Lightweight Photography Equipment Solves Some Bulky Travel Problems : Shutterbugs can now focus on dependable smaller cameras, sturdier tripods and new camera bags.

Few travelers venture far these days without a camera to capture the highs--and sometimes lows--of a trip. But camera gear can be bulky and heavy and accessories can quickly crowd out clothing and other essentials. Here then, good news for shutterbugs. The cameras and gear noted below all have something new to offer in response to the common problems of travel photographers.

The Olympus Superzoom 3000 may be the travel-light camera photographers have been waiting for. A tiny 10.8-ounce auto-focus that fits in your pocket, the 3000 nonetheless performs big-time. It zooms from a 38-millimeter wide-angle to 110-millimeter telephoto mode; has several flash functions including red-eye-reduction; and is water-resistant and completely automatic, from metering to rewind.

On a field test, the small viewfinder was hard to get used to; I couldn’t quite get my eye in the right position to see clearly. In addition, the little dial that adjusts the viewfinder for individual eyesight (so corrective eyeglasses can be removed) was loose enough to move with barely a touch, making it hard to keep the view in focus. With practice, I came to rely on the camera for simple, quality snapshots. Pros still will prefer their multi-lens mammoths, but this makes a good backup camera with an impressive focal range.

Olympus Superzoom 3000, $290 at most camera stores, cheaper from discount houses.

Ever wish you could capture more of a sweeping vista and less of the empty sky? Panoramic cameras, which produce double-width photos short on height, have been on the market awhile. Now Kodak has come out with a disposable, fully automatic panoramic camera that takes 12 wide shots (10 inches wide by 3 1/2 inches high). The entire camera is taken to a photo shop for processing at the regular price, after which the camera is recycled by Kodak. The auto-focus camera comes already loaded with Kodacolor Gold 200 35-millimeter film, good for sunny or cloudy days. The speed also is good for moderate action shots and to lessen the effects of camera motion (for example, if you’re shooting from a vibrating motor boat or atop a house). Picture quality is as good as regular 35-millimeter shots, and many camera stores now stock the frames and albums needed to display the odd-size photos.

Kodak FunSaver Panoramic 35, $14, available at camera stores.

Lugging around a tripod can be a pain in the pack, but when using long lenses and low shutter speeds, the alternative is usually one heck of a blur. This little travel tripod isn’t cheap, but it’s much sturdier and steadier than other minis I’ve tried. Just 7 1/2 inches long at its most compact, the tripod’s three legs telescope to 42 1/2 inches. Each leg has 11 ribbed steel sections, plus a 12th on the ends of the legs of enameled brass for durability.

This tripod is not meant for use with ultra-long zoom lenses or heavyweight flash units, but I found it a good compromise for both compactness and reliability.

Prinz Travel Tripod, about $60, available in black, red, yellow, green or blue . Mail order from from Cambridge Camera, 800-221-2253, or Magellan, (Item No. PH368) 800-962-4943. Zippered vinyl carrying case, about $10.

A firm specializing in protective products for X-ray technicians has developed a flexible lead pouch to protect film from damaging X-rays at airport security checks. This can be critical when hand-checking of cameras and equipment is not an option--a common problem overseas. Lead bags are essential not only for sensitive high-speed film, but also for lower-speed film that will undergo repeated screening, since X-ray damage is cumulative. The pouches are covered with durable nylon to prevent cracking with repeated use (a frequent occurrence with more rigid lead film shields). They have a soft foam inner lining so film is cushioned, and a Velcro closure instead of the usual plastic grip that can tear lead bags. The large size holds 45 unboxed canisters of 35-millimeter film or 50 rolls without canisters. The smaller travel size holds 12 unboxed canisters of 35-millimeter or 14 rolls without canisters.

Security Bag, Large size (PH366L), $50; Travel size (PH366F), $30. Available at camera stores or through Magellan’s, (800) 962-4943.

I switched from a shoulder camera bag to a fanny pack several years ago after too many trips with heavy equipment made neck strain a constant problem. Carrying my equipment around my hips creates no strain and has the added advantage of leaving my hands completely free. And when the bag is turned body-forward, a fanny pack camera bag is much more secure against theft than a shoulder bag.

The bags that photographer Galen Rowell designed with the Photoflex manufacturing company are among the best on the market--and no wonder. Rowell, one of the world’s foremost outdoor photographers, favors shots from some pretty unwieldy posts--like hanging off an icy cliff. Photoflex’s Galen Rowell fanny pack camera bags come in three sizes; I found the mid-size Hipcary Venture the most versatile. The bag is padded both inside and around the hip belt (though a bit more hip padding would have been welcome), and has the advantage of opening away from the body, so the photographer can see everything in the bag without having to bend over and risk spilling the contents. The inside is light gray so there are no dark corners for losing lens caps and filters, and the waist belt detaches so the bag can be converted into a shoulder bag. Accommodates video equipment as well as 35-millimeter cameras.

One quibble: The bag material is quite rigid, which sometimes makes manipulating the zippered top difficult, but I was told the bag becomes more flexible with repeated use.

Galen Rowell Camera Bag, Hipcary Venture, $115; larger MFP version, $150; smaller, Fanny 35 version, $70. Available from Photoflex, (800) 486-2674.