Tramping Equipment: Canon M50 Mark II camera

A quick look at my tramping camera...

I recently upgraded my camera equipment from the older point and shoot camera I had to a new Canon mirrorless camera with more advanced features. I am hoping that the new camera will enable me to produce better quality images for both this blog and my You Tube channel. 

Self portrait at Punchbowl Falls in March

I thought I would have a quick look at my camera gear after this new purchase. 

My old camera gear:

Up until the last year I have been using a succession of cheap point and shoot cameras I have been buying off Trade Me. The quality of the images from any digital camera made after 2015 are good enough to post on the blog and I was happy to use a simpler camera when tramping. 

Two of the previous cameras I have used

For the most part I have been using various models of the popular Canon Powershot camera which can be had for anywhere from $40-$100 dollars second hand. They are still excellent cameras and if you want something better than a phone camera this is a good start point. 

An older Canon SX170IS digital camera

This was fine when I only needed photos for my blog but once I started my NZ Bush Adventures channel on You Tube I needed to up date my equipment. The main problem is that older digital cameras will only film in 720p HD which is not high enough quality for good You Tube production. 

The number relates to the number of pixels...720p is fine for photos but the standard for video is now 1080, 2820 or 4 K. Filming in Fine High Definition (FHD) means clearer, sharper video with better color saturation. 

My Canon SX410 would only film in 720p HD

I have been unable to find a second hand camera that was cheap enough and also took at least 1080 FHD film and photos. After much research I decided I needed to bite the bullet and invest in some brand new photo equipment to drag me into the second decade of the 21st century.

Canon M50 Mark II:

My new camera is a Canon M50 Mark II. This is a mirrorless camera with interchangeable lenses and the ability to add other photography equipment like tripods, microphones, lights, filters and lens hoods. This camera is in the style of a DSLR but on a smaller scale...lighter, more compact but with the features of a full frame camera. 

Canon M50 Mark II mirrorless camera

I have upgraded so that the quality of both my photos and videos are better. The new camera allows me to make use of a range of specific lenses suited to different conditions and particular subjects. It is also able to film in 1080 FHD and 4 K so the quality of the films are a lot better...sharper, greater focus and color corrected.

Canon M50 Mark II...view of the top controls

The M50 is one of the more commonly used cameras for vlogging as it has many of the ideal features to make it good at this role. In particular the ability to film in 4 K, the flip screen, image stabilization, touch screen, ability to change lenses and plug for a exterior microphone. I'm still coming to terms with using it as I am not a photographer (yet) but the potential is obvious. 

Ancillary camera equipment:

While the M50 is fine right out of the box a few ancillary items will make it more useful and easier to use. I am slowly acquiring all of the equipment I need to make the best use of the camera and this will be an ongoing task as photography gear is heinously expensive here in New Zealand. I will look at a couple of items I have already brought....

Camera Bag:

I purchased a new Lowe camera bag to hold some of the gear I need to have to make the most of the camera. The one I brought is large enough to hold the camera itself, a couple of extra batteries and some SD cards. 

My LowePro camera bag

The bag has one large pocket for the camera and several smaller one for other gear and fits on the hip belt of both of my main tramping packs. 

Microphone:

One of the features of the Canon M50 is a port for an exterior microphone...a vital part of a vlogging rig. Some commentators believe that the audio is more important than the film itself so a good quality microphone is a vital piece of equipment. 

My Boya microphone kit

I brought a Boya microphone off Trade Me for a very acceptable price...it is a Cardioid type with a fluffy wind sock to cut wind noise. 

Boya Cardioid microphone model BY-MM1

I have used it on several of my vlog posts and it will eventually become a piece of gear I always carry with me. 

Filters/hoods:

Filters are basically like sunglasses for your camera and help deal with intense sunlight which might over expose your photos. There are a variety of types and a range of companies making filters for any size and type of lens. I brought a set of filters for the M50 from a company called K&F Concepts...available through Trade Me.

Various filters: Carry wallet, UV, variable ND and solid ND

The set included a UV filter to enhance photographs of water, a variable filter with the ability to decrease/increase the darkness level and a solid dark filter for extreme sunlight. I also have a lens hood for the camera to stop sunlight flares off the lens.

Various caps for camera and spare lenses

Additionally I have a series of lens caps to protect the fragile contact points on my kit lens and my EF 35-80 lens. 

EF to EF-M lens Adaptor:

An EF to EF-M adaptor allows you to use full frame lenses on a mirrorless camera thus gaining some of the advantages of using the larger lens. I have an older DSLR with a couple of EF lenses so buying this adaptor meant I could make use of the existing lenses I already had.

A Canon EF to EF-M lens adapter

There are a lot of second hand EF lenses on the market as they have been the Canon standard for the last 20 years so I will gradually acquire some new or second hand lenses to enhance my photography kit. 

Spare batteries:

You only get the one camera battery with the M50 kit so I have purchased three additional off brand batteries for the M50. I also purchased a USB type battery charger so I can re charge them from my power bank in the field.  

My USB charger and spare batteries

With the kit battery and three spares I should have enough battery power for 4-5 days without recharge. 

My camera gear list:

Here is a complete list of the equipment I have for the camera at this stage. 

Canon M50 Mark II, with 14-45 EF-M kit lens*

Canon EF to EF-M lens adaptor (allows me to use EF lenses on a EF-M camera)

Canon 35-80 EF lens (I already owned this lens from a previous DSLR camera)

...a Canon 35-80 EF lens I already owned....

Canon lens hood (49mm)*

LowePro Camera Bag

K&F Filter set (49mm) (MCUV/ND adaptive/Polarizing filter)

Boya Cardioid microphone set*

4X LH12E batteries* plus a USB type charger

You will need cleaning tools for your camera

I usually just carry the camera, kit lens and microphone (*) on my tramps...the other equipment I take as and when required. I could use a portrait lens (fixed 50mm) and a 12-22 EF lens for my vlogs but they will require time to acquire as a decent lens is from $400-$900 in New Zealand. 

A selection of example photos...

I have been using the camera for a couple of weeks now and have included a couple of photographs to give you an idea of the images I can capture with this camera. The greatest increase has been on my vlogs so have a look at my You Tube channel to see the change in quality. 

Otamahua/Quail Island from Gilpins Track

Lyttleton Harbor and Mt Herbert

A photo taken up the Otira Valley on the M50

A photo taken up the Otira Valley on the M50

North face of Mt Rolleston from Bealey Valley

South Island Robin

South Island Robin

Bealey River from the bridge near the village

I am slowly learning about digital photography but you can already see that using a quality camera can bring improvement to my blog images and vlogs. 

A look at the electronics I carry...

Are electronics in the outdoors an enhancement???

 I work in the education sector and I use computers for every second of my work day....I enjoy my job but all that electrical noise does get to you after a while.

The view out the window by my work desk...

Generally when I am out tramping I am looking to escape from the constant flow of information that surrounds us in our day to day lives. When you stop and think about all the media, cell phones, computers and other digital equipment you interact with it is hardly surprising modern peoples psyches are so damaged.

The outdoors is great for relieving the stress of life...

It doesn't matter if it is a day tramp or a 7-10 day monster trip but walking through a forest with birds singing and the wind moving the branches will chill you out super fast. 

Some electronic gear is useful....

Despite the need to escape from the digital world a certain amount of basic gear can assist and sometimes enhance your outdoor experience, this is the gear I carry:

My navigation gear

I learnt how to use a map and compass when I was in the army and I'm actually quite good at using both of them. Despite this a bit of a digital hand is welcome from time to time so I carry a GPS unit with me. They are especially good if you are going off track, in thick dense forest, tramping in a blizzard or on a clagged in mountain top.

You should be able to read a topographic map.....

The unit I carry is a Garmin eTrex 20x, this is a small handheld device with software that allows you to find your map reference, and can give altitude and distance readings. You can also add programmed way-points to keep you on track and this unit has a topographic mapping ability if you buy specialist software for the unit. 

Garmin eTrex 20x hand held GPS unit

I generally use the Garmin for GPS fixing and carry a paper map with me of the track I am walking. I got this unit from my partner last year so I am still getting to know what tit can do and which functions are useful to me.

Some of the data the eTrex 20 can provide:elevation, distance, timings etc. 

The eTrex 20 is one of a range of Garmin products it is a middle of the range unit and costs around $400 NZ dollars, this is relatively cheap. Some of the new Garmin and Sunnato GPS units go for up to $1400 dollars generally for the watch style units.

Other Garmin products: the Etrex 10, and Etrex 30 GPS units

The eTrex has a very basic map on the unit but I have added the NZ Topomap series to mine as Karen my partner brought the CD-Rom for me as a birthday present. Isn't she lovely....

Communications devices: PLB and cell phone

I always carry a personal locator when I'm tramping regardless of the length of the track I am walking. More than often I am out on a solo mission so having a emergency safety device is a 'no-brainer' really...if carrying one provides you with another degree of safety why wouldn't you. Every party or any individual out tramping, skiing, MTB cycling or hunting should really be carrying a PLB.

Using a PLB gives you another degree of safety....

The PLB I carry is a ACR REsQLink...my version has the GPS function which cuts the radius of a search coordinate down from 100 meters to less than 10 meters. It is relatively light at 170gms, water resistant and very simple to operate. When I brought the unit back in 2015 it cost me around $600 but prices have fallen since then and quality PLB's can be had for as little as $300 now...

The ResQlink PLB comes in a buoyant Neoprene carry case...

Battery life on this device is six years or after it has been used....mine is due to have the battery changed in 2021 so I will either put a new battery in it or possibly buy a new PLB depending on which option is cheaper. 

ACR ResQLink PLB: the details.....

I would love to change batteries but it costs around $400 to do so...this is the price of a new KTI beacon which weighs less, works better and is much smaller. 

ACR ResQLink in deployed configuration

Using the PLB is very easy...you un-clip the antenna and raise it into a vertical position then you push the activation button on the side. A PLB will work best if it is not used in a high sided or confined space and you must have a clear view of the sky.

Instructions for use on the ACR ResQLink PLB...

I have never had to use my PLB (nearly had to use it twice for other parties...) but knowing I have it with me gives me a measure of safety in the advent of an accident. I have to be alive to use it of course..but that is neither here nor there really.

Photography: Canon Powershot SX 150 IS camera

I am a bit of a Luddite in that I am still carrying a digital camera with me when I go tramping.  It is possibly not the best or lightest option but it is what I have so....yeah!!! I brought this camera second hand on Trade Me for $45 about two years ago when my previous camera died. I am not a professional photographer so I don't need a fancy Digital SLR crowd, my camera is just a simple point and shoot.

My Canon SX150 digital camera

The Canon SX 150 IS screen and controls...

The camera I am currently using is a bog standard Canon Powershot SX 150 IS in matt black. It has 12X zoom ability for closeups which is more than enough for my needs. It also has a variety of program settings for photos/video, F-stop, brightness, ISO, timer etc.  It will take reasonable photos and videos and I generally have it operating on an auto-outdoor setting for most of the time.

More controls on the top of the Canon SX 150 IS camera

Canon SX 150 IS lens and flash extended...

One thing I do like is the ability to swap between color and black and white which I use occasionally for a different look on the blog. 

a black and white photo from my recent Mt Grey trip...

I know that everyone else is carrying a phone now that the camera on them has improved and that is what I will do when my current camera dies. I just find paying more than $500 for a phone with a good camera bloody ridiculous when I have a perfectly good camera. 

E-book Reader: Kindle Paperwhite

Up until very recently I carried a book or magazine with me when I went tramping but I now have a Kindle with e-books loaded on it so this is what I will be using going forward. It is about a quarter of the weight of the books I used to carry and allows me to carry a much wider selection of reading material than is possible with paper.

I am now using a Kindle paper white

Karen brought me this for my birthday back in August and I have already loaded about a dozen books on it. Some of my current downloads are some old science fiction anthologies, a couple by Ernest Hemingway, some Bill Bryson, Goodbye to all that by Robert Graves, some Jack Reacher short stories and a field guide to New Zealand Flora and Fauna.

Goodbye to all that by Robert Graves

I have downloaded some of their free books (self publish in most cases) that would give the old Edwardian 'penny dreadful's' a run for their money...real trash.

Eclectic mix eehhhhhhhh....

A sample of the free pap available in the Kindle Store...

One of the reasons I persisted with carrying books was that I left them in huts when I finished reading them so there was some reading materiel in the hut. Since Covid 19 came on the scene DOC now remove and burn all material of this sort to stop the spread of the virus through surface contact. So no more old hunting, fishing,Wilderness and FMC Bulletin magazines in huts.... :(  sad face!!!!

No more magazine stacks in huts with Covid-19.....

I might still carry the odd Readers Digest now and then as they are quick easy reads but otherwise (and just like Dylan) I'm finally going electric.... 

Digital music:

I enjoy listening to music at all times but not usually when I am out tramping. I think part of the point of tramping is to get away from all the noise, stress and everyday electronic buzz that fills our lives. I would rather listen to the sound of the wind in the trees, a gurgling river, bird calls or a gas stove blasting away. 

I prefer to hear nature when I am out tramping...

That said...if I am walking a track with long boring sections, road walking or trekking over flat featureless valley floor I will listen to one of my MP3 players. I also listen to music when I am fitness walking so occasionally you will see me wearing earphones in the pages of this blog. I also listen to music in the huts when I am relaxing on my bunk or before going to sleep at night. 

Gravel bashing the Waimakiriri River is ideal music time...

My MP3 players are from Sony...I have a 3 GB Walkman stick unit and a standard MP3 Walkman paired with a set of plug earphones. I used to wear 1980's style over head Walkman headphones but I cant find them anymore as they have gone out of fashion. They really are so much better than plug earphones but you takes what you can gets... 

My Sony stick MP3 player...

They both pack down small and weigh next to nothing and allow me to carry many hours of songs and pod casts.  

My Sony MP3 Walkman is my usual carry...

Again...I'm old school with an MP3 player and not a phone with Spotify added to it but I use what I have. I don't usually carry my phone but eventually I will replace most of these electronic items with a good smart phone that fills all their functions. 

Power supply:Batteries, USB charging

Both my GPS unit and camera use AA size batteries so I load them with freshly recharged batteries at the start of a trip and carry a couple of sets of spares with me. My camera will discharge a set of batteries over three days but the GPS unit uses very little power and one set would last me for a couple of weeks at least. 

My camera and GPS both use AA cell batteries....

I carry a generic brand power bank I was given at work as a Christmas gift one year...it will totally recharge both a MP3 unit and my Kindle/phone with power to spare. 

And that is it...all of the electronic items I carry with me when I am tramping. It isn't much but as I have said I like to get away from the constant electronic noise I have in my life.