Two pieces of kit make the biggest difference to aurora photos: a fast wide lens and a stable tripod. Get these right and the settings fall into place.
Here's what to look for, and how to handle the Arctic cold.
The lens
Aim for a wide focal length (14–24mm) and a fast aperture (f/2.8 or wider). Wide captures the whole sky and foreground; fast lets in more light so you can keep ISO and shutter reasonable. A wide f/1.8 prime is ideal if you have one.
The tripod
Aurora exposures are several seconds long, so any movement ruins the shot. Choose a stable tripod, weigh it down in wind (hang your bag from it), and use a remote or 2-second timer. Even a small travel tripod beats none.
Cold-weather survival
- Keep spare batteries warm in an inside pocket — cold halves their life
- Fit lens hoods and wipe off frost gently
- Let gear warm up slowly indoors (in the bag) to avoid condensation
Simple setup
Not into gear? A phone on a small tripod in Night mode captures the aurora too. See our full camera settings guide.