travel and hiking camera: I returned from a trip to the USA and Canada. We went hiking in the mountains. I had a Nikon d7500 camera. I felt that I should carry a lighter camera. I read...

srom

I returned from a trip to the USA and Canada. We went hiking in the mountains. I had a Nikon d7500 camera. I felt that I should carry a lighter camera. I read about travel cameras on the internet. I would be happy to know from the experience of the people, what camera would you take for trips and in particular for hiking in the mountains??

Hip Coyote

Oly Tough.

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

Hip Coyote wrote:

Oly Tough.

Is it Olie if the camera is female?

Chicago312 Loc: Western suburb, Chicago

srom wrote:

I returned from a trip to the USA and Canada. We went hiking in the mountains. I had a Nikon d7500 camera. I felt that I should carry a lighter camera. I read about travel cameras on the internet. I would be happy to know from the experience of the people, what camera would you take for trips and in particular for hiking in the mountains??

This is a very broad question.
What lens(es) did you bring with you on your trip? What other gear did you bring - tripod, extra batteries, solar charger, laptop, backup drives, etc?

Changing camera alone probably isn’t going to save much weight, unless you are going from a Z9/D6 to a D3500 where you will save you a couple pounds (almost a kilogram).

I don’t hike in the mountains (no mountains in the Midwest) but walking around the forest preserves and reading about hiking, I know hikers try to cut as much weight as possible. A few ounces (or hundred grams) here and there starts to add up. But a few hundred grams alone will not do much for you.

Good luck,
Stephen

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

You don't say what else you carry on the hikes.
If it's just the camera, do you carry it cross-shoulder?

nmw1004 Loc: Dresher PA

For me, when it comes to a travel camera, especially hiking, its all about weight. I have a canon M5 with 2 M series lenses, a 15-45 and a 55-200. The whole rig weighs about 5lbs. including a small camera backpack and its good for about 90% of the situations l encounter.

insman1132 Loc: Southwest Florida

You may find it easier to function while hiking with a Bridge Camera. Nikon P950 would be a good choice with the great reach of its lens. I have a P900 (earlier version of the 950) and it is what I take when out in the wilds.

JD750 Loc: SoCal

My go-to walk about, hiking, bicycling, travel, and adventure is my m43 kit. For hiking I find the Olympus OM-D with 14-45mm f3.5-5.6 Panasonic lens to be a light versatile combo.

MDI Mainer

Sony RX10 iv or Sony RX100 vii

11bravo

I find my Panasonic FZ-1000 bridge camera great for all day hiking in the mountains. Descent capabilities and zoom range. It and a number of spare batteries and a polarizer filter fit in a Lowepro Apex-140 AW shoulder bag.

(Download)

bsprague Loc: Lacey, WA, USA

srom wrote:

I returned from a trip to the USA and Canada. We went hiking in the mountains. I had a Nikon d7500 camera. I felt that I should carry a lighter camera. I read about travel cameras on the internet. I would be happy to know from the experience of the people, what camera would you take for trips and in particular for hiking in the mountains??

"experience of the people, what camera [do] you take for trips..."

Never anything as big as a D7500!

If your goal is big prints, buck up and keep carrying the big camera.

I never print bigger than 13x19 and like the results I get from a very rugged, pocketable Olympus TG-5, even with its tiny sensor. A little bigger, but not weather resistant or rugged, is my Lumix LX-100. It has a great lens and a much bigger M4/3 sensor.

Truth is that newer phones are very good in the light weight, east to pack category.

TonyP Loc: New Zealand

bsprague wrote:

"experience of the people, what camera do y... (show quote)

I second the LX100, preferably now the LX100 Mark II. If you can live with a 24-70 lens.
Is now my primary camera with the D7100 now only used when I need the longer reach of the 70-300 zoom.

hpucker99 Loc: Anchorage, Alaska

Try the Olympus E-M5ii and 12-50 lens. Lightweight with plenty of features.

Another option is one of the Sony RX100 models (fits in a pocket).

Retired CPO Loc: Travel full time in an RV

Hip Coyote wrote:

Oly Tough.

JD750 Loc: SoCal

bsprague wrote:

…Truth is that newer phones are very good in the light weight, east to pack category.

Boy are they!! But that ongoing thread is “down the hall”, this thread is for the “what camera” arguments. Because OP didn’t ask “what sell phone should I buy?