Any advice on taking moon photos through binoculars ?

chieftalkingspoon · Jun 21, 2004

I've been trying the whole night to take a decent, detailed picture of the moon (crescent) through binoculars with no success. I've took more succesful pictures before of an almost full moon, but this time theres a glowing halo round the edges of the moon, and theyre all blurred, even though the cameras on a tripod and the binoculars seem in focus.

Heres the most succesful picture I took:
http://dice.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/garden 21.06.04 006.jpg

Compared to the relative success of:
http://dice.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/Binoculars 29.05.04 003.jpg

Thanks in advance

Rainman · Jun 21, 2004

It could just be camera shake. The majority of the frame is filled with dark sky which may be tricking your auto exposure. Usually, though the moon itself is completely blown out due to overexposure. Perhaps the fact that you are shooting throuch binoculars has reduced the available light so much that even with a long exposure there is not enough light. Are your binoculars mounted on a tripod? What is the magnification? Is the camera attached to the binoculars with an adapter or are you just holding it to the eyepiece?

chieftalkingspoon · Jun 21, 2004

The binoculars aren't on a tripod but are rested steadily on a ledge (they have 8X magnificaton but I use my camera's 4X zoom as well as this to make it 32X (?). The camera isn't attached to the binoculars with an adaptor, it's just positioned over the eyepiece on a tripod.
thanks

Rainman · Jun 22, 2004

It is extremely difficult to get a good image the way you are describing. You have many variables working against you.
1. The binoculars are reducing the amount of light available for imaging.
2. The darkness of the sky, further reduced by the binoculars, is making your auto exposure try to use a slow shutter speed, therefore inducing camera shake in the hand held camera.
3. Since you are holding the camera up to the binocular eyepiece your autofocus is being confused by the surface surrounding the pupil opening.

I'm not saying it's impossible, but it may be close; there are just too many difficulties for the poor little camera to deal with. If you really want to pursue this even a very inexpensive telescope with a camera adapter will take very nice pictures of the moon. What brand and model is your camera? Is the lens threaded for filters? What diameter?

chieftalkingspoon · Jun 22, 2004

The camera is a kodak dx6340 digital camera. Its a compact camera so the lens isn't threaded. (the diameter is 30mm anyway). It has shutter and aperture priority (if that helps.. :? ). Thanks

pilgrim · Jun 22, 2004

I took this through a spotting scope a lonnnng time ago with a cheappp digital. just heald the lens up to the eyepiece on the scope and hoped for the best...

your links didn't work for me so I can't compare you shot to mine though

I was extremly shocked that the picture even turned out though.. and like everyone said there is sooo many things the camera has to deal with.. you can't expect that good of a picture.