What Camera to Bring?
 

I know there is QUITE a wide variety of cameras on the market but I'm interested in what other motorcycle travelers use and would recommend.

I'll be embarking on a multi-year multi-continent trip in a couple months and want to capture my travels as well as I can. I have minimal experience in photography so any and all advice is much appreciated. Some things I'm keeping in mind while shopping for a camera are; I have little experience in photography so need something easy to use, and I need it to withstand traveling on a motorcycle.

With that said what are you guys using? I'm looking at mid to high end point and shoots vs DSLR's for compactness and ease of use.

Any suggestions?

I'm just bringing my DSLR and 2 lenses.

I sold my DSLR before I travelled as it was too bulky and I knew it would get trashed as i'm quite clumsy.

I used a panasonic tough point and shoot and it was ok, as I could hang it round my neck and tuck it in my jacket. It didn't produce consistent great images that I was used to with the DSLR, poor in low light, no depth of field, etc.

Now I've changed to a mirrorless setup, more compact but with the functionality and interchangable lenses of a DSLR. I have a Sony A6000. Taking it on my first trip next week so i'll see how I get on with it. I'm worried that it is not waterproof though.

Panasonic Lumix
 

If you don't have much knowledge about DSLR cameras, then maybe it is not worth the effort. If you are just going for point and shoot, a DSLR is a bit overkill and bulky when on a bike.

I just got the latest Smasung S9+ smartphone (one with two cameras, and two physical apertures). It allows you to do pics with depth of field, and even shooting in RAW which you could edit in Adobe Lightroom for example (on the same phone!)
Together with things like 4K and slow motion filming, this kind of thing is so versatile while being of course very compact.

So if you are the point and shoot kind of guy/girl, then don't bother with DSLRs anymore.

I will still be bringing a DSLR (we travel by car), but I think I will be using the phone most of the time.

Like allways: To make a good picture you have to learn how to take fotografes and you need an interesding place. Its NOT about the camera. I had photos taken by smartphone published as well as pictures taken by an old, second hand Canon EOS 400 d DSLR US$ 99 ob ebay.

Good thing on DSLR is they are allways ready hanging around your neck and you can shot right away while compact cameras first have to start, the objectiv comes out and it takes a while for them to focus.

To take pictures of animales a good zoom is requied...to not be treated as money on legs better dont have a long, expensive looking zoom on your cam...

http://adventure-travel-experience.d...en_transafrika

Thanks for the response. I’m unfamiliar with both of these cameras so thanks for enlightening me! I’ll look into them both. The ruggedness is very appealing especially because I’m kinda clumsy. Haha.

If I had a dslr I’d probably just take that with me but they are generally above my camera budget.

Yeah, I want to avoid purchasing a lack luster camera for this trip. There’s a lot of point and shoot cameras that will get the job done but I’d like a camera to capture the things I see as close to reality as possible.

I have been looking at some mirrorless options too and they look like a pretty great option. Just not sure if they’re in my budget right now.

Have fun with your A6000 and I can’t wait to see some pics!

Thank you!

Thanks for the link! I’ll be ingesting this this evening!

I agree that a dslr will be a bit too much of a learning curve for me right out of the gate. And my phone takes pretty great pictures as it is. But sounds like my iPhone is a bit more limited that your Samsung! Good to know for the future though.

Thanks!

Very good point and something I’ll have to keep in mind!! I will have my phone with me for quick pics and videos but I’m looking for a camera that I can learn on and has a little room for me to grow into. Ideally something that can be fully automatic as well as fully manual for when i get to a point where I can start experimenting down the line.

Thank you!

To touch on OPs question, I am really looking at bringing the Sony a7Rii with me on a multi year trip. Like OP I really want a camera that will do the sights and scenery justice. Ill be packing as a minimalist and riding an XR650L on a multi year/continent trip...
Is it incredibly impractical to bring such a high end camera+ one or two lenses with me?

Im quite sure Ill have the room for it and will be able to protect it from the elements, but it scares me to bring anything that expensive on such a trip. Just wondering what some thoughts on this might be.

A waterproof "point and shoot" is a must if you want to get great shots, because some of the best are when the bike is half underwater, or it's pouring rain etc. DAMHIK!

To get GREAT shots an SLR or one of the new smaller and lighter mirrorless SLR is an EXCELLENT way to go, and you can start with only one or two lenses and add as you feel the need and budget.

Hahaha, I won't ask Grant but thank you for the helpful tips! I like the idea of something rugged and waterproof for "action" shots. And having a camera that can really and truly capture the sights and scenes I'll be encountering seems like a no brainer. I'll talk to my wallet and see what it thinks before I start purchasing things though. Haha

Not too much mention of how important "post production" is now with photography. So much can be done with processing; Photo Shop, Light Room and lots of other applications can transform "average" pics to notable.

Most of my pics here have been shot with various Panasonic Lumix "point & shoot" cameras with Zero digital processing. I just can't be bothered. I'm not selling my pics.

If you are a Pro and make a living with your pics ... then have at it. If you just want decent travel documentation ...then less post processing the better as it's very time consuming. As always, YMMV.

I've heard recently both Sony and Leica mirror-less cameras are really good. Both make fairly small cameras ... neither are inexpensive. Don't know how rugged. My Panasonic Lumix cameras have been quite rugged.

I had 4 Canon's .... they ALL BROKE (numerous times). Never again. Traveling by bike is tough on cameras. Some bring two cameras or plan to buy something on the road to replace a broken one. Thing is ... keep shooting!

The Panasonic, Sony and Leica all have above average lenses. But many other brands will do the job too ... and for less ... although Lumix are quite inexpensive. Sony and Leica ... not so much.

I've owned 4 Lumix, one lost, one given to buddy and I still have two. I'm due for an upgrade. Probably go mirror less. I've never been a Sony fan ... too complicated, too many features I will never use, to hard to do BASIC stuff. But maybe they are better now? Dunno? ALL need PhotoShop to be really good.

More and more travelers just shooting everything on a Phone. New iPhone, pretty impressive results and many have everything on a GoPro, which also makes good sense.

I started out with Nikon film cameras, traveled 7 years with 3 lenses. A PITA.

Switched to digital in the 90's. I'm not good at all the post processing work and editing apps, so still try to get a decent shot to start off with, "the old fashion way", good light, shadow and composition.

Simple basics as taught to me by Ridley Scott, Vitorrio Storaro, Bill Fraker, Fred Elmes and John Toll, just a few of the GREAT Cameramen I worked with over the years. (movies)

Some digi cams are not great in low light. (like my Lumix cameras) I miss Film in this regard. Latitude. To get this in Digital you'll have to do it in post production processing ... which is quite amazing if you know how.
Main thing is ... have fun with it as you learn. You can only get better!
bier

Honestly, at that level I would say just get a high-end cellphone and use its camera.

I've just recently gone through this - replacing my old Olympus TZ-1, which at the time I bought it, was an outstanding compact camera, with its 1-inch sensor offering significantly better quality than just about every pocket camera, nevermind phones. Then a year ago I figured out that my phone - a OnePlus 3, itself not the newest model at that time - had caught up, if not surpassed it.

The truth is that the quality of processing algorithms used by phone cameras is so high these days, that to get photos which are meaningfully better, you need to go for an advantage based on pure physics. That means: the physical size of the sensor (not the megapixel count!), and the physical size of the lens (and as a part of it, the ability to have genuine optical zoom).

In a truly compact camera these days, you are looking at a 1-inch sensor like my old Olympus; one step up from that is a Micro Four Thirds sensor, and one step up from that is an APS-C sensor. Above those are big DSLRs. Micro Four Thirds and APS-C sensors are also in mirrorless cameras - they have interchangeable lenses like DSLRs, but are physically smaller because there is less stuff inside the body. One advantage DSLR has over mirrorless is that the mirror protects the sensor while you are changing lenses - safer on the road and in dusty conditions.

What I ended up with is a Sony A5100, the entry-level mirrorless camera. It was cheap - under 500 euros with two lenses and an SD card, when ordered from America via a friend. It makes better photos than my phone, but anything below it would not. If I was choosing a model now, I would go slightly above in models - get something like the Sony A6300, for some extra features like a microphone input for video.

----

So realistically, if you don't want to just use your phone, you want a mirrorless APS-C or smaller DSLR camera with a wide-angle lens (from around 16-18mm up to about 50-60mm) and a telephoto lens (e.g. mine is 55mm-210mm), plus maybe a really good night-time lens, which will usually not have a zoom at all (both Nikon and Canon have cheap 50mm f1.8 lenses for this; for my Sony there is a slightly more expensive but very well-reviewed Sigma f1.4 35mm lens). If you go with a DSLR, your choice is Canon or Nikon - the difference between them is really just personal preference, I think Canon has slightly better availability/support around the world. If you go mirrorless, Sony's a5000-a6000 series cameras are the best cheap option.

I've seen an entry-level Canon DSLR with a kit lens on sale in big electronics shops in Germany for as little as 300 euros. New.

Yes, to get the most out of a DSLR you need to play with it and learn about the different modes and functions. But a DSLR in "automatic" mode used the same as a point-and-shoot, will still produce better pictures than a phone or pocket point-and-shoot would, just due to the advantage in sensor size and lens.

You can save your A7RII and lenses with foams and foamy or thick pouches. Most important thing to consider is motorbike vibration especially at the top case. Better to keep your photo gear in the tnk case or rucksack. So no problem.

You can easily find them on ebay..

If you are a serious amateur or really into photography nothing beats the DSLR. You talk about budget so we can forget DSLRs, but a second hand 6000 series Sony mirrorless can fit in with extra batteries. Then you should find a good zoom.

I have a Canon DSLR with 14 lenses :oops2:

But for long trips mostly I take Sony RX100 II with me and quite happy with the results.

So my two other advices are :

https://www.sony.com/electronics/cyb...as/dsc-rx100m5

https://www.sony.com/pk/electronics/...ras/dsc-rx10m3

https://www.dpreview.com/news/041491...o-capabilities

RX10 III is more towards DSLR with a great zoom range.

If I would going to make a long trip I would definitely buy RX10 if not have a mirrorless ...

I tested a friend's RX10 on a weekend trip before getting my little a5100... it's a great bridge camera, but it doesn't quite have the flexibility of interchangeable lenses.

Thanks (again) for the helpful advice Mollydog.

I am far from dreaming of being a professional photographer but mostly just want to be able to capture my journey with as much clarity as possible, but on top of that I would like to gain some photograph skills through my experiences.

I have a tendency while preparing for this trip to want to make sure I get the best things possible to enhance my trip but have to keep myself in check and understand the “things” don’t make the trip and my trip won’t suffer because I don’t have top of the line (fill in the blank).

That being said I do want a camera that I’ll be able to grow/experiment with past the basics. So I do appreciate your input! I’ll take a look at the lumix series as that sounds like it’s treating you well over the years!

Als want to thank you for such a thorough and thoughtful response. I appreciate how much care and information you’re patient enough to pass along!!

This is extremely helpful to know. I have an iPhone 7 that I’ll be bringing with me for general internet connectivity when needed, gps usage and quick pic/vid taking but still want to have a camera that will give me more options and tools to play with.

I’ve been looking at the Sony A6000 but am on the fence as to whether I’d want I drop $800 on a camera and lenses. Maybe something in the A5000’s would serve me just fine as well.

Hmmm, if only money grew on trees.

Oh wow. That’s much cheaper than the cameras I’ve been looking at. Haha.

I have a couple amateur photographer friends whom all seem to be fans of Canon that I was thinking about asking if they had any dslr’s they would be willing to part with also. Just a thought.

https://www.dpreview.com

dp review is my favorite US based Photo review site. I've used them before and they make filtering through dozens of cameras easier for me.

Here is my Next camera! (will be released in a week or two)

https://www.dpreview.com/reviews/pan...mc-zs200-tz200

Yes, another Lumix. I really looked at the Sony's ... but the Lumix has more Zoom range, a 1" sensor and more. Plus, I know the Lumix and trust it. That said, I will still pay extra for an extended warranty.

This one is not cheap but should be a nice step up from what I have now.
It's about $800. (really not bad in grand scheme)

Good shopping!

That is definitely a good thought.

Established brands like Canon and Nikon have a very long back catalog of lenses, because the mount has stayed the same. Photographers often change up to a new body because it works with their old lenses, and offers some incremental improvement that they really care about. But those incremental improvements are not as big as the jump from a phone/pocket cam to a DSLR/mirrorless, and it is an absolutely legitimate path to buy something like a three-year-old DSLR body in good condition. You might even get a kit lens thrown in with it.

Also, for example: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produ...l_t6_dslr.html It's technology from DSLRs a few generations old, put into a small body, and it comes with a close-range lens and a really far-reaching zoom lens (so you can photograph rice paddies from across the mountain valley). And it's cheap. Serious photographers will gripe, but this will take meaningfully better photos than an iPhone.

That's a whole lotta zoom in your pocket! Not sure I would recommend something like that to the OP, but you seem like you know exactly why you're after it, and I can definitely see the appeal.

One thing to mention. I do press photography occasionally (e.g. Gallery: Nostalgia for summer at the Tallinn Motor Show 2018 - Estonian World), and I've found in the past that while my pocket 1" Olympus definitely made photos that were good enough for Web use, I just wasn't getting the same level of respect with it. ;) Now with my A5100 and a big lens on it, I can push my way to the front and tell people to get out of the shot, and they listen! :thumbup1:

As I mentioned, I used Nikon film cameras for years, a few years ago bought a big Canon DSLR. Great camera for the pros ... but for me traveling, useless.

Way too big, takes up TOO MUCH room in luggage with two lenses, too easily damaged and a big Theft magnet in certain environments. You pull out that BIG GUN ... and everybody stops ... and looks at you! I hate that!

I am not impressed with the Zoom quality of this latest Lumix and don't really need the 350mm reach it has. It's way slow when zoomed out, but I rarely use it that way and have used them before. It is quite good up to about 150mm or so
and 24mm is wide enough for casual travel use. (pros always carry a 14mm or 18mm super wide lens ... BIG MONEY)

Low light work is not great on these Lumix big zoom cameras, but as a small pocket travel camera that is always there and ready, it's not a bad choice.

Some spend $3000 to $5000 usd on cameras and lenses ... and it only takes one good drop and you've got nothing! Most pros carry a nice, small 2nd camera along. You have to be quite vigilant about where you leave your camera bag as well, so you always end up lugging it with. With my pocket camera, it's never a bother to bring along.

Me? For back up I sometimes carry my old Lumix, just in case the main one gets damaged. It's so small, no big deal. I put it in a little hard case and forget about it.

But it's all very personal and there are no bad choices really. One thing I love about ALL my Lumix cameras is how well they do Video. Amazing! bier

So after shopping around and comparing and contrasting I ended up picking up a Sony A6000 while I was up in Portland last week! Got it for the cheapest price I could find it online but without the sales tax and shipping. :thumbup1:

I appreciate all the feedback and guidance on this subject and can't wait to get to begin figuring out this camera over the next few months.

Thanks!bier

Great camera! What lens (lenses) did you get with it?

The B&H Photo Kit prices have good 2 lens deals ... but man, some of those Sony lens are pricey!

Let us know how it's working for you! I decided to wait a bit on the new Lumix and see how the reviews start stacking up. I may end up with one of the Sony cameras as well.
bier

I got the package that came with a 16-50 mm F3.5-5.6 OSS lens and a 55-210 mm F4.5-6.3 OSS. I think these two lenses will do nicely as a beginner.

Once I get to know the camera I’ll do a little amateurs review!

Can’t wait!

Have fun with the new camera!

I now have the new Samsung S9+ and I must say, I really like the photo quality.
Playing with the dual lenses is fun, because it acts like a real f1.4 or f1.8 on a proper dslr camera.
I've made some photos in daylight, that do not show much difference with that of a dslr when viewed on a big screen. Printing is maybe a different story.
I also like the fact that I can edit the photos on the phone itself (Lightroom for example). I can also do this on a big screen, by connecting the Samsung to the screen using Samsung Dex.

I want to do some night photography with a small tripod, to see how it can perform with long exposures.

I'd like to hear more from travelers who have had their cameras fail from intrusion of dust, water or sand, or from vibration or being dropped. From my reading, I see many cameras break down ... some even not abused much.

Traveling on a bike ... one key problems for cameras is VIBRATION. Some store camera in a Pelican type case, some wrap up camera in side pannier. Or me ... I carry my camera in the top pocket of my riding jacket. Not so smart in a crash or heavy rain, but camera holds up pretty well.

Must say, for years I was a Big CANON fan. But since year 2000 I've had 3 Canon Cameras fail ... ALL very expensive cameras including one DSLR (D20). The other two were top of the line Point & Shoot ... all broke down traveling but NONE ever abused, all were in a case and packed up pretty well ... still failed to hold up.

My Lumix cameras have been 500% better. After 3 years one of my Lumix got a scratched lens ... MY fault. No other problems! And these cameras do not lead an easy life. Lots of dirt and dust.

Who out there has rough treated their cameras and either had them survive ...
or break down? Which ones are some of the tough ones? :innocent:

We just had two issues with our Nikon cameras. One was a zoom lens I bought second hand (maybe a dumb idea, don't know the history). Anyway, it was working when we left, and during the trip you could hear to go rough when zooming. In the end it was still usable but only with manual focus, which meant a lot of photos failed. But still could get some nice ones, even though it was zoomed in.

The other thing was that the camera bodies had difficulty focusing after a while. This was resolved by having the camera cleaned at a photography shop. They clean the sensor and then it was working properly again.

Oh I almost forgot, last year we dropped a dslr from not that high, but it fell on the lens which was then broken. (not the glass, but the zoom mechanism) Fortunately that was only a 18-55mm lens.


My new phone is supposedly waterproof, but I wouldn't like to test it :P

The best camera for me has been the Canon G series, very robust and has a good quality sensor that works well in low light... It also takes decent video and you can shoot in RAW image format if your into playing and editing... They offer a waterproof housing similar to what wraps the Go-Pro for people who want to take their camera into very wet zones or underwater, though I live in a wet climate and moisture has never been a problem... The best part of the Canon Gs is that they are fairly compact which means that not a lot of room is needed, I keep mine in the tank bag ready to go..

I first purchased a G-15 about 6 yrs back and it has been a flawless performer for the whole time even though it has taken a beating... On one trip we were up a very steep mountain road and we had ridden as high as we could go for some scenic mountain shots... I had took a bunch of pictures, set the camera down somewhere on the bike {not in the tank bag where it should of been} and road down the steep rocky shale path that we had ridden up... I got down to a flat area and waited for my friend Mark to catch up.. He rode up beside me and asked if I was missing something and held out my camera... It turns out that the camera had fallen off under the bike and Mark watched it get kicked up in the air after my rear wheel ran over it... It was crushed hard enough to break the battery compartment door off the camera but still seemed to function fine once I taped it in place... That was 4 yrs ago and the camera has functioned perfectly the whole time but the usb plug connection has worn out from plugging it to the computer so many times as to where I just pull the card out to transfer the pictures... A couple months back I purchased a new G5X to take over the picture taking and it has not disappointed me in the least, it does everything the older G15 did and more, in a slightly smaller package... It has so many extra features, most I will never use, but still remains simple to use and of coarse it also has outstanding video quality...

I sold all my Canon DSLR stuff as it was frankly too big and heavy. We're 2-up on a RTW trip so space is limited.

I now use an Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark ii mirrorless camera and couldn't be happier. It's rugged, rain and dust proof and a whole lot smaller than my old Canon stuff. The lenses are just excellent. I have the Olympus 12-40 F2.8 PRO, Olympus 40-150 F2.8 PRO and a Panasonic 7-14 F4

Image quality is excellent. Noise can be intrusive at ISO 3200 and above but it's manageable. The in body image stabilisation is just awesome. At shorter focal lengths I can pictures at 2 seconds hand held and they're tack sharp. It really is spooky what it can do.

We also carry an Olympus TG-5 for snorkelling and riding in the rain. It's completely waterproof to a depth of 15 metres.

For reference, we have a complete list of what we're carrying - clothes, camping equipment, tools, spares, camera etc over at Bike and Kit Lists - Two Brits and a Triumph Tiger 800 Round The World

Happy shooting :-)
Steve and Janette
Tiger 800 RTW - Two Brits and a Triumph Tiger 800 Round The World

Lx100
 

A bit late to the party as usual, but for others’ benefit allow me put in a good word for my brilliant LX100; a great travel camera unless you have lengthy zoom requirements.

I recently aspired to up my game with a Fuji mirrorless similar to the OPs tasty A6000.
Quick turn-on/off was the main reason. But barely dared use it while desert biking (lens changing? - forget it) while on a week’s city break I still found it just too darn bulky and conspicuous. And at a glance, image quality was not notably better. I’m not that much of a pro.

Had the LX 3 years, shoot mostly desert; yes it sucks in dust as all these types of camera do.
Sticking a hoover over the lens via a plastic bottle then working the zoom will suck back most of it.
Failing that, a pro clean from the official UK Lumix repair shop this year was only 60 quid and a couple of days. Well worth it. (I also carry an ancient FT2 burner as a back-up and tent mallet).


Like

• Size
• M43 sensor - the first camera in this size to use one, afaik
• Solid build compared to your average Lumix P&Ss
• Good battery life - 300+/a week
• Photo quality and res good enough for magazine full pages
• EV dial - use it every time
• Viewfinder - I missed that too
• Like all Lumixes, errs towards wide angle - my pref
• Fully manual - handy for very low light
• External dials/switches for most-used functions (don’t miss a touch- or hinged screen)
• Amazing in low light - what holds back your average P&S camera
• Probably does good video
• Loads of settings. I really ought to RTFM one time
• Doesn't play the ridiculous zoom range game
• Machine-gun like fps (I found recently while shooting others)

Like less

• The dust issue - for that I have the FP2 I suppose
• Slow lens deployment. Getting slower and needs a push back in sometimes. Annoying when you see a quick shot. The end could be nigh but it’s had a hard life
• Occasionally freezes on switch off but so far comes around with a battery-out

When it does finally pack up (as most of my cameras do) I really can’t think what else comes close to ticking my prefs at any price. I have looked and looked.

Lens cap thing, spare batts and card, microfibre cloth, Lowpro ‘Portland 30’ pouch and you’re good to go.

Some examples of a recent trips report using the LX here, here and here.
On the Mauritania one, 2 or 3 of the others' compact zooms died of the dust.

Nov 2018: LX100ii. Main differences are more res (21MP), touch screen and USB charging

During motorcycle trip i use small camera, small cameras go everywhere and are not scary to people

Sony RX100 mark III wonderfull small camera
Panasonic DMC-FT5 also a wonderfull real anti shock waterproof camera for the bad weather day or beach party.

For this two camera i have USB charging unit and and 220V charging unit. On my motorcycle i use a 12V>5V converter on to charged the battery when i run.

Ciao,

I agree, a great example of all you really need (professional or otherwise) when travelling - unless you want to do a lot of long-lens stuff (ride closer ;o) or action/sports where a DSLR is still going to give you the speed you require.

Until about a week ago I was using the precursor to this, their LX7 - nice fast lens (f1.4) for low light, not a super long zoom, but great quality.

Unfortunately, twice now it has ended up with a System Error (lens/zoom issue) - I sent it back to Panasonic the first time ($200 flat rate repair), but am wary of doing that again on what is now a 5 year old model.

Currently I've got access to a Lumix ZS60 (that's what they call it here in the US anyway) which although is slightly more plasticy in the body seems to have similar functionality and a longer zoom range, albeit not the fast lens that the higher end LX7 had.

I'd have thought any of the mid-price (by that I mean the $400-500 USD mark) compacts ought to serve the motorcycle traveller well - no need for loads of accessories and extra lenses unless you are specifically on assignment in a professional capacity... As someone already pointed out early on in this thread, it's more about what you point the camera at than the machine itself.

Same with your bike choice really ;o)

Jx

cameras
 

I carry a Canon G12 old but rugged, along with 2 spare batteries and a couple of SD cards, that lives in my tank bag in an old leather carrycase, I also keep a small Canon Powershot A2500 in my jacket pocket, cheap as chips, light and takes decent images, also useful when walking into town for a meal, having to so handy ,means I often snap things that are passing quickly or when I dont have time to undo the tank bag
for many years I travelled with an Olympus trip 35 compact camera and a bag of films, that took amazing images, its now gone to a new owner and is cherished

Hands down the best all round lens for t he sony a6*** cameras is the 18-105g f4
Constant f4 and doesnt extend when zooming in, agreat all round rugged lens that's excellent for video as well

Funnily enough was just looking at a 6300 in Jessops and eyeing up a 16-70 to go with it (prefer a bit more wide).
Do-it-all range means you never have to remove it.
Similar size to my old LX100 but without the pepper grinder lens dial effect.
Being weather sealed, will hopefully stay that way for longer, too.

Fyi: found this handy list of weather-sealed mirrorless.
https://www.switchbacktravel.com/wea...s-cameras-list

I see regular P&S cams die on every desert trip.

At full frame Sony Cameras its equivalent is 24-105 mm f/4
A very good all rounder...

For overlanders I think a 6000 series Sony camera with such a lens is perfect solution together with some spare batteries and external HDD SSD

I have the a6000 with the kit lens, compact enough but I've had issues with the battery so I'm thinking of buying spares. Also eyeing a GoPro which might be easier as I am not very knowledgeable about cameras yet.

Yes to at least one 'spare' battery'.
That way when you battery goes flat you can quickly swap batteries and carry on shooting.

Yes, more convenient also when a power outlet is not readily available. Thanks.

You could do a lot worse than the a6000. The later ones have a few desirable features like better low light performance, stabilisation upgrades etc but if you already have the 6000 then stick with that.

GoPros are nothing like as easy to use. They're great if you want something to put in harms way and still have a chance of it surviving but as an everyday camera they're terrible. They're slow to fire up (compared to the Sony and just about any other regular camera) and the menu system is a complete mess. The wide angle lens is great for that small number of creative shots that need it but for general 'snapping' it's hopeless. By all means take a GoPro but it needs to be as well as the Sony, not in place of it.

Thank you for the feedback! They just seem more compact than the Sony camera I have but didn't really take the GoPro to be a generally just better option.

New Sony RX 100 - VII worths a try.
Needs few more spare battery together with good capacity SD cards ...

I always carry the RX100-II and very happy with the results... Also video is very good...

Samy, is that the new Sony point and shoot camera? Read good reviews about it, but expensive from what I gather.

Yes Sathimpiou38. it is a point and shoot camera.
It's 20 MP with f/2.8 to 4.5. The new one has tilting back screen. And 24-200mm zoom (35mm equivalent).

I am ver happy with it though former versions has lower f value. The new one has bigger because of extended zoom...

For a pocket camera very good choice. Yes expensive when you compare with Canon's G series. You pay for what you get... 1200 $ ın the USA.

That's my 2 cents...

As mentioned earlier in this thread I got through a couple of Pana LX100s (MHO) before the thought of more grinding and specs on the sensor made me look for the nearest-sized thing, but with weather sealing.
Had the newer LX100ii had that, along with the other updates, I'd have happily one. It's a brilliant camera.
But it didn't so a Sony 6300 it was, for about £550 and backed up by my ever-brilliant Olympus Tough P&S for quickies or on the move.
I've recently did a couple of desert trips with the Sony.

Better than LX (see link)
Not much bigger
Faster turn on
USB charging - means you can charge off the bike
More resolution/bigger files (a form of after-zoom)
Battery life at least as good
Easy to configure top right dial for EV Comp
Stock lens same: 24-70-ish - good enough
Supposedly does brilliant video
Removable lens makes sensor cleaning easy
Takes alt lenses
Battery compartment makes a good hand grip
Built-in flash (never used)

Like less
Would not want anything bigger/heavier
Lens sticks out more, so less pocketable
The lens action has a horrible rattle to it, but work fine.
A few dust specks still got on the sensor (very windy trip)
Could live without a tilting screen. More for vids I think
Self-timer program much better on the Olympus
Same filter size as the Olympus

Looks like a few others here rate the Sony 6000 series and i deduced the 6300 was the best value/spec balance.
I suppose the dust sucks in as the lenses deploys, same as the LX and assume only pro DSLRs will have proper weather sealing but they're way too bulky/expensive for my needs.
The fact that I can at least get to the sensor to clean it rather than send to the cleaners is good enough.

You'll have a myriad of suggestions before this is done, but here's another (haven't check to see if it's been suggested yet.)

Canon G5X Powershot.

Tough build, although not waterproof. (People have managed to travel for decades with cameras that aren't waterproof)

It has all the manual overrides you could possible need, a large, fast lense, nice wide angle and a viewfinder as well as a swing-out, reversible, tiltable LCD touchscreen. I personally really like a viewfinder over a screen, especially in bright conditions.

Retractable flash, Wifi photo transmission and so on and is still able to fit in a pocket, albeit a spacious one.

This is now my only camera bar my phone. I sold all my other iterations: Old canon manuals, Minolta semi-pro film camera and digital bodies, 8kg of lenses etc. This Canon covers all my needs.

Happy hunting.