# Northern Lights Photo Taker — user reviews > 171 indexed App Store user reviews of Northern Lights Photo Taker by Lazily Inspired, rated 2.70/5 from 154 ratings. - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/northern-lights-photo-taker/id979540312/reviews - App overview in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/northern-lights-photo-taker/id979540312.md - Rating breakdown: 5★ 56 · 4★ 10 · 3★ 4 · 2★ 6 · 1★ 78 ## What do users think of Northern Lights Photo Taker? Overall sentiment: negative **Pros** - 🚀 Easy to use - 👍 Captures northern lights well - 🤳 Works with iPhone camera - 💰 Good value for money **Cons** - 🐛 Doesn't work on newer iPhones - 🔍 Poor image quality/grainy photos - 🤳 Doesn't work as well as native camera app - 📱 Compatibility issues **Commonly reported bugs** - App crashes on launch - Camera access issues - Settings not working as expected **Most requested features** - Video recording capability - More advanced camera settings - Tripod support ## Newest reviews (20 of 171) ### 4/5 — Useful app *2024-01-26, version 1.1* I downloaded this app after a friend recommended it despite the negative reviews. This app does what it says and does it well. It’s certainly not a scam. I’ve no idea where the negative reviews are coming from. Presumably from a dishonest competitor. ### 1/5 — Does not work *2023-12-18, version 1.1* The built in camera app was far better. This did not take any decent pictures despite following the guidelines and trying all the settings. ### 1/5 — Don’t bother *2023-12-06, version 1.1* This app was a waste of money. My phone camera took better pictures than with this app ### 1/5 — worked no better than the regular camera app *2023-11-21, version 1.1* Just got a black rectangle. ### 1/5 — Don’t open on a iPhone 14 pro *2023-11-14, version 1.1* Don’t open ### 4/5 — Worked for me *2023-09-19, version 1.1* I only have an iPhone SE. Not a great camera. With this app I get decent northern lights pictures. A little fuzzy. But I don’t have a tripod. I’m very happy. ### 1/5 — Worst app *2023-04-27, version 1.1* Worst app ### 1/5 — Very disappointed *2023-03-26, version 1.1* Wish I had taken the time to read the reviews before I had purchased but as it had been recommended I purchased without checking. Very basic app simple to use but unfortunately the ISO only goes up to 704. Very disappointing!!! ### 2/5 — Difficult to customize *2023-03-16* I just downloaded this app and it may be great on the auto settings (haven’t had a chance to try) but the customization seems nearly impossible to use—very hard to see since text changed to yellow, sliders give wrong values (sometimes go up to right, sometimes down, and when you return to it, the value changed from what you set), and no interpretation of the settings (what’s the difference between shutter and expose ? Is color the color temperature and what units, which way is tint going when you change settings?). Needs LOTS MORE instructions, descriptions and repair of slider malfunction. ### 1/5 — Use your iPhone app instead *2023-02-27, version 1.1* You are much better off using your iPhones actual camera. I wasted my experience watching the northern lights using this app, it’s hard to determine what setting to use and any bit of shakiness will ruin the whole photo. Definitely would not recommend ### 2/5 — If you have a newer iPhone with long exposure on it use that instead *2023-02-27, version 1.1* App is good if you have an older iPhone If you have a newer one with the 3second long exposure nighttime setting use that instead. Had great results with the iPhone standard nighttime mode in Reykjavik and wished I’d never paid for this app. ### 1/5 — Poor *2023-01-14, version 1.1* My auto iPhone settings take better Aurora photos than this app. ### 2/5 — IPhone 11 Camera better *2022-12-25, version 1.1* I used this for Iceland Northern Lights photos. It works, but the built in iPhone 11 camera app produced much better images of the Aurora. ### 1/5 — Terrible!! *2022-12-24, version 1.1* Don’t waste your money, my camera on my phone on long exposure, worked 1000 times better. ### 1/5 — Did not work *2022-12-10, version 1.1* I have iPhone 13 mini and the app did not work but my phone camera was great so no need for the app. Just a waste of money! ### 1/5 — A piece of Junk *2022-10-27, version 1.1* I purchased this APP yersterday and worked. But I tried it again. It’s not working any more on iPhone 14 pro max, IOS 16.0.3. ### 1/5 — Nope *2022-10-14, version 1.1* I tried every setting possible, the photos were dark without detail. iPhone did a better job. ### 1/5 — Does not work *2022-10-07, version 1.1* I downloaded this app to use on the NorthernLights in Iceland. Now have 9 pictures of nothing but the dark!! Got slightly less dark pictures from my basic camera phone. High level of disappointment achieved from exposure to this app only!! ### 1/5 — Does not work on iPhone 11 or newer! Please specify! *2022-04-02, version 1.1* ^^^^ ### 1/5 — Save your 99 cents *2022-03-26, version 1.1* I have an iPhone 11 Pro Max. It takes pretty good northern lights photos, but I thought this app could help me take even better pics. Wrong! I deleted every single photo taken with this app… the pics were awful. ## Most critical reviews (10 lowest-rated) ### 1/5 — Rubbish *2026-01-29, version 1.1* Doesn’t work. Waste of 99p. Better using just phone ### 1/5 — Schrott *2024-12-09* funktioniert nicht auf nem iphone 15 pro max. beim Start passiert garnix. ### 1/5 — Really poor. *2024-11-02, version 1.1* Currently in Norway on cruise. This app is useless. iPhone takes better photos on its own. Don’t waste 99p on this load of rubbish. ### 1/5 — No longer works *2024-10-11, version 1.1* Maybe worked with older phones. Doesn’t work at all on I-Phone 14 or 15. ### 1/5 — 99 Cent für Nix *2024-10-06* Die Kamera macht ein.... Absolut Dunkel. Einfach bei der Original Kamera Bleiben! ### 1/5 — Nicht brauchbar *2024-05-13* Auch für nur 0,99€ nicht empfehlenswert. Qualität mangelhaft bzw nicht hilfreich. ### 1/5 — Schei*dreck… *2024-05-11* Unnötig brauch ma ned die normale Kamera mit bisje bessere Einstellungen funktioniert besser als der dreck… hab zwei Fotos gemacht…. Beide schwarz direkt weg mit dem dreck ### 1/5 — Schlechteste Fotoapp *2024-02-11* Die App ist absolut schlecht, mit der bloßen Standard Einstellung der Kamera App von Apple mache ich bessere Bilder. Auch wenn es nur 0,99€ waren. Diese hätte ich gerne zurück! ### 1/5 — Scam Alert - it’s terrible *2024-01-05, version 1.1* This person is making money out of everyone even though it’s a small amount. ### 1/5 — Awful *2023-12-22, version 1.1* I bought this app as it was advertised in the northern light museum in Reykjavík. What a waste of money. I spent ages adjusting the settings and using the preset settings and all I could take were black pictures of the sky. It didn’t pick anything up. My iPhone camera with some adjusted settings took the most amazing photos. Do not waste your money. If you’re going on a tour for the northern lights the guide will tell you have to adjust your camera, if not Google it. The app was pointless. ## Most praised reviews (10 highest-rated) ### 5/5 — Great app. *2020-01-23, version 1.1* We are on a NorthernLights cruise in Norway. Without this app I got nothing. With it have managed to get some quite good pics. Fantastic value for money. Highly recommended. ### 5/5 — Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!! *2019-11-28, version 1.1* After a trip to the Reykjavík lights in 2015 I was distraught when I arrived and could not capture them on an iPhone or digital camera. This time I did my research and found this app. It has honestly completed the whole trip for me. I only captured a few- but amazing photos due to being simply stunned by the lights, take a tripod and buy this app!!! - obviously don’t expect a family portrait in front of the lights, it will most likely be a silhouette but the lights themselves will be seen. ### 5/5 — Worked well for me !! *2019-11-25, version 1.1* On a group trip to Iceland in February I was the only one who managed to capture a decent photo using, most of them had cameras or were just using their normal phone cameras, my photos were the only ones where the lights were clearly visible I ended up sending my shots to the rest of the group. ### 5/5 — Great app! *2019-11-21, version 1.1* Really pleased with this app, especially for 99p. My camera didn’t take any decent photos but this did the job really well. The NL appear just as a white glow but using this got the fab green colour. A tripod would’ve made the photos clearer as you have to try and hold your phone really still but great results anyway. ### 5/5 — Takes great pictures on iPhone *2019-11-07, version 1.1* The northern lights showed up great! I told so many others on my cruise about your app because their phones weren’t picking up the lights. I got so many amazing Northern Lights pictures! ### 5/5 — Wunderbar *2019-10-27* Die App funktioniert super. Einfach das Handy in ein Stativ klemmen, „weak“ einstellen und die Taste drücken. Klasse Fotos ### 5/5 — Best 0.99 I’ve ever spent *2019-09-27* I bought this for a trip to Norway since I don’t have a fancy camera and was just bringing my iPhone. It obviously does not look like a professional photograph but still did a great job capturing the lights so that I have a visual memory. I think it’s worth it!! ### 5/5 — Good app *2019-05-08* I got just what I expected. I used the app with an iPhone 6 on an inexpensive tripod. I had a remote shutter release but didn’t need it. The app allows you about a second or so then tells you to hold still. Plenty of time to move away. Yes the pics are a little grainy but decent and I was able to use my iPhone! ### 5/5 — Images of the Northern Lights Captured! *2019-03-26, version 1.1* Thank you Simon Leung for developing this fantastic App! I was lucky enough to see the Northern Lights in Yellowknife, North West Territories over the past two days and your App helped me preserve those images! ### 5/5 — Exactly what you expect - Good (not great) quality photos *2019-03-24* Used this app to capture images of the Northern Lights on a particularly high visibility night. Used a tripod and a remote to take pics so as not to have to touch the phone very much. As long as everything stayed still, the pictures came out quite good. Clearly they are not DSLR or professional-level images and won’t win any photography awards for Northern Lights pictures, but they are MUCH MUCH MUCH better than you’d get from just using your iPhone camera (which I tried, and simply got black). --- *Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-09-04.*