Oriana in search of the Northern Lights

Well - we found them!! And boy was it worth it!!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/sharonsshiptravels/sets/72157642957600414/

Well - we found them!! And boy was it worth it!!

 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/sharonsshiptravels/sets/72157642957600414/

Looks like you picked the best of the two Oriana cruises. Glad you had a good time.

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

Looks like you picked the best of the two Oriana cruises. Glad you had a good time.

 

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

It was the only one when I booked. So much for not being able to see the Aurora with a full moon!!

It was the only one when I booked. So much for not being able to see the Aurora with a full moon!!

The pictures look fabulous - so glad you saw them. I'm booked on this cruise next march & am so excited already. I hope I'm that lucky :D.

I'm keeping an eye out for suitable clothing, would be grateful for any suggestions! I already have my snow boots :p

Alison

Long sleeved Merino wool base layers, fleece lined outdoor trousers, if very cold base layer leggings. Now is the time to buy as its the end of the season for such items.

Wow amazing pics - planning a Fjords cruise for Summer 2015 but really want to see the Northern Lights so would have to come back in the winter! :)

I was reading the reviews over on the other site, sounds like a really wonderful cruise, DH and I now thinking about doing next March. So thank you so much for sharing.

Long sleeved Merino wool base layers, fleece lined outdoor trousers, if very cold base layer leggings. Now is the time to buy as its the end of the season for such items.

Thanks Thejuggler - I'm starting my list! :D

Thanks Thejuggler - I'm starting my list! :D

We were on the last cruise and the fashion police would have had a ball - Telly Tubbies or Rolly Polies spring to mind.

Seriously though don't overdo it - layers are the answer

Thanks Thejuggler - I'm starting my list! :D

M&S grade 4 thermals were fine. You definitely need silk liner gloves if you want to work a camera! At the coldest - -28C - I wore two pairs M&S thermal leggings, cotton trackie trousers, waterproof overtrousers, thermal socks and snow boots (for grip). On top I had a long-sleeve thermal vest, short sleeve thermal vest, thin knitted cotton polo neck top, polartec fleece and waterproof coat. My best buy was a thermal hood from Aldi! And you need waterproof mittens to go over the silk liner gloves. Also - get some ice grips. Mine were YakTrax which are spring type so I didn't always have to remove them indoors, whereas the spiky kind had to be removed.

I was warm as toast and believe me - we didn't care what we looked like!!

M&S grade 4 thermals were fine. You definitely need silk liner gloves if you want to work a camera! At the coldest - -28C - I wore two pairs M&S thermal leggings, cotton trackie trousers, waterproof overtrousers, thermal socks and snow boots (for grip). On top I had a long-sleeve thermal vest, short sleeve thermal vest, thin knitted cotton polo neck top, polartec fleece and waterproof coat. My best buy was a thermal hood from Aldi! And you need waterproof mittens to go over the silk liner gloves. Also - get some ice grips. Mine were YakTrax which are spring type so I didn't always have to remove them indoors, whereas the spiky kind had to be removed.

 

I was warm as toast and believe me - we didn't care what we looked like!!

You do look very warm & bundled up!! Thanks Sharon, the list is really helpful. I already have some boots, socks & grips - though don't think they've got springs on them! :)

Oh - and don't plan on using a toilet while dressed for outdoors - unless you have plenty of time!!

Since a few of you are going next year - this is what we were told (or learned the hard way) on how to photograph the Northern Lights - when they appear.

First and most important - point and shoot automatic cameras, video cameras and iPads will not work. You have to be able set your camera up for long exposures - at least 15 secs and more if possible.

The settings/equipment we needed were

Use a tripod

Use as wide an angle lens as possible.

Switch to manual setting

Switch off flash - it will spoil everyone else's pictures and won't help yours.

Take off all filters including UV and Skylight - they reduce the light hitting the lens

Switch off vibration/shake reduction if available

Use an ISO of 400 (according to the onboard photographers) or 500 + (according to the local experts)

Set camera to as large an aperture as available

Set to bulb and experiment but you need exposures of at least 15 secs up to around to 10 mins

Set to daylight setting NOT fluorescent or artificial light or the colours won't be true

Use lens hood to keep frost/snow/ice off lens

Pre-focus to infinity or on a tree etc

Take spare batteries and keep in thermal sock close to body.

Take a small torch or headlight so you can see to set up the tripod etc.

And lastly - DON'T PANIC if/when the digital screen stops working! This happened to me and I thought the camera was broken but kept taking anyway. The screen came back on when it warmed up.

Also - acclimatise the equipment. One of the onboard photographers cracked a £600 lens

And finally - enjoy the Lights - don't watch all of them through a camera.

Thank you Sharon for the camera info above.

I only have a small Samsung digital camera - not a big, professional camera; is this likely to be no good or not get very good pictures from it, do you think?

I'm happy to just watch the lights, fingers crossed they appear, than spend lots of time trying to get my camera to work!! Am worried that it will freeze up & not work at all!!!

But obviously I'd like to take a few to show I'd actually seen them!!

Thanks

Alison

unless you have a top of the range compact camera with differing settings that you can choose you are best using a dslr camera.

Thank you Sharon for the camera info above.

 

I only have a small Samsung digital camera - not a big, professional camera; is this likely to be no good or not get very good pictures from it, do you think?

 

I'm happy to just watch the lights, fingers crossed they appear, than spend lots of time trying to get my camera to work!! Am worried that it will freeze up & not work at all!!!

But obviously I'd like to take a few to show I'd actually seen them!!

 

Thanks

 

Alison

You absolutely have to be able to use it on manual and have the ability to set it to 15 second exposures or more. Some top of the range compacts can do this - you don't have to have a DSLR necessarily, but it would be easier. The on-board photographers will be there to take lots so you could always purchase some off them. It is magical just watching them though.

At minus 26 I found it too cold to take my camera out of my rucksack and even the ship's photographer got a cracked lense

David

At minus 26 I found it too cold to take my camera out of my rucksack and even the ship's photographer got a cracked lense

David

Yes he did - They did stress to acclimatise equipment, but on checking my Nikon DSLR is rated down to -40C, although the screen would not work. I didn't even have to change batteries.

I was lucky everything on my Nikon D3000 worked never had to change battery the only thing that wouldnt work was my Nikon remote control.