small mythos
Central Defender
I'm off to Norway next month hopefully to see the northern lights . I have a canon eos 600d with the kit lens but I have only used it on the auto settings , can anyone offer me any advice on setting up my camera please.
Northern lights - advice for a novice
- Thread starter small mythos
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Snaggletooth
Midfield
The first thing i would advise is to get to know your camera! Honestly, learn how to use other modes, such as AV, TV (or sv), and Manual....get out of the habit of using auto. Even try manual focus, and focus to infinity. You will benefit from this. A good book to help you get out of auto mode is "Understanding Exposure", by Bryan Freeman.
I would google..."how to photograph the northern lights", or something similar.
Get as much info as you can and practice now, so you have a head start.
I would also suggest using a tripod and a remote or wired shutter release.
I would google..."how to photograph the northern lights", or something similar.
Get as much info as you can and practice now, so you have a head start.
I would also suggest using a tripod and a remote or wired shutter release.
S
Searoad
Guest
Although the trip mentioned by the OP has probably happened by now, for the benefit of any future visitors to the thread, here's some suggestions you may find useful;
Best time of year I've found is around spring solstice, you can see them at other times but the odds are much better with weather and solar activity. (Northern hemisphere, inside arctic circle, local midnight).
Unless you are a long way north (70 degrees), the auroral oval will usually be north of you!
Husky farms are useful to have nearby, the dogs will howl when they see the aurora.
You can make an aurora detector or hear it on about 150kHz on a radio.
Plenty of aurora prediction web sites available.
Take as many cameras, tripod(s) and spare batteries as you can beg or borrow.
During daylight, set the focus to the furthest thing you can see, switch off autofocus and wrap some electrical tape around the lens to hold the focus in position. Trying to reset the focus / use auto focus at night/ in the dark can be a pain.
Wide angle lens(s),
Take any lens filters off.
If the camera has noise reduction, turn it off.
If the camera has an interval timer, use it. (999 frames, 1 second delay).
Turn off the Screen / display.
The first shot from each camera, leave the lens cap on (Dark frame reduction)
Take some shots before you see the aurora, the camera will pick them up before your eyes can. (amuse yourself watching satellites going overhead)
Manual setting;
ISO 100 or 200
10 seconds will give you good star points, 15 seconds will start to smear the stars, 30 seconds and you'll certainly get trails.
Set the F stop according to the selected speed. slightly underexposed will ensure that you dont blow out the highlights.
The green aurora light is at 557.7nm, (red at 630nm), turn off any colour enhancement / landscape mode. "Forbidden Transition" is responsible for the flaring and fading, green light is nearly two minutes, red, less then a second.
Lithium batteries are going to last about 5 minutes at -25. you'll spend a lot of time moving between cameras changing the batteries. Keep the spares and the ones you swap out close to your body, once they warm up you can use them again without needing to recharge.
Anything metal (tripod / camera body) will be cold enough to burn your skin, dont lick the metal tripod.
Best time of year I've found is around spring solstice, you can see them at other times but the odds are much better with weather and solar activity. (Northern hemisphere, inside arctic circle, local midnight).
Unless you are a long way north (70 degrees), the auroral oval will usually be north of you!
Husky farms are useful to have nearby, the dogs will howl when they see the aurora.
You can make an aurora detector or hear it on about 150kHz on a radio.
Plenty of aurora prediction web sites available.
Take as many cameras, tripod(s) and spare batteries as you can beg or borrow.
During daylight, set the focus to the furthest thing you can see, switch off autofocus and wrap some electrical tape around the lens to hold the focus in position. Trying to reset the focus / use auto focus at night/ in the dark can be a pain.
Wide angle lens(s),
Take any lens filters off.
If the camera has noise reduction, turn it off.
If the camera has an interval timer, use it. (999 frames, 1 second delay).
Turn off the Screen / display.
The first shot from each camera, leave the lens cap on (Dark frame reduction)
Take some shots before you see the aurora, the camera will pick them up before your eyes can. (amuse yourself watching satellites going overhead)
Manual setting;
ISO 100 or 200
10 seconds will give you good star points, 15 seconds will start to smear the stars, 30 seconds and you'll certainly get trails.
Set the F stop according to the selected speed. slightly underexposed will ensure that you dont blow out the highlights.
The green aurora light is at 557.7nm, (red at 630nm), turn off any colour enhancement / landscape mode. "Forbidden Transition" is responsible for the flaring and fading, green light is nearly two minutes, red, less then a second.
Lithium batteries are going to last about 5 minutes at -25. you'll spend a lot of time moving between cameras changing the batteries. Keep the spares and the ones you swap out close to your body, once they warm up you can use them again without needing to recharge.
Anything metal (tripod / camera body) will be cold enough to burn your skin, dont lick the metal tripod.
I
Icarebecauseyoudo
Guest
positioned myself next to a husky farm, nowt happened yet
S
Searoad
Guest
ooops, Spring solstice is wrong, should have read "spring equinox".
Winter solstice is a really bad time to try and see them.
Spring solstice is wrong, should have read "spring equinox". Winter solstice is a really bad time to try and see them.
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