How to get the best moon shot?
Discussion
Not an expert on astrophotography but I wouldn't worry too much about the exposure settings; you can probably leave it on 'P'. Main recommendation is to use mirror lockup and either the timer or a shutter release cord. From my experience though, at 300mm the moon will require a lot of cropping to fill the frame.
4hero said:
... Fantastic moon photo ...
1/1000, f/5.6, 400mm, ISO100, mirror lockup, timer/cable release
Surely at 1000th of a second tripod, mirror lockup and timer / cable release are a bit pointless? I mean you'd quite happily shoot at 1/1000, f/5.6, 400mm and ISO100 handheld in daylight, wouldn't you?1/1000, f/5.6, 400mm, ISO100, mirror lockup, timer/cable release
jmorgan said:
Surprising how little makes the piccy blured.
Ah, I guess it's because of the distance of the subject, the slightest movement will be vastly magnified at the moon's distance compared to the more usual 100yrds or so that would be the lens's more commonly used focusing distance.Maybe.
Dogsey said:
4hero said:
... Fantastic moon photo ...
1/1000, f/5.6, 400mm, ISO100, mirror lockup, timer/cable release
Surely at 1000th of a second tripod, mirror lockup and timer / cable release are a bit pointless? I mean you'd quite happily shoot at 1/1000, f/5.6, 400mm and ISO100 handheld in daylight, wouldn't you?1/1000, f/5.6, 400mm, ISO100, mirror lockup, timer/cable release
Edited to say, your previous post about the magnification sums it up, I'm crap at explaining stuff
Edited by 4hero on Tuesday 10th March 23:24
Whatever you do, don't leave it on 'P' as recommended above. Unless the moon completely fills the frame, any form of automatic exposure will be fooled by the vast amount of blackness in the frame, resulting in an overexposed moon.
What you have to remember is that the moon is lit by full sunlight, so can be treated as you would treat any sunlit subject here on terra firma.
This is a composite of about 5 shots taken at ISO160, 1/250s at f/10. Even those were slightly overexposed, requiring correction in PP.
Even though you can use fast shutter speeds, due to the level of magnification used it is a wise precaution to employ as many vibration reducing techniques as possible, such as a sturdy tripod, mirror lockup and cable release.
What you have to remember is that the moon is lit by full sunlight, so can be treated as you would treat any sunlit subject here on terra firma.
This is a composite of about 5 shots taken at ISO160, 1/250s at f/10. Even those were slightly overexposed, requiring correction in PP.
Even though you can use fast shutter speeds, due to the level of magnification used it is a wise precaution to employ as many vibration reducing techniques as possible, such as a sturdy tripod, mirror lockup and cable release.
Edited by DIW35 on Tuesday 10th March 23:41
DIW35 said:
Whatever you do, don't leave it on 'P' as recommended above. Unless the moon completely fills the frame, any form of automatic exposure will be fooled by the vast amount of blackness in the frame, resulting in an overexposed moon.
What you have to remember is that the moon is lit by full sunlight, so can be treated as you would treat any sunlit subject here on terra firma.
This is a composite of about 5 shots taken at ISO160, 1/250s at f/10. Even those were slightly overexposed, requiring correction in PP.
Even though you can use fast shutter speeds, due to the level of magnification used it is a wise precaution to employ as many vibration reducing techniques as possible, such as a sturdy tripod, mirror lockup and cable release.
tbat is fantastic! What lens/focal range was it at?What you have to remember is that the moon is lit by full sunlight, so can be treated as you would treat any sunlit subject here on terra firma.
This is a composite of about 5 shots taken at ISO160, 1/250s at f/10. Even those were slightly overexposed, requiring correction in PP.
Even though you can use fast shutter speeds, due to the level of magnification used it is a wise precaution to employ as many vibration reducing techniques as possible, such as a sturdy tripod, mirror lockup and cable release.
Edited by DIW35 on Tuesday 10th March 23:41
DIW35 said:
That was with the camera attached to a 9 1/4" Schmitt Cassegrain telescope. That's why I had to stitch 5 images together, because I couldn't get the complete moon on one frame.
Isn't using a telescope cheating? 
Fantastic shot though - Do you have any in a desktop background friendly format?
Not really - a telescope is just a big lens.
I have a couple at wallpaper sort of size - 1280x1024 if that's of any use to you.
Shot posted above
Half moon similar to above
Half moon without the colour
I have a couple at wallpaper sort of size - 1280x1024 if that's of any use to you.
Shot posted above
Half moon similar to above
Half moon without the colour
DIW35 said:
Not really - a telescope is just a big lens.
I have a couple at wallpaper sort of size - 1280x1024 if that's of any use to you.
Shot posted above
Half moon similar to above
Half moon without the colour
numpty question how do you go about attatching the camera to a telescope?I have a couple at wallpaper sort of size - 1280x1024 if that's of any use to you.
Shot posted above
Half moon similar to above
Half moon without the colour
james_tigerwoods said:
DIW35 said:
That was with the camera attached to a 9 1/4" Schmitt Cassegrain telescope. That's why I had to stitch 5 images together, because I couldn't get the complete moon on one frame.
Isn't using a telescope cheating? Fantastic shot though - Do you have any in a desktop background friendly format?
JustinP1 said:
james_tigerwoods said:
DIW35 said:
That was with the camera attached to a 9 1/4" Schmitt Cassegrain telescope. That's why I had to stitch 5 images together, because I couldn't get the complete moon on one frame.
Isn't using a telescope cheating? Fantastic shot though - Do you have any in a desktop background friendly format?
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