Camera - best for northern lights?

wimbleQ

Hi,

We need to buy a new camera anyway, but are also going on a northern lights holiday.

Pls can anyone suggest a good camera for this? Googling suggests it must be an SLR but neither of us are techie photographers. Is there a bridge camera with some simple settings that would still give us good photos (assuming we see the lights!!).

Googling suggest we need "long exposure" setting capability and a tripod.

Looking for a good all rounder ideally, with long lenses for other trips too (or the ability to change to a longer lens).

Huge thx in advance.

bluesnake

No idea, but personally I would look into something that can do HDR shots, preferably quickly, and good in low light

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=HDR+northern+lights&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=WqnUVJbWLdOWarLMgfgH&ved=0CAgQ_AUoAQ&biw=1227&bih=560&dpr=1.3

I have a bridge camera, but it takes so long for each indevidual picture, then for the camera's cpu to to combine them. Also whenever I want it, I never have a tripod. It takes me about 1-ish mins to take a photo plus many seconds for the camera to process it, say 2 mins in all - a long time for things to stay still, or capture the moment

Big_Graeme

bluesnake wrote: »

No idea, but personally I would look into something that can do HDR shots, preferably quickly, and good in low light

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=HDR+northern+lights&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=WqnUVJbWLdOWarLMgfgH&ved=0CAgQ_AUoAQ&biw=1227&bih=560&dpr=1.3

Erm, no.
HDR will not help you here.

Any decent bridge or point and shoot will do as long as you can get used to shooting in manual mode and adjusting settings yourself will do for Northern Lights shoots. If you want to change lenses you'll either need a DSLR or a Comapct system.

If you do go for a DSLR you don't need a long lens, an medium range zoom will do.

gjchester

wimbleQ wrote: »

Googling suggest we need "long exposure" setting capability and a tripod.

Huge thx in advance.

Its hard, been there done that, and I have a reasonably good SLR and fast lenses.

Its a low light situation, and normally the answer to low light is long exposure, however the lights can be moving either as a slow pulse or the fast dancing you see on TV, and anything moving needs to be a short exposure.

Most of my shots were with short "long" (up to a second exposure) were when ti was bands of light, and its really a set of bands on the photo.

The Long Long exposure (second plus) tend be be a green glow.

Getting the "curtains effect" takes a good equipment, and good timing.

I'm not saying its impossible, but it is hard to do and you may be better getting a more all round camera for general use and buying postcards. It also means you'll get to enjoy seeing them, not worry about the photo's..

bluesnake

Big_Graeme wrote: »

Erm, no.
HDR will not help you here.

Any decent bridge or point and shoot will do as long as you can get used to shooting in manual mode and adjusting settings yourself will do for Northern Lights shoots. If you want to change lenses you'll either need a DSLR or a Comapct system.

If you do go for a DSLR you don't need a long lens, an medium range zoom will do.

Thought a selection of lowlight f-stop combined would fit the bill. Also have similar s/w on my mobile, but it was too cold at Christmas taking shot of the neighbours house, making the blurred - not the brandy It did come out much brighter and more vibrant colours

tafelmoneysaver

I would recommend* you need a camera with the two following features:

1) Bulb mode (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bulb_%28photography%29), and

2) A remote control

Why?

1) I was in Iceland this time last year and took some Northern Lights photos. I was using >2 minute exposure times. This was only possible on my camera with bulb mode.
2) Even pressing the shutter can cause slight movement which will result in blurring of the shot. A remote control will eliminate this. You also don't want to be holding the shutter button for >2 mins at <0'C

For info, I have a Pentax K200D (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pentax_K200D)

Have fun.

*My recommendations are based on taking some amateur shots whilst on holiday. I'm not a pro!

paddyrg

+1 for get a postcard! The great photos you see are taken by great photographers on great kit with great processing. There are bound to be good books and photos available, allowing you to actually enjoy the sight yourself and take nice holiday snaps with a good quality compact :-)

[Deleted User]

tafelmoneysaver - quite a few cameras have a 2 sec timer mode - for the exact reason of letting the camera stabilise on a tripod after you've pressed the shutter button.

From what i've read, you'll want a camera with as big a sensor as possible with good performance at high ISOs.

Something like the Sony DSC-RX100 would do you well - it's 1" sensor should really help.

I've got a panny LX7 and i'm sure it would have a good crack at this

gjchester

tafelmoneysaver wrote: »

1) I was in Iceland this time last year and took some Northern Lights photos. I was using >2 minute exposure times. This was only possible on my camera with bulb mode.
2) Even pressing the shutter can cause slight movement which will result in blurring of the shot. A remote control will eliminate this. You also don't want to be holding the shutter button for >2 mins at <0'C

How did they come out? My long exposure ones have a green band than distinct light as the lights were moving. However a lot depends on luck as to how the lights behave on the night...

I'm not disagreeing with you, your points are very valid, I'm just curious if you got more than a glow?

d123

wimbleQ wrote: »

Hi,

We need to buy a new camera anyway, but are also going on a northern lights holiday.

Pls can anyone suggest a good camera for this? Googling suggests it must be an SLR but neither of us are techie photographers. Is there a bridge camera with some simple settings that would still give us good photos (assuming we see the lights!!).

Googling suggest we need "long exposure" setting capability and a tripod.

Looking for a good all rounder ideally, with long lenses for other trips too (or the ability to change to a longer lens).

Huge thx in advance.

Have a look at the Canon EOS M, available very cheap from Argos (£199 with 18-55mm lens) and you get DSLR quality and controls in a smaller lighter body.

gjchester

ringo_24601 wrote: »

From what i've read, you'll want a camera with as big a sensor as possible with good performance at high ISOs.

High ISO means more noise, a set of shorted (say 5 to 10 sec) long exposures stacked together with "blank" image taken out may be better as it should take out any hot pixels.