Best Camera Accessories Under $100 for Hiking and Travel Photography

After years of hiking with a camera through Colorado, Utah, Iceland, and beyond, I've learned that the right accessories make as much difference as the camera itself. You don't need to spend a fortune either. Some of the gear I reach for most on every single trip costs less than a tank of gas.

This is not a generic list of camera accessories. Everything here is something I personally use and would recommend to any hiker or travel photographer looking to get more out of their kit without blowing their budget. I shoot on a Sony a7III and most of these recommendations will work across any camera system.

ND Filters

ND filters are one of those purchases that immediately changes the quality of your footage and photos. In bright alpine light a good ND filter lets you control your shutter speed for that cinematic motion blur that makes landscape video look intentional rather than just handheld and shaky.

I use Urth ND filters and they hit a sweet spot of quality and affordability that is hard to beat under $100. For hiking specifically the screw-on format is the most practical since it doesn't add bulk or extra pieces to lose on the trail. If you shoot drone footage too make sure to grab filters sized specifically for your drone lens as well.

Peak Design Capture Clip

This is probably the single most useful piece of gear I own for hiking with a camera. The Peak Design Capture Clip attaches directly to your shoulder strap and lets you mount your camera securely to the outside of your pack so it's always accessible. No more stopping to unzip your bag every time you want to grab a shot.

On a long hike where the light is changing fast, having your camera clipped and ready makes a real difference in how many shots you actually get. The clip is solid and I have never had a camera come loose on the trail. It holds the full weight of a Sony a7III with a lens without any issue and the quick release mechanism is fast enough to become second nature.

Peak Design Wrist Strap

I switched from a neck strap to a wrist strap years ago and never looked back. On hikes where I'm scrambling or need both hands for a moment, the wrist strap keeps the camera secure without it swinging around my neck. It also just feels more natural when shooting because the camera stays close to your hand rather than dangling.

Lightweight Hiking Tripod

I have a full size heavy tripod that I use for dedicated landscape shoots, but it has no business being on a long hike. A lightweight travel tripod that comes in under $50 on Amazon is one of those purchases that pays for itself on the first trip. The Amazon Basics 50 inch lightweight tripod weighs just over a pound, folds to under 17 inches, and holds a mirrorless camera without any issue.

For sunrise and sunset hikes specifically, having any tripod is infinitely better than no tripod. Long exposure shots of waterfalls, golden hour landscapes, and astrophotography all require stability that hand holding just cannot replicate. At under $20 the Amazon Basics option removes any excuse not to bring one.

Extra Camera Batteries

Running out of battery on a long hike is a special kind of frustration. I always carry at least two batteries and on cold weather shoots like Iceland in winter I carry three because cold temperatures drain them significantly faster than the specs suggest.

Third party NP-FZ100 batteries for the Sony a7III are widely available on Amazon for around $20 to $30 each. Brands like Neewer and K&F Concept also have thousands of reviews and work reliably. I keep one spare in my jacket pocket on cold days so body heat keeps it warm before I need to swap it in. A two pack with a dual charger is the most practical way to buy them.

SD and Memory Cards

There is no reason to overthink memory cards. SanDisk and Sony make reliable cards that are widely available and affordable. For hiking and travel I always carry more storage than I think I need because the last thing you want is to stop shooting because you ran out of space halfway through the best light of the day.

A 128GB V30 rated SD card handles 4K video and RAW photo files without any issues and comes in well under $50. Buy two, keep one in the camera and one in your pack as a backup. Losing footage to a corrupt card on a trip you can't easily repeat is not something you want to experience more than once.

Remote Shutter Release

A remote shutter is one of those cheap accessories that immediately improves the quality of your long exposure and tripod shots. Even pressing the shutter button gently introduces enough vibration to soften an image slightly. A wireless remote eliminates that completely.

I use mine for any tripod shot including sunrise and sunset landscapes, milky way photography, and waterfall long exposures. Sony compatible wireless remotes are available for under $20 and take up almost no space in a pack. It is one of the highest value per dollar accessories on this whole list.

Lens Cleaning Kit

Hiking means dust, wind, rain, and humidity. All of those things end up on your lens eventually. A basic lens cleaning kit with a blower, microfiber cloths, and cleaning solution is something you'll reach for on almost every outdoor shoot.

Any reputable brand works fine here. Look for a kit that includes an air blower for removing dust before wiping, microfiber cloths, and a small bottle of cleaning solution. The whole kit costs under $20 and fits easily in any camera bag or hip belt pocket. Editing out dust spots in post is time consuming enough that the kit pays for itself on the first dirty lens.

Rode VideoMicro

If you shoot any video on your hikes or travels a compact on-camera microphone is one of the most overlooked upgrades you can make. The Rode VideoMicro plugs directly into your camera's hot shoe and connects via the auxiliary port, adding clean directional audio without any bulk. I use mine for any vlog-style footage and the difference in audio quality compared to the built-in camera mic is immediately noticeable.

It weighs almost nothing and takes up minimal space in a pack. For anyone creating content on the trail this is an easy addition that makes your videos sound as good as they look.

Final Thoughts

None of these accessories are glamorous but all of them make real practical differences on the trail. The Peak Design clip and wrist strap changed how I shoot on hikes more than any camera upgrade ever has. The tripod and remote shutter opened up shots I simply couldn't get before. The filters made my video footage look like I knew what I was doing.