For those of us planning to travel with our camera, USB charging is a helpful feature. With USB charging, you can charge your camera’s battery using a USB cable, exactly like you charge your smartphone. This means you don’t have to travel with a battery charger. It also means that you can connect your camera to a USB battery charger, such as the RavPower model shown below, and charge your camera when you don’t have access to a power outlet. Look for a model that supports 2A (2 amp) charging; this will charge your devices faster. I always keep a battery charger and several USB cables in my backpack while traveling. Of course, USB charging is more of a concern for cameras with shorter battery life. My DSLRs can often go an entire week with a fresh battery. On the other hand, my mirrorless cameras typically run out of batteries around 2:30pm on a day of casual travel photography. Currently, only some Sony and Samsung mirrorless cameras support USB charging.
