shoot the moon?! [Archive] - Digital Camera Resource Page Forums

Badams

11-03-2005, 11:52 PM

Firas

11-04-2005, 03:20 AM

I'm no pro but have you tried using Spot Metering (or Partial Metering on your 20D) and expose for the moon itself as opposed to using the default Evaluative metering? You can take a look at some half decent photos I've taken of the moon here:

http://www.alragom.com/v/moon/

(To see my exposuse settings select "Display Mode: Detail", then "Photo Properties: Details" at the bottom of each photo, although you might want to shoot at smaller apertures such as f/11 or f/16 to get a more detailed moon shot, use a tripod and a shutter release cable/auto timer as well to avoid camera shake).

There's a very nice thread here related to moon photos so you can take a look at lots of pictures that people have taken of the moon with different settings:

http://dcresource.com/forums/showthread.php?t=7132

swgod98

11-04-2005, 09:52 AM

Last I took a pic of the moon, I had to use a relatively short exposure time to keep it from blowing out.

Moho

11-04-2005, 03:18 PM

HEY... I wanna take pictures of the moon with my canon 20D. Though every time I take one it always looks like a dumb flashlight... anyone know how to shoot night shots???

what should the settings be set to???

Try f.4 1/125

http://static.flickr.com/31/35509254_343f577754_o.jpg

JTL

11-04-2005, 05:24 PM

HEY... I wanna take pictures of the moon with my canon 20D. Though every time I take one it always looks like a dumb flashlight... anyone know how to shoot night shots???

what should the settings be set to???This was shot with a Canon S2 at ISO 50, f/7.1, 1/200 sec. with spot metering. You should be able to do a lot better with your 20D! :D

http://JTL.smugmug.com/photos/40614405-L.jpg

Rex914

11-04-2005, 06:09 PM

golffoxtrot

11-04-2005, 10:55 PM

hey, i just did this a while ago too so here's my moon shot, also with an S2 w/the 1.7x olympus teleconverter.

http://gregfung.blogs.friendster.com/photos/moon/20051021_0608.JPG

1/250 F/4 I think...

TheObiJuan

11-04-2005, 11:06 PM

If you are getting overexposure then reduce the exposure with -EC.
I was shooting the mooon at over 600mm and was still not satisfied. I feel I need 800mm to get the image I need. :D

I used partial and -2/3 EC to get a good exposure.
Are you using a tripod?
I was shooting at ISO 100, F/10, 1/2 sec.

MBCook

11-05-2005, 06:16 PM

Experiment!

That's all I can tell you. Others have given specific recommendations on what settings to use, but I didn't have those when I took my pictures of the moon with my S2 IS. If you use full frame metering or matrix metering, the camera tries to bring out the "details" in the "underexposed" sky, and you end up with the light-bulb effect you mentioned. Spot metering improved things, but as I remember it wasn't right either (can't remember if it was too bright or too dim). I would suggest (note: you'll need a tripod for this) putting the camera in manual mode closing the aperture as far as possible (highest F-Stop) to get great detail. Then adjust the shutter speed to get the result you want (don't forget to half-click the shutter to get the real preview at that F-Stop).

Take your time, take lots of pictures, and you'll get something great.

I've been meaning to re-do my moon shots since I just got the tele-converter for the S2 IS, but the last time the moon was full since I got it, it was cloudy here.

Good luck, and post some pics when you get 'em.

adr58

11-13-2005, 06:05 PM

I found the camera does a good job of working out the lighting though I usually set for a slight underexposure 1/3 to 2/3 stop using the M mode and watching the exposure levels at halfway shutter button. I use spot metering and I use the 2 second timer with a tripod.

Here' a couple shots I tried the other evening/night. The smaller is at 12x zoom the other at full 48x with the native lens.

nelman

01-01-2006, 10:05 PM

sir firas and sir jtl,

i suppose you were not just using the native lens of the s2... may i know what kind of teleconversion lens you were using? thanks in advance!

btw, great shots!

JTL

01-02-2006, 01:17 AM

sir firas and sir jtl,

i suppose you were not just using the native lens of the s2... may i know what kind of teleconversion lens you were using? thanks in advance!

btw, great shots!Canon TC-DC58B. Highly recommended. But, there are other good tele converters as well. Comparisons can be found here: http://www.lensmateonline.com/newsite/S2tele.html

Thanks for the compliment! :)

nelman

01-02-2006, 01:29 AM

Canon TC-DC58B. Highly recommended. But, there are other good tele converters as well. Comparisons can be found here: http://www.lensmateonline.com/newsite/S2tele.html

Thanks for the compliment! :)

Thank you very much for the info and the link, sir!
I can't wait to get my hands on one of those teleconverters and hopefully post my own moon-shots! (If only I can shoot half as good as you guys!) :)

Alnath

01-03-2006, 03:59 PM

HEY... I wanna take pictures of the moon with my canon 20D. Though every time I take one it always looks like a dumb flashlight... anyone know how to shoot night shots???

what should the settings be set to???

Although not the best moon shot ever this was taken at f5.6, 1/400ths and ISO 100 on a 350D @ 300mm and cropped like hell

Badams

01-04-2006, 06:43 AM

SO, does the quality of the shot depend on the lens? Cuz I might have a crappy lens....
the one that I have is called a Quantray 300mm Im wondering if this is the problem......
But those picts look AWSOME!