It’s really tough deciding what camera equipment to take with you when travelling and seeing as I’m embarking on a 12 month working holiday in Japan from tomorrow I thought I’d share my kit list.
Here is a breakdown of whats coming with me for the adventure and why:
Billingham Camera Bag
+ More discrete than branded camera bags
+ Fully padded & hard wearing to protect your gear
+ Spacious
Panasonic GH3
+Lightweight and compact for travelling and discrete photography
+Built in time lapse function
+Great for video as well as photography
Panasonic 12-35mm f2.8
+ Versatile focal range for everyday shooting
+ Constant aperture
Panasonic 45-200mm
+ OIS telephoto lens to compliment my 12-35mm
Gorrilapod SLR Zoom
+ Lightweight, compact, attach anywhere tripod alternative
Zoom H4N Audio Recorder
+ Built in stereo microphones and great quality for the price
PC Specialist Custom 11.6″ Inferno Laptop
+ Customisable for your needs (in my case a big graphics card for animation!)
+ Compact form factor and light weight
Microsoft Arc Mouse
+ Folds to 60% of expanded size
Now when you are carrying kit like this having good insurance is essential. Your basic travel insurance will often have a baggage limit under £1000 and single item limits can be as low as £100. So you’re not even covering a single lens with restrictions like that! Most gadget insurers can cover you for 30, 60 or 90 days worldwide at a push. But you have to return to the UK within those days else your insurance is invalid.
The only UK companies I found that would give me worldwide cover for all of my equipment for the full 12 months (bar 1 day in the UK which is required) were http://www.photoguard.co.uk/ and http://www.aaduki.com/
I eventually went with Photoguard as they had a slightly better quote and are more widely reviewed online. It cost a premium but coupled with my backpackers insurance I should be covered for every eventuality. Plus having specialist cover for my electronics meant I could save money on my travel insurance by lowering my baggage cover.
Tomorrow I depart for Japan and I’ll be posting more guides and work as I travel, so keep an eye on this blog!