Best travel / exploring camera-

Back in my bulky DSLR days, I relied less on any given lens, and it was a daunting task dragging the kit with me for fun photography exploration and I know I missed opportunities outside professional work. In 2014 I switched to Fuji mirrorless, even though in the early days of mirrorless, autofocus performance was poor. I stuck with the system because it was fun to use, and it made me a more deliberate photographer and more resourceful. Example; AF lock, manual focus, etc. In 2017 I bought an X100F which was by far my favorite camera. Would it not be the same as strapping a 23 or 18 on the XT-2 I had at the time for professional work? Yes. Though the size and simplicity of the X100F made the camera the most fun and overall best travel / exploring camera. Since there was no interchangeable lens, I trained myself to be proficient with the 35 equivalent foal length which I can still can do anything with, except headshots. I’ve even photographed weddings with it. It was mostly used for travel and exploring. Even overseas travel, I placed it in my backpack with a spare battery or two, and charger, and kept the load light.

That X100F stayed with me for almost 6 years until treating myself to a Leica Q2, mainly for the upgraded Summilux glass and sensor, and it gets used the same way. With the 28mm focal length, it was very similar to my X100F with wide angle converter. It’s generally wide enough for what I need to do and I can move my feet to get the right composition most of the time. Everything is a tradeoff for lugging extra gear. If you’re out doing street photography or other exploring, would you rather fidget with a barrage of bodies and lenses or reach in your bag, or keep around your neck the camera that’s fun to use and gets the job done? It’s human nature to do more of what’s fun. I think as a photographer, it’s important to master a focal length, especially those most versatile. It only makes one more resourceful and making the photo that many others don’t because their needs are more excessive. Here are some train photos from the desert of New Mexico and Arizona. If I didn’t have my Fuji XT-4 and 56 mm lens combo with me, I could have gotten a wider perspective with the Leica or walked farther into the desert if time allowed; which I usually do. Here are some of each. Two with the Leica, one with the Fuji that I couldn’t have gotten to in time otherwise. Unless I waited and got in position, which would be possible. The closer you get, the more you feel the photo.

Keep it fun, master what you’ve got. Use careful composition rather than exhaust your resources too far. Most of all, happy photography journeys! Let the gear work for you rather than you work for it. The best travel / exploring camera is the one you carry with you at all times.