After Japan I got more messages asking “what do you actually bring with you” than about anything else in that article. So here’s the packing list itself – not a theoretical one, but what’s physically in my bag after years of weddings, real-estate videos, and my own travel. And since Sony just released the FX5 into the world, I’m adding a thought on whether it could lighten that bag.
What’s always in my bag
The core hasn’t changed in years, only the details have:
- A wide-angle and a long zoom – I wrote about this combo in the Japan piece; it covers 90% of situations, from temples to portraits from a distance.
- Filters (UV + variable ND) – I don’t go anywhere without them, not even a day trip. I wrote about this in the Japan article, and I still stand by the same pair (Rollei UV
- More storage than you think you need – after one experience where I ran out of space mid-shoot on a trip abroad, I now always carry more than necessary. I shoot on a Blackmagic Pocket 6K Full Frame, so the main recording goes straight to an SSD – the Samsung Portable SSD T9 1TB, at 2000/1950 MB/s read/write, handles even ProRes without a hitch. I bring the SanDisk Extreme PRO 128 GB as backup and for the camera/drone – and the bundled Rescue PRO Deluxe once genuinely saved a card that looked completely dead.
- A small travel tripod – not for big video jobs, but for timelapses, interviews, and the moments when your arms give out after twenty minutes of holding a gimbal. Lately I’ve been carrying this folding Rollei – 38.5 cm travel height, 612 grams, fits in a smaller bag as an add-on, not a main item.
- A rain cover for the backpack – sounds like a minor detail until a downpour catches you by Lake Yamanaka the way it caught me. A Quechua backpack rain cover costs little and weighs almost nothing, but it’s not just protecting the bag – it’s protecting the camera inside it.
- An eSIM activated in advance – so landing doesn’t come with anything to figure out besides where to eat. Still Airalo, still the same reason as in the Japan article.
None of this is groundbreaking. These are simply things I’ve verified by having them fail – and then replaced with something that shouldn’t fail again.
This whole bag adds up to a fair amount of money, so I keep it insured – compare options through EKTA.
Now, about the Sony FX5
Photo Jakob Owens / Unsplash
Sony announced a new FX5 at the end of summer – a new sensor, a new processor, open-gate capture, internal RAW. In practice it’s described as taking the compact FX3 body and packing in a chunk of the FX6’s capability. Which is exactly the direction that interests me as a traveling shooter: less body, more options.
The question I’m asking isn’t “is it a good camera” – it obviously is. The question is whether it could replace two things at once, so I could take something out of my bag. Open-gate capture would, in theory, solve a problem I deal with constantly – when you want to make videos for YouTube and Instagram from the same footage, you get a much better aspect ratio to crop from a single shot, and it hurts a lot less.
I don’t have one in hand yet, so I’m taking this as a note for a future test, not a buying recommendation. But it’s the first camera in the last year that’s made me start calculating what I could leave out of my bag if I had it.
Practical summary
- Filters: UV + variable ND
- Storage: Samsung Portable SSD T9 1TB for the main recording + SanDisk Extreme PRO 128 GB as backup
- Tripod: folding travel Rollei
- Protection: backpack rain cover
- Internet: eSIM via Airalo, activated before departure
- Insurance: EKTA for all the gear
Gear in this post
affiliate · AlzaTransparency: this article contains affiliate links (Alza, Decathlon, Airalo, EKTA). If you buy something through them, I get a small commission at no extra cost to you – and I only recommend things I actually use or would use.
FAQ
Is one camera enough for travel, or is it better to bring two?
I personally bring one main camera and a phone as backup/B-roll. Two full cameras are unnecessary weight and extra time swapping between them – I'd rather invest in good lenses for one camera than a second body.
Is the new Sony FX5 suitable for beginners too?
Neither the price nor the controls make it an entry-level camera – it's a professional tool. If you're looking for your first travel camera, go for a smaller APS-C mirrorless instead and put the money into lenses and stabilization.
Is a travel tripod worth it if I already have a gimbal?
Yes, they do different jobs. A gimbal is for movement, a tripod is for static shots, timelapses, and interviews where your arms give out after a few minutes. I bring both, but the tripod is the one that's never let me down because of a battery.
