Which Camera Should You Bring On Long Adventures?

“A mind that is stretched by a new experience can never go back to its old dimensions.”

– Oliver Wendell Holmes

Bringing a DSLR camera with me on +10 mile hikes were an absolute pain. I began to search for compact cameras that would do well on these hikes. Obviously, it was going to most likely be a Canon camera. What I had found was perfect for our hikes and it’s pretty close to a hefty DSLR, except the fact that it’s much smaller. No matter what anyone says, carrying a large camera on extensive trips or needing to create photos with your phone, sucks. Although our phone can create decent photos and videos, I will always prefer creating with an actual handheld camera. There’s something about it that takes away from using your phone which is utilized everyday to take your photos. In the meantime, let’s jump right into the camera I use for my hiking!

The Canon Powershot G9 X Mark ll

Long name, but the camera itself packs quite the punch. Every adventure photographer I’ve seen has a massive backpack with just little space for actual essentials. I strongly believe it’s a fantastic camera for hiking but there’s definitely some pros and cons to it. Either way, consider both as it’s my opinion but carefully look at what you’d be using it for.

Pros

The photos that this camera is capable of taking is quite phenomenal. I take it with me on winter hikes which can be very helpful because DSLR cameras take up a lot of space. The zoom works well on it and I usually keep it near the top of my hiking backpack. I’ve also tested slower shutter speeds during handheld shooting which worked surprisingly well! I’ll list the pros under here if you’re skimming through the article too.

• Small/Compact (easy for travel)
• Highly functional like a DSLR
• Slow shutter works well being handheld

Cons

There isn’t much I’ve found from this camera that comes off as negative to me but it could be for others. One of these issues is that you can only shoot live view instead of shooting through a viewfinder such as a DSLR or mirrorless camera. Another common issue that I have faced is definitely with exposure, especially on brighter days. Photos can seem to look blown out of proportion which is why I change some photos to black and white. I’ve noticed that the quality of my Canon Rebel T6 is much stronger but for winter hikes, a compact or mirrorless camera is a necessity.

At the end of the day…

It really doesn’t matter which camera you have, but I strongly believe in capturing moments because your photo is the only indicator of your emotions with those striking views. If you aren’t able to afford a DSLR or a Mirrorless camera, the iPhone is just as powerful. All it takes is a bit of creativity and learning to enjoy the process of photography. If you have other suggestions for a camera to bring on hikes, I’d love to hear it!

A big thanks!

Thank you to anyone who took the time to read this blog post. Feel free to reach out if you have other suggestions for topics I should cover! I hope this might’ve helped someone out as well and debate getting a camera for hiking! Feel free to destroy that like button, comment, or give a follow for more on hiking or photography!

– Alex