CurleyB Loc: MAITLAND FL

I am a new member. Planning on a trip this winter to see the Northern Lights. Looking for recommendations for best lens, filter and settings. I have a Nikon d-3200 (no lectures please). Most of my current photos are indoor events and eBay sales items.

Apaflo Loc: Anchorage, Alaska

A stable tripod that handles well at low temperatures is necessary. Shutter speeds range from 1 second up to 30 seconds. (Turn off long exposure noise reduction.)

If the lights are weaker or not moving then longer shutter speeds are better. For dancing lights and moving curtains use shorter speeds.

Wide angle lenses are nice. And keep in mind that it is the skyline that makes the shot, not the Aurora itself. Pick a location that provides an interesting foreground.

You do not need to shoot wide open with a fast lens! But a fast fixed focal length lens that is stopped down a bit will give the sharpest images.

ORpilot Loc: Prineville, Or

You need a fast, wide angle lens. As for settings, start with whatever your camera tells you. I would set my ISO fairly high, 2500 as a starting point. F stop at wide open. Use a tripod. Don't forget to have several batteries in your pants pockets to keep them warm. Depending on the outside temperature, you may wish to change them out as often as every 15 min. Depending on they type of Northern Lights, you may have to bump up the shutter speed to 1/125 or 1/250 for the fast moving NL curtains. You also may want to change around your White Balance too. I generally shoot my Milky Way photos on Florescent. But most NL are green so that may not be a good idea. Also you will need to go into manual focus and prefocus to infinity or your horizon. Do not breathe on your camer. It will fog up and the fog will freeze. At really cold temperatures, just the humidity from your eyes will fog the viewfinder. The only way to unfrost you camera or lens is to go back inside and warm it up. Do not remove your cold lens from the camera when you get. Back inside, otherwise you will have condensation forming on the inside of your camera and lens. It is possible that the condensation will ruin your camera on the inside. Enjoy the show and your hot chocolate.

JPL

Use your 18-55 lens, maybe you need to focus manually. ISO 100, shutter speed 5-20 seconds, wide open aperture, tripod, 2 sec timer on the shutter. Warm clothes. Check your first shot and fine tune your settings accordingly to the results. That is about it.

Uuglypher Loc: South Dakota (East River)

Now there is a good, concise, helpful response!
All excellent points.
Wish I’d known them at 2:00 AM New Year’s Day twenty-five years ago about 20 miles N of Circle Hot Springs. Was wakened by the sound of radio static...but had no radio. Never knew you could hear the Lights! Eerie!

Dave

Whuff Loc: Marshalltown, Iowa

I’d be interested in knowing the reasoning behind the advice to turn off long exposure noise reduction. It seems counterintuitive. Please keep in mind that I’ve never shot the northern lights so I have no experience in that area.

Walt

Apaflo Loc: Anchorage, Alaska

Long exposure noise reduction works by taking a second "exposure" with the shutter closed and then subracting that from the real image. Each shot takes twice as long as normal. There is very little if any benefit for this type of photography, especially if it is really cold.

Whuff Loc: Marshalltown, Iowa

I’m aware of how it works, I thought maybe there was a more technical reason for turning it off. I’ve been using it but maybe I should do some experimenting to see if It makes any difference in my images. I’ve rarely done long exposures in cold temps so I havent had problems with battery life.

Walt

SteveR Loc: Michigan

I've just seen a nice video of the northern lights taken from Michigan. Don't forget to try to take a video as well.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Have fun!

https://iso.500px.com/northern-lights-photo-tutorial/
https://petapixel.com/2014/04/18/beginning-photographers-guide-photographing-northern-lights/
https://photographylife.com/how-to-photograph-the-northern-lights
https://improvephotography.com/10497/how-to-photograph-the-aurora-borealis-made-easy/

fourg1b2006 Loc: Long Island New York

Hope you have a great trip...welcome to the forum.

Ed Chu Loc: Las Vegas NV

there is a company called BorrowLenses.com which rents just about any piece of glass ( along with almost everything photographic ); great outfit, well run; consider renting
that glass that you might need only for a one-time purpose

Apaflo Loc: Anchorage, Alaska

I would suggest ignoring all of these links. Each does have some very good information, but they are all very nearly wrong on 30 to 40 percent of what they say.

1) Do NOT focus at infinity. Better would be on something a few hundred yards to a mile in the distance. Check the DOF for your aperture and focal length to understand why.

2) Do not shoot with the lens wide open unless you have an exceptiomal lens. Most lenses will provide far better images when stopped down at least 1 fstop, or 2 stops with a faster lens.

3) You generally do not need a remote release. There is some advantage if shooting at 1 to 3 seconds with bright fast moving Aurora, and no advantage at slower shutter speeds.

4) ISO depends on your camera. One fstop higher with a full frame sensor than with an APS-C cropped sensor and less with smaller sensors. Your ability with processing, and willingness to shoot in RAW format is significant.

5) All links gave good advice on managing spare batteries at cold temperatures. Also take care not to breath warm moist air on the camera as that can put and end to shooting for the rest of that night. Look up how to avoid condensation when taking a cold camera inside too.

Goober Loc: Southeastern PA

There is a very good 126 page book available titled "Photographing the Aurora Borealis". It is written by Andy Long of First Light Photography who is also a columnist and assistant editor of Nature Photographer magazine. This book covers everything you will ever want to know about photographing the aurora. Andy's e-mail address is: firstlightphotoworkshops@gmail.com The book is $24.95 and published by Amherst Media.