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5 Quick Tips for Photographing the Moon From Nikon
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Jan 17, 2019 05:41:31   #
jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY
 
Also -

https://www.nikonusa.com/en/learn-and-explore/a/tips-and-techniques/tips-for-photographing-the-moon.html?cid=img_en_us:EML:LE:1162019:January:2018-01-07-MOONEmail:na:btn:article1&ET_CID=2603596&ET_RID=363565341&SC_ID=0032400000mYZXzAAO

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Jan 17, 2019 06:24:33   #
billnikon Loc: Pennsylvania/Ohio/Florida/Maui/Oregon/Vermont
 
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


That's the moon ellipse. NOT exposure for just moon.

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Jan 17, 2019 07:26:57   #
sergiohm
 
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

ISO should be set to the base of your Nikon camera. And you need the longest telephoto you can find!

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Jan 17, 2019 07:32:07   #
hj Loc: Florida
 
Interesting when folks give a specific ISO setting. It won't work for all moon shots. Depends on whether you're shooting a full moon or a partial.

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Jan 17, 2019 08:25:25   #
alberio Loc: Casa Grande AZ
 
Another reason moon shots seem not as focused or sharp as you think they should be is, something called "seeing". You can have a perfectly clear sky, but if the seeing isn't very steady, the details in a single exposure will be somewhat soft. Seeing is caused by hot and cold thermals and other factors which if you look at the moon through a telescope at high power, it would look as if it were under water. Fortunately the smaller aperture optics are less affected by this. I would suggest taking many shots at the same focal length and stack the images in a image stacking program to get the finest details. Sometimes you get lucky with just one shot, because you happen to catch it between thermal waves. Good luck and Clear Skies.

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Jan 17, 2019 10:41:18   #
EdJ0307 Loc: out west someplace
 
Since I'm right at "Fair" and "Poor" I'm not expecting to see too much, let alone photograph it. According to Alexia we will be having showers that day so forecast is not looking good either.

.

From accuweather.com
From accuweather.com...

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Jan 17, 2019 10:45:25   #
Machinedoc Loc: Yorktown Heights, NY
 
Alas, there is no camera setting that will compensate for the weather that is expected in the Northeast!!!

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Jan 17, 2019 11:43:48   #
Cyberkinesis70 Loc: Northern Colorado
 
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

Those tips will get you started. The f11 to f16 is mostly for full moons. Crescent moons don't reflect as much light. I use ISO 100 for all the moon pictures I've taken. I set my camera and actually manually focus on the moon. I bracket because one size doesn't fit all. Digital is cheap. Take lots of exposures. And you can look on your live view and see where you are going.

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Jan 17, 2019 13:13:20   #
DeanS Loc: Capital City area of North Carolina
 
.My suggestion: shooting the moon is not the same as shooting bif. The moon is gonna be there for awhile, unlike bif. Start with one of the already recommended settings, and then play around for several shots. Sooner or later, you are gonna land on a combo of settings that suits your fancy. Good luck.

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Jan 17, 2019 14:14:58   #
foxfirerodandgun Loc: Stony Creek, VA
 
billnikon wrote:
That's the moon ellipse. NOT exposure for just moon.


Yes, I understood that, however, it gave me a base line to begin experimenting with other settings which I did last night. Haven't viewed the results yet, but hope to sometime this afternoon.

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Jan 17, 2019 14:16:58   #
foxfirerodandgun Loc: Stony Creek, VA
 
DeanS wrote:
.My suggestion: shooting the moon is not the same as shooting bif. The moon is gonna be there for awhile, unlike bif. Start with one of the already recommended settings, and then play around for several shots. Sooner or later, you are gonna land on a combo of settings that suits your fancy. Good luck.


Thank you. Your suggestions were put to use last night.

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Jan 17, 2019 14:48:39   #
jeep_daddy Loc: Prescott AZ
 
Sounds reasonable to me.

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

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Jan 17, 2019 14:49:20   #
bobbyp7714 Loc: Orange MA
 
The forecast here in Massachusetts calls for snow and freezing rain. Go figure so far this winter very little snow but this weekend a big storm!

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Jan 17, 2019 18:19:14   #
foxfirerodandgun Loc: Stony Creek, VA
 
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


Here are the best 3 of 18 images, (heavily cropped), of the moon that I took last night. I'm really not happy with either of them, but considering that the lens is a Nikkor 18-300mm, f/3.5-5.6, and that it tends to be somewhat soft at 300mm I was not expecting the same results that a high end/prime lens would produce. At least I now know what settings did not work.

300mm - 1/250 - f/11 - ISO 400
300mm - 1/250 - f/11 - ISO 400...
(Download)

300mm - 1/250 - f/5.6 - ISO 100
300mm - 1/250 - f/5.6 - ISO 100...
(Download)

300mm - 1/500 - f/11 - ISO 500
300mm - 1/500 - f/11 - ISO 500...
(Download)

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Jan 17, 2019 21:35:09   #
repleo Loc: Boston
 
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.


I read somewhere that the moon moves by its own width every four minutes. The angle of the move will increase with the focal length of the lens so the exposure time should decrease to compensate.

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