Traveling as a locum? There's a camera for that.
You’re in the Australian Outback when a kangaroo suddenly emerges from the bush. It’s a fleeting moment—and your chance to capture that iconic “roo” shot. But wait.
What camera did you bring for this adventure? Is it up to snuff?
To make certain those once-in-a-lifetime shots don't become opportunities missed, we’ve gathered insight on some of the best travel cameras out there. They’ll give you those National Geographic-quality shots even if you’re not a National Geographic-quality photographer (okay, maybe that's a stretch, but you get the idea). Even better, these cameras won't weigh you down on your journey. Take a look at these seven beauties, presented in no particular order:
1. The Panasonic Lumix DMC-G3 offers 11 dedicated lenses, including one for 3-D, plus extras, like a swivel LCD touch screen (turn it around for a self portrait and appease the narcissist in you). You get a lot of bang for your buck in a small digital package.
2. If you want something a little different, go for the Fujifilm Instax Mini. In a throwback to a vintage era, it lets you print Polaroid-inspired photographs in vivid colors. It also lets you capture great action photos. Bungy jump off of Kawarau Bridge, anyone? This is a neat little camera with a unique twist for all of your exploits.
3. The Olympus XZ-1 is the latest point-and-shoot that touts lightning-fast performance for stills and video. It's also got great wide-angle capability.
4. For the snorkeler, tramper or spelunker, the Pentax Optio WG-1 withstands it all. Drop it, kick it, or submerge it and it still takes great pictures. A GPS means you can geo-tag all of them, too.
5. Not as tech-savvy as you want to be (or pretend to be)? Get an Olympus PEN E-PL2. With built-in flash and cool accessories like the
PENPal (it lets you send images via Bluetooth to your phone) this
camera is extremely user-frien
dly.
6. You'll love the nightlife with a Canon Powershot SX230-HS. In low-light situations, this compact point-and-shoot outperforms more expensive models—thanks to a big sensor and image-stabilization technology. All you need to know: Grab it from your pocket and point to capture those vogue shots. A built-in GPS embeds photos with location information, too.
7. And don’t forget the Kodak PlaySPORT Video Camera. This mini wonder
(that goes underwater) is the favorite of at least two LocumLENS photo
contest winners because it was the first-place prize. 
So, rule number one of a locum tenens adventure is never, ever leave home without a great travel camera. Years from now when you're feeling nostalgic about the time you spent Down Under, you'll have that photo of you tandem skydiving over Abel Tasman Park. Or perhaps even that shot of your kid channeling his inner wallaby on Trinity Beach—and you’ll be really glad you had the camera that captured that once-in-a-lifetime shot.
SPECIAL NOTE: We'll be announcing the winner of the latest LocumLENS Photo Contest next week.
Check out the entries on our Facebook page and tell us which one is your favorite now.