The Best Camera Gear for Backpacking & Hiking 2025

📸 Gear In This Video

🏔️ My Favorite Gear

Here’s the BEST Camera Gear I’ve used for Backpacking & Hiking over the past 10 years!

[hikingwithjoe]

Your camera journey inspired a lot of my camera journey. I started on an iPhone, moved to a GoPro, had a G7X for a minute, tried a Sony a6400, and now I'm shooting on a Sony a7iii with a Tamron 20-40 2.8.

I won't take credit for this tip (I think I saw it on Reddit) but instead of a gallon plastic bag I use a shower cap for water proofing my camera when it's on my capture clip. It's got the elastic band on it that closes the opening up and I haven't had any issues with water getting in there when it's on my shoulder strap. If it's raining really hard I will put my camera in the shower cap and put all of it inside my pack but for light rain the shower cap does the trick.

[dragonstring]

I thru-hiked the AT in 2021 with a Canon R5. It lived on my shoulder thanks to a Spiderholster Backpacker. It got me a lot of looks and questions, but I don’t regret it for a second

[oscararborist]

Nobody ever notices good audio. But damn, do they notice bad audio! Now that I think of it, Darwin, you always have great audio, as good as my feeble ears have ever heard.

[VernalFilm]

Im using the Sony a6700 and super happy about the weight/quality/feature ratio. Perhaps 1 out of 1000 viewers can notice the difference from a FF camera. For those not into photography the ZV-E10 II (no. mech shutter) is almost just as good at less than 400g for the camera body which is insane.

[tomatoomelette]

as your camera gear ramped up so did the video quality...your video production is spot on, I appreciate your videos!

[Somemjf]

Longtime Sony shooter, mainly shoot photos of hikes/travels. Just picked up the Leica q3 for a smaller travel hiking setup. Doing a hike in Iceland later this year, nervous leaving my Sony home. I really like using the 70-200 to get that compression of landscapes but the weight/size.

[james_c]

Almost identical to my camera journey. Starting with a GoPro, then a G7X (Mark I), eventually upgrading to a Sony a6400. I recently upgraded to the Sony A7CII because it packs the full frame goodness into the smaller/crop sensor form factor. Very non-intrusive for hikes/travel. Been doing a lot of photos but need to get back into video. You inspire me, keep up the great work Darwin!

[YarnJourneysMelanie]

Thanks for a great video!! I shoot video with my Fuji XS-20 and I love it. With a tripod, I also do great time lapses. I also have a capture clip, and when it rains I put a cheap shower cap over the camera on the clip. It’s very light and easy to keep balled up in your pocket for when the drizzle arrives. Granted, I shoot Fuji because my husband shoots landscape photography with an XH-2 and we can share lenses. The one thing about the XS-20 is that it’s lighter and smaller. I have little hands, and the XH-2 just feels too big. We don’t backpack with our cameras but we do hike, and those tripods get really heavy going uphill!!

[herbhometales]

Thanks for sharing your journey.. I’m getting ready to upgrade. We live deep in between the Buffalo River Trail and the OHT … I want to document my memories for my grands. ( I’m 74, grew up here)
I didn’t film when I traveled and did the AT, things that have changed sooo radically wishing now that I had. But I meet hikers here who love the wilderness … as do I, but I also remember when this trails were thru roads, and that small patch where f daffodils was by home full of music and life… feeling a need to show the beauty, but tell the stories as well.
My grands girl has been encouraging me to do it… so camera change coming up !

[georgeadventures]

X T4 all the way. I too love the Fuji color science. For me color is everything g

[IsParkCir]

Thank you so much for this video! Your production quality balanced with the consideration of size and weight is invaluable.

I will say “Mirrorless DSLR” is a bit of a contradiction since DSLR’s have a mirror. I find that ILC “interchangeable lens camera” is a little bit more descriptive since it encompasses DSLR’s and mirrorless.

[MatthewAVL]

Fuji XH series is awesome! Love the grip and feather like shutter. I used a Sony for a while too and, while I did find it more *productive* in ways, there's just something about the feel of Fuji 🙂 both in terms of image output and the hands on experience.

[bitsandblocks]

Really enjoyed this video but no such thing as a mirrorless DSLR. It's either mirrorless or a DSLR as the SLR bit describes the mirror/prism set up. I still like DSLRs but they are a tad heavy for hiking 😊

[rileyjoe]

I highly recommend checking out the sigma 18-50 2.8 for the Fuji system. Very similar performance and 1/3 the weight of the Fuji 16-55. You lose a little on each end but the size and weight payoff is major. Appreciate the video thanks for sharing!

[RamblinView]

I've been following for a long time, I'm also a photographer so it's really cool to see these two worlds come together in your video. After trying numerous camera systems, I also landed on the fujifilm system with the x-t5 and 16-55 2.8. For me it's truly the best quality to size package available. I can easily fit this in all my backcountry skiing or climbing packs and it's not too too much to carry around. Especially compared to the full frame kits I've had. Cheers!

[PapaBoiOutdoors]

I just finished a video on my youtube channel on my camera gear. I use the Sony A7C Mark I (I could not afford the Mark II 😁), and have been very happy with both the cinematography and photography. I enjoy shooting photos as much as taking video. I also use the Aoka tripod and absolutely love it! I am a HUGE fan of the Ulanzi Falcam F38 clip. It is so much easier to clip into without looking and it doesn't bounce around like the Peak Designs clip does. I also think you can get the look you want by using the correct lutz; however, it that is a whole different conversation. Thanks for yet again another fantastic video and I look forward to the next one. Take Good Care.

[swedishhiker]

I really get why you like the Fuji cameras. The images/videos straight out of camera are awesome. If you want to go full frame, maybe check out Lumix, either S5II or the new S1RII. I like the look of the footage more than that from Sony, and they are packed with video features such as waveforms.

[_Terc_]

A good recommendation would also be the original Sony a7c. It has the same sensor as the A7III but in a smaller package. Paired with a G prime lens (I personally love the 40mm) it comes under 2lb for the setup, and the first generation is quite "affordable" if you buy it used.

[thedaftestnameicouldthinko]

Really helpful. As someone who rarely shoots video, I’ve been wondering about this.

[jeremywenrich]

I started watching your adventures in 2019 and settled on a Fujifilm X-T3 to record my own adventures. After the X-H2S was out for a few months I upgraded to that. I use both now. I love the manual feel of the X-T3. It is the camera that makes me want to photograph. The video quality of the X-H2S is undeniably superior in many ways though. Anyway, the gear is just a tool. Thank you so much for using it to create :)