Northern lights map5/31/2023 Your first question will no doubt regard the best lens for Northern Lights photography. Shutter Release - helps to avoid camera shakeĪfter sorting out the best DSLR camera, it’s time to consider the other equipment you will need. Tripod - a sturdy tripod that won’t shake or slip These are the essentials for Northern Lights photography:ĭSLR Camera (Full Frame cameras are preferable) Best Camera Equipment for Northern Lights Photography This will come at a fraction of the cost of purchasing a new lens. You can always rent high-quality camera lenses that suit the shots you’re trying to take for a specified time period. More affordable options such as the Sony Alpha A6000 and the Nikon D3500 should still meet the needs of non-professional photographers when used with the right equipment.Īs is often the case with photography, it’s usually more worthwhile to invest more into a high-quality lens than a high-quality camera. The Nikon D810, D850 and Z7 are some of the best cameras for Northern Lights photography, as are the Canon EOS 5DS R and the Sony a7R IV. Luckily, most modern cameras designed for landscape photography are quite durable and built for a range of different climates. More upmarket mirrorless cameras can also be used to good effect for photographing the Northern Lights.ĭue to the cold of the winters in Iceland, it is advised that your camera should have a solid casing, designed for harsh weather conditions. These cameras work best in low light situations. To get the very best images of the aurora borealis, it’s preferable to have a full-frame or 35 mm DSLR camera with decent ISO capabilities (ideally between 2,000 and 12,800). However, when you use the right equipment and start to practice it becomes second nature to snapshots of one of the world's natural wonders. Learning how to photograph the Northern Lights with a DSLR camera takes time to master. They are a truly impressive spectacle, whatever their cause.Best DSLR Cameras for Northern Lights Photography But by all means don’t let any scientific explanation spoil your appreciation of the beauty of the Northern Lights. What our ancestors may have thought when they gazed into the brightly-lit winter sky is quite another matter. The phenomenon is easily explained by modern science. At lower altitudes, where there is higher pressure, the impact-irritated oxygen molecules may glow with a greenish tinge and sometimes there is a reddish lower border created by particles colliding with nitrogen molecules in the immediate vicinity. At extremely high altitudes where the pressure is low, there tends to be a reddish glow produced by oxygen molecules when they are struck by the tiny particles of the solar wind. White and green are usually the dominant hues but sometimes there are considerable colour variations, as the pressure and composition of the atmosphere varies at different altitudes. While rushing around endlessly in their magnetic trap, some particles escape into the earth’s atmosphere where they begin to hit molecules and these impacts cause the molecules to glow, thus creating the auroras. Tiny particles, protons and electrons caused by electronic storms on the sun (solar wind) are trapped in the earth’s magnetic field where they begin to spiral back and forth along the magnetic lines of force – circle around the magnetic pole, so to speak. What causes this spectacular phenomenon, so characteristic of our Northern Lights here in Iceland? Well, electricity is the answer - and of course it all goes back to the sun. The Northern Lights can be seen in aurora belts that form 20-25 degrees around the geomagnetic poles, both in the north and the south. This phenomenon occurs in the outermost layer of the atmosphere, created by electrically charged particles that make the thin air shine, not unlike a fluorescent light. The Northern Lights occur high above the surface of the earth where the atmosphere has become extremely thin, at an altitude of 100-250 km. The Northern Lights – also called Aurora Borealis – are among the most spectacular shows on earth, frequently seen in North Iceland and its surroundings on clear and crisp nights. The chances of seeing the Northern Lights are 66% during a three nights stay in North Iceland, and 90% for a five nights stay. These tours can include a visit to geothermal bathing areas, evening boat tours, snow cat tours or sightseeing in unique locations. Enjoy the clear skies by simply looking upwards towards those dancing, flickering veils of light in green, white or red, or take a guided northern lights tour to excellent observation and photography locations. Northern Lights can be seen in North Iceland from the end of August to mid- April. Visit North Iceland Official Travel Guide to North Iceland
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