sl2 Northern Lights Optimal Lens for the SL2

[tedwill]

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I'm planning a trip next year to Iceland.  Mainly, I'll be shooting landscape and Northern lights Photos.  I'll be taking a class and traveling with a small group of students and an instructor.  

I currently have an M10R and a 50 Summilux, 21 Super Elmar and a 35 Summilux.  I will most likely take that as the backup since the weather can be cold and rainy.  If it's nice out, I'll certainly use the M10R and especially the 21 for landscape shots.  However, I am told by the instructor that I will need a weather proof body and lenses.  

I am planning on renting an SL2 (or maybe buying one, taking advantage of the deal with the free M adapter to use my M lenses) and renting a short, medium and longer focal length lens - 90-280, 24-70 f/2.8, etc for the beautiful landscape of Iceland - mountains, waterfalls, etc.

However for the night time Northern Lights photos. I know that using a wide lens with a fast aperture is highly recommended. Since the SL2 is part of the L family, I was thinking Panasonic or Sigma for something wide and fast.

First question - I've done a lot of research and and actually shot the Northern Lights when they came as far south as Michigan in 2004.  I used a full frame Canon DSLR and the 16-35mm f/2.8, set it to ISO 200 with a 30 second exposure and got some pretty decent photos.  However, I'd be curious what you have used in the past to capture the Northern Lights.

What is the ideal L lens for shooting the Northern Lights in Iceland?  

Any help is greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

-Ted

[beewee]

I don’t think you can beat a SL2-S + Sigma 14-24mm f/2.8 DG DN. It will crush everything else you suggested.

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[pedaes]

1 hour ago, tedwill said:

50 Summilux, 21 Super Elmar and a 35 Summilux.

 

It seems you have good experience yourself and done good research! From my limited experience a 24mm lens is ideal, and as you say a 30 sec exposure. Your 21mm will substitute for my 'ideal' 24. Shoot fully open (f1.4 if you can) at infinity!

As you probably know from past experience, the Lights come in all shapes so be ready to go 'portrait' if necessary, and they will sometimes appear just bright grey to the naked eye but the full spectrum of colour on film or sensor.

Good luck and enjoy !

[tedwill]

57 minutes ago, beewee said:

I don’t think you can beat a SL2-S + Sigma 14-24mm f/2.8 DG DN. It will crush everything else you suggested.

Is the image quality of the SL2-S better than an SL2 for a wide vista shot of a mountains and night shots of the Northern Lights?  I'm not shooting video.  

[beewee]

48 minutes ago, tedwill said:

Is the image quality of the SL2-S better than an SL2 for a wide vista shot of a mountains and night shots of the Northern Lights?  I'm not shooting video.  

The SL2-S has about 2-3 stop advantage for low noise at high ISO. I would avoid exposing at anything longer than 10-15s if you want pin point stars, even at 24 MP and 14mm. Refer to the NPF calculator here: https://www.lonelyspeck.com/advanced-astrophotography-shutter-time-calculator/

Also, long exposures for the aurora will result in less structure of the actual aurora in the images which can change very rapidly, especially when it is active during a solar storm.

I’ve shot with the 35mm FLE and there is noticeable coma on the corners so stars will not appear pin sharp, no matter how high ISO and how fast your shutter speed is. It’s just a pure optical limitation of the lens. In general, if you’re shooting Leica primes, I’d stick with summicrons over summilux due to coma and other aberrations that will smear out stars.

Most zoom ultra-wides suffer from coma and the Sigma 14-24mm DG DN is the only L-mount compatible ultra-wide angle lens, regardless of using adapters or not, at or faster than f/2.8 that I know of which does not suffer from coma.

Just FYI, we’re at the start of the next solar cycle right now which is 11 years long. 2014 happened to be the peak of the last solar cycle. Things will, in general, still be relatively quiet in 2022 so unless you get really lucky, the aurora will not be quite as intense. See here: https://spaceweatherarchive.com/2020/09/17/solar-cycle-25-has-begun/

[beewee]

I just realized you mentioned 2004 and not 2014. 2004 was trending towards the tail end of the solar cycle but the solar activity in 2004 was actually similar to the solar max in 2014. The last solar cycle was not as active as the one before that in the early 2000s. The new cycle we’re starting now is suppose to be similar or even slightly weaker than the one that just ended.

[beewee]

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@tedwill you didn’t mention what time of year you’re going to Iceland but I imagine it would be during the colder months. This is not camera related but I would strongly recommend bringing extra warm clothing (insulated ski pants, down jacket), warm boots, and heated socks/insoles. If you’ve never tried heated insoles, they are a life saver especially in very cold weather where you’re standing around and not moving for extended periods. You’ll be the envy of your peers (unless they too have heated insoles 😉).

Edited July 12, 2021 by beewee

[tedwill]

55 minutes ago, beewee said:

@tedwill you didn’t mention what time of year you’re going to Iceland but I imagine it would be during the colder months. This is not camera related but I would strongly recommend bringing extra warm clothing (insulated ski pants, down jacket), warm boots, and heated socks/insoles. If you’ve never tried heated insoles, they are a life saver especially in very cold weather where you’re standing around and not moving for extended periods. You’ll be the envy of your peers (unless they too have heated insoles 😉).

The trip is in late February until the end of the first week of March in 2022.   That is great advice about heated socks and insoles.   Thank you!

[Stuart Richardson]

If I were renting for February and you don´t need 47mp, I would rent the SL2S with 28mm APO Summicron, 50 APO Summicron and 90-280mm. The SL2 will be better for the daylight landscapes, but the SL2S will be better for the aurora. The SL2 does fine though. The aurora is really not that demanding if you get a decent night and have good lenses.

I have never used heated socks or insoles in fifteen years of living here. It really is not that cold if you are used to cold weather...it seldom gets below -10C in the winter unless you are up in the highlands. The wind and precipitation are the main problems. Just make sure you have good warm boots, waterproof and windproof clothing, hats and gloves etc. Most importantly, don't do something risky or reckless like wandering off without telling someone where you are going and having a phone, walking on ice without a guide, (lakes, icebergs at the lagoon, or glaciers), and just generally not respecting the weather. And above all, please do not risk walking on recently cooled lava. It has happened a lot this year, which is absolutely insane, as you are basically walking on top of a marshmallow crust that could break at any moment, and which is filled with 1200C lava.

February and March can have terrible weather and if the weather service says it is not traveling weather, that means you should not travel. They are not joking around. The wind regularly blows campers and small cars off the road by my house...it happens multiple times a winter. The record gust here was in 2018 and was 262km/hr 163mph.. Last summer the road by my house was closed on an otherwise sunny and beautiful day because the wind was gusting to 100mph (45m/s, 162km/hr)

Edited July 13, 2021 by Stuart Richardson

[LeicaR10]

Tedwill,   I totally agree with Stuart's post #9.   The SL2-S performs superbly in low light and lower noise.  His lens recommendations are spot on as well.  Depending when you are going, the SL 21 Apo Summicron might even be available.   Enjoy Iceland, it is a landscape photographers wonderland.   r/ Mark

[meerec]

I made a trip to Iceland and Lofoten in winter a couple of years ago and survived only thanks to the Leica 16-35 zoom that didn’t leave my SL. It rained every single day. The combo performed flawlessly because it was weather sealed (would get virtually drenched daily) and I brought thousands of amazing images including northern lights (aurora borealis) thanks to the versatility and quality of the zoom. Simple and best. 

[andybarton]

On our trip to Tromso a few years ago, all of my aurora photographs were made with my 24 Elmarit-M ASPH. When you get above the arctic circle, the aurora fills the whole sky (if you’re lucky enough to see it on a good night), so basically you can go as wide as you like.

We used the services of a guide company and they were excellent.

[Ingo]

In 2020 I used a 14mm Sigma 1.8 DG HSM / ART lens on Iceland. And an 'Emergency rain cover' - especially for the waterfall photos. 

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Edited July 13, 2021 by Ingo

[tedwill]

10 hours ago, Stuart Richardson said:

If I were renting for February and you don´t need 47mp, I would rent the SL2S with 28mm APO Summicron, 50 APO Summicron and 90-280mm. The SL2 will be better for the daylight landscapes, but the SL2S will be better for the aurora. The SL2 does fine though. The aurora is really not that demanding if you get a decent night and have good lenses.

I have never used heated socks or insoles in fifteen years of living here. It really is not that cold if you are used to cold weather...it seldom gets below -10C in the winter unless you are up in the highlands. The wind and precipitation are the main problems. Just make sure you have good warm boots, waterproof and windproof clothing, hats and gloves etc. Most importantly, don't do something risky or reckless like wandering off without telling someone where you are going and having a phone, walking on ice without a guide, (lakes, icebergs at the lagoon, or glaciers), and just generally not respecting the weather. And above all, please do not risk walking on recently cooled lava. It has happened a lot this year, which is absolutely insane, as you are basically walking on top of a marshmallow crust that could break at any moment, and which is filled with 1200C lava.

February and March can have terrible weather and if the weather service says it is not traveling weather, that means you should not travel. They are not joking around. The wind regularly blows campers and small cars off the road by my house...it happens multiple times a winter. The record gust here was in 2018 and was 262km/hr 163mph.. Last summer the road by my house was closed on an otherwise sunny and beautiful day because the wind was gusting to 100mph (45m/s, 162km/hr)

Stuart - Really great advice about the conditions and the clothing.  Thank you!  I'll be with a group of 12 students two guides and instructor.  This group does this tour several times a year.  I appreciate the information about the SL2S vs the SL2.  Like many, I fall into that "more megapixels are better" trap, when based on your feedback and others, the SL2S does better in low light.  

[tedwill]

1 hour ago, Ingo said:

In 2020 I used a 14mm Sigma 1.8 DG HSM / ART lens on Iceland. And an 'Emergency rain cover' - especially for the waterfall photos. 

Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here…

Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members!

Ingo - amazing photo!  Great advice too on the emergency rain cover.  I put one together using a canvas drop cloth when I used to shoot my kids' cross country and soccer matches, but I like the one you recommended. Thanks!

[tedwill]

15 hours ago, beewee said:

The SL2-S has about 2-3 stop advantage for low noise at high ISO. I would avoid exposing at anything longer than 10-15s if you want pin point stars, even at 24 MP and 14mm. Refer to the NPF calculator here: https://www.lonelyspeck.com/advanced-astrophotography-shutter-time-calculator/

Also, long exposures for the aurora will result in less structure of the actual aurora in the images which can change very rapidly, especially when it is active during a solar storm.

I’ve shot with the 35mm FLE and there is noticeable coma on the corners so stars will not appear pin sharp, no matter how high ISO and how fast your shutter speed is. It’s just a pure optical limitation of the lens. In general, if you’re shooting Leica primes, I’d stick with summicrons over summilux due to coma and other aberrations that will smear out stars.

Most zoom ultra-wides suffer from coma and the Sigma 14-24mm DG DN is the only L-mount compatible ultra-wide angle lens, regardless of using adapters or not, at or faster than f/2.8 that I know of which does not suffer from coma.

Just FYI, we’re at the start of the next solar cycle right now which is 11 years long. 2014 happened to be the peak of the last solar cycle. Things will, in general, still be relatively quiet in 2022 so unless you get really lucky, the aurora will not be quite as intense. See here: https://spaceweatherarchive.com/2020/09/17/solar-cycle-25-has-begun/

Really good information. Thank. 

[meerec]

SVE 16-35

 

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[beewee]

3 hours ago, tedwill said:

Stuart - Really great advice about the conditions and the clothing.  Thank you!  I'll be with a group of 12 students two guides and instructor.  This group does this tour several times a year.  I appreciate the information about the SL2S vs the SL2.  Like many, I fall into that "more megapixels are better" trap, when based on your feedback and others, the SL2S does better in low light.  

Keep in mind as well that, although the aurora may be the star of the show, having better high ISO performance not only means you can shoot at faster shutter speeds, but also means you have more dynamic range at medium ISO where you can extract more details in the shadows when post processing. You’ll be able to get cleaner reflections off water and other foreground features rather than just ending up with silhouettes or crushed shadows on the ground which is much darker than the aurora. 

[Eclectic Man]

Firstly, I suggest you read Stuart Richardson's advice about the weather (above).  If you are not used to cold weather, when photographing at night in Iceland wear as many of your clothes as you can put on and still move.  Standing around in sub zero conditions is not fun after 15 minutes, let alone after 2 hours waiting for 'that shot'.  If you get too hot, you can always take something off.

You will need a tripod, and I advise you to get tripads or some insulation on the legs.  I had a metal Gitzo tripod and it was freezing my hand carrying it wearing serious high altitude ice-climbing mountaineering gloves.  Carbon fibre tripods are also very heat conducting.  You will also need some sort of remote release cable, don't forget that!

You have a Canon 16-35 f2.8 lens.  I suggest you get the Sigma MC-21 Canon EF to L converter (there are two types get the EF to L) and try out that lens on an SL2 and an SL2s if you can before going and see if that would be good enough.  Flickr has lots of photos of Auroras, many taken with the Canon lens you have which are excellent.

Lastly, good luck and remember to post your best pics here!

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[Photoworks]

I think everyone had good tips. I just want to add something.

shooting at night can lead to long exposures. if you find a 1.4 or 1.8 lens that can be set on infinity it is probably better. 

I remember a shoot with some friends, and I saw one of them shooting 4 min exposures. consider that you always waiting for the same 4min to do noise reduction.

Since you have already M lenses try to focus magnify to infinity. the M adapter does not have a hard stop at infinity, it will go past it.

Have fun!