How to Film the Northern Lights on a Samsung Phone
Stoked about the epic Northern Lights that have been gracing our skies lately?! We are too. If you have a Samsung below is a simple, practical guide you can follow in real time while you’re standing outside watching the sky explode.
Use Pro Video Mode
Samsung’s Pro Video mode gives you the manual controls you need to expose properly in the dark. Auto mode will almost always brighten the sky too much, crush the shadows, or miss the movement.
How to open it:
Camera → More → Pro Video
Once you’re in, adjust these settings:
Set Your ISO
For Northern Lights, you want enough light without destroying the image with noise.
Start here:
ISO 800–1600
If the lights are extremely faint, you can push up to ISO 3200. Anything higher will get grainy fast, especially on phones.
Slow Down Your Shutter Speed
To capture smooth, natural movement in low light, drop the shutter to a slower value.
Recommended starting point:
1/24 or 1/30
The slower shutter lets more light hit the sensor. If the aurora is very bright and fast, you can speed up slightly to avoid blur.
Keep Your Frame Rate Low
24fps or 30fps is ideal in darkness. Avoid 60fps at night.
Use:
24fps for cinematic look
30fps for slightly cleaner motion
Lock Your Focus
Tap and hold on infinity (the background) to lock focus.
This prevents the phone from hunting in the dark.
Use a Tripod or Anything Steady
This is non-negotiable. Because your shutter is slower, your phone needs to be completely still.
If you don’t have a tripod, use:
• A rock
• A backpack
• A railing
• Your mitten as a cushion
Anything is better than handheld.
Turn Off Flash and Scene Optimizer
Flash does nothing for the sky. Scene Optimizer sometimes overcorrects.
Turn both off for the cleanest results.
Shoot in Wide Lens
Samsung’s wide lens performs best in low light.
Avoid ultrawide unless the aurora is extremely bright — ultrawide lenses on phones struggle at night.
Use 8K or 4K?
If you’re using a newer Samsung model (S23/S24/S25 Ultra), 4K is your best bet for Northern Lights.
8K sounds cool, but it needs a lot more light than the Arctic sky gives you.
Recommended:
4K at 24fps
Let the Aurora Fill the Frame
Move your composition around until you get shape and color in the shot. The lights shift constantly, so keep an eye on:
• Curtains and streaks
• Movement toward mountains
• Reflections in snow or water
• Stars passing through the aurora
Don’t just hit record and leave it. Adjust every minute or so.
Shoot Short Clips
Instead of one long 10-minute clip, shoot multiple 10–20 second clips.
They’re easier to stabilize, easier to edit, and you’ll catch the best moments as the aurora changes.
Bonus: Use Hyperlapse
Samsung’s Hyperlapse mode actually works extremely well for aurora.
Switch to:
Hyperlapse → Night Lapse
This automatically shoots a long exposure timelapse that looks incredible if the aurora is bright and fast moving.
Final Tips
• Keep your phone warm in your inside pocket between shots to preserve battery.
• Wipe the lens often — it fogs instantly in Arctic cold.
• Check your histogram to avoid blowing out bright greens.
• Enjoy the moment. Get your clips, then put the phone down and watch the sky.
A Simple Starting Setup
Pro Video Mode
ISO 800
Shutter 1/24
24fps
Wide Lens
Tripod
Focus Locked
4K Resolution
Flash Off
Scene Optimizer Off
With these settings, your Samsung phone becomes way more capable than people expect. The Northern Lights are one of the most stunning natural events you can film, and capturing them on a phone in 2025 is absolutely possible — and honestly, pretty fun.
