the moon

[maxsmom]

I have the pana.FZ-3 Does anyone have any idea if its possible to get a shot of the moon?? I tried the night mode with small (probably 6 inch )tripod. still looked like two moons> Any suggestions??? Thanks alot in advance!
Maxsmom

[indiawala]

For what its worth here is my moon shot from last night, I did use a Oly C210 in addition to my FZ20 to avoid using digital zoom. Its not the best shot because of camera shake (i have a tripod but it shakes more than me...lol. I need a nice sturdy one).

These setting work for me f 4.0-5.6 is always the sweet spot for any shot, try to avoid the extremes. I use f5.6, shutter of about 1/1000, full optical zoom, full manual mode.

seth

[jaynads]

For what its worth here is my moon shot from last night, I did use a Oly C210 in addition to my FZ20 to avoid using digital zoom. Its not the best shot because of camera shake (i have a tripod but it shakes more than me...lol. I need a nice sturdy one).

These setting work for me f 4.0-5.6 is always the sweet spot for any shot, try to avoid the extremes. I use f5.6, shutter of about 1/1000, full optical zoom, full manual mode.

seth

If it works, here is a handheld moon shot I took a week ago. I set the light metering to spot to get a light reading and then shot in manual at 1/200, aperture f4. I had to use the EVF because I needed my face to help hold the camera still (it was an odd angle and I was shivering in the cold). This is full optical zoom, no cropping and no lens adaptors.

[IMG]

[irwell]

Jason, You might want to consider this option. When I owned my Canon A80
I bought a Hoodmate, this didn't work out too good with the Canon because
the LCD display seemed to have large pixels amd 2x magnifier made it
hard see the image well. It works great with the FZ15 as a 'super' EVF, I don't
even bother using the snap band to hold the hood to the camera, just press
my eye to the hood viewfinder, the hood has rubber framing that presses
against the LCD.. This has two advantages, the image is really
clear, and the Manual Zoom is really clearly displayed, the other is that the
camera is steadied and also your face is well away from the LCD and
camera body. To stop losing the hood I have attached it to the camera
neck strap, it is very light weight and collapses into a small profile.

[gary_hendricks]

I'm not sure of the FZ-3, but the new FZ20 can take lovely shots of the moon. :)

[Grog]

My hands shake and I handheld my FZ 20 on mode 2 (reason for buying FZ 20) F 8 at 1/350 12X there was three moons on the LCD display but it stopped and I got a good shot but a little under exposed. Second shot F 8 and 1/125 and this was better than the first one. The F 4 or F 5.6 as others say would probly work better plus the shutter speed would be higher as larger aperture open letting in more light also would help with hand hold. Will have to try it again.

On my Pentax ZX 50 SLR F 8 works but I forgot that F 8 on the FZ 20 is about the same as F 22 on my Pentax so F 4 would be about right. I really like the FZ 20 and am able to finial get aroung on it, took awhile to learn it. There or so many program modes on this camera that I can't believe it. Theres even a party mode and snow man mode have not tried them and probly won't. I like to shot with the AF enabled and use either aperture priority or shutter priority. As I learned on a Pentax ME and MG.

[24Peter]

A recent moon shot:

http://photos.imageevent.com/24peter/nature1/large/P1040279.JPG

From my "Nature 1" Imageevent photo gallery.

[PhilR.]

I have the pana.FZ-3 Does anyone have any idea if its possible to get a shot of the moon?? I tried the night mode with small (probably 6 inch )tripod. still looked like two moons> Any suggestions??? Thanks alot in advance!
Maxsmom

Night mode is incorrect. Yes, it is night, but the object which you are trying to photograph is in the sun. Therefore, night modes will overexpose the shot. As mentioned above, you will need to use exposures that would be appropriate for something lit by a fair amount of sunlight.

If you are shooting at the wide end of the lens and using a wide aperture, then you will most likely not need a tripod. Your shutter speed should be high enough to negate the need for a tripod. On the other hand, I would think that you are shooting at the telephoto end of the lens, where you would need a tripod in order to negate camera movement. If you haven't done this already, consider using the selftimer while the camera is on the tripod. This way, you won't have any leftover shake from your finger hitting the shutter button. Also, consider using the autobracket feature as well.

PhilR.

[maxsmom]

I will try that,everyone had good post but noone answered my question til you . I understand that I'm limited with the Fz-3 but I'd love to get a good moon shot like these post here.Maybe with the next camera I get !!! So for now I try what mentioned. Thank you so much for your advice!!
Maxsmom

[Divine_Madcat]

A recent moon shot:

http://photos.imageevent.com/24peter/nature1/large/P1040279.JPG

From my "Nature 1" Imageevent photo gallery.

Wow.. that is an incredible shot.. what settings did you use to take that? :eek:

[indiawala]

yeah peter, i second the fact that your moon shot is truly amazing. Can you give us the details of the shots...aper, shutter, zoom, any additional lens used, tripod, etc

also was any post processing done?

any photos i take from los angeles, come out blurry...i guess its the smog...lol

seth

[24Peter]

Thanks Madcat. You can the full camera settings by clicking on the "Full EXIF" link at the bottom of the image on my gallery page:

http://imageevent.com/24peter/nature1?p=8&c=3&n=1&m=16&w=4&s=0&z=3&y=2

Looks like F 5.2 shutter 1/125 ISO 100. The zoom was maxed out but I was also using my TCON 14B teleconverter. I read somewhere that the keys to shooting the moon (besides a clear night) are 1) to shoot it less than full so you get some detail from all the craters. Look at the top center and right of the moon in my shot and you can see the shadows on the surface from various craters. Normally can't get that when its full (looks flat - no definition). And 2) shoot it lower in the sky so it appears fuller. If you shoot it directly overhead there's less atmosphere to magnify it (why a setting sun looks bigger than a mid-day sun.) But too much atmosphere can obscure the shot. In fact in this shot, there were wispy clouds covering the moon that night which I had hoped to capture. You can't see the clouds because the moon is too bright but if you look really really closely there is a elliptical halo surrounding it (it's more noticeable on prints.) I also used a tripod and remote trigger but at 1/125sec you don't have to worry much about camera shake.