Tools and Accessories to recording your trip

You book a Halong party cruise. You want to record the memorable moments of the trip. In this post, we're going to focus on some of the tools and accessories you might want to pack along. All of them is essential for recording video and take photos, and they can help you record better video, and that's why we're here, right?

1.Nice To Have Tools

Tripod

The first nice to have tool is a tripod or other stabilizing device. Shaky video is one of the hallmarks of amateur video. So anything you can do to make yoủ shots smoother and steadier will improve the quality of your images. Tripods come in a wide range of sizes.

Some tripods are designed specifically for travel. They fold up small, usually less than two feet long, and they're often made of carbon fiber or titanium so they're light and strong. Some tripods have bendy legs so you can attach your video camera to things like tree branches or fence posts.

You could even get little tripods like this, how cute is that.

If you're a photographer, you may have a monopod, which you can use to stabilize your camera for capturing video as well as still images. A popular tool for smartphones and action cameras is so-called selfie stick. These don't take up much room and they are a great way to get yourself in the image. These also come in handy if you want to record video from a higher angle, like when you're in a crowd.

Flash

External light

One Tool that you might want to pack along is an external light. Think of all the times you've relied on your camera's flash when you're taking photographs. Most camera flashes don't perform very well in low light conditions. Our shots end up looking dark and grainy. Little battery operated lights like this attach directly to your camera or your smartphone, and can improve the quality of your picture in dim or dark locations and you can take a photo shot at night as well.

2.Choose the right gear for your journey

Camera Gear

If you're recording video with a DSLR and you plan to visit a national park full of wildlife. You'll probably want to take a long telephoto lens. But you may not want to bother with this extra bulk and weight if you're staying in the city.

GoPro and Accessories

If you're recording video with a GoPro, you know that there are tons of accessories you can get depending on what you want to attach the camera to. There are mounts for dashboards and helmets and handlebars, surfboards, you name it, pretty much and kind of sport or adventure you can think of.

Lens For SmartPhone

Same goes for recording video with a smartphone. A whole industry has sprung up in the past few years based on creating accessories for these devices. I'm constantly amazed at the little gadgets you can get to help you capture better images. Everything from macro and wide angle lenses that will clip right onto your phone to sliders and dollies. It's up to you what you take along.

3.Some other things you might want to consider packing

First off, a lens cloth.

Lens Cleaner

Not just for cleaning the lens, but also for cleaning fingerprints off those LCD screens. And as a special bonus, you can also use it to clean your sunglasses, and in my case reading glasses.

Spare batteries and memory cards.

Memory cards case

You might be touring all day with no opportunity to recharge your batteries or recharge your camera. I always pack as if I will find no video supplies on my trip, no matter where I'm going.

Cords or USB cables

USB cables

You'll also need to pack any cords or USB cables that you use to charge your camera. One thing I've learned to take because I always have more than one device that needs charging is a small power bar.

Electrical Surge Protection

Surge Protection

Look for one that has surge protection, especially if you're traveling to developing countries. This will protect your expensive gear from any spikes in voltage.

And of course, you might need to pack an adapter for the electrical outlets as well.

Laptop

I alway bring a laptop

If you plan to capture a lot of videos, photo or you'll be traveling for a long time, you might very well want to bring along a laptop and an external hard drive to transfer your video and photo to. Media files are huge and you're gonna find you'll need the extra storage space.

Daypack backpack

Daypack backpack

I also like to take a small daypack for carrying my camera and a few essentials ưhile I'm out touring. This one is water resistant and hardly takes up any space at all.

Pack polarizing filter

If your camera can use filters, you might want to pack a polarizing filter. These can decrease reflections and glare and increase the color saturation in your images, especially if you're traveling to bright sunny locations like the beach or a ski resort.

Ziploc bags.

Waterproof by Ziploc bags

What i like to do is organize all my cords and accessories with Ziploc bags. These are great because they come in all different sizes. You can see what's in them and they seal up so that nothing falls out.

They can also protect your electronics from the elements. I'll have more on that in a later post.

Backpack

My Backpack

When it comes to packing, it goes without saying that you'll want to take anything of value on board with you if you're flying.

I use a backpack like this as a carry-on for my camera gear and my laptop. This holds all of my gear snugly and keeps it from bouncing around. There's even a compartment at the back for my laptop. All the expensive stuff, cameras, lenses, computer, goes in this and it stays with me. The rest, tripod, cables, extra batteries, goes in my checked luggage and I hope and pray it arrives.

Which camera to take with you on a trip

When you think of taking a photo while traveling. Smartphones is probably the first devices that comes to mind. In this post, we’re going to focus on how to prepare for take a beautiful photos and capturing video on your next trip on Halong bay Or Halong bay tours. In this post, you ‘ll learn about the diffrent types of cameras you can take along and the pros and cons of each.It’s been said that the best camera is the one you have with you.

1.Smartphones and Tablets

For more and more travelers these days, that camera is the one in their smartphone. Most now record video in full high definition. Some even recore Ultra HD or 4K. That still Blows my mind. The advantage of using your smartphone to capture video is that you’re probably going to have it with you when travel anyways. It’s small and light, and you can share your video clips and photo directly to social media.

 Smartphone cameras have improved in recent years

 Smartphone cameras have improved in recent years The downside is that these devices have a relatively short battery life and limited storage space. Video files are big. Yes, you can upload them to the cloud but you may not have access to Wi-Fi or want to use cell service in the country you’re in. The other downside is that you have limited control over the image. Althought there are some good apps and accessories you can get to improve the quality of your recordings. We’ll check some out in the next post.

Galaxy S7 Edge is one of the best phone cameras out there.

So that’s the smarphone. It’s bigger cousins are the tablet and phablet like the iPad and the iPad Mini, Now they’re not the kind of thing you’re going to pack specifically to record video, but if you’re bringing one anyways to use the Internet, you have that option. I’ve seen people using them by the pool at resorts to record video and take a picture of their kids swimming, for example. And then thay go back to surfing the net or whatever it was that they were using their device for in the first place. The nice thing about the tablet is that you have a big screen, if you want to edit your videos and photos before you share them. But they have the same limitations as smartphones, limited storage space, battery life, and control over the image.

2.Compact cameras

Next we have the point and shoot or compact cameras. These are also small and light, and some are even waterproof. They’re fairly easy to use and cheap. You probably won’t lose a lot of sleep if yours gets lost or stolen. Some even have Wi-Fi technology so you can share your videos without having to transfer them to a computer. One downside is that many of them don’t have viewfinders. You have to use the LCD screen to frame up your shot. If you’re in a bright sunny location like the beach, it can be hard to see what you’re recording. You also have no way to attach an external microphone for recording better audio. And sound is a big part of creating quality videos.

3.DSLRs

If you’re a serious photographer, you will likely be taking a DSLR with you. These capture stunning video, you have a lot of control over the image, and you can attach different lenses. And newer models have mini jacks for attaching external microphones and shoes for attaching lights to help improve the quality of your videos. The downside is, DSLRs can be bulky and heavy, especially if you attach big lenses like this one which i plan to take to Africa on my safari. They’re also pretty expensive. You don’t want this kind of stuff to be lost or stolen or damaged, for that matter. These aren’t waterproof or drop proof. And if you’re a novice, they can be a little more complicated to use.

a photo sexy take by DSLRs

4.Camcorders

Camcorders are made for shooting video. on the plus side they’re small and light. Some of them fit right into the palm of your hand. And you can usually get one for a couple of hundred dollars at the low and of the price range. They capture beautiful high-definition images. All but the most basic models include litte ports for attaching microphones and shoes on top for attaching lights or microphones. Most will let you take photos as well and some have Wi-Fi for sharing images directly from the camera. Some of them even have infrared night vision so you can record video in the dark. I plan to use that feature on my upcoming trip to Africa when i go on evening game drives. The downside of camcorders is that they can be expensive, and of course they can be damaged by the elements. They also have a fixed lens. If you’re a serious photographer, you’re probably not gonna want to use a camcorder for your photos, which means bringing along another camera.

5.Action cameras

Finally, we have action cameras like the GoPro, Xiaomi Yi Camera, HTC RE Camera. The advantage of these little cameras is that they are pretty much indestructible. The camera is encased in a plastic housing, which protects it from water, sand, dust, snow, you name it. You can take it pretty much anywhere and you don’t have to worry about damaging it if you drop it or get it wet. They record video in high definition, even 4K, and most let you take photos as well. In fact, you can create some pretty incredible time lapse videos with these. Some of the higher end models can be controlled remotely with your smartphone or other device. One downside is that some models like this one don’t have an LCD screen, so you can’t see what you’re recording. It makes it difficult to frame your shot. The other negative has to do with audio. When you’re using the waterproof housing, the camera picks up little if any sound. So your videos are silent. You’re going to see in the next post why sound is such an important part of video storytelling.

6.Finally

So that’s a quick overview of the different types of cameras that you can use to record video, and their strengths and weaknesses. What you take with you ultimately depends on which halong bay tours or Halong bay cruise you’re booking and what you’re planning to do. For example, you’re booking halong party cruise, we recommend using action cameras.