Costa Rica Travel has been on my photography list for years — a place where every corner is alive, every landscape feels like it’s breathing, and the wildlife looks like it was designed for a nature documentary. This trip isn’t about overpacking or carrying a full studio on my back. It’s about shooting fast, light, and on the move while still getting professional-level results.
Sony & Henry’s sent over a ZV-E1 paired with the 20–70mm f/4 G lens, and honestly, it couldn’t have arrived at a better time. Between dense rainforest canopies, golden coasts, jungle trails, and sudden wildlife encounters, I needed a setup that adapts instantly. Something compact, versatile, reliable — and easy to keep at my side while exploring a country where the scenery changes every five steps.
This is the gear I’m bringing to capture the stunning beauty, wildlife, and wild energy of Costa Rica — and why travelling light makes the experience (and the images) better.
Quick Tip: Get Your Passport Photo Done at Henry’s
Before any big trip, the most important item isn’t a lens or a battery — it’s your passport. I got my passport photo done at Henry’s, and it was honestly the best experience I’ve had so far.
No appointment, no hassle, and completely professional. I walked in, got the photo taken, approved, printed, and was out the door in about 15 minutes. Every Henry’s location offers the same service, so it’s fast, easy, and one less thing to stress about when you’re prepping for travel.
The Main Travel Camera: Sony ZV-E1 + 20–70mm f/4 G
When travelling, the best camera is the one you can keep in your hands — not buried in your backpack. The Sony ZV-E1 is small, stabilized, and has that gorgeous full-frame image quality that gives Costa Rica’s colours and contrast the justice they deserve.
The new 20–70mm f/4 G lens is the perfect travel companion:
- 20mm for sweeping jungles, waterfalls, and volcanic viewpoints
- 35–50mm for everyday walkaround and street scenes
- 70mm for portraits, tighter landscapes, or wildlife that’s just close enough
It’s sharp, lightweight, and fast enough to handle shifting light under the canopy — exactly what I want for an on-the-go travel style where swapping lenses slows you down.
The Travel Drone: DJI Air 3S
Costa Rica looks completely different from above. Rugged coastlines, vast rainforest canopies, winding rivers, cliffside beaches — these are views you simply can’t get from the ground.
The DJI Air 3S comes with me because:
- Dual cameras = endless creative framing
- Excellent battery life for long excursions
- Reliable tracking and obstacle avoidance in complex environments
It’s the perfect tool for capturing the scale of this place — from early-morning mist rolling over the jungle to sunset hitting the Pacific.
The Travel Pocket Cam: DJI Pocket 3
Some places you don’t want to lug a camera. Some moments happen too fast.
That’s where the DJI Pocket 3 shines. Fully stabilized, pocket-sized, and ready instantly, it’s ideal for:
- Walkthroughs
- Market scenes
- Quick POV clips
- Behind-the-scenes travel footage
- Low-profile filming where a big camera would be intrusive
Pair it with a couple of wireless mics and it becomes the easiest travel video setup I own.
iPhone 17 Pro Max — My Travel Backup for Quick Captures
Even with great cameras in my bag, my iPhone 17 Pro Max is still one of my most important tools on this trip. It’s fast, discreet, always in my hand, and perfect for those quick, unplanned moments — the kind you’d never capture if you had to dig through your bag. Whether it’s behind-the-scenes clips, scouting shots, quick location snaps, or something I want to share instantly, the iPhone is my everyday “second camera.” The new sensor and computational photography are incredible for fast travel shooting, and the ability to AirDrop, upload, or edit on the spot is the real superpower. It’s not replacing my main camera — it just makes me faster.
The Extras That Make Travel Shooting Easier
Travel photography looks glamorous, but the truth is: the small things matter the most. These are the essentials I always pack because they keep everything running smoothly on long days in the field.
- Extra Battery for my Camera — Costa Rica days are long, humid, and unpredictable. A backup battery is non-negotiable.
- USB Quick-Charging Brick + Fast Cables — One high-output charger that can top up my camera, phone, and accessories fast. Massive time-saver.
- Extra Memory Cards — I’d rather carry more storage than waste time deleting files mid-trip.
- Trusty 30L Backpack — My go-to size for fast day trips. It fits my camera kit, drone, Pocket 3, snacks, water, and a change of clothes. Plus, it’s the perfect “personal item” on flights, so I never have to check my gear. Henry’s carries a variety of purpose built backpacks for photographers, but in this case – I am taking my trusty Fjällräven pack that has been on countless adventures.
These aren’t glamorous items — but they’re what keep the whole operation moving.
Prepping & Packing Before the Trip
A smooth trip starts long before takeoff. These are the small, easy steps that make a massive difference once I land in Costa Rica.
- Clear and Format All Memory Cards — I start fresh so I know every card in my bag is 100% ready.
- Charge Every Battery — Camera, drone batteries, mics, power banks — everything gets a full charge.
- Update Firmware (camera, drone, gimbal, mics) — You don’t want to be troubleshooting in the jungle.
- Pack Cables Intentionally — I have intentionally streamlined everything I own to USB-C. With fast charging cables and fast charing block, I am able to get a quick charge while on-the-go.
- Pre-load playlists, reels music, or video templates — Makes on-the-go edits way faster.
A little prep goes a long way when you’re shooting fast in hot, humid conditions.
Editing & Storing Images During the Trip
My workflow on the road is simple: everything connects to my iPhone.
Anytime I shoot something worth keeping or sharing immediately, I transfer it right into the phone. From there, I’ll run a quick colour grade or cut a short reel using CapCut or Adobe Lightroom / Premiere Rush.
This keeps me creative during the trip instead of waiting until I’m home — and it means nothing gets lost. I’ll back up key photos and clips to my cloud storage and keep the rest on my memory cards until I’m home and can offload everything properly.
Fast, simple, and perfect for a lightweight travel workflow.
Traveling Light: Why It Matters
Costa Rica is a place of unpredictable beauty — a toucan landing on a branch without warning, a waterfall tucked behind a bend, light breaking through the canopy for only seconds at a time. If you’re overloaded with gear, you miss those moments.
Travelling light gives you:
- Speed — react instantly
- Mobility — climb, hike, squeeze into tight trails
- Comfort — shoot longer without fatigue
- Focus — spend more time seeing, less time fiddling
One camera, one lens, a pocket video tool, and a drone. That’s it. And with today’s tech, that’s more than enough to create professional content.
What I Want to Capture in Costa Rica
A lot of what I’ll capture in Costa Rica will be spontaneous — quick moments, changing light, wildlife that shows up without warning. But going in with a loose plan and a sense of what I want to shoot helps keep me grounded. It takes the pressure off “getting every shot” and lets me stay present, enjoy the experience, and let the moments come to me naturally.
- Birds in motion — macaws, toucans, hummingbirds
- Rainforest wildlife — sloths, monkeys, reptiles
- Waterfalls, beaches, cloud forest viewpoints
- The humid, glowing atmosphere that defines this place
- The colour, chaos, and character of the towns
- Small details most people overlook
The Sony ZV-E1 handles the storytelling.
The Sony 20–70mm G Lens captures it all without slowing me down.
The DJI Air 3S shows the world from above.
The DJI Pocket 3 gets the moments in between.
The iPhone 17 Pro MAX fills in the gaps when we’re on the move
Combined, I have a lightweight travel photography and video kit that can take me on any adventure!
The Right Gear Makes the Trip
Almost everything I’m bringing can be found at Henry’s — compact, powerful tools that let you travel light and still create beautiful, cinematic images and video. If you want a setup that works anywhere, from beaches to jungles to mountain trails, this is the kind of kit that gets it done without weighing you down.
Costa Rica is wild, dramatic, and full of life. With the right gear — and the freedom that comes from travelling light — I’m ready to make the most of every moment.
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