However, while I plan my trips quite thoroughly, I don’t usually make a list of the gear I need to take with me. I have my minimal minimum, which is stored in my head, and I’ll try to outline it here.

In general, I’m a minimalist, but above all, I really value comfort and lightness when moving around. I usually travel with just carry-on luggage, and only in very rare cases do I carry 10 kg of onboard luggage.
For my next trip to Ireland, I have a carry-on suitcase included with my ticket, so I plan to bring a little more, especially since the luggage will be traveling with me by car.

However, my basic carry-on kit is:

Deuter Speed Lite 20 Backpack

Let’s start with the fact that I don’t have a photo backpack, just a regular one. I’ve had it since June 2020, and so far it’s indestructible. I take it on trips, and for 4 years it also served as my everyday work bag, bike bag, photo walk bag etc.
It fits under the seat on a plane, but it’s super spacious.
I took it with me on a 4-day trip to northern Norway in winter, bringing not only equipment and a few winter clothes but also food. And interestingly, after almost 5 years, it still looks like new. Almost.

Cameras

Until recently, I traveled with the Sony A7III (or the A6400 if it was just a regular trip, not a photo trip). Since I got the Fujifilm X100V, it has replaced the Sony A7III. The exception will be my trip to Ireland, where I’ll take a larger body and various lenses (probably the 35mm and 24-105mm) along with road trips done with our own car.
For my last trip to Mallorca, I also took an analog camera Olympus OM-2 and film (here, I described traveling with film through airports). I plan to take it to Ireland as well.

2. Lenses

See above. In the distant past, I even used to take a telephoto lens (Sigma 100-400, when I still had it) with me, but I’ve also been on many trips with just one lens, and it was fine. The Fujifilm X100V has a fixed 35mm full frame equivalent, and I photographed all of Mallorca with it without missing another focal length.

3. Extra Batteries, chargers and SD card

There’s a saying – having one is like having none at all. This especially applies to batteries and SD cards.
For Fuji, I have two spare batteries, and one for Sony. That’s enough to cover a full day of shooting. Sony really doesn’t need more than one battery per day. Fujifilm is more power-hungry, so two batteries for a day is the absolute minimum.
I always have one extra SD card, just in case the card in the Fujifilm decides to fail. The Sony has two slots, both always loaded, so there’s usually nothing to worry about.

4. Lens cleaning cloths

I always have them in my backpack and use them regularly. Microfiber ones work well for me, but I also use disposable ones. There’s nothing worse than having to remove dust spots in Lightroom. It’s a waste of time. I don’t take a blower with me because it takes up quite a bit of space. Instead, I clean the body and sensor thoroughly before each trip.

5. Wrist band / backpack clip / shoulder strap / neck strap

Of course, I don’t take them all at once every time. It really depends on the type of trip. For a road trip, I’d choose a neck/shoulder strap. If there are longer hikes ahead, a backpack clip works great.
The wrist band is also a great thing—it gives a sense of security over the camera when there’s so much to photograph that it doesn’t make sense to put it down, even for a second.
Everything except the neck strap is from Peak Design. The safety and comfort of using the same mounts are invaluable.
A handmade neck strap for my Fujifilm I bought on Etsy, and I’m super happy with it because it feels really nice to the touch and doesn’t scratch my neck.

6. Car charger / power bank

I bring the car charger just in case I don’t manage to charge the batteries or phone in the hotel on time. It’s a small thing, but it’s really useful (if needed).
I don’t always take the power bank with me, but there have been times it saved my day, and definitely my phone from dying. It’s worth having when planning all-day hikes. For road trips, I don’t take it because the phone can always be charged in the car.

7. Water bottle / thermos in winter

I always take a thermos when the temperature is unkind. I don’t always take a water bottle because you can’t always refill it with tap water. Sometimes it’s safer to buy bottled water when away from home. However, hot tea is not something you can always buy everywhere.

8. Hand warmers

During the cold months, I don’t leave home without hand warmers. The ones I bought keep a nice warmth for over 12 hours. You can keep them in your pocket or put them inside your gloves. In extreme temperatures, I also put them in my shoes. They saved my toes from freezing when I spent several hours on the deck of a boat heading north in Norway. Can’t recommend them enough.

9. Pouch for all the small items / organizer

To avoid going crazy with all the little items scattered around in my backpack or suitcase, it’s worth keeping them in one place. You could go for a more complex, dedicated (and more expensive) organizer. I’m fine with a no-brand pouch I bought online, where I keep everything, and it works great.

Maybe I’ve forgotten something. Of course, everyone has different needs (and photographic goals), so the must-have items list for a trip may vary. What I’ve listed is enough for me, and sometimes it still feels like too much.
Ultimately, a camera, SD card, and batteries are enough to take photos.

Thank you and see you in the next one!

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