Help with focusing on the Moon with Sony a6000
Oct 6, 2017 20:31:52 #
I have a Canon 70D and a Canon sx50 and have no trouble getting focus on the Moon. I recently planned a trip to the Finger Lakes during the full moon so that I could photograph it over Seneca Lake. The weather was clear and the moon beautiful over the lake, but I could not get the moon in focus. I used a tripod with the 18-50 kit lens and optical steady shot turned off. I tried Af-s, manual focus, and direct manual focus. I tried wide, zone and center focus areas, all to no avail. I was so frustrated. After years of studying and practicing, I felt like I knew nothing about photography.
Does anyone know this camera to help me or what was I doing wrong?
Does anyone know this camera to help me or what was I doing wrong?
Oct 6, 2017 21:31:36 #
This may be the place to use a lens that has a distance scale printed on it. I have a few brilliant Pentax screw-mount lenses (modest prices on eBay) for my Canon (with adapter), and of course they have an infinity setting. Sometimes we have to outsmart our own technologies. You could then focus on the lake if you want it in focus, while there is enough light to focus visually, and take note of the distance setting. Use that setting by moonlight, and a smallish aperture will keep the moon in focus unless you want very close scenery sharp.
Oct 6, 2017 21:35:44 #
I use manual focus with focus peaking for moon shots. You don't get much peaking when you use the magnifier, especially at x2 but you should get peaking around the edge of the moon in full view.
Oct 6, 2017 21:35:44 #
RWCRNC wrote:
I have a Canon 70D and a Canon sx50 and have no tr... (show quote)
Did you try the focus magnifier? It is so easy to do manual focus using this feature.
By the way, focus magnifier is far more accurate than focus peaking. Focus peaking works well for quick manual focusing. But to really nail it, the focus magnifier is best. If you do use focus peaking, keep the peaking level turned down low so that the focus spot is not as broad.
Oct 6, 2017 21:37:46 #
DavidPine
Loc: Fredericksburg, TX
It's my experience that you need a minimum of 200mm to get a reasonable moon shot. I use a 70-200 f/2.8 or a 200/500 f/5.6 fully extended on a steady tripod. ISO 200, ss 1/250 @ f/8-f/11. WB daylight or 5,680 kelvin and I use the camera's timer at 2 seconds.
RWCRNC wrote:
I have a Canon 70D and a Canon sx50 and have no tr... (show quote)
Oct 6, 2017 21:39:59 #
DavidPine wrote:
It's my experience that you need a minimum of 200mm to get a reasonable moon shot. I use a 70-200 f/2.8 or a 200/500 f/5.6 fully extended on a steady tripod. ISO 200, ss 1/250 @ f/8-f/11. WB daylight or 5,680 kelvin and I use the camera's timer at 2 seconds.
Quite true. But even at a lower focal length, he should be able to have the moon in focus.
Oct 7, 2017 01:31:54 #
Many cameras focus beyond infinity. That’s a simple way of saying that the focus ring can be turned so far that some elements will not focus at any distance. Try setting focus at infinity and then backing off just two or three degrees.
Oct 7, 2017 08:54:16 #
Thank you everyone for your help. I did try my 55-210 lens but at the long end I couldn’t get the foreground of the lake and the moon reflecting on it in the frame. I am home now, and if it is clear tonight, I try the focus magnifier
Oct 7, 2017 09:00:29 #
Use a small aperture, say f8/f11, and slow shutter, mid ISO and experiment
Have fun👍
Have fun👍
Oct 7, 2017 12:27:02 #
I have an a6000, Go into manual focus mode or use a non e-mount lens. I use manual focus with focus peaking to set the focus for the moon and my star shots. Then I trip the shutter via my hand wave , one of the Sony ap's for the a6000 and a7 series. The ap is free. You don't even touch the camera to trip the shutter. Happy shooting
Oct 7, 2017 12:45:59 #
RWCRNC wrote:
Thank you everyone for your help. I did try my 55-210 lens but at the long end I couldn’t get the foreground of the lake and the moon reflecting on it in the frame. I am home now, and if it is clear tonight, I try the focus magnifier
Rebecca,
Question: have you tried changing your Metering Mode? Switching from Multi-Segment to either Zone, center weighted, or Spot for a bright full moon? Try that and see if it gets you the image you want.
AND have you tried shooting F/11 or smaller?
Additionally, that camera has an Smart Scene mode that will allow you to capture those images with the camera doing everything but focusing....
GOOD LUCK!
Oct 7, 2017 13:42:54 #
RWCRNC wrote:
I have a Canon 70D and a Canon sx50 and have no tr... (show quote)
Don't have a clue, but this was done with a Sony a6000. (Not the stars. They are a composite, of course.) I shot it with center focus, then in manual focus. Came out the same.
Oct 7, 2017 13:47:24 #
Oct 7, 2017 14:09:13 #
Reinaldokool wrote:
Don't have a clue, but this was done with a Sony a6000. (Not the stars. They are a composite, of course.) I shot it with center focus, then in manual focus. Came out the same.
Oct 7, 2017 22:11:33 #
My moon shots are almost always in the range of f11, 1/160, ISO 100-200. I use an A6000 and Sony adapter with built in focusing for my 2nd hand Tamron 100-500mm tele. I’ve tried manually focusing but can’t beat the cameras center spot focusing. I realize you were trying to include foreground so that lense wouldn’t do for you but it works great for me.
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