How do I take Pictures of the Northern Lights with a Canon 350D?

Question

I just got this camera and live in the extreme North. While triing to Photograph the lights the camera doesn't seem to be able to focus. I've set the camera to M, however even with the apparture and shutter setting it still seems to be attempting to focus on a single target. I have a remote and tripod and want to get a long exposure picture like with my old 35 but I can't find a setting that will let me open the shutter manually The booklet with the camera doesn't seem to have much more to offer. The other problem is at -45 I can't sit out there for 40 minutes playing with settings triing to get the thing to work.

Answer 1

I amnot familiar with Canon-speak, but I'm looking at a few pictures of the camera. If someone comes along who knows what they are talking about, great. So far, you have a couple of non-answers, though, so I thought I'd see what I could learn.

You want "B" and I think you can find this under the "M" setting. Once you have that, you can use your remote and tripod (way to go!) and try several durations of exposure. Of course, you want the flash off and you want to focus at infinity. That's your problem. There should be a switch on the lens labeled "AF/MF" and you want to set it to "MF." Then you can focus at infinity and it will not change.

With a very long exposure, noise will be a problem, even if you select a low ISO. I don't know how to do it, but set long exposure noise reduction to "ON." This may soften your image somewhat, but the Northern Lights are already pretty soft, aren't they?

Answer 2

aiming the cmera at the subject and pressing the button would be a good place to start, but i also suggest you take several pictures on different settings and see which is best

Answer 3

oh i wish i could watch the nothern light someday. i live in sweden so the chances are very high.. hum can't answer your question sorry. But go to a store or something and ask them they should no..

Answer 4

aint gonna happen