but there is no right answer. It depends on:

      • how far you want to go with your photography. I.e how into the nitty gritty of technique, bracketing, manual focus, night photog, neutral density filters etc.
      • how much you are willing to spend and how much weight you are willing to carry (might even include a tripod!)
      • and finally, how large/high resolution and image do you need

      If you can tell me more about what types of photos you want to take what resolution/quality of images you need, I can probably point you in the right direction. Warmest, -alan

      Reply
  30. Michael
    Michael says:

    Hi Alan,

    Brief history.

    After moving from 4×5 large format photography a few years ago and platinum/palladium printing, like so man others I embraced digital medium format shooting. Then, looking to lighten my load, I moved to full frame Canon 1dx cameras. Now, I have transitioned to mirrorless cameras.

    Most of my LF and MF work was day hiking only and any over night work was by way of campers. I don’t “sleep out” often, I prefer the comforts of home. :)

    I have an Osprey 42 back loader that I carried my LF gear in. Too heavy and big now. Last packing trip was along Highway 50 through Nevada and up into Pyramid Lake and the Black Rock Desert. Since then, I have been using an older Kelty Redwing 2900 that is long in the tooth and failing.

    As an architect and architectural photographer, my tripod is a Gitzo 4553 which collapses to 19″ and weighs 4.9 pounds. Heavy yes, but for long exposures it is rock solid.

    My tripod heads are an Arca Swiss C1 Cube which is 2 pounds or a RRS BH-55 also around the same weight. Don’t carry both, either one or the other.

    In addition, I use the Sony 16-35/2.8, 35/1.4, 85/1.4, and 70-200/2.8 lenses but do not carry them all for landscape work. Mostly the 16-35 and 85 each of which are 1.5 pounds.

    My filter holder and case weight roughly 1/2 pound.

    Lenses and tripod heads are in Kinesis lens pouches. Camera body is wrapped in a Domke wrap.

    I carry in my bag food for the day, water, a fleece, a Hyperlite Shell rain jacket, Chili gloves, and a beanie hat.

    Typically the tripod fits inside the Kelty 2900 with the spider also wrapped with a Domke.

    All in all my daypack is roughly 15 pounds at the start of the day including food and water.

    Sorry to inundate you with this info, but I truly need a new pack and would love your opinion and recommendations.
    Thanks Alan,

    Michael

    Reply
    • Michael
      Michael says:

      Hi Alan,

      Almost forgot,

      Laying out all of my gear in their pouches on a table, the volume they encompass is approximately 10″ wide x 8″ deep x 21″ high or 1680 cu in. This is without the tripod which I assume can be strapped to the pack. I still need room for food and water for the day.

      Michael

      Hope this helps.

      Reply
      • Alan Dixon
        Alan Dixon says:

        All right, back at you Michael. All your camera stuff + day hike gear and more will certainly fit into an HMG 2400 Pack. Again, The only difference between the 2400 and the 3400 is that the 3400 has a taller extension collar and only weights a few ounces more. Both packs use the same size main pack bag up to the shoulder straps. As such, there is almost no weight or size penalty to go with the larger 3400 pack. And again, we prefer the solid pockets of the Southwest packs as they are more durable and less prone to snagging.

        Now the caveats.

        • The HMG packs are top-loaders. That means that camera gear is going to be a lot harder to access vs. a more traditional rear opening camera pack like an F-stop bag. You’ll do a lot more digging to setup for a shot. Yes, the HMG is a lot lighter!
        • You likely need to get some sort of camera storage pod like an F-Stop ICU or similar. This will make lifting all your camera gear out of the pack (as a unit) easier (or I sometimes make my own camera gear protectors using bubble wrap and packing tape.)
        • Or I guess you could load your gear into a larger stuff sack or an HMG Pod so you could easily pull it out as a unit. Actually HMG Pods might be a good way to do this!

        Yeah, I also own a large and heavy Gitzo and I love it, but not for hiking. Might I suggest a lighter tripod for a long day hike? I used a light Sirui T-1204XL Carbon Fiber Tripod in Iceland and it did fine even with its legs in flowing water and with a ND filter and long exposures to blur waterfalls — and with a 70-200 f/4 lens on it. And Alison and I took a pair of Sirui T-024X Traveler Light Carbon Fiber Tripods when we backpacked in Patagonia this Spring (albeit this tripod is pushing stability limits with a big lens — we usually carry the lighter f/4 versions for backpacking). Hope this helps, -alan

        Reply
        • Michael
          Michael says:

          Alan,

          Thank you for the detailed and thoughtful response.

          I ordered the Hyperlite 2400 and will be test fitting it with packing pods and perhaps a Tenba BYOB or one the inserts you mentioned. Have a few on order which will be arriving this week.

          I must say, the pack is phenomenal and loaded to 15 pounds with stuff, resting on my hips and not shoulders is great.

          You are right with respect to the pack depth and I can see this as a negative to some. Once I get the tripod and camera setup, I think its no different than my old Osprey 4200.

          Anyway, once again, thanks for the insights and assistance.
          Looking forward to my next adventure.
          Safe Travels

        • Alan Dixon
          Alan Dixon says:

          My pleasure Michael. Looking forward to seeing some of your photographs using the HMG SW 2400 as a transport. Warmest, -alan

  31. Sarah Anne
    Sarah Anne says:

    Hi Alan!

    So many comments! Clearly this is a topic a lot of people are interested in. I got the Sony a6000 at Christmas time and was convinced to buy the zoom lens bundle, as well as the 30mm Sigma (was not disappointed in the purchase!) The sigma has been on my camera pretty much ever since, save for some bird photos with the zoom. I am heading to Scotland in one week and I am thinking/looking to purchase a wide angle lens to capture dramatic landscape photos of the mountain ranges/lochs. I am torn between the Sigma 16mm and the Sony 10-18mm. I have been looking at comparison after comparison but none really hit on the things I am looking at. I know the sigma would be much better in low light and astro settings, though I have yet to really experiment too much with that (though I am sure I would with that lens). The stock lens goes to 16mm but obviously the quality of the Sigma would be better. But would I really be hitting that dramatic wide angle I am looking for or would I still need to stitch a couple photos together?

    I’m coming down to the wire in terms of time to order. The 16mm is definitely more in my price range (here in Canada the Sony goes for $1k), but would I be disappointed I didn’t spend the extra in the end?

    I’d really just love to see a landscape photo side-by-side comparison of how much fits in each shot but have yet to find anything.

    Thanks for your help! Also ordering that mini tripod! Very over the makeshift one.

    Reply
    • Sarah Anne
      Sarah Anne says:

      I feel like that was long winded,
      tl:dr,

      is the 16mm *really* wide enough for those nice wide angle shots?

      Reply
      • Alan Dixon
        Alan Dixon says:

        Sarah Anne the 16mm is a great all around landscape lens and suitable for many landscape shots. BUT will not capture sweeping landscapes and create dramatic perspectives in the way that the 10-18 can do. Best, -alan

        Reply
    • Alan Dixon
      Alan Dixon says:

      Hi Sarah Anne, sorry to have missed your message. I am just back from guiding for weeks in the backcountry with no email. Know this is reply is late, but my best guess is that the 10-18 would be more versatile. The 10mm is especially useful for sweeping landscapes and dramatic perspectives. Alison and I use it in the 10-14mm range all the time. Hoping you are having a great time in Scotland. Warmest, -alan

      Reply
  32. Kellie
    Kellie says:

    Hi Alan,
    Thank you for this wonderful article. It is very helpful. I own the Sony A6000 and like to take photos of birds but I can’t seem to get enough reach with my lens (currently its the Sony 55-210mm). What would you suggest to be able to reach out a bit further?
    Thank you in advance for your reply,
    Kellie

    Reply
    • Alan Dixon
      Alan Dixon says:

      Hi Kellie an excellent Question. You have indeed pointed out a limitation of the of the Sony APS-C E Format*. About 210mm is as long as it gets in Sony lenses. You do have options tho. 1) You can use Sigma’s MC-11 adapter (allows the Sony to use Canon lenses) which gives you access to Sigma’s lenses that are Canon mount. And it also gives you access to other Canon mount zoom lenses both by Canon and others like Tamron, etc. But you’d likely need to test then for full functionality with an option to return. FWIW I have tried Sigma’s Canon mount lenses and the compatiblity is good! 2) you could buy one of Sony’s teleconverters. They come in 1.4x and 2x but are pricy at $550. Hope this helps. -alan

      * Note: since this is a backpacking focused website, we normally do not carry nature telephotos on our trips. But I do use the most excellent Sony FE 100-400 with 1.4x teleconverter on my Sony A7R iii for my non-backpacking nature photography and it is most excellent! -a

      Reply
  33. Ahmed Muhsin
    Ahmed Muhsin says:

    Hello Alan,

    Its me again. i wanted to tell you that i bought the sony a6000 camera with the accessories the you mentioned in your article.
    I have a couple of questions, I’m planing to make daily videos with the camera during my travel to Indonesia (filming myself like action cam style).
    – Should i use a selfie stick or monopod to film myself with the kit lens 16-50mm? do you have any recommendation of products? Or i should use it without any sticks (filming handheld)?

    Thank you in advance Alan.

    Ahmed

    Reply
    • Alan Dixon
      Alan Dixon says:

      Hi Ahmed,
      to shoot video I would recommend either shooting off of a light tripod like the Sirui T-024X Traveler Light (which would allow you to video yourself), or one of the handheld, active stabilizers that can handle the weight of the a6000 with the kit lens. The latter would enable you to film anything ahead of/around you handheld with out any camera shake. The other lens I would recommend would be the 18-105 which is video friendly and optically superior to the 16-50 lens. Oh and for the tripod it’s great to have a remote control of the camera either with a remote or an app on your phone. Have a great trip to Indonesia! Warmest, -alan

      Reply
  34. Sammy
    Sammy says:

    Dear Adventure Alan,

    Thank you for putting together such an informative post. I have been using point-and-shoot cameras for my entire hiking/adventuring existence. I am currently looking to upgrade to a higher end camera and I am eyeing the Sony A6000. One thing I am not sure on is that it seems there is an overwhelming number of options when it comes to lenses. As someone who is not an experienced photographer (but excited to learn), is there a particular lens or set of lenses that you routinely use for typical/general backpacking photos? I typically take most of my shots in a handheld fashion. Given this, is it imperative that I use a lens with OSS?

    Thank you for taking the time.
    Cheers,
    Sammy

    Reply
    • Alan Dixon
      Alan Dixon says:

      Sammy, good Qs on lenses. Yes, OSS lenses would be great to improve your handled shot percentages. The two lenses we use the most are the standard (image stablized) zooms:

      • Standard Zoom – Sony 18-105mm F4 G OSS, Personal favorite (27mm to 160mm equiv.) Carries nicely on pack shoulder strap. Sharp, reasonably light. Good price. Image stabilized.
      • Wide Zoom – Sony 10-18mm F4 G OSS, Very wide angle (15mm to 27mm equiv.) Great for landscape/dramatic perspective. Image stabilized.

      The latter lens is a more specialized lens for dramatic perspectives, and catch broad swathes of sweeping landscapes. The former will pretty much do everything (except for extreme wide angle) including being a good moderate length telephoto lens. Hope this helps. Warmest, -alan

      Reply
  35. Ahmed
    Ahmed says:

    Hello Alan,

    What a great article, it was very informative and helped me decide what camera to buy for my first backpack trip to Indonesia this July.
    although i have a couple of questions, could you please answer them when you have time:
    1- Do you use lens cover and lens hood?
    2- Could you update the link to Wasabi battery?
    3- What is that cube thing on the surface of the camera?
    4- Are you using neck strap, wrist strap or nothing?
    Thank you in advance.

    Reply
    • Alan Dixon
      Alan Dixon says:

      HI Ahmed. Indoneisa is wonderful. Alison and I were there in 2004. Answers embedded below.

      1- Do you use lens cover and lens hood?
      High quality UV filter like B+W. And yes a good lens hood.
      2- Could you update the link to Wasabi battery?
      Link updated: Wasabi Power Battery (2-Pack) & Charger
      3- What is that cube thing on the surface of the camera?
      It’s a hot shoe mounted camera level. On Amazon here.
      4- Are you using neck strap, wrist strap or nothing?
      If I am using the Peak Design Capture Clip I use nothing. Any neck-strap gets in the way and causes problems. In almost four years of use, Alison and I have never dropped a camera. When using the camera without the PD Clip we use a light neck-strap. Sometimes just a nylon cord.

      Hope this helps. And have a great trip to Indonesia. Warmest, -alan

      Reply
  36. crollsurf
    crollsurf says:

    Hi Alan, Sony have a phone app for remote shutter release called PlayMemories. The app uses the camera’s wifi feature to connect and works well on Android. Not a great rating for iPhone but if all it does is is release the shutter… worth looking into.

    Reply
    • Alan Dixon
      Alan Dixon says:

      Yup, that works just fine. Sometimes tho it’s just easier to use the 2 sec delay or have the remote in your pocket. But always good to have a backup option. Been a number of times when I couldn’t immediately find my remote — and then yes, the PM app was quite useful. Warmest, -alan

      Reply
  37. Randall
    Randall says:

    Thank you for all the info, I have tried to find an answer in your posting and the questions that followed. I apologize if I missed it. Do you recommend using the new Sigma 19mm 1.4 with the A6000? For handheld and low light with a tripod? I ask because of the lack of stabilization in the camera and lens.
    Cheers!

    Reply
    • Alan Dixon
      Alan Dixon says:

      That lens would work best on a tripod in low light. Although the 1.4 will gain you some time before resorting to the tripod. So it might be better paired with an a6300 or 6500 if you want to do a lot of handheld work. That being said, a tripod is a great tool for shooting dawn and dusk. Alison and I have one each while we trek in Patagonia. Thay shave been invaluable during a couple of stunning light shows. All the best -alan

      Reply
      • Randall
        Randall says:

        Awesome! Thanks for taking the time to reply AND your entire website has been really great for ideas and making the backcountry more enjoyable. Thank you for all you do.
        Randall

        Reply
  38. Colin
    Colin says:

    Alan,
    I have recently purchased a Sony A6000, and on your gear list, you have listed a micro plate for your setup. Is this necessary for backpacking or can I just use the Peak Design Capture Pro?

    Reply
    • Alan Dixon
      Alan Dixon says:

      Good Q Colin,
      And apologies for the late reply. I’ve been out trekking in Patagonia for the last two weeks. But yes, you need the micro place or the rear LCD screen will not swing out properly. Hope this helps. Warmest, -alan

      Reply
  39. Dog's Life
    Dog's Life says:

    Dear Alan–

    It’s Dog’s Life here from Vermont– AT almost thru hike 2007. I’m buying a camera and your site is the best. We just got two wheaten terrier pups and will like to take them into the mountains when ready– so I’m thinking I’ll go with the Sony A6000 despite your most recent post on the full frame cameras– the A6000 looks like less money for a novice like me.

    Many thanks for all this great info and if you get near S Woodstock give us a shout. Dog’s Life and Arizona (Bruce and Christine)

    Reply
    • Alan Dixon
      Alan Dixon says:

      Hi Dog’s Life,
      And apologies for the late reply. I’ve been out trekking in Patagonia for the last two weeks. Thanks for the kind words. And the a6000 would be an excellent choice. Alison and I are sharing an a6000 and an a7R II here in Patagonia. All the best. Warmest, -alan

      Reply
  40. Liam
    Liam says:

    Hey Alan, Have a quick question. I am section hiking the Appalachian trail in May and will be bringing my A6000 this time. I am worried about how the camera will handle the elements like humidity (Humidity was crazy high for a good portion of the trip last time). I will be carrying a dry bag with padding in case of a downpour and to store extra batteries. Do you have any suggestions for keeping it safe are on the long hike? Loved your article, made up my mind to pull the trigger on the A6000. Thank you!

    Reply
    • Alan Dixon
      Alan Dixon says:

      Hi Liam,
      And apologies for the late reply. I’ve been out trekking in Patagonia for the last two weeks. Thanks for the kind words. We just hike through 8 days of rain with our cameras. The solution is a shower cap over a camera mounted on a PD Capture Pro. You need the heavier ones that come 3 in a package for around $5-$7. I think we only put our cameras away for a few hours in 8 days. All the best. Warmest, -alan

      Reply
  41. Colin
    Colin says:

    Hey Alan,
    I recently purchased a Sony A6000, and am planning on taking it backpacking in New Mexico. I was looking at getting the Peak Designs Capture Pro Mount. Do I also need the Micro Plate?

    Reply
    • Alan Dixon
      Alan Dixon says:

      And apologies for the late reply and short reply. I’ve been out trekking in Patagonia for the last two weeks (and am still in Pagaonoia wth crappy Internet). Yes, you need the uPlate. Otherwise the read LCD will not articulate properly. Best -alan

      Reply
  42. Andy
    Andy says:

    Alan,

    There is a lot of good and interesting stuff listed here. My wife and I are interested in getting a camera for backpacking and for day hiking. We are interested in possibly getting the Sony a6000 with an upgraded lens(es). One thing that we have coming up which makes this kind of a pressing issue is that we are going to Tanzania to climb Kilimanjaro and do a 5 day safari. Any thoughts on this camera for those activities? Any suggestions on compatible lens(es) that will not add a ton of weight but will be powerful enough to best capture this trip? We are pretty much camera newbies & want to start practicing and taking lessons if needed asap. We appreciate it. Thanks Alan! I sent this last night also but I do not see it listed here so I apologize if I’m sending for a second time.

    Reply
    • Alan Dixon
      Alan Dixon says:

      Andy currently in Patagonia between treks. Safari in Africa is a whole other level. My suggestion would be a Snony A7R II with a high quality telephoto zoom lens (which you could rent). I believe Sony has a stellar 200-400 just out. So check out my Pro Camera post that I just put out.

      BTW I say this because I went to the Galapagos under-camera’ed and will never forgive myself. Wildlife photography requires the best gear! Hope this helps -alan

      Reply
  43. Andy D
    Andy D says:

    Alan,

    Great article & interesting stuff! We are camera newbies & planning on buying a camera to use on some of our backpacking & day hiking trips. The reason that we are looking now & time being a little of the essence is that we are also going to Tanzania in June to climb Kilimanjaro & do a 5 day safari. Looking at the Sony a6000 due to its low price, light weight & reviews and recommendations. Any comments on this camera & suggestions for a good lens(es) based on this upcoming trip, would be very much appreciated. Thanks Alan!

    Reply
  44. Robert
    Robert says:

    This has been such an incredible and informative site so thank you very much. Quick question and sorry if this has been answered above, do you take any filters with you backpacking?

    Reply
    • Alan Dixon
      Alan Dixon says:

      Good Q Robert. I usually take a circular polarizing filter and at least one neutral density filter. You can see the Formatt HiTech Firecrest filter system on my camera in the lead photo. Hope this helps. -a

      Reply
  45. paul richey
    paul richey says:

    Alan,

    Love your website! My daughter and I will be on the WR high route this summer. Plan to add in a Gannett climb and maybe poke around down in the Temple area to finish.
    I’ve use the Canon S 110 for years with surprisingly good pics once in awhile and an Olympus E-PL5 for several years with the 14-42 zoom. I love the speed and small size of the Oly but am often disappointed by the image results. I have considered getting a higher quality fixed length lens to improve image quality and low light performance. Any suggestions? Or just make the switch to the Sony?
    Also, my daughter is really pretty much an I-phone addict and really getting into documenting our trips. What do you think of the GoPro as another option for her for video capture. Or just do add-on lenses for her i-phone
    7?

    Reply
    • Alan Dixon
      Alan Dixon says:

      Paul, WRHR sounds great and Gannett is a great enhancement.
      Honestly since you already own the E-PL5 I would opt for a lens better than the 14-24. There are some stellar zooms available u4/3 that should be close to the equal of the Sony in optical quality (leaving on only advantage to Sony the slightly larger sensor). So, I would suggest concentrate on doing you best to use your Oly to optimize your photo results. Right place, right time of day, sun behind you if you can, correct exposure (or bracketing and combining if PS when home), correct aperture and shutter speed, and reviewing your photos right after you take them to make sure you got everything right. For more see 5 Most Important Features for a Backpacking Camera and 10 hacks and accessories for better smartphone hiking photography which has a lot of application to any type of photography.

      Pretty much the same for the iPHone 7. It should take excellent video. Again look agt 10 hacks and accessories for better smartphone hiking photography. You will want to get an external mic and Filmic Pro App. These are listed somewhere in the lesser priced sections of my .

      Wishing you a good trek and fantastic photos. Warmest, -alan

      Reply
      • Paul Richey
        Paul Richey says:

        Thanks Alan,

        After a bunch of research on lenses, the Panasonic 20 mm F1.7 looks like a nice compact option for improved image quality especially in low light.
        And thanks for the reminder to really learn how to use the camera that I have. Shooting in the good light, using a tripod, optimizing settings, etc.
        I still miss my old Oly rangefinder film camera that was so easy to set with its dials. I really do hate on-screen menu driven adjustments. Haha
        Happy trails

        Paul

        Reply
  46. Noella
    Noella says:

    Hi Alan! This post has been hands-down the best and most informative one I’ve ever read; incredibly well-written and educational yet easy enough for inexperienced novices like me to learn. It’s also very admirable that years after you’ve originally posted it, you’re still on time with your replies. You’ve instantly made a fan out of me. Keep it up!

    A few quick questions: how do you protect your a6000 while backpacking? My biggest concern between the the a6000 vs a6500 is the lack of weather sealing protection on the former. As much as I want to instantly buy the a6000, it always comes back to whether I’d want to invest in a camera knowing that it doesn’t have that extra layer of resilience like its successor. Frankly, I can’t imagine a Ziploc bag being durable/waterproof enough to cover it from the elements. When your camera isn’t strapped to your backpack, do you place it in a waterproof stuff sack or just the Ziploc bag? Do you have any special gear or tips that you’d recommend when it comes to this? Thank you so much!

    Reply
    • Alan Dixon
      Alan Dixon says:

      Hi Noella, glad you like the post. First I have not really had problems with shooting in light rain with the a6000 and Sony/Sigma lenses as long as I protect the camera between shots. And even some water on the surface has not caused any problems. I recently used the camera on the rain soaked Irish Coast with no issues. [Read that the a6x00 series cameras are likely more “light rain resistant” than Sony can legally state.] That being said I am sure it isn’t up to long exposure in hard rain. But in that case I have had good luck with my hiking partner holding an ultralight backpacking umbrella (Montbell) over the camera. Also in light rain you can use a standard shower cap to cover the camera. I do this often when shooting off a tripod in intermittent rain. If the shower cap is clear you can even compose a shot an lift it quickly of the front of the lens when you take your shot.

      As for storage in hard rain. I usually make my own camera case consisting of bubble wrap and packing tape. And I put that inside a gallon freezer Ziplock. When I put this inside my pack I have never had problems with my camera getting wet or damage by impacts. And for carrying on you chest you might consider Zpacks Multi-Pack – 4 in 1 Backpack Lid / Chest Pack.

      Finally if you really need to shoot in the rain. You might consider Olympus for an environmentally sealed camera and lens combo (OM-D EM-5 II and 12-40mm F2.8 PRO). Right now the the EM-5 II and 12-40 PRO lens is on Amazon for $1,600. This Olympus body/lens combo has about the same 9 pMP as the Sony with the 18-105mm F4 G OSS. The Olympus has has a nicer viewfinder, better controls and a useful tilt touchscreen display. It also has in body stabilization allowing you to use any lens stabilized greatly increasing your range of handheld shot opportunities. Also there are a huge number of u4/3 lenses than E mount lenses for the Sony. But there are caveats.

      1. The very best u4/3 lenses limit out at around 11 pMP vs. 13 to 16 pMP for the Sony.
      2. The smaller u4/3 sensor limits image quality vs. the larger APS-C sensor of the Sony. High ISO performance ⅓ stop less, 5% less color depth, and 8% less dynamic range vs. the Sony.
      3. Video Spec is not as good as the Sony. (If you want to shoot serious video the a6x00 series is what you want.)

      Hope this helps, -alan

      Reply
  47. Ryan
    Ryan says:

    Alan,
    Your site has been extremely helpful in my purchase of a Sony a6000. I am planning to bring this camera to Patagonia in a few weeks and am interested in adding a wide lens primarily for the vast landscapes. I am wondering if the new fast and sharp Sigma 16mm would do the job in place of the more expensive but flexible Sony 10mm-18mm. I would prefer to only have one wide angle lens while backpacking the O-circuit. If you had to choose between the two, what lens would you go with in that range?

    Reply
    • Alan Dixon
      Alan Dixon says:

      Ryan, apologies for the late reply. Somehow your comment slipped through the cracks :(

      And crap, that’s a hard Q. I guess I would go with the 10-18. Both for its widest zoom range 10 vs 16mm. And for its greater versatility as a zoom vs. prime lens. That being said you have to be OK with a final (actual resolution) of around 8 pMP. And for most web and even moderate print sizes that should be fine. Just make sure you get everything else right like focus, cameara shake, etc. Wishing you a great trek. Warmest, -alan

      Reply
  48. James
    James says:

    Alan, I currently don’t have the budget for the Sony a6000, which is something I am saving for. The price also rules out the point and shoot RX-100. So that leaves me with my iPhone 8+ for the time being. I do know the limitations associated with the iPhone camera. I noticed that you haven’t mentioned any of the additional lens options that are made for the iPhone. I’ve heard good things about the Moment lenses. Have you used these at all? If so, is it something you would recommend?

    Reply
    • Alan Dixon
      Alan Dixon says:

      James, unless you actually “need” a wider or longer lens than the two currently on your 8+, I would zoom with your feet, rather than purchasing additional lenses. Instead I would focus on perfecting your technique to get the best out of the excellent camera and lenses in in your 8+. Reading my 10 hacks and accessories for better smartphone hiking photography. But that is just the tip of the iceberg on tips and tutorials on using your iPhone camera.

      Keep in mind that any add-on lens you use on your iPhone will to some extent your degrade your image (more lens elements, more air to glass surfaces, more flare, less resolution, etc.) If you really need a wide angle and can’t get further away then those losses might be reasonable*. Same would be if you can’t get close enough and need a longer lens. But I find for most of my iPhone backpacking photography the focal length of the lens is not a big issue. The wide-angle lens is a 28-mm f/1.8, and the “telephoto” lens is 56mm f/2.4. So not bad at all! (with the caveat that I have sometimes wished for a something in the 16mm to 24mm range but not often enough to warrant an add-on lens).

      * That being said by all means play around with a wide-angle clip on lens and see if it works for you and if the image quality is good enough that you like the pictures. All the best, -alan

      Reply
  49. Stan
    Stan says:

    Thanks for the terrific advice. Sony has just announced that a new 18-135 lens will be available in February for about the same price as the 18-105. The 18-135 appears to be smaller and lighter than the 18-105 (yay!), but the 18-135 has a variable aperture (3.5 to 5.6), so at full zoom this lens requires more light than the 18-105’s constant f4 aperture. Does the smaller size and weight make the new lens an attractive option, or would you stick with the 18-105? Also, there is some online buzz that, once introduced, the price for the 18-135 may drop. If you still recommend the 18-105, at what price point, if any, would the 18-135 become a good value? Thanks again.

    Reply
    • Alan Dixon
      Alan Dixon says:

      Stan, good Q’s about the Sony E 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS Lens. This is all going to boil down to resolution. I don’t think that the aperture is all that big a deal as long as the lens can resolve around 9 pMP or better. 11 or higher would be wonderful! But given the price and the zoom range I would wait for some resolution numbers from reliable testers (and I don’t see any at this time) [Some of the Sony E “travel/kit” zooms have met a “price point” with resolution lower than the their G series lenses. And as far as I can tell this is not a G lens.] So until you know the resolving power of the new lens, you can’t make any price vs. value decisions. Let’s hope it’s great. All the best, -alan

      Reply
  50. Mark
    Mark says:

    Hey Alan, a big part of what I like to do on the trail is shoot video while I’m hiking and at camp (like a vlog for my own use or to show friends and family). I’ve been using my phone, and have decided it’s time for an upgrade. How does the a6000 fair for shooting video? I’m also looking to get a gimbal to go with it for silky smooth video, any recommendations there?

    Reply
    • Alan Dixon
      Alan Dixon says:

      The a6000 does very well at video (and the a6500 even better). And the 18-105 lens is also very video friendly with a silent motorized zoom. The other mirrorless camera to look at if your primary goal is video, would be the Panasonic Lumix GH5. It’s a better video camera — actually nearing pro quality — and many pros do use it as their video camera of choice. But the Panasonic is a ton more cost ($2K) and for stills its smaller 4/3 sensor not quite a match for APS-C cameras like the Sony a6x00 series cameras.

      And for what it’s worth the new iPhone X is supposed to shoot some stunningly good video. Here’s an Fstoppers video comparing the iPhone X to the Panasonic GH5. It’s a far narrower gap than you might think!!

      Reply
    • Alan Dixon
      Alan Dixon says:

      Jared, good Q. I got my lens just before the holidays. Between visiting with family and friends and some very cold weather, I would say I am still in the eval range. From what I can tell from limited use — it is quite sharp edge to edge from about f/2.8 on (and very good in center even at f/1/4). I will update this article when I have put the lens through its full paces. Likely when we get a solid stretch of above freezing weather. Warmest, -alan

      Reply
  51. Sid
    Sid says:

    Peak Design came out with v3 of the Capture clip, so probably should recommend purchasing that instead of the older CapturePRO clip.
    https://www.peakdesign.com/capture/

    V3 updates: “Way smaller, way lighter, all-metal build, ultra-smooth machined/anodized finish, hella comfy ergonomic design.”

    Reply
  52. Jeff
    Jeff says:

    Hi Alan,

    I enjoyed reading your 2018 refresh. Will you be writing about your full frames or have you gone back to your Sony A6000/6500?

    Hope you have a wonderful new year!
    Jeff

    Reply
    • Alan Dixon
      Alan Dixon says:

      Right back at you Jeff. Yes, will be doing a full frame pice for 2018 as well. Will almost certainly be a separate article as the price will be prohibitive more most of my readers (except for serious photographers that also have a minimum of $3K to $5K to dump on a FF camera system). And the weight will likely be prohibitive to most of my UL backpacking readership and likely a fair portion my lightweight backpackers as well.

      But yes, Alison and I have both a7R II and a7R III cameras along with a bunch of great lenses that we have been putting through their paces since our trip to Cuba early this year. Something like 7 countries and a lot of US destinations. Stay tuned. Best, -a

      Reply
      • Jeff
        Jeff says:

        Thanks, Alan, how do you protect it during transport in that HMG review you just posted? Roll it up in clothing? And do you post-process on the road from your phone or wait til you get home? My Nikon has wifi connectivity and I can selectively move photos to my smartphone to process with Google Photos or Lightroom Mobile but I still prefer my desktop PC at home, but open to any ideas you and Alison have. Happy new year!

        Reply
  53. Brian
    Brian says:

    I’ve been looking at the Sony and Canon bodies you’ve recommended, and it looks like none of them have a GPS for tagging photos. What’s your workaround for this, if you have one? I have owned a couple of the rugged/waterproof point-and-shoots and have found the GPS tagging to be a nice feature.

    Reply
    • Alan Dixon
      Alan Dixon says:

      Excellent Q Brian. I usually do GPX tracking when I hike or backpack. I can do this either on my iPhone (using GAIA GPS app) or on my Suunto Ambit which doesn’t drain my iPhone battery. I can then use the photos time and date to get it’s location via the .gpx file. You can save the track file (.gpx) in the same folder as your photos. I know some serious pro photographers that use this technique. Hope this helps,

      Reply
  54. Pando
    Pando says:

    I appreciate your help. I ended up going with the Sony. I wear my camera on a Peak Design clip and the Fuji options were taller. I like the ability to use third party lenses as well (Sigma 30 f1.4 was my first addition, plus 18-105 and the 12mm Samyang). I like the aesthetics of the Fuji’s but I just kept having this nagging skepticism about the X-Trans sensor. Maybe it’s unfounded, but using proprietary lenses, a proprietary sensor that requires a proprietary editing program to “get the best out of the images”…left the conspiracy theorist in me questioning it all.

    I’m sure I would have been happy with either compared to lugging a Nikon D800 around :)

    Again, keep up the great work and thanks for your input.

    Reply
  55. Pando
    Pando says:

    Thanks Alan…really looking forward to your update. And just when I think I’ve made a decision I come across the Fuji X-E3 at 11.9 oz. I swear, these camera manufacturers want to drive us crazy. But, I guess if there was one perfect camera with all the features we want, there wouldn’t be a need for different models…or choices.

    Reply
    • Alan Dixon
      Alan Dixon says:

      Pando, for weight and image quality of the camera body that looks like a great choice. So long and the ergonomics of a smaller camera work for you. And if Fuji (or 2nd parties like Sigma) have the lenses you want. Sometimes the right lenses matter more than the right camera. I suggest that you do an A B between the Fuji X-E3 and Sony a6xx series, comparing the two cameras with the actual lenses you want to use vs. just looking at camera body spec’s alone.

      And I really don’t know what the answer will be… Actually looking at the very good tests results of the stock 18-55 zoom, the Fuji X-E3 should do you fine. Altho it’s 2.5 times the price of an a600 with kit lens.

      And the obvious price to performance to weight challenge combination from Sony would be the a6000 with 18-105 zoom. That might well outperform the Fuji X-E3.

      -alan

      Best, -alan

      Reply
  56. Pando
    Pando says:

    Fantastic info here. As a backpacker, and planning a thru-hike, weight is constantly on my mind. As are the advantages/disadvantages between the Sony A6500/6300/6000 you mentioned and the Fuji line. I seem to constantly be bouncing between the A6500 with 18-105 f4 OSS (@ 31oz) and the Fuji X-T20 with 18-55 kit lens (@ 24 oz). Fuji is lighter but the Sony is more robust/weather sealed and has IBIS. Video isn’t a big deal to me…or at least not a primary concern. I love the X-T2 but at 18 oz for the body only…that’s getting into dslr territory for me.

    Coming from a Nikon D800, they all feel light (at the start of a hike). But I also find myself liking the rangefinder-style. I’m right eye dominant and have a, uh, fairly large nose.

    Any chances you’d be reviewing any of the Fuji line for us? I find your information much more readable and user-friendly than any of the comparisons I’ve read online and having it come from someone who’s facing the same dilemmas of weight vs performance is very helpful.

    Thanks for the great work.

    Reply
    • Alan Dixon
      Alan Dixon says:

      Hi Pando, all good thoughts. A bit late here but will try and address your Q’s tomorrow. Oh, and a modest update to this for 2018 is already in the works. Best, -alan

      Reply
  57. tdkehoe
    tdkehoe says:

    I’ve used a Sony RX100 Mk I, a Sony a6000 with the 16-50mm kit lens, and now I have a Sony a7 with the 24-70mm Zeiss lens. If I were to count my most best pictures, the RX100 would be the winner. I can get it out of my pocket fast (no fumbling with a lens cap, etc.), hold it one handed while running, and it’s pretty darn weatherproof. The Mk I lacks a viewfinder and I find the viewscreen difficult to see, especially in bright sunlight, but the Mk III has a viewfinder, plus a sharper, wider lens (24-70mm equivalent).

    I never liked the a6000’s kit lens, and the reviews rate it as one of the worst lenses made. Also the a6000 isn’t weatherproof, you have to keep it dry. I used a Lowe case attached to my backpack’s shoulder strap. You can upgrade to the 16-70mm Zeiss lens but for the same price I sold my a6000 and bought the a7 with a 24-70mm f/4 Zeiss lens. My a7 takes much better pictures than my a6000, and weighs only six ounces more. It’s the smallest and lightest full-frame camera ever made.

    AFS cameras look like good deal until you buy better lenses. There isn’t much of a used market for high-end AFS lenses. Few AFS owners buy a second lens. But the a7 can take any lens made in the last fifty years (with adapters) and the market for used full-frame lenses is huge. Full-frame owners buy (and sell) lots of lenses. I bought Sony A-mount 20mm and 70-300mm lenses, for around $250 each. DXoMark says these lenses are as sharp as the new lenses, they just lack the modern electronics for image stabilization, and I usually have to manually focus.

    Next year I’m hoping to upgrade to the 36MP a7R, it’s the same weight as the 24MP a7. I also want to get Sony’s 16-35mm f/4 lens, as I’ve gotten into night sky pictures. I can’t afford a a7 II, and I’m not sure the extra five ounces is worth the weight just for image stabilization.

    I carry a TrailPix 6-ounce tripod. It uses my trekking poles for two of the legs. I need the tripod for night sky pictures and for waterfalls.

    Reply
    • Alan Dixon
      Alan Dixon says:

      Hi tdkehoe,
      Apologies for the late reply. I took some time off during Thanksgiving to be with family. Thanks for your positive comments about Sony cameras. FWIW I have had good luck with my a6000 in light to moderate rain. And I find that a shower cap greatly extends the time I can leave it on my shoulder in light to moderate rain. I do find I get good results from both the 18-105 and 10-18 zoom lenses. Neither are cheap but are about 2x sharper than the kit 16-50. And then there is the super sharp Sigma 30mm f/1.4 lens, and the soon to be coming Sigma 16mm f/1.4 that should be equally sharp!

      As to the A7s, I would agree they are great cameras with tons of lens options both by Sony and other Mfr’s like Sigma, Tokina, etc. Some have great image quality and low cost. Note that while very pricy, the new 16-35mm f/2.8 lens is supposed to be the sharpest zoom lens on the market for that range. It’s only a few oz more than the f/4 version. And at 16mm and f/2.8 it’s supposed to be decent astro lens. But yeah, at over 2K it’s not in many people’s budget :( That being said, I am still trekking around with my 16-35 f/4 which I use about 80% of the time. Warmest, -alan

      Reply
  58. Jeff
    Jeff says:

    Hi Alan,

    I just stumbled across your site and this is extremely informative, thanks for this piece. A couple questions,

    1. How did you find the pMP for your iPhone and, Sony RX100 V and A6500? They seem to be missing from the lens database on DxOMark. I am trying to figure out the pMP of my Google Nexus XL. I’d also like to try to find the pMP of certain lenses mated with the Sony A7, but they only seem to have the A7R and A7Rii.

    2. How did you find the working ISO of your phone and cameras? Is this by testing at home based on what you can tolerate, or is this also on DxOMark somewhere I cannot seem to find?

    3. Do you carry a polarizer? I can’t seem to live without mine but not sure if this has been supplanted by modern post processing software.

    Thanks in advance, this is a great site and I can’t believe I just found it, via Andrew Skurka’s post on cameras. I’m looking forward to your part 3 on travel electronics with laptops! I hope you put a section on post-processing in there.

    Keep up the great work,
    Jeff

    Reply
    • Alan Dixon
      Alan Dixon says:

      Hi Jeff, some good Qs. I try and answer them as best I can. 1) Took me a while to find this one. It’s inferred from ”
      Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 II Lens mounted on Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 II : Tests and Reviews.” I am assuming it’s a very similar lens on subsequent models. 2) Again, not so easy for phone cameras. But by reading, data-mining a ton of online reviews, looking at their graphs, reported values, test photos, etc. and connecting the various pieces of information. And yes, by some self testing. I would say that some of the phone values are more “ballpark” than precise measurements. Working ISOs for cameras are directly from DXO but correspond reasonably well with my real-world experience. 3) With both my a6000 and a7 II carry a Formatt Hitech circular polarizing filter and Formatt Hitech neutral density filter(s) along with their holder.

      Hope this helps. Warmest, -alan

      Reply
      • Jeff
        Jeff says:

        Thanks for your reply, Alan!

        I have an RX100 so was wondering if I could safely derive its pMP from the RX100 II lens test as well. Thanks for explaining your ‘working ISO’ process as well. My Nikon D750 has a cool feature that allows setting a ceiling on auto-ISO so I was wondering about that.

        To another commenter above you were debating A7 vs A6500 and decided the A7R II was a better value. I am looking to dump my Nikon D750 (beautiful images, but too heavy), looking at the A7 or A6500 and was wondering as to how you derived the ‘better value’ of the A7R II?

        I’m guessing you ran some numbers on pMP/oz and pMP/$ but neither the A7 nor A6500 are tested, and I was interested in running the same calculations.
        a) is it safe to assume pMP of the Sony A6500 mated with a certain lens has more or less the same the same pMP as the A6000, and
        b) A7R II at 42MP + 16-35 f/4 = 26pMP while A7R at 36MP with same lens = 16MP, is it possible to attempt to derive a pMP result for the A7 (24MP) with the same lens? Or was the A7 eliminated for another reason?

        I realize this is a somewhat dorky/detailed question and if there is a source online to explain this that would save you the trouble of a reply that would be great. If you’re ever in the Leavenworth/Wenatchee area of the Cascades in Washington and need a place to dry gear and do a load of laundry, feel free to look me up, it’s the least I could do for your help!

        Reply
        • Alan Dixon
          Alan Dixon says:

          Hi Jeff, apologies for the late reply. The A7R II has a maximum ISO setting and also maybe more critical a minimum shutter speed setting. Both very useful.

          >I’m guessing you ran some numbers on pMP/oz and pMP/$ but neither the A7 nor A6500 are tested, and I was interested in running the same calculations.
          > a) is it safe to assume pMP of the Sony A6500 mated with a certain lens has more or less the same the same pMP as the A6000,
          Yes and yes.

          > b) A7R II at 42MP + 16-35 f/4 = 26pMP while A7R at 36MP with same lens = 16MP, is it possible to attempt to derive a pMP result for the A7 (24MP) with the same lens? Or was the A7 eliminated for another reason?
          For many lenses if you look at the “mounted on:” selection box you can find a dropdown list that has has the A7 as an option. E.g. the 24-70 has a score of 28 pmp on the A7II and 17pmp on the A7. And the new f2.8 version it’s 34 vs. 24. If the A7 isn’t listed for testing with a lens you can make some guesses based on other A7II to A7 lens comparisons but they are only guesses.

          Warmest, -alan

  59. Mel
    Mel says:

    When you did the TDP O circuit which lenses did you find most useful? Did you wish you had brought a lens that you didn’t? I own the a6000 with only the sigma 30mm 2.8, Rikinon 12mm, and the 55-210mm. We will be in TDP for around 9 days hiking. I am willing to invest in a new lens since this is a bucket list trip for us and probably won’t be back again anytime soon. I’d like to be able to print decent size as I sell some of my work. But also just want amazing pictures. Pairing down the camera equipment so I don’t negate all my other weight savings is a challenge. Lol any lens recommendations based on your time there? Also I have the peak designs clip and Pedro tripod per your recommendations that I recently bought for our trip. So I don’t have to tote the Siriu carbon fiber.

    Reply
    • Alan Dixon
      Alan Dixon says:

      Mel,
      Apologies for the late reply I have been in guiding the backcountry for the last two weeks. Good Q’s.

      Here’s my (very personal) take on lenses for the a6000. I prefer zoom lenses backpacking–but for high quality photos you need HQ zoom lenses. For landscape work (most of TdP) my first lens of choice would be the Sony 10-18mm F4 G OSS. Light, easily carried on your shoulder and about 50 to 100% sharper than the kit 16-50mm lens. It’s plenty wide enough to capture the wide TdP landscape or create dramatic foreground/background perspective shots. For an all purpose lens (still carryable on the PD shoulder clip) would the Sony 18-105mm F4 G OSS which will pretty much do it all if you don’t need to get wider than 27mm equiv. on the wide end (it’s Alison’s favorite lens). It will allow you to get wildlife shots. In summary, one lens I would take the Sony 10-18mm F4 G OSS, two lenses and I would add the Sony 18-105mm F4 G OSS.

      And if you already have the RX100 you might use it in combination with the 10-18 to extend your focal length to 70mm equiv. a pinch. Wishing you a great trek. That would save the weight and cost of the 18-105. Warmest, -alan

      Reply
      • Mel
        Mel says:

        Thank you you so much. Hope the backcountry was great! Is the f4 of the 18-105 limiting at all on dreary days in Patagonia?

        Reply
        • Alan Dixon
          Alan Dixon says:

          With the OSS and proper use of ISO you should be fine. At early dawn or late dusk I would suggest going to the Pedco tripod.

  60. Mickey Jetpur
    Mickey Jetpur says:

    Hi Alan, I am considering trading in my Canon 70D and lenses ( just too much weight for a hiker!) for the Sony a7rll. What lenses would you suggest? I would prefer a zoom.
    Thanks.
    Mickey.

    Reply
    • Alan Dixon
      Alan Dixon says:

      Hi Mickey,
      Apologies for the late reply I have been in the backcountry. For the standard zoom you two options are the Sony 28-70mm F3.5-5.6 FE OSS which is light, inexpensive ($275 for int’t version) and quite sharp in the middle. And the Sony VT* FE 24-70mm f/4 ZA OSS Lens which is heavier, a lot more expensive but sharper in the corners. Those would be the obvious choices for an all around lens for backpacking. [I own both and use both.] The advantage of the 28-70mm F3.5-5.6 for backpacking is if you end up damaging it by accident (possible backpacking) then you are not out a ton on $. Wishing you good shooting. But if you are going for the highest quality photos, edge to edge you may want to the 24-70 f/4. Warmest, -alan

      Reply
  61. Doug Rush
    Doug Rush says:

    Hi Alan, thanks for the detailed and well researched article. I’ve been trying to merge my love of photography and hiking/backpacking for awhile and have been lugging my Nikon D7100 everywhere, often with heavy lenses, and am eager to go much more lightweight. I still want to be able to enlarge photos (sometimes to 20×30 if they’re good enough) but I am no professional. I was ready to get the Sony a6500 with the Sony E PZ 18-105 lens but then noticed upon reading your comment threads that you have recently used the Sony A7R ii. That camera seems top-notch to say the least but the cost is twice as much as the a6500 and the size and weight go up as well. My question is whether after using the A7R (and assuming you can still clip it to your backpack strap, which I’m a fan of) is it worth the extra cost and weight when compared to the a6500?? I’m still leaning toward the a6500 camera (mostly because of the price) but I wanted your objective opinion since you have used both. Is it a mistake to go with a6500 (or 6000)? Is the A7R ii the new king of backpacking cameras in your opinion and I would be foolish not to upgrade now despite cost and weight? Thanks for your time and opinion. Best wishes!

    Reply
    • Alan Dixon
      Alan Dixon says:

      Doug, heading out early tomorrow am for a 130 mile trip. So a brief response. The Sony A7Rii is just barely carry-able on the clip. I took the camera Trekking Cuba and managed fine with it tho. The A7Rii was fantastic for day hiking and photography in Iceland. But tomorrow I am heading out for 130 miles on the AT and I am brining my a6000 with one zoom lens.

      So, it just depends on what you want out of the pictures. In the end it’s so much your personal shooting style, how much resolution do you *actually need*, the upper limit of the photo weight you are willing to carry, and what your budget is. And that might vary on the type of trip your taking; a technical and need low weight trip vs. a not so technical and photo oriented trip, where you might be willing to carry more camera weight.

      The absolute fixed lens resolution of the Sony A7Rii ranges around 35-37 pMP vs. a6500 topping out somewhere around 16, and just for one Sigma 30mm lens. With zooms things become even more in favor of the A7Rii which has a lot more high quality zoom options. The are a number of zooms in the 30+ pMP range for the A7Rii vs. the best zooms for the a6000 at only around 8-9 pMP (and there are only two). Sony is far more serious about producing FE lenses than E lenses.

      On the upside the a6500 is lighter and less expensive–altho not as much lighter or less expensive as you might think when you total all things up. But for many people 8-9 pMP is fine. And for both cameras correct technique matters more than pMP; you need to nail focus, exposure, and eliminate camera shake for a good photos and get the most out of your camera. All those are more important than the pMP resolution.

      Hope this helps, -alan

      Reply
  62. Alan Dixon
    Alan Dixon says:

    The only serious lens to compare it to would be the Sony E PZ 18-105mm F4 G OSS. Compared to it the Ziess is 120g lighter and more compact. Definitely a plus for hiking and backpacking. It’s also 16 vs. 18 on the wide end which is more significant for landscape photos than the mere 2mm might indicate. They are both f/4 so a tie there. The 105 has significantly longer reach, which is super nice for wildlife (I used it this way often) when day hiking and backpacking and as a travel lens. Optically they are quite similar which is essentially a nod to 18-105 given its lower cost and significantly longer zoom range.

    My choice was for the Sony 18-105. But I could see others that wanted the wider zoom an lower weight going with the Zeiss.

    In comparison to the kit 16-50 both are optically superior. The only advantages of the kit lens is very low cost and incredible compactness. Not trivial attributes for a backpacking lens. Hope this helps. Warmest, -alan

    Reply
  63. Grant
    Grant says:

    Going backpacking and curious, I only have the 18-50mm kit lense. I am looking into a lense to do mainly backpacking landscape photos, but as you can imagine, that means great night time star photos. Would you suggest

    Sigma 19mm f/2.8 DN Lens for Sony NEX E-mount Cameras (Black)

    or

    Rokinon RK12M-E-SIL 12mm F2.0 Ultra Wide Angle Fixed Lens

    – You listed these above but i cant decide which will be more versatile.

    Thanks!

    Reply
    • Grant
      Grant says:

      To expand on this, sorry for auto correct, kit lens is 16-50mm. I am looking for something that is very versatile, but the main purpose of the camera is landscape and outdoor photography, sunsets, mountain ranges, etc. Astro would just be a bonus. An ideal and budget option would be great. Love this article, already sent to tons of friends.

      Reply
        • Alan Dixon
          Alan Dixon says:

          Good Q’s grant. Many of these lens Q’s have been addressed at least tangentially in previous comments. But I’ll try to summarize and hit the high points.

          For lenses better than the 16-50 are two major choices. The two nice stabilized zoom lenses for the Sony a6000 and a6300/a6500, albeit moderately expensive and not super light.

          • The Sony E PZ 18-105mm F4 G OSS at 9 pMP, and the
          • Sony E 10-18mm f/4 (also stabilized) at 8 pMP.

          Both are faster and have better resolution that the kit Sony E 16-50mm f/3.5-5.6 lens at only 6 pMP.

          The Sony E PZ 18-105mm F4 G OSS is probably your best bet if you want a good image quality in a general purpose stabilized zoom. My wife Alison loves the lens.
          But if you are primarily intersted in landscapes [which it sounds like you are] you might consider the 10-18 lens. When I was in Iceland a few weeks ago, almost everybody was using a zoom lens of this equivalent focal length about 75% of the time. Either the Sony E 10-18mm f/4 on an a6000 or a 16-35 on a full frame a7R II. Choice is a personal one as to which you’ll find more useful for your shooting style and intended subject.

          Finally, the 10-18 is smaller and lighter than the 18-105 but it is also more expensive. And I will point out that the kit 16-50 zoom is weakest below around 20mm, so the 10-18 neatly fills that hole. It would also be a slightly better astro lens since it is much wider but at f/4 it will be limited on exposure time. And since it is a focus be wire lens, getting infinity right for Astro work can be done but it takes a bit more effort than just taping a manual focus lens to infinity like the Rokinon. For focus by wire lenses, you’ll need to figure out where true ∞ is–usually it’s an indicator (viewfinder focus field) setting just before or just after ∞. You’ll need to do some daylight testing be precise on this one.

          So if you are truly intersted in serious Astro work the Rokinon is hands down the best choice for the money. And with some care in focusing it would be a good landscape lens as well, albeit you’d need to be careful to control rather dramatic perspective shifts (if not wanted) when it isn’t level.

          Hope this helps, -a

          BTW given your priorities of landscape and astro, I do not think the Sigma 30mm F1.4 would be a good fit. It’s a nice short portrait lens and my favorite studio lens, but has limited landscape potential. -a

        • Grant
          Grant says:

          Alan,

          Really appreciate the thoughtful and in depth response. I know there were similar answers before so i appreciate you combing and tailoring the answer for me. It sounds like for my needs, the sony 10-18 is best lens (however more costly, but worth it as well) , the Rokinon is a good Astro lens because manual, and can be a good landscape with some work. So where do you see the Sigma 19mm f2.8 DN, w hood sitting between these two?

          Thanks again for your work, really great stuff. I got the Sony a6000 (largely because this article ) and am soon to buy the Peak design capture pro . Am i understanding correctly that i need the micro plate due to the lcd of the A6000?

          Thanks again,

          -G

  64. Bruce Johnson
    Bruce Johnson says:

    Alan-
    Thanks for your tips. I read this entire thread, and it is very instructive, especially with the links to various places. I have an Olympus EM-5, and have been using the Clip from DP for almost a year. It is great on a daypack as well as a backpack. I go for wildlife and want to start doing astro in the Rockies. The 40-150 is cheap and sharp; it is my primary lens when hiking. The built in doubler in the EM-5 lets me get an effective 600mm if the subject is in the center of the viewfinder, with minimal loss of IQ. I have a Panasonic 20mm 1.7 that I was going to use for astro stuff and general wide angles. It is tiny and easy to carry. Would I be better off using the Rokinon or the Olympus 12mm 2.0? Thanks,
    Bruce

    Reply
    • Alan Dixon
      Alan Dixon says:

      Hi Bruce, glad the EM-5 is working well for you. And the 40-150 might be the best telephoto lens value on the market!

      As for Astro, the critical thing is to be able to get correct ∞ in the dark. This is easily done by confirming manual focus for the lens during daylight and either taping it there, or at least making marks on the lens barrel so you can repeat it. With focus-by-wire lenses (most auto focus lenses) this can be difficult to impossible to replicate. That is why so many astro people like the manual focus Rokinon.

      The Olympus 12mm 2.0 is a focus by wire lens, so there is no way to tape it or set marks to replicate ∞ focus at night. So unless it has a visual indicator, it would not be a good choice for astro work. BUT some of the newer lenses like a Zeiss Batis 18mm lens I just tested (on my Sony a7RII) do have a visual focus distance display in the cameras EVF. With some daylight testing, I confirmed that
      best focus is about 1 or 2 “visual slider notches” past first ∞ in the a7’s viewfinder. Seems to be fairly repeatable. Best, -alan

      Reply
  65. Shane
    Shane says:

    I actually just read your analysis of my query over on the em5ii review. But feel free to add any extra thoughts. :)

    Reply
    • Alan Dixon
      Alan Dixon says:

      Sorry for the late reply Shane. Super busy weekend and I’m just getting to answering comments. Yes, this is an excellent Q. I have answered most of it in a January 5, 2017 at 6:30 pm in a reply to comments on this post. I have reproduced it below. If you have any more Q’s feel free to ask. Best, -alan
      _________________________

      The Sony is best if you want the absolute highest resolution images with the greatest dynamic range and color depth. The Sony is capable of 16 perceptual megapixels (pMP), which is about as good as it gets for 24 MP crop sensor cameras. The Sony is also the better camera for serious video. But there are caveats.

      1. To get the highest resolution, you’ll need fixed lenses most of which are not image stabilized (really the Sigma 30mm F1.4 DC DN C Sony E). That means that you’ll need to shoot off of a tripod to get the highest resolution. (The possible exception to this is the Sony E 35mm f/1.8 “normal” lens, but with only 11 perceptual megapixels.)
      2. The camera body and lenses are not environmentally sealed against rain/dust.

      That being said there are two nice stabilized zoom lenses for the Sony a6000 and a6300, albeit moderately expensive and not super light. The Sony E PZ 18-105mm F4 G OSS at 9 pMP, and the Sony E 10-18mm f/4 (also stablilzed) at 8 pMP. Both are faster and have better resolution that the kit Sony E 16-50mm f/3.5-5.6 lens at only 6 pMP. The Sony E PZ 18-105mm F4 G OSS is probably your best bet if you want a good image quality in a general purpose stabilized zoom. It is the lens I have gravitated to in spite of being bulkier and heavier than the kit lens. It and the Rokinon 12mm F2.0 below for super wide and astro work would make a cool kit! [And steer clear of the Sony 18-200 zoom lenses unless you absolutely need the reach of 200mm, the resolution is not there!]

      The Olympus is best if you need and environmentally sealed camera and lens combo (OM-D EM-5 II and 12-40mm F2.8 PRO). Right now the the EM-5 II and 12-40 PRO lens is on Amazon for $1,600. This Olympus body/lens combo has about the same 9 pMP as the Sony with the 18-105mm F4 G OSS. The Olympus has has a nicer viewfinder, better controls and a useful tilt touchscreen display. It also has in body stabilization allowing you to use any lens stabilized greatly increasing your range of handheld shot opportunities. Also there are a huge number of u4/3 lenses than E mount lenses for the Sony. But there are caveats.

      1. The very best u4/3 lenses limit out at around 11 pMP vs. 13 to 16 pMP for the Sony.
      2. The smaller u4/3 sensor limits image quality vs. the larger APS-C sensor of the Sony. High ISO performance ⅓ stop less, 5% less color depth, and 8% less dynamic range vs. the Sony.
      3. Video Spec is not as good as the Sony. (If you want to shoot serious video the a6x00 series is what you want.)

      As to astro work, you’ll definitely be on a tripod so stabilization not an issue. And the Rokinon 12mm F2.0 NCS CS Ultra Wide Angle Lens Sony E-Mount (NEX) is likely the lens of choice for Sony E. You could also use the 10-18 at around 10mm for astro work. Just make sure you turn off the OSS when shooting from the tripod.

      And just to confuse things a bit: The a6500 body is both dust-moisture resistant (but not sure it is up to the standards of the Oly) and has in-body image stabilization. Unfortunately at time of writing there are almost no dust-moisture resistant lenses for it. But at least your camera body is reasonably protected if not the lenses. I have not really had problems with shooting in light rain with the a6000 as long as I protect the camera between shots.

      Hope this helps, -alan

      Reply
  66. Shane
    Shane says:

    Hi Alan,

    Was just wondering how you rate the Olympus em5 mark ii against the Sony a6000/6300. Will the em5ii produce similar quality with the pro lenses? I’m due to upgrade and am wondering if the 2 year old mark 2 is still as good as the current aps-c cameras.

    Cheers

    Reply
  67. Ryan
    Ryan says:

    Hi Alan,
    Really enjoy the content on your site.
    You seem to view pMP as the arbiter of image sharpness, but I’m confused about how it is measured. Namely, the same lens seems to change in pMP as you change camera sensor resolution, despite staying with the same crop factor. (i.e. the same lens will have a pMP of 11 on an 18 MP APS-C sensor, and 13 on a 24 MP APS-C sensor). This is confusing to me; from a physical standpoint, the resolving power should be limited by either the sensor or the lens, whichever is less. Since the pMP is well below the sensor resolution, the lens should be limiting, but in that case changing sensor resolution shouldn’t alter the pMP! Somehow, either the sensor and lens resolving power are conflated in a manner that isn’t physically intuitive, or DxoLabs’ method of calculating pMP is based on a formula that isn’t representative of reality in some way. I imagine the folks at DxoLabs are pretty smart, so the former seems more likely, but I don’t understand it. Care to shed some light? Feel free to get technical; I’m a Ph.D. candidate in the physical sciences (though obviously not in optical physics haha).

    Reply
    • Alan Dixon
      Alan Dixon says:

      Ryan, I am an engineer and also find this not entirely intuitive. So yes, “the sensor and lens resolving power are conflated in a manner that isn’t [at least in part] physically intuitive.” Here is some DXO Mark info on why they replaced MTF measurements for pMP.

      • DxOMark’s Perceptual Megapixel
      • DxOMark introduces ‘Perceptual MPix’ score for lens sharpness.

      Should help explain pMP a bit. But in essence, it tests the acutance of a camera & lens combo (based as it would appear to the human eye) and equates it an equivalent MP resolution sensor paired a perfect lens. -alan

      Reply
      • Alan Dixon
        Alan Dixon says:

        And the vast majority of losses are from the lens. Many inexpensive zooms reducing resolution by over 50%!

        Altho the sensor/camera itself also have losses, so even with a perfect lens you would not get all 24 MP out of the Sony a6000’s sensor. In the real world, even with the best cameras and superb $$ lenses you get around 85 to 90% of the camera’s native sensor resolution. -a

        Reply
  68. Patrick
    Patrick says:

    Thanks for the prompt responses, no need to reply to this. I noticed the pics I’ve blown up are not zoom, so another idea: light, low zoom rx 100 for me, hike with someone with a tiny sensor zoom for wildlife.

    I was hoping I couldn’t tell the difference in sharpness between the 10x Lumix zs 100 (aka tz100) and the Sony rx100 but I can (imaging-resources has comparisons.) Interchangeable lenses are the best but I’d like to keep <`lb (do annual 100 mile, 6 day mt hikes, planning to do longer.)

    Reply
    • Alan Dixon
      Alan Dixon says:

      Sounds good.

      And if that doesn’t suffice, for serious wildlife photography that is both low weight and low cost the Olympus EM-10 II (with kit zoom actually quite good) paired with a 40-150mm zoom lens (80mm to 300mm equiv.) would be a most excellent setup. Just put it on your shoulder-strap using the Capture Pro. Probably 1/4 the weight and cost of most wildlife photo setups. Best, -a

      And personally I find that I don’t mind or notice the camera weight when I carry it this way. And access is actually faster and easier than pulling a p/s out of my pocket. That being said, I just spent a week using my RX-100 III on a bike trip in southern France. It was in the back pocket of my riding jersey. -a

      Reply
  69. Patrick
    Patrick says:

    Alan,
    Great site and we appreciate your replies to questions, rare on sites. The rx100 is a fine lightweight for landscapes but how about wildlife? I take mainly landscape wilderness pics (on an old small sensor 10x, planning to upgrade) but couldn’t take bird or animal pics without its10x.
    Do you miss not having a moderate or longer zoom?

    Your 3.6x rx100 must be sharper than the 10x 1″ sensor lumix tz 100, but wouldn’t the tz be more versatile? Or would a teleconverter, digital zoom or cropping for distant wildlife work on a 3.6x camera?

    Thanks,
    Patrick

    Reply
    • Alan Dixon
      Alan Dixon says:

      Hi Patrick. This is a great Q and one that there is no easy answer. While there are a great number of light, inexpensive options for landscape photos… the same is not true for telephoto wildlife photos.

      1. The best, lightest and semi-inexpensive option that would get semi-pro quality images would be the sony a6000 with the 18-105 lens. This would give you (27mm to 160mm, 35 equivalent) or around 6x. Given the high res. of the image you could likely crop to get the rest of the way to something like 10x.
      2. Also look at a Olympus EM-10 II with their inexpensive and very good 40-150mm zoom lens (80mm to 300mm equiv). This combo would do well for wildlife work and not break the bank or your back.
      3. I would think that the RX 100’s 24-70mm equivalent, even with cropping is not going to do what you want.
      4. If you aren’t on board with the a6000 or EM-10 II, then your best option is to do some research on some of the newer 10x zoom cameras. In particular looking at any resolution tests that might be available. Since this class of camera does not get run through the technical test wringer that info. may be a bit harder to find.

      Sorry not to be more helpful, but this is not an area of my expertise. But I would be very interested in what you find. You might even look at the larger, fixed lens super zoom cameras in the range of 10-16 oz vs. the compact ones. Let me know what you turn up. All the best, -alan

      Reply
  70. Will Shipp
    Will Shipp says:

    Alan,

    This is a great article. Thanks for taking the time to do the research and write up for us backpackers who also enjoy photography.

    The Peak Designs Capture Pro was an excellent recommend. I previously used a Cotton Carrier system to my pack shoulder strap but all of the carrier straps would get in the way and end up driving me nuts which trying to adjust my backpack. The Capture Pro is so sleek and simple.

    Do you have any experience with the Sony Alpha a7S? I have used a Nikon D750 for a while and can’t bring myself to spend money on a crop sensor again. I am willing to spend the extra $600 over the a6500 for a full frame sensor camera but I’m not sure if this is the best mirrorless choice on the market at that price point. The weights seem comparable.

    Thanks,
    Will

    Reply
    • Alan Dixon
      Alan Dixon says:

      Will, I had the same thoughts on getting the A7 vs. the a6500. I decided that the A7R II was a better upgrade and a better value. I’ve been using my A7R II on the Capture Pro with good success. And the a6000 and A7R II complement each other well. Best, -alan

      Reply
      • Will Shipp
        Will Shipp says:

        Alan,

        I recently picked up an A7R II. What has been your go to backpacking lens for this camera? I’ve been looking at the Sony AF 16-35 f/4.

        Reply
        • Alan Dixon
          Alan Dixon says:

          Yup, the Sony AF 16-35 f/4 is likely the lightest, best landscape focal lengths and best value.
          One thing to consider is that the f/2.8 is not that much heavier and at at 16mm f/2.8 can double as a decent Astro lens.
          And the f/2.8 is sharper edge to edge than the f/4. But it costs more too.

          Hope this helps. Good shooting, -a

  71. Chris
    Chris says:

    Alan,

    Any suggestions for having a second lens readily available (not in the pack) with the peak designs setup for the a6000? Is there a hip belt you use…?

    Reply
    • Alan Dixon
      Alan Dixon says:

      Try looking for some thing like this: GoWing Lens Flipper with a clip. Clip is on sale here. And I am sure there are similar items from other Mfrs. Best, -alan

      Reply
  72. Dan
    Dan says:

    Hi Alan,

    Great article! I already have the a6000 with 18-105 lens and was looking for something specific for landscape/astro. I see the Sigma 19mm f/2.8 has a pMP of 10. What is the pMP of the Rikinon 12mm f2? as well as the Sony 10-18 f4 OSS?

    Lastly, how would I go about calculating the pMP myself? This way as more lenses become available I won’t have to bug you :) Thanks!

    Thanks,
    Dan

    Reply
    • Alan Dixon
      Alan Dixon says:

      Dan, Sony 10-18 is 8 pMP. No pMP data on the Rokinon 12mm. What test data I see shows it to be very sharp in the center and good at the edges. Overall image quality is good from f/2 to f/11. Peak resolution is from f/2.8 to f/8 (best at F/4 and F/5.6). It would make a great astro lens, and a very good landscape one as long as you are OK with manual focus. Best, -alan

      Reply
  73. Mike
    Mike says:

    Your article is perfect for me as a backpacker who never really owned a good camera. Thank-you! I do have one additional question… I have the A6000 with the 16-50 stock lens, but I want to be able to take an occasional landscape photo that I can blow up to possibly 30×40 or so. Is it possible to get a reasonably sharp photo this size with this camera and the sigma 30mm or maybe Rokinon 12mm prime and the ultrapod? Also, is there an acceptable way to piece together photos so I could get a sharp landscape print composed of several photos taken with stock lens and save the added cost/weight of the prime lenses?

    Reply
    • Alan Dixon
      Alan Dixon says:

      Hi Mike and congrats on the a6000. First the 16 to 20 mm is wide enough for many landscape photos [most of mine end up at around 18-22mm]. And with care off of a tripod, shooting at around f/5.6 or f/8 (the optimal aperture for the lens) and keeping it at 20mm or above you might well get a 20×30″ print. You need to have it very steady on the tripod, use a remote or timed shutter release and make sure you have good focus. I would try that fist. And if you do shoot at 16mm, shoot RAW so that you can do your own distortion correction (if needed). The in-camera distortion correction at 16mm is what creates the greatest loss of image quality. And again keeping the camera steady, and nailing focus are Jobs #1 and #2 for a high quality image!

      Yes, you can stitch multiple photos together, say using the 30mm Sigma. Do a bit of reading on a good technique. But one thing for sure, you want go into manual mode and lock exposure. Otherwise it will be almost impossible to match tone and brightness where you stitch the photos together.

      Obviously the Rokinon 12mm would solve this (18mm 35 equiv.) and should make some very dramatic landscapes. But you do need to be careful with a lens that wide or the heightened perspective effects can get out of hand. This is more and more evident and you move the lens further away from level.

      Have fun with the new camera, -alan

      Reply
  74. Paul
    Paul says:

    Hi Alan,

    Thanks for a great article! I’ve been pouring over it for days and following links, random thoughts, etc, and am left with a question: what are your thoughts on the a6300? Is it worth the $400 over the a6000? I appreciate your advice about stressing about the difference between two good cameras but it is a lot money.

    I plan on the a6000/a6300 body and a 35mm f1.8 lens. Debating if I want to buy/carry the kit lens.

    Paul

    Reply
    • Alan Dixon
      Alan Dixon says:

      Paul, the a6000 is a way better value than the a6300. I would get it with the kit lens. As long as you aren’t going to print at 40×60″ and use it sparingly below 20mm it’s not a bad lens. And for only $150 with the camera it’s a great value. So that and the 35mm f/1.8 should do you proud. Enjoy!

      Oh, and FWIW the next logical upgrade would be to the a6500 for it’s in body stabilization. Then you can use a huge inventory of non-OS Sony (and non-Sony) lenses when backpacking without needing to use a tripod (most but not all of the time). But sadly at that price it might make more sense to upgrade to the a7r II. You get a lot more camera for the $. -a

      Reply
      • Paul
        Paul says:

        Thank you, Alan. I needed that shot of good sense. So one more question: would you suggest the 35mm f1.8 or the Rokinon 12mm f2 as the second lens?

        Paul

        Reply
        • Alan Dixon
          Alan Dixon says:

          Depends on how much astro work you want to do. If yes, get the 12. If not get the 35.

          OTOH the 12 and the 16-50 would make an intersting combo both for daylight and astro work. Note: I have not had great luck manually focusing a variety lenses with the a6000. It usually requires a photo review to see if I got it right. When I use the auto focusing on the moving spot, focusing is always dead on wherever I place the focus spot. Could be that my eyes are getting bad. YMMV. -alan

        • Alan Dixon
          Alan Dixon says:

          And for astro you can always tape the 12 to ∞ as confirmed by daylight tests. Or I sometimes put two pieces of masking tape on the lens and focus ring and pencil mark them to be aligned at ∞. Best, -a

  75. Mike Wickham
    Mike Wickham says:

    A camera that I really like for backpacking is the Nikon Coolpix P530 (I actually have the older P510). It’s not small enough to put in your pocket, but at 19 oz. is very lightweight. It has a 42x superzoom (24-1000mm equivalent) built in. So it can take wide shots or zoom in to a bird’s eye, without changing a lens. $269 at B&H.

    I use these connector straps to hang it off my backpack:
    https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/485766-REG/OP_TECH_USA_1301652_System_Connectors_Reporter_Backpack_Set_of.html

    Reply
  76. Roger Gorman
    Roger Gorman says:

    Some people take photographs of travel, and some people travel to take photographs. My camera of choice at the moment is a Canon 5ds R. I never carry any more than two lenses and usually one. Newest favorite is the canon ef 35mm f1.4L II.

    Reply
    • Alan Dixon
      Alan Dixon says:

      Roger,
      Sorry for the late posting of your comment. I am just back in the US after two weeks in remote areas of country and with absolutely no internet whatsoever. I carried a Sony A7R II and a single lens with great success! So, yes sometimes full-frame is where it’s at. All the best, -alan

      Reply
  77. BradR
    BradR says:

    Thank you for your help Alan. What are your thoughts on “Snapseed” – it’s program that was recommended to me but it appears to be mostly post possessing.

    Though I always take lots of pictures backpacking, I am a “auto” guy and figure the camera is a lot smarter than I am.

    Reply
    • Alan Dixon
      Alan Dixon says:

      I like it fine, but you are correct it is a post-processing tool.

      > Though I always take lots of pictures backpacking, I am a “auto” guy and figure the camera is a lot smarter than I am.

      That may be so, but still I think it might be good keep in mind what the foibles and limitations of an iPhone camera are. And when you encounter a situation that may challenge it (might not be often): say like low light, you might want to be aware of your options (and have the tools?) to take some corrective actions. Your choice tho. Best, -a

      Reply
  78. BradR
    BradR says:

    Alan, I am going to Alaska for a 12 day trip this summer and am bringing my iPhone 6s to aid in navigation (will have Caltopo paper maps and compass). Since I am doing that, I am contemplating just using my iPhone camera and not my normal p&s to save weight (12 days worth of food is heavy!). What are your thoughts on that and how does that effect battery life (on airplane mode of course and will have battery pack)? Any other tips or tricks for getting the most out of a cell phone camera?

    Reply
    • Alan Dixon
      Alan Dixon says:

      This is a great Q Brad. The short answer is that for a 12 day trip, assuming no recharging mid-trip you might (or might not) be better off weight-wise also bringing a p/s. It boils down to whether the battery weight to re-charge your iPhone will exceed the weight of the p/s with its extra battery. One thing you will need to do with your iPhone is to test it. Since it’s a 6s, the battery is likely far from new. You’ll need to do a day hike in airplane mode, taking a few GPS locations and mapping w Gaia, taking what you think is a reasonable amount of photos, and trying to minimize “chimping” (extended time reviewing photos). Then recharge the iPhone with your external battery and see where you are.

      As to the iPhone picture tips and tricks: 1) Get an App to manually control your iPhone like “Pro Camera” or “Camera+.” This will give you control over focus, exposure, ISO, etc. 2) Understand that low light is not the iPhone’s strength. You might want to invest in a small tripod and bluetooth remote to stabilize the iPhone for low light work, while keeping the ISO within reasonable limits and eliminating camera shake. (See my Holiday Gear Guide Inexpensive for some options). And finally 3) if you shoot video you might consider getting the “Filmic Pro App” (See my Holiday Gear Guide Mid-Range for some options).

      Hope this helps, -alan

      Reply
    • Alan Dixon
      Alan Dixon says:

      Yes Ingrid, it will work assuming reasonable care. I have taken my a6000 on numerous multi-day trips canyoneering in Southern Utah. Many of the pictures in this article “Non-technical Canyon Backpacking in Utah – a how to guide for getting started” were taken with the a6000. A few thoughts: I would not take it out in the middle of a raging windstorm. I might not put the most expensive lens on it (I usually take the 16-50). I would definitely use a UV filter on the front of the lens. Have a great trip. S Utah is a wonderful place! Best, -a

      Reply
  79. Kevin
    Kevin says:

    I am kind of torn between the a6300 and E-M5 ii…I am doing a nobo thru hike on the AT and plan to take an Ultrapod but mostly do hand held shooting. I want a wide angle for landscapes with a fast aperture for astrophotography but all lenses for the a6300 that fit this bill are not stabilized. I like the a6300’s larger sensor, better video capabilities and battery life, but can’t quite get over it’s lack of IBIS. Do you think IBIS would be necessary for hand held hiking shots with a lens that is not stabilized? I liked your review on the E-M5 ii but how would you stack that up head-to-head against an a6300? Even though the a6500 is a bit out of my price range, would it be worth spending the extra $ to gain IBIS??

    Thanks!

    Reply
    • Alan Dixon
      Alan Dixon says:

      The Sony is best if you want the absolute highest resolution images with the greatest dynamic range and color depth. The Sony is capable of 16 perceptual megapixels (pMP), which is about as good as it gets for 24 MP crop sensor cameras. The Sony is also the better camera for serious video. But there are caveats.

      1. To get the highest resolution, you’ll need fixed lenses most of which are not image stabilized (really the Sigma 30mm F1.4 DC DN C Sony E). That means that you’ll need to shoot off of a tripod to get the highest resolution. (The possible exception to this is the Sony E 35mm f/1.8 “normal” lens, but with only 11 perceptual megapixels.)
      2. The camera body and lenses are not environmentally sealed against rain/dust.

      That being said there are two nice stabilized zoom lenses for the Sony a6000 and a6300, albeit moderately expensive and not super light. The Sony E PZ 18-105mm F4 G OSS at 9 pMP, and the Sony E 10-18mm f/4 (also stablilzed) at 8 pMP. Both are faster and have better resolution that the kit Sony E 16-50mm f/3.5-5.6 lens at only 6 pMP. The Sony E PZ 18-105mm F4 G OSS is probably your best bet if you want a good image quality in a general purpose stabilized zoom. It is the lens I have gravitated to in spite of being bulkier and heavier than the kit lens. It and the Rokinon 12mm F2.0 below for super wide and astro work would make a cool kit! [And steer clear of the Sony 18-200 zoom lenses unless you absolutely need the reach of 200mm, the resolution is not there!]

      The Olympus is best if you need and environmentally sealed camera and lens combo (OM-D EM-5 II and 12-40mm F2.8 PRO). Right now the the EM-5 II and 12-40 PRO lens is on Amazon for $1,600. This Olympus body/lens combo has about the same 9 pMP as the Sony with the 18-105mm F4 G OSS. The Olympus has has a nicer viewfinder, better controls and a useful tilt touchscreen display. It also has in body stabilization allowing you to use any lens stabilized greatly increasing your range of handheld shot opportunities. Also there are a huge number of u4/3 lenses than E mount lenses for the Sony. But there are caveats.

      1. The very best u4/3 lenses limit out at around 11 pMP vs. 13 to 16 pMP for the Sony.
      2. The smaller u4/3 sensor limits image quality vs. the larger APS-C sensor of the Sony. High ISO performance ⅓ stop less, 5% less color depth, and 8% less dynamic range vs. the Sony.
      3. Video Spec is not as good as the Sony. (If you want to shoot serious video the a6x00 series is what you want.)

      As to astro work, you’ll definitely be on a tripod so stabilization not an issue. And the Rokinon 12mm F2.0 NCS CS Ultra Wide Angle Lens Sony E-Mount (NEX) is likely the lens of choice for Sony E. You could also use the 10-18 at around 10mm for astro work. Just make sure you turn off the OSS when shooting from the tripod.

      And just to confuse things a bit: The a6500 body is both dust-moisture resistant and has in-body image stabilization. Unfortunately at time of writing there are almost no dust-moisture resistant lenses for it. But at least your camera body is reasonably protected if not the lenses. I have not really had problems with shooting in light rain as long as I protect the camera between shots.

      Hope this helps, -alan

      Reply
  80. Henrik
    Henrik says:

    Hello Kevin and Alan,

    I’ve used the Trailpix for two years now and at 80g (less if you use a point-and-shoot) it’s worth the weight. Often I’ll just leave it attached to the camera (Sony NEX7 usually sitting in a Zpacks chest pouch), so sticking it onto the trekking poles takes just a few seconds.

    Reply
  81. Sam
    Sam says:

    Hi,

    Allan Question. Recent college grad looking for a new camera to start my photography business. I will be shooting fashion and wildlife but mostly on fashion bc that is where the money is. I have been looking at the Canon EOS bundle on amazon and wanted to see if anyone had experience with this camera? I have used Canons at school and some classmates said they like theirs. I also found that www.bestcamerahq.com listed the EOS as one of the top cameras of 2016. Any input would be appreciated greatly!

    Thanks everyone!

    Reply
    • Alan Dixon
      Alan Dixon says:

      Sam, best of luck on your photography career. Yes, in terms of cost and weight either the Nikon or Canon APS-C cameras would be good choices for fashion shooting but still light enough for wildlife/backpacking photography. And the APS-C cameras will also be a lot more cost effective than going full-frame. If you are going the DSLR (mirrored) route the Nikon D7200 would also be an excellent choice. There are some super zoom lenses for it. Like the Sigma 17-50mm F2.8 EX DC OS HSM, Sigma 18-35mm F1.8 DC HSM A (amazing lens!), Sigma 50-150mm f/2.8 EX DC APO OS HSM. All of these zooms out perform most of the Nikon prime lenses. And there is the amazing Sigma 30mm F1.4 DC HSM A. Many of these Sigma lenses are also available for Canon. Cheers, -a

      Reply
  82. Kevin Welch
    Kevin Welch says:

    I was wondering if you looked into the TrailPix Tripod option, it uses your trekking poles and a collapsible third leg to make a ultralight tripod, with a standard ball head the thing weighs in at just over 200 grams

    Reply
    • Alan Dixon
      Alan Dixon says:

      I haven’t Kevin. But at times the height would be most welcome. For me the major con would be the time to set this one up. Might be fine in camp but on the trail not so much. I you do try one let me know what you think. Best, -Alan

      Reply
  83. Kenneth
    Kenneth says:

    Alan, this is a great post. I have also used the Peak Designs strap mounting plate system with my Olympus EM-1 with great results. The EM-1 is another great option for a full-featured camera when you don’t mind carrying a bit more weight. It is also splashproof and freezeproof so can be used in the rain or snow, or on very cold nights.

    I know there are as many opinions about the best camera gear to take hiking as there are hikers and photographers put together, but I would also like to offer one other general type of camera as another alternative option. Most of the big brands now offer very good waterproof/weatherproof cameras. I personally carry an Olympus TG-4, which has a lot of features that make it perfect in the pack when weight is a concern:
    – Has a relatively fast (f/2.0) and very wide (25mm equiv.) lens
    – Offers features that advanced amateurs will like, such as the ability to shoot in RAW, fully manual exposure controls if desired, focus stacking and extended macro modes, etc
    – Is completely pocketable. I carry it in my front pocket often. When backpacking, with my setup, the camera fits into the zippered hip belt pocket that is built into my pack (Gossamer Gear Mariposa), so it therefore adds zero weight for additional clips, bags, etc that would otherwise be needed to carry it. It’s also immediately available and in my hand to shoot in a flash. I absolutely agree with your statement that “the best backpacking camera is the camera you can quickly pull out and shoot.”
    – The camera is fully outdoor-proof: waterproof to 50 feet underwater, dustproof, freezeproof, shockproof, crushproof. Besides being absolutely perfect for the rigors of being taken into the wilderness, this feature alone offers at least three distinct advantages:
    o I can pull the camera out and use it whenever I like, capturing the moment exactly as I am experiencing it…weather and all.
    o I do not need to carry a heavy, clumsy weatherproofing case for the camera, nor store it in a waterproof baggie.
    o It opens up the possibility for more creative photography with shots taken while swimming, natural features underwater, shots in heavy snow, etc.
    – The camera has built-in altimeter and compass functions, and also has a built-in GPS tracking function to track your path. For me, I use a paper map in the field but also like to see where I’ve gone digitally when I get back home, so this fits the bill perfectly.
    – If I carry my phone also, the camera can be fully controlled from my phone via wi-fi (with a live screen shot sent to the phone), which makes taking tripod selfies and group shots as easy as can be.

    The camera is light enough (9 oz) that it works great with my ancient Ultrapod. I have bought several other ultralight tripods since the Ultrapod, but none have matched the simplicity, sturdiness, and versatility of the Ultrapod. The Ultrapod is genius on the trail. With the “V” cross-section of the folded tripod and its built-in Velcro strap, it can be easily and quickly mounted to a hiking pole to make a very sturdy monopod. Or, two hiking poles crossed at the top along with a length of line staked to the ground make a “real” tripod for low-light shots, again with the Ultrapod strapped to one of the poles. Of course the Ultrapod can be used as a tripod all by itself with very good results too.

    My entire camera kit, including camera with wrist strap, Ultrapod, spare battery, a polarizer filter (a must for wilderness photography in my opinion), and small case to put the pol. filter in when I’m not using it, weighs in at 12.5 ounces. I can add a macro flash ring for just another 0.3 ounces.

    I think it’s also worth mentioning the use of the classic “string tripod” as another super light option for helping steady your hand-held shots. I won’t go into the details of this device but if you use a piece of line that you’re probably already carrying in your pack, you’ll just need to buy a 1/4-20 eye hook and nut to build this…just a few added grams in your pocket. If your camera has a large enough wrist strap attachment hole you might not even need the eye hook. Google “string tripod” and you’ll find a ton of info out there on how to set this up and use it…super easy and you’re probably already carrying the necessary materials anyway!

    Anyway, I’m not trying to sell anyone on the Olympus TG-4 specifically, but I just wanted to offer another idea for ways to make sure you get the shots you want without a lot of worry about ruining expensive camera equipment out in the wild.

    Reply
  84. Austin
    Austin says:

    Hi Alan,

    I’ve been a huge fan of your website the last few months, don’t know if you remember me. I’ve been thinking about the subject of backpacking photography for a about a year now and am trying to decide what I want to choose as my first serious upgrade from the world of phone cameras and point-and-shoots.

    My primary question is whether you ever have taken a DSLR backpacking on a serious, fast, UL off-trail trip such as the SHR, SoSHR, WRHR. I was thinking about getting the Sony a6000 w/ 16-50mm lens, but it turns out that I can get the Nikon D5300 DSLR w/ 18-55mm lens for a bit cheaper, and based on what I’ve read, I could do considerably more with such a solid entry-level DSLR. The body of the Nikon D5300 is only 16.9 oz, so not horrible actually. I’d like to upgrade prior to my summer trips (a week for your SoSHR including Mt. Sill, 5-6 days for Skurka’s WRHR, and more relaxed on-trail trips with my wife to Glacier and Yellowstone). My thinking has been that I pack very minimally with base weight almost always sub-8lbs., so a little extra weight sacrifice for the DSLR would be acceptable to me. Plus this guy’s setup with his DSLR hanging at the side of his thigh actually looks pretty manageable in terms of comfort and camera security and accessibility (http://wanderlustphoto.co/journal/backpacking-with-a-DSLR.html). Plus I wouldn’t mind quickly stowing it in the main body of the pack for the occasions where terrain is extra treacherous (e.g., Snow-Tongue Pass, Frozen Lake Pass, Sky Pilot Col, etc.).

    Would love to hear what you might choose in my position, or if you have any relevant experience to share regarding taking a DSLR on any of your serious trips and how it went for you.

    Best,

    Austin

    Reply
    • Alan Dixon
      Alan Dixon says:

      I have taken my a6000 with 16-50 mounted on the shoulder strap of my pack (Peak Design mount) on the GR20 in Corsica, considered the toughest trek in Europe. Tons of scrambling and climbing over rock. I only took the camera off twice on the trek. I also took it on the Torres de Paine (complete trek) and never took it off. And I can put the pack on and off without taking the camera off the shoulder strap or having that shoulder strap spin and tangle (there’s a trick to it.).

      The key to getting a ton of photos is to have it readily available on your shoulder strap. If it’s inside your pack you will get few photos. I see the system you mention. Whiteout having used it… it 1) looks like it would bounce around and get in the way while scrambling and 2) would take about 3-5x longer to take out and get a shot and put back vs. then Peak Design mount (which is around 3-5 seconds). I have a video where I put on my pack (with camera mounted to shoulder strap) take the camera off the mount shoot a photo and put it back on the shoulder strap mount. It takes less than 15 seconds. You could do this as well with your light (8lb) BPW.

      Guessing that your Nikon is light enough to use the PD Shoulder strap mount with a smaller kit zoom, but you’d want to test it out a bit before a trip. Hope this helps, -alan

      Reply
      • Alan Dixon
        Alan Dixon says:

        It also helps if the lens has a zoom lock. My 16-50 doesn’t need one (it does it automatically). But my 18-200 zoom has an actual lock that keeps the lens barrel from “zooming out” when it is mounted in the vertical position on the shoulder strap mount. That works fine. And let me know if you are interested in seeing said video. -a

        Reply
        • Austin
          Austin says:

          Thanks so much for the great response, especially your experience on the GR20. I’ll definitely be going with the peak designs mount option. And would love to see that video if you don’t mind.

          Is dust and grime buildup a problem with the camera so constantly exposed? Do you cover it all? Or leave lens cap on?

          One other big question I have as a newbie to the world of advanced photography that I’ve been really curious about: do you find yourself using the kit zoom lens more often, or your 19mm f/2.8 prime more often? Which one do you feel produces a higher percentage of your favorite photos?

          Still torn on Sony a6000 or Nikon d5300 since they’re priced identically with kit zoom included on Amazon right now!

        • Alan Dixon
          Alan Dixon says:

          Austin,
          I really wouldn’t get to wrapped up deciding between the two cameras. Either would do you fine. As they say, it’s the pictures that you take that make the difference.

          Actually your other two questions are related. As to exposure: if the camera is out and used it will get some exposure. Thus I try to limit the $ of camera gear to a modest investment–one I am willing to part with if something bad happens. Thus the a6000 with kit lens at well under $800 is an amount I am willing to put on the shoulder strap of my pack and subject to some environmental exposure (if it’s really bad like rain, it goes back in the pack). So far camera and lens have done fine in two years. I use the 16-50 about 95% of the time backpacking. Its cheap. Its light and compact. It has about the right focal lengths for backpacking photos. It just works (with the obvious limitations of not being tack sharp below about 20mm and I am careful not to shoot below that except with good reason–maybe 10% of my photos). Occasionally I will bring the 35mm Sony (as a backup lens for big trips) and for dusk and dawn photos due to its large aperture and image stabilization.

          Hope that helps, -a

  85. Tj
    Tj says:

    Hi Alan,
    “The best backpacking camera is the one you can quickly pull out and shoot”
    So, in that thought, which quicker to pull out and shoot:
    A smaller lighter camera that will be easier to stick somewhere handy or a larger one that is weather sealed, so it can stay out in all but the worst weather?

    Specifically the LUMIX GM5(tiny but needs to be in a more protective pocket) vs the OM-D E5MkII, which is weatherproof.

    Reply
    • Alan Dixon
      Alan Dixon says:

      A great question Tj,
      The short answer is that if you like your OMD-eM5mkII, and don’t mind the weight increase over the Lumix Gm5 then by all means take it–great camera, superb array of lenses! The trick is mount your eM5 on the shoulder strap of your pack using the Peak Designs CapturePRO listed on this post. This usually gives you faster camera access than digging a camera out of your pocket. (And the light eM5 is a perfect fit for using the CapturePRO.)

      I am en-route back from doing the Torres Del Paine trek in Patagonia. I had my Sony a6000 mounted to my pack with the CapturePRO the whole trip. I think I only put it inside my pack for a few hours of hard rain.

      Oh, and I will point out that when it’s raining hard enough to require a waterproof camera it usually crap conditions to get a good shot–low light, low visibility, fog, mist, and lots of water on your lens. You really gotta want to document that situation. One exception to this would be something like Packrafting where getting wet is not associated with heavy overcast, rain and low visibility.

      Actually the better reason for having an environmentally sealed camera is usually dust and sand, especially when combined with strong wind. This can be a camera killer in places like Utah or Patagonia.

      Hope this helps, -Alan

      Reply
      • Alan Dixon
        Alan Dixon says:

        Oh, and for folks with non-environentally-sealed mirroless, crop-format, and full format cameras Peak Designs makes the Shell. It may make sense to use this for both rain and in dusty environments. The small size is appropriate for most small mirroless cameras like Sony a-Series and u4/3 cameras.

        Reply
  86. Bruce Johnson
    Bruce Johnson says:

    Thank you for an informative article, Alan. I have gone a similar route, taking a Canon S110 on short or non-photo intensive trips, but using a mirrorless for the longer trip where photography is an important activity. After some research, I decided to go the Olympus EM-5 route, with a 40-150 zoom and a 25mm f1.4 Leica prime. With the micro 4-3 sensor there is a slightly smaller image, but the lenses are a more mature group, and the 150 with the onboard telephoto feature gives me wildlife shots at a 600mm equivalent. The EM-5 has excellent image stabilization as well. The Sony was my other choice. They both put out beautiful images for a minimum of weight compared to a DSLR. The new site looks great!

    Reply
  87. George Schlossnagle
    George Schlossnagle says:

    I have a sony rx100iii and have taken it on a number of backpacking trips (grand canyon, john muir trail). I find the leaf-shutter-like ‘lens cap’ fouls very easily in desert/high desert type environments. I’m (with some regret) moving back to my Fujifilms, which don’t suffer from this problem (and are more of a pleasure to shoot). I really wanted the rx100iii to work out though.

    Reply
  88. Mike
    Mike says:

    I have been looking at the Sony RX 100 as a backpacking camera. Do you think the value is there in the mark III for the extra $150? Is the original RX 100 close to the mark III in terms of picture quality? I would rather pay out the money for the less expensive camera. I am far from a professional photographer. I am really looking for a nice point and shoot that will take much better photos and video than a standard cell phone.

    Reply
  89. Will
    Will says:

    Great article Alan! I did the “found” tripod thing for a while – but always found myself missing shots and generally being frustrated. The Ultrapod does such a great job that it’s really worth the wait. Sometimes I still bring a full size with me. I have a carbon version of the 3 Legged Thing that when stripped down weighs in at 1.5lbs. Amazon also makes a nice knock off for half the price.

    I keep debating on going mirrorless – but first I’ll have to get over the lack of a view finder! Any experience with the latest Canon family mirrorless cameras? I have too many lenses to abandon at this point.

    Reply
    • Alan Dixon
      Alan Dixon says:

      Yes Will, I second using an Ulrapod. Not a lot of weigh for good stability and great adjustability. And the electronic viewfinder in the a6000 is excellent. It gives you 1) easy daylight view-ability, 2) the ability to stabilize the camera by pressing it to your face, and 3) most important, unlike optical viewfinders, the EVF is what you see is what you get. That is you see all the contrast issues (e.g. blown highlights) and other problems in the electronic image that an optical view finder won’t show you.

      As to Canon Mirrorless, they’ve been very late to the game. The EOS M is still so recent that dpreview only has a preview of the camera: “Canon is the last big player to show its hand, and its initial entrant – the EOS M… To all intents and purposes it’s a mirrorless version of the recently-announced EOS 650D T4i, but with a simpler interface that’s designed to be more approachable for novice users.” So, it’s a decent sensor technology but not outstanding.

      Do understand about having a bag full of lenses and not wanting to change from Canon–expensive and inconvenient at best. All that being said, Sony is killing people with their sensor technology and many Canon users (especially outdoor photographers) are changing to the Sony camp. I owned a Canon T3i and sold it and lenses when I bought the a6000.

      Reply
      • Will
        Will says:

        Cool, thanks. I’ve heard good things about the Sony’s as well. I might take a chance on the a6000! Something for my Xmas list. How is the battery life? I’m used to getting through a long weekend, sometimes even 4 or 5 days with one battery in my Canon.

        Reply
        • Alan Dixon
          Alan Dixon says:

          Battery life is OK–certainly not a high point for the camera. Stated battery life (CIPA) of 360 shots. And that’s at room temp I think. I got about 4-5 days of use on the GR20 in Corsica. I haven’t had the camera out in super cold yet so can’t comment on cold Wx battery life. Spare batteries are light and inexpensive. My strategy is to always bring 2 spare until I fully understand battery life under my shooting style/conditions. If it’s cold, its a good idea to keep a spare battery warm in your pocket to quickly swap in if needed.

          I would suggest getting http://www.amazon.com/Wasabi-Power-SLT-A55V-Cyber-shot-DSC-RX10/dp/B0049WBZEK or something of the ilk.

        • Will
          Will says:

          Thanks Alan, that’s not as terrible as I had feared. My Canon batteries do not like the cold at all – and have a life span of hours at best in the teens (when in the camera). So I’m used to swapping throughout the day from spares I keep in my pockets. I haven’t come up with a better way around shooting in the cold.

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