When you’re somewhere as amazing as Kilimanjaro, you’re going to want to take photos. Those beautiful sunrises, the clouds, the summit itself… all of it is so incredible you’ll want to capture those memories forever. But let’s not forget that Kilimanjaro is a serious climb. And any camera you bring with you, you’ll have to carry on your back along with the rest of your day gear. So if you’re wondering what camera to bring to Kilimanjaro, this post may help…
What camera to bring to Kilimanjaro
When you’re thinking about a trek camera, you need to carefully consider a few options. But the most important thing is the weight. You’re also going to be carrying your water, jacket, snacks and other bits with you. While you might be happy to carry a DSLR all day at home, on Kili every little gram counts.
Here are some of your options, with the pros and cons for each…
DSLR
Really, the only people taking a DSLR up the mountain are professionals. If you need your photos for work then you’ll need to take the gear with you. But if you’re a keen amateur, then really it’s just too cumbersome. Remember also that your hands will be freezing cold for a lot of the trek. Do you really want to take off your gloves to fiddle around with settings or change lenses? Probably not.
Point and shoot
There are some excellent compact cameras on the market, from the Canon powershot to the Lecia. These can be great on Kilimanjaro, as they’re a step up from most phones but still very compact. The only issue is their batteries can malfunction in the cold (which also applies to DSLR cameras). You’ll need to bring a spare battery, or a decent power bank.
GoPro
If you’re looking to get amazing video footage, the GoPro is an ideal camera. You won’t be able to get the quality and detail of a compact or DSLR camera, but you’ll get amazing landscape shots. Think about the video from the summit, or the mountain at sunrise. If that’s the stuff you’re after, this is your best bet.
Phone
Let’s face it. Most of our camera phones are seriously good nowadays. If your phone is pretty new, the chances are the camera will more than do the job on Kili. Plus, it can fit in your jacket pocket. Bonus!
If you want to know more about photography on Kilimanjaro, you can read our blog post about how to get the best snaps on the mountain.
To read more about our expedition to Kilimanjaro, click here. Or you can read our Ultimate Guide to Kilimanjaro.
