Haveago Loc: Swindon, Wiltshire. UK.

HI, I have a few moon pic's which have come out ok others have come out with an out of focus moon & a white moon in the same pic. Can someone explain what I am doing wrong or not doing please. All were taken with the same camera a Panasonic Lumix FZ48.

Pic No 1 (nothing done to it as yet).
F8
ISO/100
Exposure 1/100

Pic No 2
F5.2
ISO/400
Exposure 1/4 sec

Pic No 3
F5.2
ISO/400
Exposure 1/4 sec

Many thanks for any help as I have only ever taken pic's of the moon last night & tonight.

Baz

No 1


No 2


No 3

Bangee5 Loc: Louisiana

You have a UV filter on your lens. Take it off. Number 1 looks ok but needs to be croped.

Haveago Loc: Swindon, Wiltshire. UK.

Hi Bangee5,
"You have a UV filter on your lens". That simple!!! Well knock me down with a feather. So how or why does a UV filter have that effect on pictures in this case giving the double moon effect? My next lot of pic's I will try without the filter. Thanks.

No 1 yeah I haven't done anything with it at all yet straight from camera to here.

Baz

Bangee5 Loc: Louisiana

Not sure why but it reflects light when adding more glass on your lens. Took me a while to figure this one out myself.

Question. Why did the moon in the first picture come out better than the other two if filter was still on the lens?

Keep in mind that the Moon is in day light, so expose for daylight.

Haveago Loc: Swindon, Wiltshire. UK.

Just read up on using UV filters at night for moon shots in paticular, the inside of the filter reflects the light back on to the lens glass hence the out of focus reflection.

I have a focus button on the camera body & using the above camera set up on the No 1 pic produces the good pic abiet it needs a bit of work on the picture.

You have answered my query m8, thank you. Once I have cracked taking moon pic's without the filter then I will feel better about posting on UHH. Attached is one that I think did turn out ok.

Baz

Erv Loc: Medina Ohio

Hi Baz. I never have a filter on any of my lenses. And I have been shooting a LOOOONG time.:) And I have still have every lens. About your last shot. You were very close on your focus. I looked at it with the loupe and it is actually very good for your first try. I played with it a little in post, but with a small picture it was hard to make it much better. If you could send the original, I would like to see it. and maybe play with it a little if you don't mind.
The other thing to know is you are trying the hardest shot of the moon there is. A full moon is very hard to get detail because it is so bright. Try taking a few of the half Moon coming up on the 7th. I am starting a thread on it you can look at or post to for help. We just got done with one one the full Moon. Some posted some awesome shots. And there was a lot of help for folks having a hard time.
Your settings look pretty good. If you can keep your ISO as low as you can that would help. Most of my shots are at F8-12,ISO 200 SS 300-400 and an EV of -1.5/-2.8.
Do you us a tripod? It will help a lot.
I am going to start the thread on the 6st just to remind everyone.:)
Erv

Bangee5 Loc: Louisiana

Iwas glad to help, Baz. I will be looking for those moon shots (not the way it sounds).

I will also be looking for your thread Erv. Good luck with that.

gwong1 Loc: Tampa, FL

I replied to an earlier Moon question, I shot this Friday night, Canon 7D with EF 70-200mm F2.8Lii with Canon 2X extender iii. F8 1/125 ISO 100, center weighted metering, auto focus. I used my tripod and noticed that I had the lens on IS after the shoot, which is not required on a tripod. I only cropped the RAW file, no enhancements. I took this at 7:36, just after sunset. I have a UV filter on my lens and only take off to clean. Not trying to start a war, but I cannot recall if I have taken any shots without the UV filter on my lens. Gary

Moon Dance

Bangee5 Loc: Louisiana

Looks like it is a B&W Sepia tone. Did you have your camera set to that?

gwong1 Loc: Tampa, FL

No, the sunset gave a little color to the moon, it was white when we arrived and this was taken around 7:30 just after sunset. We went for the sunset, and got more than we planned for. Just lucky. Gary

Bangee5 Loc: Louisiana

Then I see nothing wrong with it except it could use more contrast. Good Shot.

Haveago Loc: Swindon, Wiltshire. UK.

I would have taken some more pic's without the UV filter at midnight UK time (last night) but the cloud had hidden any chance of that.

Haveago Loc: Swindon, Wiltshire. UK.

Hi Erv, sorry I didn't keep the original of that one. In answer to yr questions. Using a tripod yes. "hardest shot of the moon there is" I like a challange :-). "I looked at it with the loupe and it is actually very good for your first try" thanks I think as using a loupe that's a bit high tech for checking out a pic ain' it.
Looking fwd to yr new moon post. For the future I can only try & improve on my moon shots. My F stop only goes up to F8 but the ISO goes down to 1.

So what is the definition of THE perfect moon shot? Maybe that's a question for new post.

Baz

Erv Loc: Medina Ohio

I don't think I am happy with any of my shots of the Moon.:) I only have about a thousand of them. Always trying for the prefect one.:) But t is fun to keep trying for it. But I hope I never get it. Here is the 1/2 from last month.
Erv

Old Sarge Loc: Moore, OK

Just posted this a short while ago, will again:

Try this:

Take UV filter off; AV mode f7; ISO 100-400; check exposure for a starting point.

go to Manual mode; f7; double the exposure read in AV i.e. if it was 1/200, set to 1/800

If picture too bright increase exposure.
too dark decrease exposure.

Good idea is to shoot early as the moon is rising as it is nearer the horizon.