Uploaded October 2021 | Updated September 2026, 6 hours ago
You don't have to be TOO fancy to photograph Aurora. Chances are what you already have in your pocket can do the job. But what else do you have the might also work? What should you get? I've got you covered!
This video is the first stop on making full fledged timelapse video of Aurora, part of a 6 part series that will take you from gear, to producing an image sequence to outputting to a final video.
Join me on Patreon! patreon.com/scienceoutthere
Or Discord! discord.gg/5hjd885
Or Twitter! twitter.com/ScienceOutThere
Next video in the series: Making Timelapses, Tips and tricks: youtu.be/2VU5hhzrG2s
#NorthernLights #photography #Howto
Jen Jelle on Visual Aurora
youtu.be/mLEd_s3arh4
On Sony S&Q Mode:
Unfortunately one glaring limitation is that you can only go down to 1s total exposure for each frame. However this is good enough for Stage2 and Stage3 Aurora. In fact sometimes I was down to 1/4s for Stage2 Aurora. ISO will likely be in the 3200 to 20,000 range. For Stage3, as low as ISO1600 and 1/4s. I typically output to 60fps and then slow or speed things up as needed in post. I use all S-Cine picture profile and 10-bit color 4:2:2 at 200mbps. Daylight White Balance. S-Cine is pretty close to what your eyes see and still provides plenty of flexibility in post---just down blowout your highlights! Use S-Log3 if you prefer!
On using a DJI Mavic Mini 2:
Disable the front LED. Also enable "upward tilt" on the camera so you can see more above the horizon. You'll need nearly perfectly calm winds if you want to make a timelapse! At 4s per frame you are likely only going to get about 150-200 images before your battery runs out and you have to land and re-install a battery. I think an ideal scenario for a drone shooting aurora is a small amount of moonlight behind the drone, with Stage2 aurora ahead. Preferably a landscape covered in snow, or some nice jagged peaks as a silhouette.
Cameras used in this video:
Sony A7sIII
Canon 6D Mk II
Canon T3i
Canon T2i
Canon Powershot A60
Kodak DC290 Zoom
Kodak DC210
iPhone 11 Pro Max
GoPro Hero 7
DJI Mavic Mini 2
Canon AE-1
Lenses:
Tokina 11-17mm F2.8
Tokina 12-20mm F4
Tamron 24-70 F2.8
Sigma 20mm F1.4 Art
Canon 50mm F1.4
You are watching me on a Tamron 28-200mm F2.8-5.6
You don't have to be TOO fancy to photograph Aurora. Chances are what you already have in your pocket can do the job. But what else do you have the might also work? What should you get? I've got you covered!
This video is the first stop on making full fledged timelapse video of Aurora, part of a 6 part series that will take you from gear, to producing an image sequence to outputting to a final video.
Join me on Patreon! patreon.com/scienceoutthere
Or Discord! discord.gg/5hjd885
Or Twitter! twitter.com/ScienceOutThere
Next video in the series: Making Timelapses, Tips and tricks: youtu.be/2VU5hhzrG2s
#NorthernLights #photography #Howto
Jen Jelle on Visual Aurora
youtu.be/mLEd_s3arh4
On Sony S&Q Mode:
Unfortunately one glaring limitation is that you can only go down to 1s total exposure for each frame. However this is good enough for Stage2 and Stage3 Aurora. In fact sometimes I was down to 1/4s for Stage2 Aurora. ISO will likely be in the 3200 to 20,000 range. For Stage3, as low as ISO1600 and 1/4s. I typically output to 60fps and then slow or speed things up as needed in post. I use all S-Cine picture profile and 10-bit color 4:2:2 at 200mbps. Daylight White Balance. S-Cine is pretty close to what your eyes see and still provides plenty of flexibility in post---just down blowout your highlights! Use S-Log3 if you prefer!
On using a DJI Mavic Mini 2:
Disable the front LED. Also enable "upward tilt" on the camera so you can see more above the horizon. You'll need nearly perfectly calm winds if you want to make a timelapse! At 4s per frame you are likely only going to get about 150-200 images before your battery runs out and you have to land and re-install a battery. I think an ideal scenario for a drone shooting aurora is a small amount of moonlight behind the drone, with Stage2 aurora ahead. Preferably a landscape covered in snow, or some nice jagged peaks as a silhouette.
Cameras used in this video:
Sony A7sIII
Canon 6D Mk II
Canon T3i
Canon T2i
Canon Powershot A60
Kodak DC290 Zoom
Kodak DC210
iPhone 11 Pro Max
GoPro Hero 7
DJI Mavic Mini 2
Canon AE-1
Lenses:
Tokina 11-17mm F2.8
Tokina 12-20mm F4
Tamron 24-70 F2.8
Sigma 20mm F1.4 Art
Canon 50mm F1.4
You are watching me on a Tamron 28-200mm F2.8-5.6
