3 Weeks, 2 Countries, 6 Cameras

I just got home from three and a half weeks in France with a pit stop in Basque Country, Spain. This trip was the perfect opportunity to flex my travel photography skills and build content ahead of the busy summer season. Shoulder season is a brilliant time to visit these incredibly popular destinations — fewer crowds, more room to breathe, and a completely different energy. The trade-off is that some towns aren’t fully open yet, and in true spring fashion, rain can appear at any moment. Having spent time in the Scottish Highlands last autumn, I was mentally and physically prepared. Precipitation and I have an understanding.

Let’s get into the cameras, the trip, the strategy, and what I’d do differently.

What I Brought

Fujifilm X100VI — my daily documentor. I adore this camera and am currently taking it everywhere with me.

Sony ZV-1 — one of my most asked-about models. I strictly brought it to make content for socials.

Sony RX100VII — an up-and-coming camera on my socials, brought for the same reason as the ZV-1 — plus, I wanted it for nighttime flash photos.

DJI Osmo Pocket 3 — my daily vlog camera when travelling. I wouldn’t leave home without it.

DJI Nano — brought as a fun experiment. I recently got this for days when I need to save space in my bag.

Olympus Stylus 120 — my 35mm film point-and-shoot. My other daily documentor and so much fun to shoot.

The Trip

2 days in Paris · 6 days in Aix-en-Provence · 2 days in Montpellier · 1 day in Toulouse · 2 days in Pau · 5 days in San Sebastián · 2 days in Bordeaux · 2 days in Blois (Loire Valley) · 1 overnight at CDG

The Strategy

There is so much to document on a trip like this — equally exciting and overwhelming. Since two cameras were brought explicitly for content generation, I broke my plan down by camera.

Fujifilm X100VI — my number one priority. I walked around with it in my hand almost every second we were out, shooting both photo and video. I went absolutely ham. Yes, I was shooting intentionally, but I was also just capturing the moment and having fun.

Olympus Stylus 120 — I shoot film purely for my own creative joy, so there was no real strategy here except to capture beautiful moments. Whenever something looked incredible through my Fujifilm, I’d capture a version on film or find a new angle. Some may call this cheating — I’m still getting a handle on film photography and didn’t want to burn through too much film.

Sony ZV-1 and RX100VII — interchangeable point-and-shoots for this trip. I always kept one on me while exploring and used both as secondary vlog cameras when things got rushed.

DJI Osmo Pocket 3 and Nano — also interchangeable in their role as b-roll and vlog cameras. I went day-by-day based on what we were doing and how full my bag was feeling. The Nano’s size was a real advantage — it added almost no bulk.

What I’d Do Differently

I would shoot way, way more video on the Fujifilm X100VI. The footage is incredible and I just wish I had more to work with.

On that note — yes, I know a wide-angle converter exists for the X100VI. But there were moments where an interchangeable lens system with a zoom starting wider than 23mm and reaching 80-200mm would have been genuinely useful. Would I leave the X100VI behind in favour of one? Probably not. I love this camera too much right now.

On the Sony cameras — I was genuinely happy I brought both, because my parents ended up using the RX100VII to document the trip which meant I always had the ZV-1 on me. But looking at my social media stats, my audience isn’t showing a strong preference between the two right now. If I had to pick one, it would be the RX100VII. Am I glad I have content from both? Yes. Was it strictly necessary? No. We live and learn — and I’ll still end up with camera overload on every trip.

For the action cameras, I should have used them more and been less afraid to hold everyone up for the 10 extra seconds it takes to get the shot.

I needed a checklist of housekeeping content shots — things like loading film into the Olympus in front of a scenic view, or the camera in front of the subject.

I needed a lens hood for my X100VI. No notes. (I’ll link the full X100VI setup guide below — it covers everything I now do before leaving for a trip.)

I would pack more film. I shot three rolls and could have easily gone through a fourth. When in doubt, get 36 exposures.

5 Things to Set on Your Fujifilm X100VI Before Your Next Trip

What Surprised Me

Honestly — how much film I used and wanted to use. I went through three rolls but could have easily made it through a fourth. I had a mix of 24 and 36 exposure rolls. Lesson learned: always get 36.

The Final Roll

When creating travel content, intentionally shooting is everything — but honestly, more is more. No matter how much I shoot, I always come home wishing I had more to work with. More angles, more moments, more light. Whether it's a shot I didn't think of until I was on the plane home or a location I wish I'd spent another hour in, my appetite for travel content is genuinely insatiable. Possibly a me problem. Probably not.

📷 Free Fujifilm X100VI setup guide — everything I wish I’d set before this trip

📷 Sony ZV-1 settings guide — the exact settings I used across France and Spain

📷 Sony Quick Start Guide — quick start guide for all Sony cameras

📷 Canon G7X II settings guide - 27 lighting conditions, with flash and no flash options