Filming the Aurora

A

Alaskaerjs

New member
Greetings...I have had my DVX-100b only a few months and am still working my way through its operation so call me a newbie. My day job places me in areas of Aurora activity (we call them the Northern Lights) when solar activity is high. I am wondering if it is possible to capture this natural light show with the DVX? The most common Aurora activity is a green mist but what I want to capture is when they get frantic and dance across the sky in color changing ribbons ranging from the common green to pinkish reds and purples. The light can be very bright at times. These displays can last only seconds but can also last up to hours as well...you never know. There no nearby mountains to initially focus on and except for the stars, it is a black sky experience while waiting for any activity to develop. If anyone believes this can be done I welcome any advice on initial cameral settings/techniques to make this possible. Also, weather conditions this time of year in north Alaska can be extreme at times down to -40f so I have been researching the use of the Polar Mitten. Although I have found a wealth of knowledge on this forum in using the mitten I am wondering if there is any fogging issues when the mittens' cover is removed and exposes the lens to the ambient temperature even though the body remains warm?
Thanks

BTW-this forum was an incredible find for me and many thanks to you talented individuals for sharing your knowledge. I have learned a lot.
 
I wonder if the aurora is bright enough for the ccd's to detect and send a good image...

What I was taught regarding film cameras is that low-temperature exposure (down to the point of what the lubricants and film-base can take) is okay so long as the camera is given a suitable period to get acclimatzed - that is, let the equipment slowly cool down to the ambient air temperature, instead of going directly from a warm car/house/under your jacket/whatever to the cold outside air. Which I think has more to do with condensation and thermal shock, than anything else. Maybe the same applies to video cameras. I think you may also find you're not getting the full juice out of your batteries.

Given the distance to the display (the ionosphere, right?) wouldn't infinity-focus be the right setting?

I'm totally jealous that you live in a place where the aurora is so spectacular.
 
Heya! Alaska's a nice place - it's where I was born. :) I have actually tried this and it doesn't seem to work. The camera just isn't sensitive enough. Maybe if the display was strong enough? For still photos you really have to crank up the ISO to get a decent image so I think we're out of luck when it comes to the DVX.
 
I also wondered if it would be bright enough or if it was bright enough would it be just a blur with the rapid motion instead of actually being able to capture the vetical light bars that constitute the ribbons when dancing. I believe I would have a better chance in biding my time and wait for the the major displays that take up 3/4 of the sky to develop. It can become almost daylight at those times. Unfortunately I have destroyed one camera due to thermal shock and that is my concern in rapid exposure of the lens using the mitten which I'm unfamiliar with.
The distance to the displays can vary as we have encountered them dipping down to tree level. Very rare but it happens and a very wierd experience.
 
Hey to another Alaskan! Thanks for the reply Shaw...I was hoping someone had tried this. With your info I'll probably target the larger more vivid displays on the North Slope instead. Yea, I've taken still photos and you really have to jack up the iso and play with exposure. If I find a method that works over the course of this winter I'll certainly post the results. Thanks again.
 
cold DVX

cold DVX

Hay,
Good luck on getting the aurora. I haven't tried with my DVX100a. I have tried with a Sony 637 beta-cam, which has 2/3 inch chips with no luck. The trick with the cold, is slow transition from temperature extremes, more so when coming in from the cold to the heat. I bag my camera in plastic and wait till it warms up. Most of the time I'll leave the camera out side (covered) and take the batteries in. Also I'll cram those disposable "Hot hand" hand warmers under the Portabrace around the camera before I take it out to slow down temp change. Last Iditarod Dog Sled Race it got down to -50F / -60F below. At one point in the race I had to bang on the side of the camera deck to get the tape to roll up to speed, half the time it didn't lock up, I was really starting to piss off Jeff King (all was good by Nome).
I don't recommend hitting our little DVX camera. My beta-cam was thoroughly cold soaked at that point were I was having trouble rolling tape, I didn't have the Polar Mitten, it probably would have helped.
Good Shooting
 
As for the settings I'd probably try 5600K preset for the white balance and set the focus to infinite in manual mode. From what I read the phenomenon is not very bright so you'd have to open the iris totally and wait. On the other hand you said the phenomenon could get really bright at times, I think you just have to wait and find the right iris opening by trial and error.
 
It might be able to pick it up if you set a slow shutter. It will definitely collect more light that way. How low can it go, 1/6th in progressive mode?
 
Slow shutter would be worth trying. I can't claim to have tested that. Of course, since AKShooter couldn't pick it up with his betacam and larger chips we're probably out of luck either way! Definitely let us know how things go though Alaskaeris.
 
Havingb never been up there to experience this phenomina, I take it that it's nowhere near as bright as TV portrays it?
 
Depends upon the particular display, and the latitude at which you're seeing it. It can be bright enough to read by.
 
Your right Sad Max...the displays can be bright enough to read by. I spent some time last night playing with settings in 24p & 30p and was barely able to detect the stars but that gives me hope when more light is available from displays. Thanks Akshooter for the cold weather tips. I'm surprised the drive even worked in your beta at those temps. For those interested I found a site that uses timelapse. Follow the link and open the clip associated with the aurora and the cabin. The first 8 sec of the clip is moving a little faster than displays I have seen but from 8-28 sec I though it was realtime. The giveaway was watching the treeline. A lot of good imagery on the rest of the site.
http://www.timelapse.nl/s1page.php?p=pag&pg_id=40

Our forecast for the next couple of days is for active aurora displays so I plan to be on watch at night. Hopefully I will be able to find out.

Thanks to all for your interest and input...its appreciated!
 
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