Panasonic Lumix – A Pocket Size Camera for Your Non-Wedding Adventures
A lot of people ask me what camera I use for adventuring. I’m not a fan of my iPhone… A) I don’t want to have it on, or near me while I’m out hiking (buried in the bottom of my pack is ok) and B) There is never enough memory left on the phone to shoot video.
When prepping for a 10 day backpacking trip in Patagonia in 2009 I purchased the Panasonic Lumix. Small, light, easy to attach to any backpack straps or waist belt. It shoots in HD (the upgraded model I now have even films in 4K). It takes awesome photos, it shoots RAW (for those pros out there) it’s pretty straight forward to use and the onboard audio is decent as long as it’s not windy. I also don’t like carrying any accessories with me for non-wedding adventures. No external microphones, no mono-pod or tripod. I’m not out to “work” I’m out adventuring to have fun and get inspired. I like to see what I can create with limited resources.
In the video below you will see the limits of the onboard audio. It was really windy at the top of the mountain and no matter what filter I applied in post production, there was no removing the crazy wind sound. The pocket sized Lumix is also so quick and easy to store that you don’t have to tell your friends to “Hold Up! I want to get this shot!” You can casually film on the go as to not disturb the experience of being out on the adventure in the first place. In the video below professional photographer Anne Skimore of www.asweddings.com was doing some photo work, so obviously she has a professional camera with her. You should see her photos from our adventure! Check out her Instagram profile – click on the image below!
Not sure where to buy a decent camera for adventures? B&H Photo out of NYC is my go-to. They have great demo videos of a lot of their camera models, and their live chat is super helpful for asking questions on the fly. I wouldn’t recommend this model of the Lumix if you are not a professional, it’s overkill. Talk to the pros at B&H and they will point you in the right direction depending on your needs.
