Moon Shot

JamPal · 01-08-2007, 00:34

Hi all,

I am desperately trying to get a moon shot. It's a clear night, but cannot get a crisp image. I am using an EOS10D with 300mm lens.

I am shooting in manual mode. Tried all sorts of exposures and apertures to be honest. I found an exposure of 350 with an aperture of 8.5 and ISO400 got the "best" result (more by luck than judgment). But still no crisp shots, I am using a tripod.

Any tips for a beginner?

**Markulous** · 01-08-2007, 06:52

1. The perceived thinking is f11 at one over your focal length, so for a 300mm lens it's f11 at 1/300
2. Sharper the glass the better the result
3. The larger the lens the less the enlargement
4. The moons does move!

Seeing as your shot satisfies 1 (well, nearly - I'd stick to ISO100 to reduce noise) and 4, I'm thinking 2 and 3?

purplepleaser · 01-08-2007, 10:38

Hi James,

The moon shot you liked of mine was shot handheld Moon images - a photoset on Flickr , i have the IS though

.

This is the data thingy off the picture :-
Tv(Shutter Speed)
1/200Sec.
Av(Aperture Value)
F5.6
Metering Modes
Split metering
Exposure Compensation
0
ISO Speed
200
Lens
-
Focal Length
400.0 mm

Hope that helps, i have some that are similar shot at f11

Lee

viages · 01-08-2007, 18:07

The only thing not mentioned I think. is Mirror Lock up. If your camera has it. Lock up the mirror count 5 seconds take shot. The delay stops any shake of the camera or tripod caused by the mirror 'clonk'.

sawdust · 01-08-2007, 19:27

Some good tips here will have to go and try some now

JamPal · 01-08-2007, 21:05

Thanks fellas. Lee nice to see you here ;-)

Will have a try at locking the mirror up and trying a lower ISO. (wanders off muttering about finding the manual ;-))

purplepleaser · 01-08-2007, 21:36

Good luck James,

Dave Canon · 01-08-2007, 22:40

I am sure the advice from others will help but the key difference between your shot and Lee's is the lighting. I have also tried to take moon shots and, for a full moon, have certainly done no better than you. In order to get a full moon the lighting is clearly flat so you cannot see the outlines of craters etc. If you take a shot with half moon say then you will have low angle lighting which will be much more dramatic and give that 3rd dimension.

JamPal · 01-08-2007, 22:44

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dave Canon

I am sure the advice from others will help but the key difference between your shot and Lee's is the lighting. I have also tried to take moon shots and, for a full moon, have certainly done no better than you. In order to get a full moon the lighting is clearly flat so you cannot see the outlines of craters etc. If you take a shot with half moon say then you will have low angle lighting which will be much more dramatic and give that 3rd dimension.

Ahhh, good shout! Thanks Dave.

sejanus · 05-08-2007, 17:53

As Dave says, full moon is going to be a bit flat. If you're after a really sharp result, your camera and lens must both be fully supported. To fill the frame, you're looking at around 15X magnification, so you're magnifying shake by the same amount.

I've had better luck with my Kowa spotting scope than my 1000mm mirror lens, just because the spotting scope is that much lighter and balances better on a single tripod with a camera attached than the mirror lens, which means less shake.

Rob Barron · 10-08-2007, 17:23

Just a thought JamPal but have you tried doing any post-processing work to the shot? To really get some sharpness and contrast, you will probably need to do that.

Below is YOUR photo which I have simply done a touch of processing too and whilst it isn't perfect it certainly has a lot more detail and impact. If you want to know what I have done, this is pretty much it:

Duplicated layer.
Set blending mode to Vivid Light
Reduced opacity of top layer down to about 50%
Flattened layers
Added a bit of Curves to push the contrast
Reduced saturation but not completely
Added a touch of sharpening, roughly 1.2 at 120%

Hope that helps. Obviously taking a pin sharp shot requires all the tips above. I just wanted to make sure you were seeing that you already have a decent, if not perfect, image.

Cheers,
Rob

orangepeel · 10-08-2007, 23:52

Sorry, off topic and a bit of a hijack...

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rob Barron

Flattened layers

EEP!

I always thought of that as "destructive" - i.e. u can't undo it after saving & closing the file.

Seeing as your our resident ps gooroo, does it make any difference to the final output? Coz I never flatten.

JamPal · 11-08-2007, 11:40

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rob Barron

Just a thought JamPal but have you tried doing any post-processing work to the shot? To really get some sharpness and contrast, you will probably need to do that.

Below is YOUR photo which I have simply done a touch of processing too and whilst it isn't perfect it certainly has a lot more detail and impact. If you want to know what I have done, this is pretty much it:

Duplicated layer.
Set blending mode to Vivid Light
Reduced opacity of top layer down to about 50%
Flattened layers
Added a bit of Curves to push the contrast
Reduced saturation but not completely
Added a touch of sharpening, roughly 1.2 at 120%

Hope that helps. Obviously taking a pin sharp shot requires all the tips above. I just wanted to make sure you were seeing that you already have a decent, if not perfect, image.

Cheers,
Rob

Thanks Rob, That looks great.

I don't do any post processing work to my photo's beyond correcting the histogram and fill light, and the occasional conversion to monochrome (for some reason the Canon EOS10D doesn't take B&W shots in Camera!

).

However, what you have done there is a definite improvement. I would love to achieve that in Camera. I suppose post processing just feels like cheating to me, unless you are going for an arty effect, and I just can't bring myself to do it.

**Dabhand16** · 11-08-2007, 11:49

Quote:

Originally Posted by JamPal

(for some reason the Canon EOS10D doesn't take B&W shots in Camera!

).

However, what you have done there is a definite improvement. I would love to achieve that in Camera. I suppose post processing just feels like cheating to me, unless you are going for an arty effect, and I just can't bring myself to do it.

And just as well it does not! It is better to always take your photographs in colour and convert them in post processing becuse setting mono on the camera will result in it only recording in 245 tones (I think), whereas in colour you are recoding in millions of tones.

So what? I hear you ask. Well what that means is that you are losing detail in camera that if recorded in colour would be available for you to convert later, and that will give you better results - a smoother range of tones and much better detail.

JamPal · 11-08-2007, 12:55

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dabhand16

And just as well it does not! It is better to always take your photographs in colour and convert them in post processing becuse setting mono on the camera will result in it only recording in 245 tones (I think), whereas in colour you are recoding in millions of tones.

So what? I hear you ask. Well what that means is that you are losing detail in camera that if recorded in colour would be available for you to convert later, and that will give you better results - a smoother range of tones and much better detail.

ahh.. That's a very good point. Nice one!

01-08-2007, 00:34	#1 (permalink)
JamPal Quite Chatty Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Sodding Typical, Sussex Posts: 72	Moon Shot Hi all, I am desperately trying to get a moon shot. It's a clear night, but cannot get a crisp image. I am using an EOS10D with 300mm lens. I am shooting in manual mode. Tried all sorts of exposures and apertures to be honest. I found an exposure of 350 with an aperture of 8.5 and ISO400 got the "best" result (more by luck than judgment). But still no crisp shots, I am using a tripod. Any tips for a beginner?

01-08-2007, 06:52	#2 (permalink)
Markulous Pixalo Crew Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Peak District Posts: 9,598	Re: Moon Shot 1. The perceived thinking is f11 at one over your focal length, so for a 300mm lens it's f11 at 1/300 2. Sharper the glass the better the result 3. The larger the lens the less the enlargement 4. The moons does move! Seeing as your shot satisfies 1 (well, nearly - I'd stick to ISO100 to reduce noise) and 4, I'm thinking 2 and 3?

01-08-2007, 10:38	#3 (permalink)
purplepleaser Quite Chatty Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 82	Re: Moon Shot Hi James, The moon shot you liked of mine was shot handheld Moon images - a photoset on Flickr , i have the IS though. This is the data thingy off the picture :- Tv(Shutter Speed) 1/200Sec. Av(Aperture Value) F5.6 Metering Modes Split metering Exposure Compensation 0 ISO Speed 200 Lens - Focal Length 400.0 mm Hope that helps, i have some that are similar shot at f11 Lee

01-08-2007, 18:07	#4 (permalink)
viages Forum Regular Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 615	Re: Moon Shot The only thing not mentioned I think. is Mirror Lock up. If your camera has it. Lock up the mirror count 5 seconds take shot. The delay stops any shake of the camera or tripod caused by the mirror 'clonk'.

01-08-2007, 19:27	#5 (permalink)
sawdust Forum Regular Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Ashby de la zouch Leicestershire Posts: 700	Re: Moon Shot Some good tips here will have to go and try some now

01-08-2007, 21:05	#6 (permalink)
JamPal Quite Chatty Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Sodding Typical, Sussex Posts: 72	Re: Moon Shot Thanks fellas. Lee nice to see you here ;-) Will have a try at locking the mirror up and trying a lower ISO. (wanders off muttering about finding the manual ;-))

01-08-2007, 21:36	#7 (permalink)
purplepleaser Quite Chatty Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 82	Re: Moon Shot Good luck James,

01-08-2007, 22:40	#8 (permalink)
Dave Canon Forum Regular Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Cheltenham Posts: 501	Re: Moon Shot I am sure the advice from others will help but the key difference between your shot and Lee's is the lighting. I have also tried to take moon shots and, for a full moon, have certainly done no better than you. In order to get a full moon the lighting is clearly flat so you cannot see the outlines of craters etc. If you take a shot with half moon say then you will have low angle lighting which will be much more dramatic and give that 3rd dimension.

05-08-2007, 17:53	#10 (permalink)
sejanus Been here a while Join Date: Sep 2006 Posts: 288	Re: Moon Shot As Dave says, full moon is going to be a bit flat. If you're after a really sharp result, your camera and lens must both be fully supported. To fill the frame, you're looking at around 15X magnification, so you're magnifying shake by the same amount. I've had better luck with my Kowa spotting scope than my 1000mm mirror lens, just because the spotting scope is that much lighter and balances better on a single tripod with a camera attached than the mirror lens, which means less shake. __________________ Still trying, or at least, that's what my wife says about me.

10-08-2007, 17:23	#11 (permalink)
Rob Barron Loves the place Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Poole, Dorset Posts: 5,115	Re: Moon Shot Just a thought JamPal but have you tried doing any post-processing work to the shot? To really get some sharpness and contrast, you will probably need to do that. Below is YOUR photo which I have simply done a touch of processing too and whilst it isn't perfect it certainly has a lot more detail and impact. If you want to know what I have done, this is pretty much it: Duplicated layer. Set blending mode to Vivid Light Reduced opacity of top layer down to about 50% Flattened layers Added a bit of Curves to push the contrast Reduced saturation but not completely Added a touch of sharpening, roughly 1.2 at 120% Hope that helps. Obviously taking a pin sharp shot requires all the tips above. I just wanted to make sure you were seeing that you already have a decent, if not perfect, image. Cheers, Rob __________________ Rob Barron robbarron@aol.com If you look down on other people, don't expect them to look up to you!