How my Photography gear for walking for the Wales Coast Path has changed so far

“When you set a goal for yourself, design some plans to make it happen and put those plans into action, they seem to take on a life of their own.”

― Michael ONeill, Road Work: Images And Insights Of A Modern Day Explorer

When I set out to walk the Wales Coast Path (WCP), I set some goals for the journey. It wasn’t about the physical challenge. I had no timeline or sequence in mind. It was more about connecting with my own country. I also had to decide how, or even if, I was going to record my walks. Should I film, photograph or journal them. In the end, I went with a photo-journal on my existing blog.

MindShift Horizon 34l with rotating lower camera section

I knew that the photo-opportunities would be varied in nature, so my photography gear would need to be flexible. I am also no paragon of fitness, so it needed to be compact and light. I already had a good walking bag, the MindShift Horizon 34l, but I would need to resist the temptation to overpack it. It’s so easy to sail past 10Kgs if you go mad. I also wanted to avoid having to put camera gear in the main bag section - it had to all fit in the lower rotating camera pack.

I decided the Sony Full Frame gear that I had access to would be too big heavy with the reach I wanted (300mm minimum). I had access to a Lumix GH5, but I just didn’t gel with it for pictures when I tested it. I even considered the Sony RX10IV, but I expected an update, which never came. In the end, I went with the Fuji system. Originally, this was going to be an XT30 (just launched when I started). When I tried it though, I fell for the better ergonomics of the XT-3. It seemed worth the extra few grams. The lenses I chose were the kit Fujinon XF18-55mm F2.8-4 R LM OIS and the Fujinon XF55-200mm F3.5-4.8 R LM OIS. This gave me a full-frame equivalent to about (27-300mm). The camera section of the bag would take the 18-55mm on the body plus the telephoto zoom and a small prime if I wanted.

That was the first load-out in my bag as I set off all factory-fresh on the first leg from Chester. After 100miles (give or take) how much has changed in my bag? In some ways, it has changed very little - apart from being completely different!

The body is now an Fujifilm XT-4. I was used to IBIS on Sony and Lumix and I missed it. I also missed the battery life they had. The XT-4 fixed both those issues. It’s not critical for the WCP project, but the XT-4 has become my “go-to” camera for everything now.

The 18-55mm has been swapped for the Fujinon XF16-80mm F4 R IOS WR . I found 18mm to be not quite wide enough. I have also always preferred the look of a 24mm to a 28mm. I also found I needed to change lenses more often than I wanted. Having that extra bit of reach reduced that need considerably. Coastal paths tend to be sandy and windy - not ideal for lens changing. Having better weather resistance is also bonus - it is Wales we are talking about after all.

The 55-200mm has been swapped for the Fujinon XF70-300mm F4-5.6 R LM OIS WR. Much of the wildlife I see on the walks are small birds quite close or big birds quite far away. 300mm (full frame equivalent) just wasn’t cutting it in either scenario. The Fujinon XF100-400mm F4.5-5.6 R LM OIS WR has the reach, but it is a bit of a heffalump. It would also have broken the “no lenses in the main bag” rule. The 70-300mm is the “Goldilocks” option. It’s barely bigger or slower than the 55-200mm, but gives 50% more reach and it takes teleconverters. It felt like Fujifilm launched this lens just for me. I slapped my money down for it even before it was on my dealer’s system. Good job too, as it has been in short supply since it launched. So I now have a full frame equivalent range of 24-450mm - 900mm with a 2x teleconverter.

There is one more thing that has changed just recently. I have now changed the bag too. There are a couple of reasons behind this. The first two are practical ones. I now have a camper van and I wanted a bag small enough to go in one of the lockers. The second reason is that I use a Peak Design capture clip on the shoulder strap. I struggled to find a mounting place that was both secure and offered all-day comfort on the MindShift. The final one is my own fault - I just struggled to pack light enough. If there was space available, there always seemed to be something that was worth taking “just in case”. The Peak Design Everyday Zip Backpack 20L I chose fits in the van, has a dedicated capture clip loop and is 500g lighter. It has 14l less for me to overpack.

So, in summary, I have changed nearly everything, but the original principles have largely remained. I didn’t choose badly initially, but Fujifilm has introduced a better option for each item in the couple of years since I started. I could have got by without upgrading, but I still have 800 miles to go. I think my current set-up tweaks should see me through, but who knows what things Fujifilm has planned to part me from my money in the future.