Moon and Night Sky Shots...how do you do it? Need help

[DerekSalem]

Here's my question...how do you take Moon shots? Below are 2 shots which are obviously horribly taken. They were both done on a tripod and on a timer (I have a remote but it's 20 degrees outside and I didn't have gloves on so I just hit the timer). The camera was *COMPLETELY* still throughout the shots.

As you can see from the EXIF, the first shot was 20-second shutter speed and the second was 15. I tried longer speeds (25 and 30) but both came out exactly as these 2 but brighter. I'm at the lowest f-stop I can get (f/6.3) and both are at ISO100 (which I've heard is the best to take night shots with).

What exactly am I doing wrong? They were taken with the new T2i and a Sigma 18-200 3.5/6.3 lens. Here are the shots:

1 (20 sec)

2 (15 sec)

 

[DerekSalem]

Oh and I also tried 5 and 10 seconds...same effect but darker.

 

[DerekSalem]

I'm just going to guess already that I need to raise the shutter speed significantly...

 

[pbelarge]

Derek, try here for some help:

http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/...to-gallery/195789-frustrating-moon-shots.html

 

[bazooka]

The moon moves pretty far in 15 seconds, especially when it's lower in the sky (apparent, not literally of course).

Another problem is it looks like the lens is foggy.

Finally, it's way overexposed. Make sure you meter off the moon with spot. Scene evaluative is going to blow it out because of all the black.

 

[SNAPaPHOTO]

Here is my moon shot from a couple of nights that I took trying to help someone else
As others have said you need a faster shutter as the moon moves pretty quick and the distance only makes it appear worse on slow shutter pictures.

 

[KmH]

You need a faster shutter speed because the Moon is so bright, not because it and the Earth are moving.

 

[DerekSalem]

Well it looks like I'll be out there again tonight trying to get a good shot =P It was a bit cloudy yesterday too which didn't help but at least this time I'll be going out with much better knowledge of how to get the shot.

I realize it was overexposed every single time but I just couldn't bring myself to drop the shutter speed anymore because I didn't think to realize how bright the refraction truly was. It'll be better!

 

[Dao]

I think you can start it with ...

ISO 100, aperture F/8 and shutter speed 1/500

And adjust the value slightly up or down to get a correct exposure.

 

[KmH]

The Moon is essentially at infinity (250,000 miles/300,000 km) so you don't need to stop down the lens for DOF. You do want to maximize the sharpness by not having the lens wide open so stopping down a little is a good idea.

Make sure the camera is in the "spot" metering mode so you can meter on just the Moon.

Set your ISO at 100 (if you can) or 200.

Set your shutter speed for a correct exposure, make the image, and then bracket +1 EV and -1 EV so you wind up with 3 exposures (-1, 0, +1).

Mount your camera/lens on a good tripod and use a remote release or exposure delay mode to trip the shutter and minimize camera shake.

 

[SNAPaPHOTO]

The only thing I want to mention is with most decent camera not much noise is introduced at ISO 200 or ISO 400 so the high ISO (up to ISO 400) may let you get away with using a TC.

 

[icassell]

You shouldn't need high ISO or slow shutter speeds. Remember that you are looking at a reflection of sunlight!

I know astrostu has a primer on moon photography, but I can't find it -- try PM'ing him.

EDIT: Here's the link to stu's moon photography primer http://photos.sjrdesign.net/documents/photoguide_moon.pdf

 

[Dao]

The only thing I want to mention is with most decent camera not much noise is introduced at ISO 200 or ISO 400 so the high ISO (up to ISO 400) may let you get away with using a TC.

Do you mean tripod, not TC (teleconverter)? Because I do not quite understand what you really mean. Sorry.

 

[Dao]

You shouldn't need high ISO or slow shutter speeds. Remember that you are looking at a reflection of sunlight!

I know astrostu has a primer on moon photography, but I can't find it -- try PM'ing him.

Agree, no need to use high ISO or slow shutter speed for full moon shot.

With ref to Wikipedia, all we need is EV15 for full moon in which we can use ISO 100, F/8 with 1/500 shutter speed.

For 200mm, I think it is fast enough.

 

[myfotoguy]

Time of year may change the settings. But not sure how much. For example, the shot below the moon was 30% brighter and 14 times larger than usual ("Wolf moon" brief info here) I like the idea of choosing your aperture for best IQ then let the cameara choose the rest. Although, I chose a larger aperture then I should have for this shot:

1/2500 at f/4 - 280mm
Exposure bias:-2/3 EV
Exposure prog.:Aperture priority
ISO speed:ISO 400
Metering mode:Spot
I'm not sure why I was at ISO400 and at max Aperture (f/2.8, f/4 with TC attached). I was without tripod and in an odd position shooting out the window on a really cold night, so wanted to have high shutter speed.

Anyway, I would also set WB to auto or sunlight (moon is lit from the sun) and see which you like better and tweak in post.