The best northern light camera

In other words... what camera do I need to see northern lights?

I have received several questions about this issue via e-mail, so I will explain a little bit about cameras. I have already explained in previous posts (short version and long version) how to take pictures of a northern light with your SLR camera. Although this information may be a bit too shallow for the most experienced photographers, this is the cheat-sheet most of newcomers use for northern light photography.

However, the market is filled with plenty of cameras that have several different features, and choosing the right equipment can be really painful for most of us.

I will not do a review of all the equipment available in the market, but I will rather give a small piece of advice: the best camera is the one you have. Learn to use it, and learn to love it. The rest will come by itself.

I have taken photos of northern lights with a point and shoot camera, which were (when I took them) the best pictures I would dream of taking. After a while, I saw that the camera had several limitations, and decided to upgrade for a low-end SLR camera. My budget was quite low at that time, and I bought an Olympus E-420 (read the technical review here). Why?
It was an SLR camera, and it was a bundled offer including two kit lenses. I had no idea of sensors, crop factor, benchmark tests... I decided that I would learn by doing. I never bought an extra lens for that camera, as I was more than satisfied with the results by then. Does this photo look bad to you?

ISO 800, f=3.5, 5 seconds exposure time

After some time, I started seeing the limitations of the camera, and I decided to go for another upgrade. I bought a Canon EOS 60D: it felt like a major upgrade, and I invested on a Samyang 14mm f2.8 lens. That investment happened three years ago, and I am still using the same equipment. And I am learning how to use it every time I take a photo…

In conclusion: you can always buy a better camera, a newer model, a better lens... but sometimes, a low-end camera is all you need.

Do you need help choosing a camera or a lens? Contact me or ask on the facebook page!