Camera Advice Please

wildherbalian85 · #1 (**permalink**) 19-07-2009, 06:31 PM

I am thinking of going to Scandinavia next year in the spring to see the northern lights (hopefully). I really would like to be able to take photos should i get the chance to see the lights but i am not sure what kind of camera i should be using. I am a total amature with regards to camera equipment and i do not have a great amount of money, so paying £500+ for a camera is not an option.

I would like to know if there are any easy to use and affordable cameras out there that would be suited for the job of photographing these beautiful lights.

Thank you

ron1863 · #2 (**permalink**) 19-07-2009, 07:14 PM

I would imagine that a bridge camera would suit your purposes.

BillyPilgrim · #3 (**permalink**) 19-07-2009, 08:03 PM

I would have thought that most cameras that let you control the shutter speed/aperture and can be mounted on a tripod would do.

But thats the easy bit. Getting decent results will probably be a bit tricky and require a fair bit of practice.

I'd suggest that you get your camera in time for bonfire night and spend a few hours outside photographing the fireworks.

You could also gain experience with other types of night photography. Such as moving cars (headlights/tailights) from a motorway bridge.

Phil&Belinda · #4 (**permalink**) 19-07-2009, 09:29 PM

Hi,

There are some excellent camera review sites, and this one always includes a night shot test with photos included. It might be worth checking out:
Unbiased Digital Camera Reviews and News | Digital Camera Resource Page

He's recently done a comparison review on a group of the latest super zoom bridge cameras, all under £500, so one of those might suit your purposes.

wildherbalian85 · #5 (**permalink**) 20-07-2009, 05:21 PM

thank you for the advice, i feel i should say that i really am not all that clued up when it comes to photography and have still to completely understand all th efunctions of my current camera.... i guess i will have to read into this stuff. Ron, what if i may ask (without sounding stupid) is a bridge camera??

Thank you to for the link i shall be having a good look at that

captaincarot · #6 (**permalink**) 20-07-2009, 05:53 PM

a bridge camera is one that fits in the gap between slr and compact, i.e. the superzooms mentioned in the posts above.

have a look at fuji finepix S series for examples though lots of other companies do equivalent models.

PentaxPete · #7 (**permalink**) 20-07-2009, 07:13 PM

Make sure you check out the Panasonic Lumix bridge cams. I had several bridge cams in the past, both from Fuji and Panasonic, before going full DSLR.

I can tell you the Pana's are brilliant and have got even better as technology has accelerated

wildherbalian85 · #8 (**permalink**) 14-10-2009, 10:04 PM

So here is an update...

My old camera packed it and i was forced to go out and buy a new one

The camera i bought was not a top of the range digital attachable lens one, but i think it is pretty good non the less.

I got a Kodak Easyshare Z915

It has 10x optical zoom.

Here is an example of night photography...

Not brilliant i know but when tweaked slightly by adding a little extra light to bring out the detail..

Still not brilliant but for what its worth not bad.

I will though have to obtain a Tripod

nytecam · #9 (**permalink**) 15-10-2009, 08:54 AM

I regularly record noctilucent cloud [around summer solstice] and brighter stars with a regular [and thus cheap sub £100] digital compact camera and it should serve to record the Northen Lights [=aurora] when set on 'night mode' [= exposure 3s-6s] and high ISO [say 800-1600 ISO setting] and of course on a tripod - an mini pocketable tripod will serve set on a wall etc. To remove shake [from touching the cam] use the 'delayed action' eg self portrait setting.

Aurora are huge and need a wideangle lens setting and this also uses the lens at its fastest to let in more light than when the cam is fully 'zoomed out' for narrow angle shots.

You can test your cam now on the night sky before you holiday

PS: looking at the spec at http://www.steves-digicams.com/camer...fications.html
the wideangle =35mm equiv @ f/3.5; exp max=16s and ISO 100-1600 so it should do fine - good luck

AlphaZeroOne · #10 (**permalink**) 15-10-2009, 11:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wildherbalian85

I am thinking of going to Scandinavia next year in the spring to see the northern lights (hopefully). I really would like to be able to take photos should i get the chance to see the lights but i am not sure what kind of camera i should be using. I am a total amature with regards to camera equipment and i do not have a great amount of money, so paying £500+ for a camera is not an option.

I would like to know if there are any easy to use and affordable cameras out there that would be suited for the job of photographing these beautiful lights.

Thank you

Hi Wild

I have been lucky enough to be able to see the Northern Lights - even 'hear' them! Not a sight that is easily forgotten. The display can last for a few minutes up to an hour or more - depending on the weather and atmospheric conditions.

If I were to go to see them again I would certainly consider using a video camera rather than a DSLR to record the whole show. A decent HD video camera is well within your stated budget and with the very low lux shooting ability of the modern VC you would be certain to catch the whole show rather than snap shoots and struggling to get the right exposure etc.

With HD you can then grab still frames from the video to print out as photographs. This will also enable to you capture just the right frame rather than having to settle for the still shots captured (with luck) on a DSLR.

Just a thought.

Good luck!