Should or shouldn't I bring a camera (Sony a6300)?

[Combine]

Hello everyone,
I will start the camino in 5 days, and still debating whether to bring my mirrorless sony a6300 camera (bought only 3 weeks ago).

My 2 biggest concerns are the added weight (1 kilo with a lens) and the vulnerability (i will just leave it inside my backpack, i don't have any handler or a special bag for it. Also my plan is to shoot videos rather than just taking photos).

What do you think?

 

[KinkyOne]

Hello everyone,
I will start the camino in 5 days, and still debating whether to bring my mirrorless sony a6300 camera (bought only 3 weeks ago).

My 2 biggest concerns are the added weight (1 kilo with a lens) and the vulnerability (i will just leave it inside my backpack, i don't have any handler or a special bag for it. Also my plan is to shoot videos rather than just taking photos).

What do you think?

Hola, Combine,

1kg for a good camera what yours definitely is isn't that much. That's 1 liter of water. Especially on Camino Frances where the longest stretch without a bar of fuente is 17km long. But I would ask myself is it worth to carry it in my backpack. I'm carrying my old Canon 300D (I guess close to 2kg all included) in my front pack (with documents, money and water in top and side pockets) so I don't have to put my backpack off every time I see something interesting. But if you just want to capture moments at rest stops/albergues then a smart phone with a bit better camera performance will do.

Buen Camino!

 

[jungleboy]

If you're going to bring it, I'd recommend getting a bag with a shoulder strap for it. Having to get the camera out of your pack all the time will become tiresome very quickly.

 

[blvdve]

I have every intention of taking my camera - an Olympus OMD EM10 mkII - on my ...whatever (I am not sure whether I will be walking a Camino or the Stevenson/GR70). Photography makes me happy, and I can not imagine travel without it. I usually have my Oly on a neopreen wriststrap, always accessible, and I think that could work, even with poles; otherwise, I have a BlackRapid strap system (http://www.blackrapid.com/Cross-Shot-Bundle-Cross-Shot-BK-extra-FR-5) which would be easy to combine with a backpack. I would recommend, as others have, that keeping it in your backpack would not be ideal.

 

[Phoenix]

Check out this thread from earlier this year: https://www.caminodesantiago.me/com...ng-a-dslr-camera-on-camino.53063/#post-631237

Should you decide to bring the camera, the Peak Design Capture Clip, v3, solves the problem of access to the DSLR while trekking. I also have the PD Shell, which is cover for the camera in inclement weather.

I've decided to bring my DSLR and 3 lenses; 4.5 lbs total. In 2016, all I used was my iPhone (800+ photos). Although I got some great photos, there were many instances when I thought, "if only I had a better camera and lens ..." For me, the extra weight is worth it and I don't mind keeping track of the camera.

I am not a professional; however, I get a lot of happiness from capturing what I see for the benefit of others who may never get to go where I go (many due to physical limitations). In addition, someday I want my granddaughter to see Spain and the Camino through my eyes.

I wish you the best in making your decision. Buen Camino!

 

[Jan_D]

To play devil's advocate... I've met quite a few people who wish they'd left their fancy cameras at home. Not is taking an expensive piece of kit with one quite a responsibility, but I think that part of the joy of being a pilgrim is realising how few 'things' we need to survive and to be happy.

There's also something quite liberating about living in the moment, without trying to capture it in some way, and without feeling we need to be doing something 'productive' to justify our existence.

On a more banal level, from my own experience: the sad fact is that I have taken loads of wonderful photos along the way, but it seems very few people are interested in seeing these shots once I get home. My nearest and dearest's eyes immediately start to glaze over when I talk about anything camino-related, and while they might humour me for a while, their curiosity and politeness are often very short-lived. If you want to post stuff on social media as you go, then a phone should do the trick.

(Anyway, as I said, just playing devil's advocate, not criticising anyone who wants to take a camera for whatever reason, it's obviously a personal decision!)

 

[peregrino_tom]

Combine - get a clip/shell as Phoenix mentions and use it - or lose it. No point in carrying it in a rucksack.
Suggest it's worth thinking more about your aim in walking the camino: weighing up whether the time/energy/planning/concentration involved in making videos will detract from (or add value to) your reasons for wanting to walk the camino in the first place.

 

[Jeff Crawley]

This year I decided to dispense with my Canon DSLR to take photos that are seldom looked at (I come from the generation of taking Kodachrome/Ektachrome reversal colour slides that now gather dust in the attic).
I used my smartphone camera (14.5mp) or a cheapie GoPro-alike:



On the lanyard it just hung from my pack chest belt, an adaptation of a hiking pole rubber gave me a selfie stick/periscope view while the large black handle contains a power bank giving me 3 hours of continuous recording. The 1080p images are fine for what I need and it will record sound which I can leave on or delete as the whim takes me.

Of course there were times when I would have killed for a telephoto lens and Robert Capa's advice (get closer) just wasn't an option

 

[Terri B]

I took my Canon 600D and 2 lenses (18-55 and 70-300 telephoto) in a Lowepro TLZ2 camera bag. The bag was then caribeenered to the waist belt of my backpack.
If you're going to take a camera with you it needs to be easily accessible.
The front pocket of the camera bag was also handy for carrying my reading and sun glasses and tube of sunscreen.

 

[wayfarer]

A mobile phone with a good camera, a Samsung S7, 8 or 9 IMO. This will see to all your photo or video needs and your communication needs as well and the photo quality is excellent.

 

[t2andreo]

I usually recommend that a good quality smartphone camera is up to most every task on the Camino. So, I usually recommend not to bring a high end camera.

But if you are intent on bringing a dedicated camera, here is some practical advice, based on my six caminos:

• Always, ALWAYS use it with a neck strap.
• NEVER use a branded specialized camera bag that screams "there's an expensive camera in here..."
• ALWAYS us an inconspicuous off-brand shoulder or neck bag to carry the camera.
• ONLY carry those attachments you KNOW you will use - carry as little as possible.
• NEVER broadcast what you are carrying to others.
• NEVER leave the camera unattended. In albergues, this means having a large enough plastic bag (ziplock or wet bag) to bring the camera sack into the shower with you.

Theft is relatively rare on the Camino, at least among pilgrims all heading in the same direction at the same rate. But, bad stuff does happen on rare occasions. Many of us consider that the Camino is a metaphor for life writ large.

Do consider that you will be stopping over and passing through large towns and cities. When in these places, the same urban conditions apply as anywhere else in the world. Be alert to your surroundings at all times and look both ways before crossing the street. If you are from a UK commonwealth nation, make that, look three times before crossing. Traffic in Spain and Portugal is on the wrong side of the road to these folks...

A lot of pilgrims lose their street smarts and situational awareness when they are walking between towns and cities for a week or two, Then when they arrive in the 'big city' they need to acclimate again.

Hope this helps.

 

[Combine]

Thank you all so much for the great comments and support!

Phone camera is not what I'm looking for, the footage outcome of a dslr/mirrorless is not comparable, but still I haven't decided what I'm gonna do.

Thank you again!

 

[Craig Towers]

Hello everyone,
I will start the camino in 5 days, and still debating whether to bring my mirrorless sony a6300 camera (bought only 3 weeks ago).

My 2 biggest concerns are the added weight (1 kilo with a lens) and the vulnerability (i will just leave it inside my backpack, i don't have any handler or a special bag for it. Also my plan is to shoot videos rather than just taking photos).

What do you think?

Absolutely bring it. You will look back in 6 months and realize how many of the little moments that make it magic you start to forget. Carry it in your hand as shots pop up. 1kg is nothing. It’s not all slow scenery shots. Take a waterproof bag from somewhere like REI. Or even a few big Ziplok bags. Make sure you take a couple of spare batteries. The Sony app on your smartphone is a good idea. Transfer photos to save them as a copy.

 

[tomnorth]

The decision of whether to bring a dedicated camera is a highly personal one. If you are going to bring it, I suggest as others have to not keep it in your pack. I rigged up a way to attach my camera to my backpack straps using carabiners. A simple plastic bag can protect your camera in rainy weather. I also agree that having a watertight bag to enable you to bring your camera in the shower with you would be a good thing. You do have to be careful to keep track of your camera. I almost lost my Nikon D800 twice. I also had a ten-day stretch where my D800 wouldn't work due to moisture. When I got to Santiago I bought a bag of rice and put my D800 in a garbage bag filled with the rice. After 24 hours in the rice bag it came back to life and has been fine ever since. A word to the wise, don't put your camera back in a plastic bag wet. That's what got me in trouble. I don't think you need a dedicated camera bag. If you absolutely had to due to torrential rains, you could always put your camera in your backpack inside a plastic ziplock bag to protect it.

I do think if you're going to bring your camera you need to be brutally honest with yourself about how much gear you need to bring. If you bring too much gear, you may sabotage yourself and wind up resenting the albatross hanging around your neck. Grams and ounces matter. When I walked in 2015 I only brought one, fixed focal length (35mm) lens, one extra battery (with no charger), and an extra memory card for each format used by the Nikon D800 (i.e. SD and CF). I did fine with that, although the Nikon D800 is known for having amazing battery life. With a mirrorless camera and with shooting video, you're likely going to need to bring your charger and enough batteries to make it through one full day, however many that is. To cut down on battery drain, I turned off the auto image review on the LCD screen. If you have a way with your Sony of shutting off the LCD and relying instead on the electronic viewfinder, this will save battery drain.

If photography is important to you, then by all means bring your camera. I will walk again in 2019 and I will bring my Nikon D850 with me. Photography is my artistic medium, and it is one of the key ways I engage with the world around me and the people in it. Just as you wouldn't tell a writer not to write about their Camino, I would never tell a photographer not to photograph their Camino.

FYI, if you'd like to see the photographs I made on my 2015 Camino Frances, they are over at this link.

 

[KinkyOne]

Thank you all so much for the great comments and support!

Phone camera is not what I'm looking for, the footage outcome of a dslr/mirrorless is not comparable, but still I haven't decided what I'm gonna do.

Thank you again!

I'm using this Lowe Pro bag on all of my Caminos and it works great:
https://www.google.si/search?q=lowe...dAhWQUlAKHd8kCPsQsAR6BAgFEAE&biw=1366&bih=662
It has waist and neck strap/belt so you can dispose the weight differently and it's much harder for a thief to cut two straps than just one. I use photo lenses so both of the side pockets are free to carry two 0,5 liter plastic bottles (even 0,75l fits in) and in the top pocket I have other valuables (passport, money). There's also the inner side pocket in which my smart phone easily fits. On the front of the bag is elastic mesh in which I can put a guidebook. That means I don't have to take off my rucksack for taking photos and drinking but also I'm keeping all of my valuables with/on me all the time. And distribution of weight on the back/front is much better for balance (same philosophy with Aarn packs).

 

[jmcarp]

This question has been replayed several times in the six years I've been a member of this forum and the answer always depends on how much of a photo enthusiast you are and how much weight you're willing to carry. I consider myself a photo enthusiast (multiple Nikon DSLRs and a modest collection of lenses), so I know how hard it is to make the "should I" decision. The first question you should ask yourself is, "Is my goal to document my journey or is it to make a documentary about my journey." I know that sounds like two versions of the same question, but if you think about it, it's not.

On both of my Caminos, I opted to leave the DSLR, etc at home because I did not want photography to interfere with what, for me, was a spiritual pilgrimage -- but I did want to document my journey photographically in a way that supplemented or enhanced the journey without distracting me from my primary purpose. So on my first Camino I took a Canon SX compact camera with moderate zoom capabilities, and found it to be totally adequate for my purposes. On the second Camino I decided that even the compact Canon was more than I wanted to carry, so I took only my iPhone. While the iPhone took very nice photos, I missed the zoom capabilities and absolutely hated the lack of a viewfinder. However, I recall seeing a Camino blog by a professional photographer who used only an iPhone, and on the computer screen it was impossible to tell that it was a smartphone camera and not a multi-thousand dollar DSLR and pro-quality lenses. That just confirms that it's not the camera, but the eye of the photographer that creates outstanding images (plus a little post-processing know-how).

So I'm not going to say you should or should not take a DSLR, but if you do, take the smallest and lightest body you have or are willing to purchase, with no more than two lenses -- a medium range zoom for general shots and fast, wide prime for interiors of the amazing cathedrals along the way. Or maybe, as I have done in my more recent travels, opted for a micro four thirds body and a single do-it-all travel lens. In my case that is an Olympus OMD E_M5 and 14-150mm lens.

Good luck on your decision and Buen Camino.

 

[DenWhite]

Hello everyone,
I will start the camino in 5 days, and still debating whether to bring my mirrorless sony a6300 camera (bought only 3 weeks ago).

My 2 biggest concerns are the added weight (1 kilo with a lens) and the vulnerability (i will just leave it inside my backpack, i don't have any handler or a special bag for it. Also my plan is to shoot videos rather than just taking photos).

What do you think?

Took my smaller Nikon D5300 with 18-55 & 80-200 in a small camera bag which also had room for other misc. items that needed easy access. My wife used her samsung phone camera which took great shots but slow and limited. June-July 2018 Leon to SdC.

 

[Sixwheeler]

Traveling anywhere without a camera is unthinkable to me; however I wouldn't be taking one that weighs a kilo.

 

[ELHS220]

Hello everyone,
I will start the camino in 5 days, and still debating whether to bring my mirrorless sony a6300 camera (bought only 3 weeks ago).

My 2 biggest concerns are the added weight (1 kilo with a lens) and the vulnerability (i will just leave it inside my backpack, i don't have any handler or a special bag for it. Also my plan is to shoot videos rather than just taking photos).

What do you think?

I use a Sony Cybershot DSC-WX500. It has a 30x zoom, 18M pixels, many special effects possibilities, including video, and a viewer screen that tilts 180° allowing for selfies, though I preferred my phone for those. I never felt the need for anything more. The camera weighs in at 8.3 ounces and I carried it in my pocket, making it instantly accessible. I recommend use of a screen protector if it is carried without a case. The only negative is the viewing screen. It can be very difficult to see what you are looking at if you are in bright light. Fortunately photo editing can be used to make corrections with straightening, cropping, etc. I take THOUSANDS of pics and would never go anywhere without a camera.

 

[Combine]

Amazing support over here, thank you so much for your suggestions, you gave me different perspectives from your previous experiences and i appreciate that.

I will make my thoughts on that.

Thank you.

 

[Anthony18]

Hello everyone,
I will start the camino in 5 days, and still debating whether to bring my mirrorless sony a6300 camera (bought only 3 weeks ago).

My 2 biggest concerns are the added weight (1 kilo with a lens) and the vulnerability (i will just leave it inside my backpack, i don't have any handler or a special bag for it. Also my plan is to shoot videos rather than just taking photos).

What do you think?

I had the same concern and decided that a high-end point and shoot like the Canon G7X or Sony RX-100 series is the way to go.

1. Compact,
2. fantastic shots,
3. fantastic video,
4. within reach-in a pouch w/belt loop

 

[Theresa Brandon]

I've been using the Canon PowerShot SX720 HS with an astonishing 40x zoom. I've just ordered the newest version (the 740) which has 4K video capabilities.

 

[mishlove]

1Kg is quite heavy....I took all my Camino photos with a Canon Powershot S120 @ 217gr.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/mishlove1/albums/72157644250170579

 

[Anniesantiago]

You know, here's the deal.
There are a kazillion wonderful photos online, most better than I could ever take myself.
I use my iPhone now to take personal photos.
No need, honestly, to carry and worry about a camera.
Just go and SEE the Camino.

 

[Combine]

Hey all again,

once again, thank you for all your support!

I do want to emphasize that my goal carrying the camera is for video and not photographing (which i can easily do with my galaxy s8). I want to document my journey and make a nice video of it.

I just weighted my backpack and it weights total without the camera and without water 5.5 kg, so let's say with 1lt of water and some small stuff i will add (like documents) it will be 7kg.

Do you think 8kg will be too much together with the camera? My weight is 74kg and I'm 24 yo.

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

Do you think 8kg will be too much together with the camera? My weight is 74kg and I'm 24 yo.

I'm reminded of a 90 pound young lady I met on the Appalachian Trail. When resupplied her pack weighed 45 pounds. She had already walked 300 miles over mountains and through bogs. And you're worried about 2 pounds? The posts above about whether you would be better off remembering the Camino instead of photographing it should hold more weight than the weight.

 

[KinkyOne]

Hey all again,

once again, thank you for all your support!

I do want to emphasize that my goal carrying the camera is for video and not photographing (which i can easily do with my galaxy s8). I want to document my journey and make a nice video of it.

I just weighted my backpack and it weights total without the camera and without water 5.5 kg, so let's say with 1lt of water and some small stuff i will add (like documents) it will be 7kg.

Do you think 8kg will be too much together with the camera? My weight is 74kg and I'm 24 yo.

Oh, if I remember the times when I was a climber (a bit younger than you now) and earning money going with full load of beer cans and other drinks every day up 2200mts to sell them a bit more expensive (and going down the same day too), the Camino with 7kg pack will be a stroll for you. Go and take the camera and take beautiful shots and post them, please

 

[Gcmacrae]

Hello everyone,
I will start the camino in 5 days, and still debating whether to bring my mirrorless sony a6300 camera (bought only 3 weeks ago).

My 2 biggest concerns are the added weight (1 kilo with a lens) and the vulnerability (i will just leave it inside my backpack, i don't have any handler or a special bag for it. Also my plan is to shoot videos rather than just taking photos).

What do you think?

Take it. Keep it strapped to your chest do you can take photos as you go without stopping. 1 in 10 will be good and with the camera st the ready you can easily take a thousand. You will refer to them for the rest of your life. And, if it really becomes a burden, mail it home. I met one photographer with 10 pounds of gear,

 

[Brandy]

Hola
I never walked a Camino without my 800 grams mirrorless camera and lens. I'm using the same clip Phoenix is using.
Cheers
Buen Camino

 

[tomnorth]

Hey all again,

once again, thank you for all your support!

I do want to emphasize that my goal carrying the camera is for video and not photographing (which i can easily do with my galaxy s8). I want to document my journey and make a nice video of it.

I just weighted my backpack and it weights total without the camera and without water 5.5 kg, so let's say with 1lt of water and some small stuff i will add (like documents) it will be 7kg.

Do you think 8kg will be too much together with the camera? My weight is 74kg and I'm 24 yo.

If you’ve taken some training hikes with an 8kg pack and you handled it well, then you’ve got your answer. On the surface, 8kg doesn’t sound like too much to me.

 

[Deleted member 56069]

I bought Canon G9 Mark 2 this year. It is very small and light. Footprint not much bigger than a credit card. It has a larger 1" sensor and is 20 megapixels. It can shoot RAW format as well which I will use for landscape shots while on the Primitivo in Sept.
Honestly the picture quality is not far off my full size Canon DLSR. For me packing a mirror less or full size DLSR is more than I want to carry and keep track of.
While smartphone cameras continue to get better all the time, they are still not as good as an actual camera due to the lens limitations they have, no matter how many megapixels they might have.
It all depends how important pictures are to your Camino. I have talked to a few pilgrims that shot less than 100 pictures on their entire Camino preferring to be in the moment versus capturing it on a camera. I agree with this philosophy to some extent...but I still typically shoot 1000 plus pictures each walk.
I have small pouch that hangs from the front strap of my pack that has my camera in it. This makes it instantly accessible. For wet weather it is in a zip lock bag with a few moisture absorbing packets.

 

[lynee]

I took my Nikon P60 . It weighs about 600g . Usually it was around my neck all the time so I could take a photo instantly / I have never had a SLR. the lens on mine can take from macro to 60 x zoom so
no need for other lenses, I took spare batteries but could recharge via a USB cord .

 

[Richard Smith]

The decision of whether to bring a dedicated camera is a highly personal one.
Just as you wouldn't tell a writer not to write about their Camino, I would never tell a photographer not to photograph their Camino.

FYI, if you'd like to see the photographs I made on my 2015 Camino Frances, they are over at this link.

Nice photos Tom, thanks for the link!

 

[Anthony18]

I've never done a trip without a camera of sorts and never will. I understand and respect the notion of "being in the moment", but the idea of "see it, don't photograph it"- I just don't agree with that-I get it/respect it, but that notion is not for me. Walking for a month, maybe 5 hours a day, I don't see how you can't be in the moment. You see something amazing, you stop and take it in. Give God thanks for allowing you to experience this moment-take your shots, and take it in again and keep on walking. Take your camera and shoot/vlog away. I love photography and especially videography. I make a video of all of my trips, and get a huge kick out of sitting with my GF and reliving it all over again. I'm not that old that my memory fails me, but nothing can compete with the captured memory of photographs/videos. Nothing but love and good wishes to all on this forum. Buen Camino!

 

[Syncro]

I love photography - it is one of my favorite hobbies. For me, the extra weight of a camera is a burden, so in the end, I opted not to take one and I just used my iphone for both pics and videos. I'm glad I went in that direction even though I earlier struggled with the decision. I found even my guidebook was a burden and I ditched it because of it's weight. on day 2 or 3 I swear, doing that made all the difference for me.

I saw individuals who are also professional photographers lug their cameras with them. it didn't seem to bother them, but I thought it looked extremely cumbersome especially in the heat. I couldn't imagine doing it myself.

So....if you do take your camera, know you can always have it shipped back home or to Casa Ivar's if the weight becomes an issue for you.