[Short version] How to photograph the northern lights with an SLR camera

Photographing northern lights is not difficult, if you know how to do it.
The first thing we will need is a camera. Any SLR camera is suitable for this purpose: even the lowest end cameras can do it.
There are some concepts that need to be developed and understood before going out into the cold nights and being completely dissapointed because the gear did not work...

If you are looking for a short guide, this is what you need to know:



- Tripod
- Remote shutter
- Mirror lock
- Low F number (maximum aperture)
- Manual focus to infinity
- Turn off any image stabilizer
- Long exposure time
- Mid-range ISO (ISO and exposure time are somehow dependent on each other; the higher the ISO, the lower the exposure time and the more the noise)
-No flash

For example:
Once you are in the proper place, with all your gear ready, you can start with ISO 1000, 15 seconds, F 2.8. Then, you can adjust the parameters depending on the environmental conditions and your goals: shorter exposure times will require higher ISO or lower F (or both), lower ISO will require longer exposure times or lower F.


The next posts will explain the concepts with more detail

   ISO 800, F 3.5, 15 seconds exposure. Shot in Tromsø, northern Norway