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5 Quick Tips for Photographing the Moon From Nikon
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Jan 16, 2019 16:47:45   #
foxfirerodandgun Loc: Stony Creek, VA
 
Using Nikon's tips, I wonder what ISO would produce the best images with minimum noise where there is virtually no light pollution?

5 Quick Tips for Photographing the Moon

Select an aperture of f/11 or f/16
Set the camera’s exposure manually
Set the focus to infinity
Use Spot metering for a correct exposure of the moon
Use a shutter speed of at least 1/15 second or faster

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Jan 16, 2019 17:45:27   #
PixelStan77 Loc: Vermont/Chicago
 
foxfirerodandgun wrote:
Using Nikon's tips, I wonder what ISO would produce the best images with minimum noise where there is virtually no light pollution?

5 Quick Tips for Photographing the Moon

Select an aperture of f/11 or f/16
Set the camera’s exposure manually
Set the focus to infinity
Use Spot metering for a correct exposure of the moon
Use a shutter speed of at least 1/15 second or faster

1/250 DSLRs with base ISO 200.That is my starting point

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Jan 16, 2019 18:00:34   #
rgrenaderphoto Loc: Hollywood, CA
 
foxfirerodandgun wrote:
Using Nikon's tips, I wonder what ISO would produce the best images with minimum noise where there is virtually no light pollution?

5 Quick Tips for Photographing the Moon

Select an aperture of f/11 or f/16
Set the camera’s exposure manually
Set the focus to infinity
Use Spot metering for a correct exposure of the moon
Use a shutter speed of at least 1/15 second or faster



I use f/11 and set ISO and Shutter Speed and ISO identical. Usually ISO 500 1/500th sec.

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Jan 16, 2019 18:32:32   #
Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington
 
If you are exposing strictly for the moon, and not trying to include landscape, you won't have a problem with ISO because the moon is so bright. At least a dozen different "preferred" settings were offered by respondents to my discussion topic of October 27: https://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-560994-1.html

The majority of "what did I do wrong?" topics show over-exposed (white blob) moons. Second most common issue is probably focus.

Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark II, Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 75-300mm f/4.8-6.7 II Lens
f/6.7, 1/500 sec (because hand held), ISO 400, heavily cropped, shot a few minutes after sunset.

Note that you can get more shadows and crater detail during a phase other than full.


(Download)

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Jan 16, 2019 18:40:21   #
BebuLamar
 
They didn't tell us how to focus to infinity. On Nikon AF lenses it's difficult to set focus to infinity.

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Jan 16, 2019 18:41:25   #
wolfman
 
foxfirerodandgun wrote:
Using Nikon's tips, I wonder what ISO would produce the best images with minimum noise where there is virtually no light pollution?

5 Quick Tips for Photographing the Moon

Select an aperture of f/11 or f/16
Set the camera’s exposure manually
Set the focus to infinity
Use Spot metering for a correct exposure of the moon
Use a shutter speed of at least 1/15 second or faster

1/250 sec. f7.1 ISO 200 600mm
1/250 sec. f7.1 ISO 200 600mm...
(Download)

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Jan 16, 2019 18:47:16   #
wolfman
 
BebuLamar wrote:
They didn't tell us how to focus to infinity. On Nikon AF lenses it's difficult to set focus to infinity.


I just use auto focus.

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Jan 16, 2019 18:56:16   #
Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington
 
wolfman wrote:
I just use auto focus.
Same here, using the edge of the moon. And another note to the OP, f/16 is overkill. If f/11 is your lens's sweet spot, then try that, but f/8 on dslrs is more than enough. Think about it: what is the depth of field at that distance?

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Jan 16, 2019 19:05:24   #
DavidPine Loc: Fredericksburg, TX
 
I use a ss of 1/200 to 1/250 @f/11, ISO 100. The earth is moving very fast and a slow shutter speed will not be in your favor.
foxfirerodandgun wrote:
Using Nikon's tips, I wonder what ISO would produce the best images with minimum noise where there is virtually no light pollution?

5 Quick Tips for Photographing the Moon

Select an aperture of f/11 or f/16
Set the camera’s exposure manually
Set the focus to infinity
Use Spot metering for a correct exposure of the moon
Use a shutter speed of at least 1/15 second or faster

Reply
Jan 16, 2019 19:08:25   #
Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington
 
DavidPine wrote:
I use a ss of 1/200 to 1/250 @f/11, ISO 100. The earth is moving very fast and a slow shutter speed will not be in your favor.
The first time I shot a full moonset in morning light, I could not believe how fast it disappeared as it touched the horizon line. You can easily see the movement in your viewfinder.

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Jan 16, 2019 19:31:55   #
JasonC Loc: Houston, Texas
 
Another tip: use a long lens, minimum of 300mm, but 600mm is ideal; see wolfman's moon shot above.

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Jan 16, 2019 21:15:15   #
foxfirerodandgun Loc: Stony Creek, VA
 
Thanks everyone for your input & comments. My thoughts would be to switch to manual focus & focus to infinity, f/11, [nothing to be concerned about the DOF Linda :~)], starting with ISO 200 and possibly going to 400, starting with ss of 1/250 and possibly trying one a bit slower & one a bit faster, and spot meter on the moon before each shot. This will be my first attempt at a moon shot. Comments?

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Jan 16, 2019 23:24:40   #
Stardust Loc: Central Illinois
 
foxfirerodandgun wrote:
This will be my first attempt at a moon shot. Comments?
Nice thing about the moon is it is available for photographing free many nights and right now is currently over 50% illuminated so go out and practice. Clock is ticking.

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Jan 16, 2019 23:45:39   #
rgrenaderphoto Loc: Hollywood, CA
 
BebuLamar wrote:
They didn't tell us how to focus to infinity. On Nikon AF lenses it's difficult to set focus to infinity.


Not if you put the camera or lens into manual focus mode.

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Jan 16, 2019 23:52:43   #
foxfirerodandgun Loc: Stony Creek, VA
 
Stardust wrote:
Nice thing about the moon is it is available for photographing free many nights and right now is currently over 50% illuminated so go out and practice. Clock is ticking.


Actually, I just came in from taking a number of hand held shots using various shutter speeds, aperture settings, and a number of ISO settings from 100 to 500. Using a Nikkor 18-300mm f/3.5-5.6 set at 300mm, I set the camera on M, manual focus set at infinity and was surprised that @ f/5.6 and setting the ISO & shutter speed the same & spot metering on the moon the camera meter would almost be at 0 most of the time.

I haven't downloaded the images yet, but will do so tomorrow. Other than cropping I'll post a couple of the better ones straight from the camera. Sadly, here in SE VA the forecast is for cloudy skies Sunday night.

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