Topic: The Best Cameras for Hiking, Tested and Reviewed (Read 34 times)
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The Sony ZV-1F is marketed as a camera for content creators and, as such, has a raft of settings and options for enhancing pictures and videos for people and faces. If much of your hiking photography tends to focus on people rather than landscapes, then this could be a great choice for ensuring all your subjects are happy with the finished product. During testing, however, the ZV-1F struggled to capture photos that matched the quality of a best-in-class smartphone camera. It should be noted that, unlike the other two cameras I tested, the ZV-1F does not co*e with specialized settings for outdoor or nature photography.
During my test of wildlife shots, where I stood in one place and tried to capture some feisty hummingbirds racing around me, I struggled with the ZV-1F. The lack of a viewfinder made it difficult to quickly center my targets (which refused to stay in one place for longer than a couple of seconds) in frame. And for targets that were further away, the extremely limited zoom made it hard to pick the subject out against a high-contrast background when focusing.
When shooting wider shot landscapes, the Sony ZV-1F struggled to pick out the definition of Mount Rainier. While difficult to define on my testing day due to some low-hanging haze, the peak is quite large co*pared to its surroundings and should have stood out more.
Read Next: The Best Camera for Wildlife Photography
This one should go straight to the top of the list for all Type-2 adventurers. Not only is it surprisingly lightweight for a Micro Four Thirds camera, but it is also rated to IP53. The IP ratings look at how well something can resist both dust (the first number) and water (the second number). In this instance, the 5 means it is dust-protected (although not dust proof) and the 3 means that it can handle water spraying against it—so a rainstorm would be OK, but don’t try to use this as an underwater camera.
The OM-5 was reasonably easy to use, but I had some minor gripes about it. The first is that the on/off switch is on the left side. This means you can’t simply pick up the camera with your right hand, flip it on, and snap a picture. This was somewhat irksome just on a casual hike, where my hands were otherwise free. If I was using a trekking pole or carrying a water bottle in one hand, it would mean stopping and adjusting every time I wanted a shot.
But the biggest letdown was that the quality of photos fell short of what I was able to achieve with a smartphone camera during my test outing. In part, I struggled to get a feel for the quality of the image in the viewfinder. I would think I had captured a high-quality image only to discover later that it was out of focus. But it also struggled to find the right balance with the lighting and exposure whenever I wanted to snap a picture and go, and not overthink the settings. That makes this camera less appealing for an entry-level camera user looking to up the quality of their pictures. Experienced camera operators who know exactly how to dial in the ISO and aperture may be fine with this.
I also found the menu for the OM-5 frustrating, especially co*pared to the Ricoh Pentax KF. You can customize this camera (including moving the on/off switch) but I could only figure about half of it out. Other settings on the OM-5, however, were straightforward, including a handy button to automatically adjust the ISO.
One final ding is that the camera recharges via a micro-USB, rather than a USB-C.
The reality is that most smartphones these days have cameras that work great for hikers. To get a camera that will take you to the next level requires spending a fair amount of money, often times in excess of what you paid for your phone in the first place.
The best cameras (and lenses) for hiking are heavier. Carefully consider your priorities when choosing a camera for hiking. Lightweight backpackers may be willing to sacrifice some capabilities while aspiring amateur photographers may be willing to carry more on a day hike.
Hikers know that some of the most beautiful scenes in the outdoors occur during the worst weather. Choose a camera with weather-ready capabilities if you hike in low light or in light fog or mist.
If you’ve been hiking in gnarly conditions, chances are your camera lens is dirty. First off, wait until you’ve gotten home to try and clean it. Use a light air blower (not canned air) to start, then switch to a light lens cloth.
Whether or not a camera for hiking is important to you depends on your priorities. For some people, hiking and backpacking is a personal activity that they like to keep private. For others, it can be very social. Still others enjoy taking a camera with them as a way to artistically express themselves.
More and more people are discovering the joy of using trail cameras. If you want to see who uses trails on your property, these can be a great investment. Outdoor Life has conducted extensive testing on the best trail cameras, including affordable options.
Since 1898, OL has been a leading authority in testing and reviewing hunting gear, fishing tackle, guns and shooting equipment, and much more. We have more than a century-long history of evaluating products, and we’re now bringing that expertise to online reviews. Our editors are experienced outdoorsmen and women, and most importantly, we’re trained journalists. We prioritize field testing and objective data when reviewing products. We conduct interviews with gear manufacturers and engineers as well as outdoor experts so that our readers have an understanding of how and why a product works—or doesn’t.
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Whether you’re looking for a petite point-and-shoot or a weather-resistant Micro Four Thirds, there are plenty of options out there for some of the best cameras for hiking. After testing, here are my takes on what needs these three cameras serve best.
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