Electronics
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Electronics
You may wish to leave all electronics behind when you go Wayfaring. In that case, skip this page.
Mobile Phones
It is recommended to take a phone with you while Wayfaring, as this is a safety device that will allow you to contact emergency services, or your friends & family.
A smartphone can also be the device on which all your navigation happens, as well as all photography and video making.
Google Pixel 5 - 128gb storage - Waterproof - £529
A relatively low-priced flagship camera with solid performance all round, and a few less bells and whistles than some other manufacturers’ phones. Great photos, but no telephoto lens. A stripped back Android operating system, and 4000 mAh battery. Quite small in the hand (and pocket) by modern standards.
iPhone 12 Pro Max - 128gb storage - waterproof - £1081
Apple’s flagship, with their best screen, cameras and new software - including night mode. 3,687 mAh battery.
Huawei P40 Pro - 256gb storage - waterproof - amazing cameras - £779
The best phone for video quality. Incredible cameras. 4200 mAh battery. BUT - Huawei are banned by the UK for links to Chinese govt spying, so Google services will not work. This is a problem if you want to use Gmail app, or Google Maps. But if you’re in it for the best phone cameras available, this is it.
You may prefer to leave your capacity for digital distraction behind, and travel with a simple phone for basic communication only:
Doro 1370 - 1gb storage - ultra simple - £35
A phone that you can call and text on only. 2G network. 570 hrs of standby battery life. One to keep in your backpack for emergencies, or for travelling phone-light.
CAT B26 Phone - waterproof, drop-proof, dust-proof. 2G only - £56
With 18 days of standby time, and 2G network only, this is a phone that you won’t get you distracted by facebook. Rugged and bomb resistant.
Power and Charging
You will need to keep your phone charged (unless it’s a CAT or Doro, which run on songs about electricity). There are few power points in the forest. To keep charged, it is recommended to carry an external battery supply. To keep this in turn charged, you’ll need a plug (and wire), or a solar setup.
Anker Powerbank 20,000 mAh - Power Delivery 20W - 350g - £30
Huge capacity. With Power Delivery charging via USB-c at 20w - for faster charging of phones. Recharges fully in 6.5 hrs (on an 18W plug).
Anker Powercore III Elite - 25,600 mAh - 65W PD - 590g - £80
The ultimate high capacity charger. Can fast charge a laptop. Huge capacity, charges 3 devices simultaneously, and fully recharges in 3 hrs. Heavy, but useful if you have high power needs.
Anker Powercore 10,000 mAh - 18W PD - 193g - £33
A smaller capacity charger, but with 18W Power Delivery to enable fast charging of phones and other devices. Can recharge 2 devices at once, and can fully recharge in 3.5 hrs (with a USB-C wall plug).
RavPower 65W Plug - 125g - £32
A plug that can charge very quickly your large capacity devices. With a USB-C out at 65W, and a USB-A at 18W.
Anker Solar Charger - 21W - 2 USB Outputs - 417g - £60
If you intend to remain offgrid, this is a Wayfaring solution that is ‘just’ light enough to manage. Easily able to keep a phone and powerbank charged, while attached to a backpack. Only works in direct sunlight - no battery included.
Torch
I discuss torches elsewhere on the Tools page.
Mirrorless Cameras (interchangeable lens)
If Wayfaring includes photography for you, and you are not satisfied with a camera phone (which is largely computational, and low quality for big prints/screens) you may want to take a ‘real’ camera with you.
These are some I have used while Wayfaring. As with all tech, you largely get what you pay for (or find cheap on ebay).
The current best Sony cameras are the A7Siii and the A1, but I have not used either, and they are fiercely expensive. Nor do I have any experience with Nikon or Canon (after the Ixus 950 of 2007). This list is only about what I know. Consult greater experts as required.
Don’t forget a variable ND filter (if taking video), and memory cards.
Sony A7iii (2018) - 24mp - £1700
A Sony full-frame mirrorless hybrid photo/video camera. Video is downsampled from a 6k sensor, with incredible autofocus and dynamic range. Only 8-bit 420 video footage, but with s-log iii and HLG. A far cheaper option than the latest and greatest Sony cameras, but with more than plenty of capacity. Lower megapixel means better low-light with less noise. Hinged screen for better flexibility, however again no flippy screen for self-filming.
Zeiss 55mm f1.8 lens for Sony - 281g - £629
Famously sharp and bright, this is the iconic Zeiss lens for Sony e-mount. Works great for photo and video alike. If you only have one lens…
Sony G-Master 16-35 f2.8 lens - £2000
The ultimate wide-angle Sony lens. Distortion-free with super fast autofocus. Beautiful glass, and wonderful for interiors and big landscapes. Expensive.
Sony Zeiss 35mm f2.8 prime lens - 120g - £629
A super light lens for Wayfaring. Good autofocus, great sharpness, and minimal distortion, at a classic focal length.
Panasonic S5 (2020) - 24mp - with 20-60 f3.5-5.6 lens - £1880
Incredible lightweight full-frame hybrid camera, with a full flippy screen for self filming, and 24mp sensor. Offers 6k full-frame filming, and 4k in 10bit 422 colour. Constant firmware upgrades improve offering. A very capable modern camera. Contrast detect autofocus only, so not as accurate as Sony. But nicer colours and video quality, at a far better price (including a decent lens). In-body optical image stabilisation, great dynamic range, all the bells and whistles imaginable. A thoroughly good camera.
Panasonic Lumix 24-105 f4 macro lens with OIS - £977
A really good zoom lens if you want the built in OIS and macro capability for Panasonic Lumix S cameras. Slightly heavy.
Fuji XT-4 - 26mp - 610g - £1450
Not full-frame, but an APSC ‘crop’ sensor, making this a lighter and quicker camera in some respects. Practically, user skill will be the main factor in limiting quality of output, not the quality of device. The Fuji XT4 has great image stabilisation, and also an incredible range of lenses. Fuji is also amazing for video, with 4k60 at 10bit in a 400mbps codec. Also, Fuji offer a range of easy to use built-in colour profiles that can save loads of time in edit (eterna!). A top camera at a very reasonable price (for what you get). You can also buy this with a kit lens - the 18-55 f2.8-4 (35mm equiv 27-82) - for £1800.
Fuji 16mm XF 2.8 lens - 160g - £329
Superlight, supercheap, and great for video autofocus and interior photography. 16mm in APSC is about 24mm in full frame.
Compact Fixed Lens Cameras
If you only want a single focal length, you may as well carry a compact camera with a fixed lens. Usually, this means the lens and body combo is perfectly harmonic, and you will get the best performance from both, and the best value too.
Ricoh GRiii - 260g - £740
The famous street-shooter with snap focus and instant start-up, this is a tiny camera with an APSC ‘crop’ sensor and a 28mm f2.8 lens. For keeping in a tiny pocket and taking amazing shots very quickly. Also great at b/w.
Leica Q - 28mm f1.7 - 24mp - 640g - £2800 (used)
A full frame compact camera with a superb lens. Made in Germany by the famed camera company of legend. A wonderful camera to shoot with. Incredible dynamic range and image quality. Easy to use, with professional results. Now superseded by the Q2, which has doubled resolution (at the cost of low-light performance).
Sony R100 VII - 24-200 f2.8-4.5 - 1” sensor - 480g - £950
Sony’s 1” compact with a zoom lens, capable of great video and lovely stills in a tiny package. Nothing near the IQ of the Ricoh or the Leica, but a versatile tool.
Drone
Mavic Mini 2 Fly More Bundle - £550
If photographing from aerial angles is your preference, this is the lightest and highest quality option. Takes really decent video, and raw photos. The mini is sub 250g, which makes it easier to fly legally in more places.
Editing Computer
If you want to edit photos and video on the footpath - and this is a harder job than it sounds - you’ll need a powerful and lightweight machine.
Macbook Pro 13” M1 - 16GB - 1TB - 1.5kg - £1600
A super fast new generation laptop from Apple with their own processors. Ridiculously powerful in a small package.
iPad Pro 11” - 470g - £780
A remarkably effective way to edit photos and video, with the new iPad OS which (finally) makes file sharing far simpler.
