Antarctica Photography Tips and Camera Gear

After four expeditions to the 7th continent, here’s what I have for Antarctica photography tips, and also the camera gear I’d recommend!

To be completely honest, I use my phone a lot of the time, and I’ve seen most people who I’ve taken there (over 150 people) do the same. So if you’re not ready to splurge on new gear, especially after splurging on a trip to Antarctica, don’t worry! Your phone will work great!

But I’ll go ahead and start with what I use for camera gear in Antarctica anyway! Please note that I use affiliate links that barely make me any income, but it helps nonetheless if you use them! Thanks!!

Antarctica Camera Recommendations

SMART PHONES

To be honest, most people just use their phone for photos, and they get some really great shots! The iPhone 14 Pro or higher actually takes similar quality photos as expensive cameras! And to be even more honest, although we use iPhones, we have to admit, Androids are usually even better!

ACTION CAMERAS

But if you don’t want to potentially lose or break your phone, I would recommend the new DJI Osmo or GoPro 11 or higher. Both have built in stability and crystal clear images! Be sure to get extra batteries, because the cold weather drains them fast! (Pro tip: Keep your cameras close to your body to keep them warm!

GIMBAL CAMERAS

One of my current favorite gadgets for filming videos (especially on boats) is the DJI Pocket, which is a tiny gimbal with a 4k camera for photos and videos! It makes super smooth videos, which is ideal for the Drake Passage. It’s going to be wild! It also has a pretty good built-in microphone for doing vlog-style videos!

PROFESSIONAL CAMERAS

If you’re looking to get your pro photography on, I recommend the Sony A7R III, or for something more lightweight and affordable, the Canon EOS Rebel! Check my camera gear blog post for suggestions on lenses you would want to have for this trip!

360 CAMERAS

We saw some pretty cool 360 footage on our last voyage, and while we’re still personally trying to master this cool little 360 camera, we’ve seen some pretty awesome results so far as well!

Another thing to note, is this camera is how you get those videos where it looks like the “selfie stick disappeard”! I still have no idea how it’s done, but it definitely disappears!

And I just wanted to make sure that you know: DRONES are NOT allowed in Antarctica. Yes, we have asked. Several times. And it’s not happening. So leave your drone at home!

My Top Antarctica Photo Tips and Video Tips

1. Always make sure to charge your batteries, and bring spares (or battery packs)
2. Keep cameras and batteries close to your body, the cold kills the batteries quicker!
3. You’re going to need a good zoom to get close-ups of penguins and other animals since you cannot go closer than 9 feet to them, so make sure your phone has a good zoom or you bring a zoom camera lens!
4. Always shoot away from the sun, unless you’re aiming for a silhouette or the sun is directly above you!
5. Turn off any beeping noises on the cameras so you don’t disturb others or the wildlife
6. Make sure you enjoy the moment too, not just the photos!
7. Be courteous when asking others to take your pic, remember everyone paid a lot to be there, and they don’t want to be your personal photographer (this is where selfie sticks come in handy!)
8. You are not permitted to put tripods down on the ground, so start practicing your selfie stick game!
9. If you have to pick one, shoot videos, and take screen grabs later for photos.
10. Shoot in 1080/60fps or 4k/30fps for video. This is usually a default setting!
11. Use free apps like CapCut and Lightroom to do some editing!

Here’s some of my other blogs with more photography tips!