Inside an Astronaut’s Camera Bag

Why NASA Chose a 10-Year-Old Camera for the Artemis II Moon Mission

Modern astronaut photography combines professional imaging systems with handheld devices, including smartphones, used for informal documentation and outreach. (Image created and prompted by R. Gasparini Jr., generated with AI assistance.)

When we think of missions to the Moon, which are complex operations that demand the highest level of technological precision, we tend to assume they rely exclusively on the most advanced systems available today. Surprisingly, this is not entirely true, at least when it comes to photography and imaging in space. Why is that?

Aboard the Orion spacecraft during Artemis II, astronauts captured a series of striking photographs of Earth, the lunar surface, and deep space. The images quickly circulated around the world, reminding many people of the iconic photographs taken during the Apollo program more than fifty years earlier.

What surprised many photographers and technology observers was not only the beautiful imagery itself, but the camera used to capture much of it. Instead of relying solely on the latest mirrorless technology, NASA selected a professional DSLR introduced a decade earlier: the Nikon D5.

The decision reflects the practical considerations that guide equipment choices for space missions. While consumer technology often prioritizes the newest devices, spaceflight places greater emphasis on reliability, proven performance, and the ability to operate in demanding environments. To understand the reasons behind NASA’s choice, continue reading.

Documenting a New Lunar Mission

The Artemis II mission launched aboard the Space Launch System rocket and carried four astronauts inside NASA’s Orion spacecraft. During their journey around the Moon, the crew documented the mission using a range of cameras, including professional photography equipment, smartphones, and externally mounted action cameras. These images served both scientific and historical purposes, helping scientists analyze lunar features while also documenting humanity’s return to deep space.

Among these devices, the Nikon D5 served as the primary still-photography camera. NASA had already used this camera extensively aboard the International Space Station, where engineers and astronauts tested how it performed in microgravity. Because the camera had already been integrated into NASA’s operational workflows and training procedures, it represented a reliable choice for a mission where equipment failures would be difficult or impossible to resolve.

Photo taken during the Artemis II mission as the crew traveled around the far side of the Moon. This image shows Earth setting beyond the Moon’s curved horizon. Large lunar impact basins and crater formations are visible in details. — captured with a Nikon D5. (NASA / Artemis II Multimedia Gallery)

Why an Older Camera Still Performs Well in Space

Another important factor was image quality under low-light conditions. Space photography often involves extreme contrasts and limited lighting, particularly when photographing spacecraft interiors or celestial objects against the darkness of space. The D5’s full-frame sensor and relatively modest resolution of 20.8 megapixels allow each pixel to capture a greater amount of light. This design helps produce cleaner images when shooting at high ISO settings, reducing digital noise in situations where light is scarce.

In comparison, many modern cameras focus on increasing resolution by adding more pixels to the sensor. Cameras such as the Nikon Z9 offer significantly higher megapixel counts, which can increase detail in well-lit scenes. However, packing more pixels onto the same sensor surface can reduce the amount of light each pixel receives. As a result, high-resolution sensors sometimes produce more noise when operating at very high ISO levels.

A fully illuminated view of the Moon shows the near side on the right, visible from Earth, and the far side on the left, normally hidden from view, with the massive Orientale basin near the boundary between them. — captured with a Nikon Z9 (NASA / Artemis II Multimedia Gallery).

For a mission that involves photographing dark environments in space, the balance between resolution and low-light sensitivity becomes particularly important. In this context, the D5’s sensor design remains highly competitive, even compared with newer cameras.

A Combination of Cameras on Artemis II

Although the D5 served as the primary still-photography camera, the Artemis II crew used several other imaging systems during the mission. NASA also flew the mirrorless Nikon Z9 as part of ongoing evaluations of newer camera technologies. Smartphones, including the iPhone 17 Pro Max, allowed astronauts to capture quick images and informal moments inside the spacecraft. In addition, compact action cameras mounted on the exterior of Orion recorded wide-angle views of the spacecraft and its surroundings. The use of a GoPro HERO4 Black also demonstrates that even a camera introduced in 2014 can remain reliable enough for use in space.

This image shows the Moon backlit by the Sun during a solar eclipse. Earthlight is visible along the lunar limb, while Saturn and Mars appear in the background. — captured with a GoPro Hero4 Black. (NASA / Artemis II Multimedia Gallery)

Together, these devices produced a diverse photographic record of the mission. Astronauts documented Earth from deep space, photographed the Moon during the flyby, and captured rare visual events such as solar eclipses observed from orbit. Modern digital storage also allows astronauts to record far more images than earlier missions. For example, the crew of Apollo 17 captured roughly four thousand photographs using film cameras in 1972, whereas digital cameras on Artemis II can store tens of thousands of images on a single memory card.

Space Photography Overview

The use of the Nikon D5 on Artemis II illustrates an important principle of space engineering: the best technology for a mission is not always the newest, but the one that is most reliable and well understood. In environments where repairs are impossible and every system must function flawlessly, proven equipment often offers the greatest advantage.

By combining a trusted DSLR with newer imaging technologies such as mirrorless cameras, smartphones, and external action cameras, NASA created a flexible photographic system capable of documenting the mission from multiple perspectives. The resulting images not only support scientific analysis but also help communicate the experience of human spaceflight to audiences on Earth.

As future missions in the Artemis program prepare to return astronauts to the lunar surface, photography will continue to play a key role in documenting exploration beyond our planet. The cameras carried aboard Artemis II show that even in an era of rapid technological change, established tools can still play a vital role in capturing historic moments in space.

So, now you know which camera to take with you when the trips to space become part of daily life.

— Roberto Gasparini

References

Andrews, B. (2026, April 8). NASA chose an old DSLR as its primary Artemis II camera — here’s why. Digital Camera World.

Launius, R. D. (2026, April 11). Artemis II crew used modern photography to tell the visual story of their lunar journey — and update some classic Apollo images. The Conversation.

National Aeronautics and Space Administration. (2026, April). Artemis II multimedia: Images. https://www.nasa.gov/artemis-ii-multimedia/#images

Ryan, K. (2026, April 10). Photographers are buzzing about the cameras the Artemis II used to capture its historic images. WTOP News.

Where to Purchase These Cameras

Want to explore the same types of cameras astronauts used during the mission? If you’re curious about the equipment mentioned in this article, you can find these cameras through the links below:

DSLR camera: Nikon D5 20.8 MP FX-Format Digital SLR Camera Body

DSLR lens: Nikon AF-S FX NIKKOR 80–400mm f.4.5–5.6G ED

Mirrorless camera: Nikon Z 9 — Flagship professional full-frame stills/video mirrorless camera

Compact camera: GoPro HERO4 Black — Waterproof Action Camera, 12MP

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