Frequently asked questions

There are several different cameras and types to choose from, and this is just a general walkthrough. For a "full" article on northern lights photography go to our blog. For daylight photography all cameras sold today are sufficient. Ranging from small compacts as low as 50 euros to the big DSLR cameras that can get just as expensive as you want. And nowadays most people already have a very good camera in their pocket - your mobile phone. For low light- and northern lights photography, the more money you throw at it is usually better. But you don´t need a 7000-euro Leica camera to get decent pictures - we can recommend both the Nikon Z-series and the Sony R-series as good full frame cameras. The main thing you have to look for is a camera where you are able to control the settings manually - this is because you are going to shoot in an environment most cameras are not prepared for, and you will have to tell your camera what to do. Ask your retailer, the manual settings are usually marked by the letter M on the settings wheel on the camera housing. The small compact cameras are better left at home. The menus rarely allow for manual settings, and if they do have manual settings, they usually have limitations on shutter speed, ISO, and aperture. With small sensors you also need a lot of light, meaning that even on good evenings you will have to use very long exposure times. Again, some of the mobile phones sold in the last couple of years are going to give you nice pictures on nights when the lights are reasonably strong. Two of the models I have tried myself, and that gave me very good pictures are the iPhone 11 PRO and the Huawei P30 PRO - but there are probably also others out there. (This updates by the month - in short, today it is possible to get nice-looking pictures with newer phones even on days with weaker lights). Bridge- /fixed lens cameras are another category where the camera is usually very versatile with its zoom capabilities ranging from very wide to very long. Some of these models are good for northern lights photography, but in our experience, many of the models have menu systems that limit how you set the camera manually as needed when it is dark. Some of our guests travel with GoPro cameras, and we have seen good results using the night-/low light mode both for pictures and timelapse. In weak lights, this camera will also have its limitations. The battery capacity being a very big issue in cold weather conditions. This might have gotten better over the last couple of years, and you will have to check your specific model. DSLR or mirrorless cameras in the same category are normally the best cameras for low-light photography. They give you full control in manual settings and have big sensors allowing for short exposures even in situations where the lights are not strong. The challenge is of course that you need some practice to operate them. For years we have been using a Nikon D750 with a 14-24mm lens, and we are very happy with the image quality and battery capacity in cold weather. From 2024 we are using the Nikon Z8, and we are happy with the results so far. The camera only does 50% of the work, remember to practice before you get up north.

Our blogpost on northern lights photography covers the basic and general settings. The settings will vary to some degree between cameras and models, and it is impossible to give an exact answer.

Our blog post on northern lights photography covers some of the tips and tricks that are nice to know. In short: - Bring a tripod. We usually bring one extra as well. - Bring an extra battery, keep it warm when out. - Bring wide angle and low aperture lens (f2,8 and lower is good, but f4.5 works fine on most evenings). - Remove straps/stuff that works as "sails" when outdoors in the wind. - Bring cable for tethered exposures if you have one. Some cameras can also be operated via Bluetooth/Wi-Fi) - The Kp is not always the most important measure of NL activity. Ask your guide about the conditions. - Learn your camera. Everything is harder in a cold and dark environment - with mittens. - Be careful with light, you need your night vision. Turn off your flash and learn the settings to avoid using a headlight! - Be patient - everything can happen in a few seconds! Good luck!

There are several different cameras and types to choose from, and this is just a general walkthrough. For a "full" article on northern lights photography go to our blog. For daylight photography all cameras sold today are sufficient. Ranging from small compacts as low as 50 euros to the big DSLR cameras that can get just as expensive as you want. And nowadays most people already have a very good camera in their pocket - your mobile phone. For low light- and northern lights photography, the more money you throw at it is usually better. But you don´t need a 7000-euro Leica camera to get decent pictures - we can recommend both the Nikon Z-series and the Sony R-series as good full frame cameras. The main thing you have to look for is a camera where you are able to control the settings manually - this is because you are going to shoot in an environment most cameras are not prepared for, and you will have to tell your camera what to do. Ask your retailer, the manual settings are usually marked by the letter M on the settings wheel on the camera housing. The small compact cameras are better left at home. The menus rarely allow for manual settings, and if they do have manual settings, they usually have limitations on shutter speed, ISO, and aperture. With small sensors you also need a lot of light, meaning that even on good evenings you will have to use very long exposure times. Again, some of the mobile phones sold in the last couple of years are going to give you nice pictures on nights when the lights are reasonably strong. Two of the models I have tried myself, and that gave me very good pictures are the iPhone 11 PRO and the Huawei P30 PRO - but there are probably also others out there. (This updates by the month - in short, today it is possible to get nice-looking pictures with newer phones even on days with weaker lights). Bridge- /fixed lens cameras are another category where the camera is usually very versatile with its zoom capabilities ranging from very wide to very long. Some of these models are good for northern lights photography, but in our experience, many of the models have menu systems that limit how you set the camera manually as needed when it is dark. Some of our guests travel with GoPro cameras, and we have seen good results using the night-/low light mode both for pictures and timelapse. In weak lights, this camera will also have its limitations. The battery capacity being a very big issue in cold weather conditions. This might have gotten better over the last couple of years, and you will have to check your specific model. DSLR or mirrorless cameras in the same category are normally the best cameras for low-light photography. They give you full control in manual settings and have big sensors allowing for short exposures even in situations where the lights are not strong. The challenge is of course that you need some practice to operate them. For years we have been using a Nikon D750 with a 14-24mm lens, and we are very happy with the image quality and battery capacity in cold weather. From 2024 we are using the Nikon Z8, and we are happy with the results so far. The camera only does 50% of the work, remember to practice before you get up north.

Our blogpost on northern lights photography covers the basic and general settings. The settings will vary to some degree between cameras and models, and it is impossible to give an exact answer.

Our blog post on northern lights photography covers some of the tips and tricks that are nice to know. In short: - Bring a tripod. We usually bring one extra as well. - Bring an extra battery, keep it warm when out. - Bring wide angle and low aperture lens (f2,8 and lower is good, but f4.5 works fine on most evenings). - Remove straps/stuff that works as "sails" when outdoors in the wind. - Bring cable for tethered exposures if you have one. Some cameras can also be operated via Bluetooth/Wi-Fi) - The Kp is not always the most important measure of NL activity. Ask your guide about the conditions. - Learn your camera. Everything is harder in a cold and dark environment - with mittens. - Be careful with light, you need your night vision. Turn off your flash and learn the settings to avoid using a headlight! - Be patient - everything can happen in a few seconds! Good luck!

There are several different cameras and types to choose from, and this is just a general walkthrough. For a "full" article on northern lights photography go to our blog. For daylight photography all cameras sold today are sufficient. Ranging from small compacts as low as 50 euros to the big DSLR cameras that can get just as expensive as you want. And nowadays most people already have a very good camera in their pocket - your mobile phone. For low light- and northern lights photography, the more money you throw at it is usually better. But you don´t need a 7000-euro Leica camera to get decent pictures - we can recommend both the Nikon Z-series and the Sony R-series as good full frame cameras. The main thing you have to look for is a camera where you are able to control the settings manually - this is because you are going to shoot in an environment most cameras are not prepared for, and you will have to tell your camera what to do. Ask your retailer, the manual settings are usually marked by the letter M on the settings wheel on the camera housing. The small compact cameras are better left at home. The menus rarely allow for manual settings, and if they do have manual settings, they usually have limitations on shutter speed, ISO, and aperture. With small sensors you also need a lot of light, meaning that even on good evenings you will have to use very long exposure times. Again, some of the mobile phones sold in the last couple of years are going to give you nice pictures on nights when the lights are reasonably strong. Two of the models I have tried myself, and that gave me very good pictures are the iPhone 11 PRO and the Huawei P30 PRO - but there are probably also others out there. (This updates by the month - in short, today it is possible to get nice-looking pictures with newer phones even on days with weaker lights). Bridge- /fixed lens cameras are another category where the camera is usually very versatile with its zoom capabilities ranging from very wide to very long. Some of these models are good for northern lights photography, but in our experience, many of the models have menu systems that limit how you set the camera manually as needed when it is dark. Some of our guests travel with GoPro cameras, and we have seen good results using the night-/low light mode both for pictures and timelapse. In weak lights, this camera will also have its limitations. The battery capacity being a very big issue in cold weather conditions. This might have gotten better over the last couple of years, and you will have to check your specific model. DSLR or mirrorless cameras in the same category are normally the best cameras for low-light photography. They give you full control in manual settings and have big sensors allowing for short exposures even in situations where the lights are not strong. The challenge is of course that you need some practice to operate them. For years we have been using a Nikon D750 with a 14-24mm lens, and we are very happy with the image quality and battery capacity in cold weather. From 2024 we are using the Nikon Z8, and we are happy with the results so far. The camera only does 50% of the work, remember to practice before you get up north.

Our blogpost on northern lights photography covers the basic and general settings. The settings will vary to some degree between cameras and models, and it is impossible to give an exact answer.

Our blog post on northern lights photography covers some of the tips and tricks that are nice to know. In short: - Bring a tripod. We usually bring one extra as well. - Bring an extra battery, keep it warm when out. - Bring wide angle and low aperture lens (f2,8 and lower is good, but f4.5 works fine on most evenings). - Remove straps/stuff that works as "sails" when outdoors in the wind. - Bring cable for tethered exposures if you have one. Some cameras can also be operated via Bluetooth/Wi-Fi) - The Kp is not always the most important measure of NL activity. Ask your guide about the conditions. - Learn your camera. Everything is harder in a cold and dark environment - with mittens. - Be careful with light, you need your night vision. Turn off your flash and learn the settings to avoid using a headlight! - Be patient - everything can happen in a few seconds! Good luck!