What Camera Kit To Take When Doing A Day Hike In New Zealand - A Full Guide
Scott Howes standing atop the Remarkables, Queenstown NZ.
Shot by Johnny Hendrikus
Hiking in New Zealand is one of my greatest privileges. I count myself lucky every single day I get to live in this beautiful part of the world. As a hobbyist turned professional creator, I arm myself with camera gear that offers all the possibilities I need to express my creativity, whilst being light enough not to weigh me down. Lighter kit means Less fatigue, easier walking, and more enjoyment from my hard work and efforts. Here’s a full guide of my camera kit that I think gives me the best range of shots and options I need.
First lets make a checklist of everything we need for a hike.
It’s important to remember that when we’re out hiking and braving the elements, our safety and comfort come first. Nail those two things down, and your whole photography experience becomes a lot more enjoyable. You’ll have a clear creative mind to capture the shots you want, hike to that slightly higher point, or walk a few more hundred meters to set up the perfect shot. But if your back's aching or your pack’s giving you grief, you’ll just get distracted and limit your photographic possibilities. So, sort your gear, stay comfy, and let the shots roll on! Here are the essentials (and just the essentials) you absolutely must have.
2l Water minimum
High calorie snacks essential (nuts, bumper bars and jerky are my favourite)
Windproof jacket.
comfortable backpack.
Powerbank.
Strapping tape.
These are just the essentials. Hydration. Hunger. Warmth. safety. You nail those four off and you’re halfway there.
Of course you could consider things like head torches, a full first aid kit, beers etc… but for this I’m just sticking to the bare essentials. I’ve thrown in strapping tape as its the one thing that could get you out of trouble should you roll your ankle, and on a hike thats probably your most likely injury and a roll of strapping tape barely takes up any space. Trust me, strapping tape is clutch.
Choose your backpack wisely
Your backpack is probably the most important thing here, and it’s not about blowing loads of money on a fancy hiking or camera bag. There are plenty of ways to ‘compartmentalize’ your current backpack to fit your camera gear and day hike essentials. I’d recommend a backpack that’s at least 30L, but 45L is probably your sweet spot. It's big enough to store your camera, a couple of lenses, and a drone, while still having plenty of space and compartments for all your essentials. Your windproof jacket will probably take up the most space (apart from your camera gear), so make sure you've got a good packable jacket that scrunches up tight.
Camera gear I take
Every piece of gear I take is considered to the type of content I like to shoot, for the most part I make sure I’ve got a lens that goes wide, and a lens that zooms far.
Ryan Domenico stands atop the Remarkables, Queenstown, New Zealand.
Shot by Johnny Hendrikus
Wide lenses are great for showcasing the entire landscape, whilst a zoom is essential for those epic compressed shots where you can make mountains and features of the landscape bigger and more dramatic.
Suzuki Jimny at Tukino Ski field
Shot using Lumix 70-200mm at 200mm.
A favourite zoom shot of mine is to get a subject standing 100-200 metres away, and lining it up with a mountain or landscape feature in the background. Absolute money.
Here’s what my camera kit looks like for a day hike -
Peak Design 30L everyday backpack
Camera body (Lumix S5MII)
18mm f1.8 (If I’m off to shoot astro photography) or,
35mm f1.8
70-200 f2.8
2 batteries
128gb Sony Tough SD card
Polarpro Peter McKinnon VND filter
Peak design Capture clip + quick release
DJI Mavic Pro 2, or
DJI Avata (although added bulk with the goggles, if its a big hike I’ll usually opt out of the FPV).
All of this fits in my 30L Peak design everyday backpack, although I am looking to upgrade to something larger and with waist straps as my next backpack.
Summary
By the time you put all this together, I'm lugging around about 8-10kg of gear, and that's just the "must-haves," not even the "nice-to-haves" that are a bonus in your day pack. The trick is to pack as light as possible with essentials to keep you nourished and safe, while still having enough kit to unleash your creativity! Happy hiking this winter, mate!
