What camera kit is worth carrying for a light landscape photography hike?
Asked 4/27/2013
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I’m planning a light hiking trip to the Lake District and want to shoot landscapes without carrying my entire kit. I’m experienced with camera gear from event work, but I’m new to landscape photography and want to keep the load practical. For a day hike, what gear is usually essential, what can be left behind, and how do you decide what lenses or accessories are really worth carrying?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
13y ago
2 Answers
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This is difficult to answer because each one of us has different shooting styles, goals, and preferences.
Here is my big tip: Less is more
Hiking is much more enjoyable when your pack is as light as possible. Five extra pounds of unnecessary gear can turn a fun trip into a chore. You might consider 1-2 lenses that aren't that heavy, or you might even be a good candidate for a micro 4/3rds camera that could cut your weight needs in half.
One option that works well for me is to look at my historical shooting habits when determining what gear to bring with on a future trip. I use Lightroom to to do this, by filtering my library down to an event, then inspecting the Lens information such as the following:

In the above example, the 40mm f/2.8 STM lens appears to be one that I could have left at home if I wanted to pair down my kit. It only accounted for 3% of the shots during this timeframe! Taking it a step further, I would probably leave the 135mm and 1.4x teleconverter at home, and the 50mm lens at home as well. This still leaves two massive lenses, but you get the idea.
Beyond historical information that you might have, think about what the purpose of the trip is. If your main goal is photography, then what will you be doing with the photos? Are the photos intended for personal use and to capture memories, or is the intention to sell the photos professionally? If the main goal of the trip is to capture professional quality images to sell, then certainly bring any and all equipment necessary to achieve that, which may be the best lenses you have, and a very sturdy tripod for example with all of the necessary accessories. If the purpose of the trip is to "get away from the world" and into nature, then pair your kit down accordingly and only bring with the bare essentials to capture some memories and have fun.
The two biggest gear specific tips I can give you for landscape photography, are the following. Bring your ND filters, and bring a good tripod. These two items are essential and can make the most of the lenses and cameras that you do bring.
Overall, consider your intentions and the reasoning for the trip, then pair down your equipment using some of the ideas above. Hiking should not be a chore and you have a choice when it comes to photography equipment.
Originally by user4892. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user4892
13y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
There isn’t one perfect packing list, because it depends on your shooting style and goals. The strongest advice from experienced hikers is: pack less than you think you need.
For a typical day hike, a practical landscape kit can be:
- one camera body
- one or two lenses covering wide to short telephoto
- a tripod if you expect slower shutter speeds or careful compositions
- spare battery and memory cards
- a polarizer if you use one
- remote or cable release if needed
A smart way to choose lenses is to review your past photos and see which focal lengths you actually use most. That often reveals that some lenses can stay home.
If weight is a big concern, consider a lighter camera/lens setup rather than carrying a full DSLR kit. Some photographers even prefer a single compact camera for hiking.
Also don’t forget non-camera essentials: water, food, weather protection, phone, first aid, and small practical items for working on wet or muddy ground.
In short: prioritize weight, bring only the gear you’ll realistically use, and make the hike enjoyable enough that you’ll still want to shoot when you arrive.
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