The Best Gear for On-the-Go

04/08/2017

Picture this: You're about to go on the destination footage trip of a lifetime, but you can't bring all of your favorite equipment with you we've all been there. Which camera should I bring? Will I need this lens or that one? Next thing you know, you're sitting on your luggage, using all your strength to fit the zipper around your folded up tripod. Traveling can be stressful especially if you're a videographer or photographer. Not only do you want to make sure you have the right gear, but you also want to make sure it stays safe.

Lucky for you, we gathered advice from a few of our top-selling contributors who are always on the road and in the air with their gear. VideoBlocks contributors Gavin Hellier and Daniel Hurst and our founder, Joel Holland share their travel tips and favorite gear for on-the-go videography and photography. Take the guess work out of your planning and see what these pros have up their sleeves.

Tip #1: Take What You Need Before traveling anywhere there is one question you should ask yourself: What am I going to shoot? Whether it's video, photo, aerial, or time lapse, the camera and lenses you bring should reflect your shooting needs. So before you hit the road, it's important to know your subjects and the gear that's best-suited to capture them.

Gavin Hellier shoots time lapses and video, so he brings a trio of Canon 5D Mark III's to keep his options open on the photo side. I usually work with three cameras. Hellier says. Two are set up to shoot time lapse and one to shoot stills. For video, Hellier uses the Sony Alpha a7s II to capture the views in stunning 4K.

Check out this video from Gavin Hellier.

Daniel Hurst's weapon of choice is the RED Weapon. This workhorse of a camera shoots cinematic 8K with a dynamic range as large as the Pacific. Weighing in at only 3.3 lbs, it doesn't get much better than this. Purchasing the camera will burn a hole in your bank account, but renting it for bigger projects would be worth every penny.

Watch this video from Daniel Hurst.

In addition to well-suited gear, versatility is key when traveling. You need equipment that can do it all while maintaining a light footprint. A perfect versatile setup is the Canon 5D Mark IV paired with the Canon 24-105mm f/4 zoom lens. A favorite combo of Joel Holland, the 5D Mark IV takes amazing stills and packs 4K capabilities for video. The 24-105mm focal length is perfect for wide landscape shots and provides a good zoom length to get more reach. If I had to travel with only one lens, this would be the one, Holland notes.

Watch this video from Joel Holland.

Tip #2: Get a Quality Backpack Your equipment is as precious as a baby, and it should be treated as such. A quality backpack will keep your cargo safe and make traveling a whole lot easier. Both Holland and Hellier use Lowepro backpacks. They're comfortable, well-padded, and have plenty of storage for all of your gear. The Lowepro Photo Sport BP 300 AW II also has a built-in camelback for easy hydration.

Check out this video from Gavin Hellier.

Tip #3: Use the Light Around You All three of our featured contributors use natural lighting for most of their shoots with the help of a reflector. Depends on the situation, Hurst says, many times a pop-up diffuser/reflector is all I will need. Again, pack what you need. It's just not practical to carry studio lights that require power when you're hiking in the mountains. And it's impossible to light an entire landscape with a light that fits in your backpack. The solution: follow the pros. Both Hellier and Hurst use pop up reflectors to bounce or diffuse light with ease. Hellier uses handheld reflectors by Lastolite. For bouncing light on a budget, check out Neewer's 5-in-1 reflector.

Check out this video from Daniel Hurst.

But what good are reflectors if you plan to shoot long exposures at night? This type of shooting requires another tool an intervalometer. Holland uses an intervalometer to reduce any shake that comes from pressing the shutter button on the camera resulting in clean and crisp long exposures.

Watch this video from Joel Holland.

If artificial lighting is a must, then LEDs are the way to go. Small and portable LED lights are hot right now, and you can find them just about anywhere at an affordable price. The Aputure H198 Amaran packs a punch for its size and is perfect for getting extra light while on-the-go.

Tip #4: Bring Extra Batteries and Memory Traveling usually consists of over-shooting and long days away from plugs, so power and memory are of the utmost importance. Fortunately, batteries and storage have become extremely affordable. There is nothing worse than missing the perfect shot because you didn't spring for an extra battery or memory card. Joel says.

Watch this video from Joel Holland.

While grabbing extra batteries is a must for traveling, this also means more things to charge. Hellier provides great insight into solving this problem: Most of my work is based out of hotels, so I carry a bag of plugs, extension cables, etc, enabling me to charge multiple devices at the same time.

Check out this video from Gavin Hellier.

Storage wise, a few terabytes of memory cards and extra hard drives will serve you well. That way, you can backup your content and clear the cards for your next adventure.

Tip #5: Carry-on the Goods Like most valuables, you probably don't want to check your bag filled with expensive lenses and cameras only for it to get tossed around on a conveyor belt. Hurst, Hellier, and Holland agree that you should carry on any fragile equipment. Check ahead with the airlines and know the restrictions for checked and carry-on gear, Hurst notes. You may have to make room for any batteries or electronics that are carry-on only.

Watch this video from Daniel Hurst.

LINK:	https://content.videoblocks.com/tipstricks/best-gear-on-the-go/...
	See more stories from videoblocks

Most recent headlines

05/01/2027

Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be demoed at CES 2026

Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...

01/06/2026

Dolby Sets the New Standard for Premium Entertainment at CES 2026

January 6 2026, 05:30 (PST) Dolby Sets the New Standard for Premium Entertainment at CES 2026 Throughout the week, Dolby brings to life the latest innovatio...

02/05/2026

Dalet Flex LTS Delivers Smarter Search, Faster Editing, and an AI-Ready Foundation for Modern Media

Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...

01/05/2026

NBCUniversal's Peacock to Be First Streamer to Integrate Dolby's Full Suite of Premium Picture and Sound Innovations

January 5 2026, 18:30 (PST) NBCUniversal's Peacock to Be First Streamer to ...

01/04/2026

DOLBY AND DOUYIN EMPOWER THE NEXT GENERATON OF CREATORS WITH DOLBY VISION

January 4 2026, 18:00 (PST) DOLBY AND DOUYIN EMPOWER THE NEXT GENERATON OF CREATORS WITH DOLBY VISION Douyin Users Can Now Create And Share Videos With Stun...

18/03/2026

Net Insight Names Larissa GrnerMeeus CPO

Newly named chief product officer (CPO), Larissa G rner Meeus will return to Net Insight on May 4. Larissa G rner Meeus will become CPO of Net Insight on May 4...

18/03/2026

SVG Europe's The Football Summit 2026: Select Sessions Now Available to Watch on SVG PLAY

SVG Europe's The Football Summit 2026 explored how the sports broadcasting i...

18/03/2026

SVG's SportsTech@NABShow Blog Goes Live as Countdown to Vegas Heats Up

The 2026 NAB Show kicks off one month from today and SVG is once again set to cover the show from every angle. SVG's SportsTech@NAB Show Blog is now live - ...

18/03/2026

The Premiere of Dead Lover Showcases Grave Robbing and Sex With a Giant Finger

(L-R) The cast and crew of Dead Lover at The Ray Theater for its premiere at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival. (Photo by Robin Marshall/Shutterstock for Sundan...

18/03/2026

Music Row Piano from Wiltone Productions

Yamaha C7 captured in Nashville Wiltone Productions have announced the release of Music Row Piano, a deeply sampled Yamaha C7 piano library that's been ...

18/03/2026

Techivation introduce T-Warmer Mk2

Bass-enhancement plug-in upgraded Along with a steady stream of new releases, Techivation have recently been revisiting some of the older plug-ins in their ...

18/03/2026

Tonal Balance Control 3 from iZotope

Mix-reference plug-in overhauled iZotope's powerful mix-referencing plug-in has just reached its third major version, and now boasts a new capture proce...

18/03/2026

Toontrack Transistor Organ EKX

Latest EZKeys 2 expansion arrives Toontrack's staggering collection of EZKeys 2 expansions has grown once again, and the latest instalment delivers a on...

18/03/2026

Jess Ho explores the politics of food in new SBS Audio podcast For The Culture

Jess Ho explores the politics of food in new SBS Audio podcast For The Culture 18 March, 2026 Media releases New SBS Audio podcast For The Culture, hosted ...

18/03/2026

Future-ready broadcasts with ATSC 3.0 and enhanced services from Rohde & Schwarz at NAB 2026

Future-ready broadcasts with ATSC 3.0 and enhanced services from Rohde & Schwarz...

18/03/2026

LCTWS 2026

London Calling - When The Industry Convened to Help Streaming Find its MoJo In this blog, Laura Rognoni reflects on key discussions from the Connected TV World...

18/03/2026

SMPTE Unveils 2026 NAB Show Educational Presentations

SMPTE Unveils 2026 NAB Show Educational Presentations Brie Clayton March 18, 2026 0 Comments SMPTE , the home of media professionals, technologists, a...

18/03/2026

Auditel Ad Campaign Shot on Blackmagic PYXIS 12K

Auditel Ad Campaign Shot on Blackmagic PYXIS 12K Brie Clayton March 18, 2026 0 Comments LED wall virtual production blends 12K open gate acquisition w...

18/03/2026