Moon Shots: I'm having trouble shooting the moon. All I get is a bright spot or double exposure. I'm using a Canon T4i, Canon EF 70-300-IS USM, AF, TV, ISO?. Novice at work... I want...

peteofmarin

I'm having trouble shooting the moon. All I get is a bright spot or double exposure. I'm using a Canon T4i, Canon EF 70-300-IS USM, AF, TV, ISO?. Novice at work... I want to shoot night time pictures of LED street lights for work and get clear/focused shots of the LED fixture.
thanks!

Pepper Loc: Planet Earth Country USA

For the moon shot set your ISO to 400 extend your zoom out to 300mm use a shutter speed of 1/300th and your fstop to f8. Use a tripod. Keep in mind your exposing for a sun lit subject so the sunny 16 rule can be applied. Obviously my suggestions vary a bit but it's a place to start.

peteofmarin

thanks Pepper, i'll try.. have to wait for the next lunar event around Dec 17th?
pete

Wall-E Loc: Phoenix, AZ

Pepper wrote:

For the moon shot set your ISO to 400 extend your zoom out to 300mm use a shutter speed of 1/300th and your fstop to f8. Use a tripod. Keep in mind your exposing for a sun lit subject so the sunny 16 rule can be applied. Obviously my suggestions vary a bit but it's a place to start.

Actually, for the moon, it's the Looney 11 rule.
f 11 and set the shutter speed for 1/the ISO.
So for an ISO of 400, the shutter speed should be 1/400th of a second.
And remember, the moon is moving pretty fast across the sky.
Slow shutter speeds are to be avoided.

Pepper Loc: Planet Earth Country USA

Wall-E wrote:

Actually, for the moon, it's the Looney 11 rule.
f 11 and set the shutter speed for 1/the ISO.
So for an ISO of 400, the shutter speed should be 1/400th of a second.
And remember, the moon is moving pretty fast across the sky.
Slow shutter speeds are to be avoided.

Opps you're correct 1/400th.

Wall-E Loc: Phoenix, AZ

peteofmarin wrote:

thanks Pepper, i'll try.. have to wait for the next lunar event around Dec 17th?
pete

I've seen a lot of great images between 1/4 and 1/2 full.
Lots of edge detail of the craters.

peteofmarin

so I noticed the moon is traveling, however, i mistakenly thought the moon was in geosynchronous orbit, but that's a different forum. thanks for the setting updates
pete

MT Shooter Loc: Montana

peteofmarin wrote:

I'm having trouble shooting the moon. All I get is a bright spot or double exposure. I'm using a Canon T4i, Canon EF 70-300-IS USM, AF, TV, ISO?. Novice at work... I want to shoot night time pictures of LED street lights for work and get clear/focused shots of the LED fixture.
thanks!

A "bright spot" or double exposure are clear signs of over-exposure. Remember that its full daylight on the moon, NOT a night time shot. Speed up your shutter and shoot with daylight values, the "sunny 16" rule is a very good starting point to try.
For street lights, again, expose for the light, not the dark.

St3v3M Loc: 35,000 feet

Welcome to UHH

dpullum Loc: Tampa Florida

Check out www.earthsky.org
This site is full of astro info and keeps you up to date with spectacular happenings. Certainly worth a look.

mborn Loc: Massachusetts

Check your histogram and blinkies so you do not blow out moon highlights. Also sturdy tripod, long lens and mirror up mode or time delay with a remote/wired shutter release

alf85 Loc: Northumberland, UK.

peteofmarin wrote:

I'm having trouble shooting the moon. All I get is a bright spot or double exposure. I'm using a Canon T4i, Canon EF 70-300-IS USM, AF, TV, ISO?. Novice at work... I want to shoot night time pictures of LED street lights for work and get clear/focused shots of the LED fixture.
thanks!

Hi, here is a shot of the moon at half full, the settings were,
1/125sec, f8, ISO250, camera SX-50.
Regards, Alf

Mr. B Loc: eastern Connecticut

I'll add some clarification to what others have said. Make sure the camera is on the Manual setting, use a remote shutter release or self-timer and set your focus to Manual on your lens.

peteofmarin wrote:

I'm having trouble shooting the moon. All I get is a bright spot or double exposure. I'm using a Canon T4i, Canon EF 70-300-IS USM, AF, TV, ISO?. Novice at work... I want to shoot night time pictures of LED street lights for work and get clear/focused shots of the LED fixture.
thanks!

Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington

Welcome to UHH! Also consider shooting when full moon first rises or is getting ready to set - so you have some daylight. Here's a website to help with timing:

http://aa.usno.navy.mil/data/docs/RS_OneDay.php

On tripod. Canon T3i dslr

Handheld, and using 1.5x in-camera teleconverter on SX50, aperture priority, exposure compensation. See details below. The focal length, with teleconverter, was actually equiv. to 1800 mm

Himat Loc: Toronto

Very nice photos