Questions about shooting the moon

[srdanz]

Originally Posted by trahanw

OK, When you say moon lens are you talking about 200m-500m. Real new to photgraphy.

No, it is Celestron 5" reflector telescope, with T-mount for Canon EOS cameras... it is a toy scope for all intents and purposes, since it does not have a motor, and is not equipped with a GOTO system of any kind. I have two wheels that I turn when I want to track the stars, but it is no good for photography other than for shooting the moon. Therefore, moon lens. I think that the equivalent focal length is 800mm, and the f-stop is f/8, but since I put the cap with only a small hole in it, it reduced it probably to f/22 or less. Moon gets sharper that way...


Edit: can't spell

[trahanw]

Tried the Manual Focus , could get the moon to come out. It was really dark. So I placed on program mode and got this. ISO100 F5.6, 1/50. Didn't have a tripod handy. Any hints beside get a tripod. Shooting with Nikon D80- Focal Lenth set to 135mm. Never mind can"t figure out how to post image. It's asking for URL when I click insert.

[srdanz]

Don't insert. Attach:

[corazondedios]

That is one gorgeous moon shot taken through a telescope lens!

[Ahh!]

Now that I am an expert (from the greek, "x", the algebraic unknown, and "spurt", a drip under pressure, thus an "unknown drip under pressure"), I decided the other day to challenge myself after being asked what setting to use to shoot the moon. So I brought out the crop frame body, my deluxe lens, and my lens stretcher and scientifically chimped it out. Then I post processed the heck out of it to overcome my shortcomings behind the lens and, well, here is my humble result.

[brad]

1/250 at f/10 and 100 ISO... yup, that's pretty close to Sunny/16.

Good job, Peter.

[toverman]

I like the shots here. Might just inspire me to try some of my own before the moon starts waning back to fingernail stage.

Another option is to shoot the moon with something recognizable on the ground in the shot (skyscraper, church steeple, bell tower, etc.). That takes more planning, of course, depending on the orientation of the moon and your chosen object.