the wander project dispatches from over there

TWP Gear Review: The Kodak Zi8

The best backpacking-with-camera advice I’ve heard came from a guy who lugged a full-fledged professional video rig around the world: “Take the smallest camera you can find with a microphone jack.”

Mini cameras like the Flip are hugely popular with travelers for good reason — they’re pocket-sized yet capable of capturing great video, and uploading them to your favorite social media or video sharing site is unbelievably simple. The downside: audio is less than stellar, and there’s no input jack for an external mic. Roaming filmmakers were forced to choose between lugging a larger camera with the necessary inputs or sacrificing audio quality.

Mini cameras like the Flip are hugely popular with travelers for good reason — they’re pocket-sized yet capable of capturing great video, and uploading them to your favorite social media or video sharing site is unbelievably simple. The downside: audio is less than stellar, and there’s no input jack for an external mic. Roaming filmmakers were forced to choose between lugging a larger camera with the necessary inputs or sacrificing audio quality.

Enter the Kodak Zi8.

TWP Gear Review: The Canon Powershot G11

A small pack and serious photography are usually mutually exclusive. Sure, you can lug a Pro DSLR and a bag full of lenses or pocket a point and shoot, but you’ll be making concessions with extra baggage or sub-par photos.
When on the hunt for the perfect travel camera, I was initially drawn to compact DSLRs. They’ve recently become truly compact, (relatively) inexpensive and capable of  great photos, so I figured I’d pair that with a single versatile lens and be on my way. But every knowledgeable friend I talked to — several of whom are professional photographers or photo editors [...]