Shooting settings from a airliner window advice: Greetings all, This May I'll be flying to Germany on a northerly route and there's a chance I'll be lucky enough to view the Northern...

mikey12654 Loc: Vancouver, WA

Greetings all,
This May I'll be flying to Germany on a northerly route and there's a chance I'll be lucky enough to view the Northern Lights from the airliner window, it happened before to me. I'm not real sure what my camera settings should be, especially the ISO, I'm using a Canon R5 and a Sigma 50mm Art 1.4 lens, any suggestions? Thanks so much!

Sakwes Loc: Peace River, Alberta, Canada

You might get good results with that camera at ISO speeds over 3600.
But Aircraft windows are Plexiglass and I expect you'd get distortion and haze shooting through them.

I use a Canon T7i and to get decent results I have to use a tripod and remote shutter release.

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

A rubber lens hood you can put up against the window to help eliminate any glare from cabin lights.
I just shoot normally, adjusting the exposure as required.

bsprague Loc: Lacey, WA, USA

I flew as a Navy patrol plane pilot in the 70's and, more recently, as a charter pilot near Seattle.

Airplanes vibrate so if you connect the camera to the airframe, it too will vibrate. Don't use a tripod and don't hold the lens against the plastic window. Hold the camera in a way that your arms and body act as a vibration dampener.

Because of the air being what it is, nothing far can be "tack sharp" like you might want. The air has moisture, dust and various particles in it. The northern lights will even be "fuzzy" to the naked eye. That means you can use normal "hand held" settings. I would start at shutter priority, set the speed at 1/125th and auto ISO. Then, to keep the noise down, try "P" with the aperture wide open and 1/125th. For backup, try a few shots on your camera's most automatic setting. The northern lights are an unusual subject so it may be that your best shots will have unusual camera settings.

This is one of those times that a mirrorless camera can be an advantage because you are always seeing a preview of what the camera sees.

Stardust Loc: Central Illinois

Although no experience with Northern Lights from airplanes I have shot a number of sunsets & sunrises. Recommend don't put camera on window or lean against forward seat. Lock your elbows into your ribs (use yourself as a tripod), get lens as close to pane as possible, zoom & focus "thru" the window at infinity distance setting. I try to use 1/100, that determines my f-stop & ISO. Good Luck.

billnikon Loc: Pennsylvania/Ohio/Florida/Maui/Oregon/Vermont

mikey12654 wrote:

Greetings all,
This May I'll be flying to Germany on a northerly route and there's a chance I'll be lucky enough to view the Northern Lights from the airliner window, it happened before to me. I'm not real sure what my camera settings should be, especially the ISO, I'm using a Canon R5 and a Sigma 50mm Art 1.4 lens, any suggestions? Thanks so much!

Don't let the lens touch the window.

uhaas2009

I used my phone in the airplane. The most problem is the reflection in the window. I believe that a rubber lens hood and polarizer will do the job. And haze is stronger in Germany. The window is relatively small and I was close to wings. When I fly to Germany I sit on the left side and back I’m on the right- to see the landscape.
This pics is Frankfurt am Main (I changed airplane to Munich) I forgotten how big airport are and good walking shoes and the gear packed so for easy carry it.

zug55 Loc: Naivasha, Kenya, and Austin, Texas

Don't book your flight on a Boeing 787 Dreamliner--their windows have a tinting technology that blocks 99% of the light and that is controlled centrally. You still can see during takeoff and landing, but the windows are darkened in flight.

Robertl594 Loc: Bloomfield Hills, Michigan and Nantucket

I know you thought of this, but make sure you pick the right (left side of the plane going). Also, hopefully, the plane won’t be full so you can move from window to window to get the best one for a good shot. Watch out for wings and wing lights. If you are on a 747 you have upstairs as well. Reflections in the windows are a killer. Black rubber hood is a must.
Have fun!!! Post when you have them.

markngolf Loc: Bridgewater, NJ

Longshadow wrote:

A rubber lens hood you can put up against the window to help eliminate any glare from cabin lights.
I just shoot normally, adjusting the exposure as required.

That's exactly how I shot the Grand Canyon and Hoover Dam on a trip from the North Rim to Las Vegas.
Thanks for reminding me, Bill!!

Canon 5d MIII, 70-200mm f/2.8 II.

Mark

(Download)

marine73 Loc: Modesto California

zug55 wrote:

Don't book your flight on a Boeing 787 Dreamliner--their windows have a tinting technology that blocks 99% of the light and that is controlled centrally. You still can see during takeoff and landing, but the windows are darkened in flight.

You are usually subject to the type of aircraft that the airline has determined that is needed on the route. High volume routes will get the larger wide body 767,777,787 etc.. So you may request not to be booked on a 787 but the airline has the right to swap out the equipment for something that is more suitable or if they have to reposition an aircraft to another airport.

Since I work for a major airline the employees have their own reservation system and we can see what equipment will be flown, that does not mean that when we get to the airport that it will be the same as when we made the reservation. I have booked a flight from TUL OK to SFO CA via Houston TX, the leg from IAH to SFO said the equipment was a 787, when we got to the gate the equipment had been changed to a 777. Since we fly standby we were still able to get on the flight.

I was so looking forward to flying the 787 and was a bit disappointed but was able to fly the 787 on another trip.

frankraney Loc: Clovis, Ca.

Longshadow wrote:

A rubber lens hood you can put up against the window to help eliminate any glare from cabin lights.
I just shoot normally, adjusting the exposure as required.

amfoto1 Loc: San Jose, Calif. USA

bsprague wrote:

...Airplanes vibrate so if you connect the camera to the airframe, it too will vibrate. Don't use a tripod and don't hold the lens against the plastic window. Hold the camera in a way that your arms and body act as a vibration dampene....

This is why a rubber lens hood should be used, pressed gently up against the window to eliminate reflections.

Even so, most commercial aircraft use double windows... inner and outer. So there still may be some reflection on the outer window. Can't do anything about that.

The Sigma 50mm f/1.4 Art lens has a 77mm diameter filter thread, so a rubber hood like this would work:

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/11158-REG/B_W_65069614_77mm_Screw_In_Folding_Rubber.html

I haven't used one, but see there now is a silicone hood especially for shooting through windows.

https://www.ultimatelenshood.com/en-us/collections/frontpage/products/ulh-l

joecichjr Loc: Chicago S. Suburbs, Illinois, USA

markngolf wrote:

That's exactly how I shot the Grand Canyon and Hoover Dam on a trip from the North Rim to Las Vegas.
Thanks for reminding me, Bill!!

Canon 5d MIII, 70-200mm f/2.8 II.

Mark

A gorgeous shot, Mark

Happy Holidays - and I'm glad to see you're feeling well

joecichjr Loc: Chicago S. Suburbs, Illinois, USA

uhaas2009 wrote:

I used my phone in the airplane. The most problem is the reflection in the window. I believe that a rubber lens hood and polarizer will do the job. And haze is stronger in Germany. The window is relatively small and I was close to wings. When I fly to Germany I sit on the left side and back I’m on the right- to see the landscape.
This pics is Frankfurt am Main (I changed airplane to Munich) I forgotten how big airport are and good walking shoes and the gear packed so for easy carry it.

An outstandingly beautiful vista 💚💙💚💙💚