Hiking provides one with an opportunity to enjoy the beauty of nature and for making memories. To capture unforgettable and memorable moments, you need to carry a quality camera. With so many camera models on the market, it can be quite daunting to choose the best one for hiking and backpacking. Many people make the mistake of buying hiking cameras based on their price. However, you need to look beyond that. Cameras are differentiated by features, and you need to settle for a camera that has the most useful features.
Useful Camera Features – Hiking and Backpacking
Size and Design
If the camera is too heavy or too big, you will have a difficult time carrying it with you for long distances. You should go for a camera with size and design that perfectly fits into your backpack. It should be light enough to be carried around your neck or in your hands when backpacking or hiking long distances.
Exterior Protection and Weather Sealing
Another important feature a hiking camera should have is weather sealing and exterior protection. There is no universal standard for weatherproof or weather sealing, but generally, the buttons and joints of your camera body should be sealed and covered with rubber to act as a shock absorber in case of knocks. Weather sealing also reduces exposure to dust and moisture.
However, this doesn’t give you a green-light to shoot during a heavy downpour as water will eventually find its way into your camera. Weather sealing helps protect your camera components from light and moderate moisture.
When it comes to exterior protection, your camera exterior body should be sturdy and compact. The body should be made of durable materials that are capable of withstanding a few knocks when hiking. This will help it last longer as delicate parts will be protected from breakage.
Versatility
Make sure you purchase top cameras designed to offer you versatility such as video features. This will help you capture great moments and re-live those memorable moments after the hike has culminated.
Great Focal Lengths
For outdoor photographers, your lens is an important feature. For instance, it would not make sense to buy a mirrorless or DSLR camera with only 18-55mm lens and expect to get quality landscape photos. For outdoor, you will want a camera with a wide-angle lens or a quality zoom with great performance at the wide end.
When hiking, most photos are of the landscape features, and therefore, a camera with 16-244mm kit length is ideal. A camera with a wider focal length than this necessitate a big expanse and tactical use of foreground. Anything less than 24mm will lead to loss of openness that makes landscape photos so appealing. The best focal length for hiking camera should be 16mm-24mm.
Great Battery Type
You will need to have a camera with a great battery since you will be hiking longer distances. The lithium-ion batteries tend to last longer, but they are quite pricey. They also tend to be good for long-term use as you will not have to replace them frequently.
Compatibility
Virtually all modern cameras are compatible with PC to make saving your shots and printing them easier. However, many of the cheaper camera models might still lack this feature. They make it up for this by having a removable memory card. Having a camera with a USB function is great for transferring photos from your camera to your PC so as to make room for more shots.
Lens With a Wider Angle
When choosing your lenses, consider the size as this is what will determine zoom ability and quality of shots. When selecting DSLR or mirrorless camera, you should go for the 35mm equivalent. A lens with a wider angle will enable you to take great shots, but this will definitely come at an added cost.
Wrap Up
There are many features you will need to look for when buying a hiking camera, and ensuring your camera has most, or all, of the above features, will make all the difference in your shots. The more features a camera packs, the pricier it will be. You will need to find a good balance between price and quality of your preferred camera model. There are many other minor features as well, but with these, you should be ready to buy the best camera for hiking and backpacking.
Leave a Reply