The cameras I travel with

I like to travel light, so I pack one of two setups depending on the trip: the Leica Q3 on its own, or the Lumix S1IIE with a few lenses. Here's what's in each, what it's for, and what it weighs.

By Bron · Carry & Kit

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Travelling lightest: Leica Q3

The Q3 is a full-frame camera with a fixed 28 mm lens, and it's my whole kit in one body when I want to carry as little as possible. There are no lenses to change, so there's no dust on the sensor and nothing extra in the bag.

• 60 MP full-frame sensor with a fast 28 mm f/1.7 Summilux lens and optical stabilisation.
• Crop modes that frame at roughly 35, 50, 75 and 90 mm when 28 mm is too wide, at lower resolution.
• A built-in macro setting for close-ups of textures, walls and details.
• Dust and water resistant (IP52).
• 743 g as listed.

For video with the Q3: Insta360 Luna Ultra

When I take the Q3 for stills, I pack the Insta360 Luna Ultra just for video, so I'm never switching one camera between the two. It's a small gimbal camera, co-engineered with Leica, that weighs just over 200 g. It films up to 8K on a 1-inch sensor, has a second telephoto lens, and its built-in three-axis gimbal keeps walking shots smooth without a separate stabiliser.

More range and video: Lumix S1IIE

When a trip calls for more focal lengths, or I'm filming as much as photographing, I take the Lumix S1IIE. It's a full-frame mirrorless camera that's very good for video, with strong in-body stabilisation for handheld shooting.

• 24 MP full-frame sensor with 5-axis in-body stabilisation.
• Video up to 4K at 120 fps, plus open-gate 6K, 3:2 recording for cropping later.
• Weather sealed against dust, humidity and light splashes.
• About 795 g.

The three lenses

• Lumix S 40mm F2: tiny and only 144 g. This is my street lens: small enough that the camera doesn't draw attention.
• Lumix S 24-60mm F2.8: a bright standard zoom for low light and interiors. About 544 g.
• Lumix S 28-200mm F4-7.1 Macro: one lens from wide to telephoto, with close-up ability too. About 413 g, which is very light for its range.

When I'm shooting film: Leica M3

For film, I carry a vintage Leica M3, a mechanical rangefinder from the 1950s, with a 50 mm lens. It needs no battery to shoot and is quiet enough for streets and markets. Film goes in my carry-on, and I ask for a hand check at security (more on flying with film).

For evenings out: Canon G7 X Mark III

I won this camera in a photography competition and meant to sell it. Then I started using it and had too much fun to let it go. It's now the camera I take out in the evening, when a bigger camera would feel like too much. It slips into my PGYTECH OneGo Drawstring bag with room to spare.

• A 1-inch, 20 MP sensor, larger than a phone's, so it handles low light well for its size.
• A bright 24–100 mm equivalent f/1.8–2.8 zoom, wide for restaurants and streets, long enough for portraits.
• A built-in ND filter and a tilting touchscreen that flips up for selfies and low angles.
• 4K video and a microphone input.
• About 304 g with battery and card.

The small things

• A circular polariser to cut glare and deepen skies.
• Spare batteries, always in my carry-on.
• A lens cloth and air blower for dust.
• Spare memory cards, swapped every few days.

What it all weighs

Weights are the makers' listed figures (lens weights without caps), October 2026. The M3 figure is an estimate; vintage lenses vary.