A moon for Gipson

[Desi]

If you want detail, do NOT shoot a full moon, as the lighting on the moon is pretty flat at that time. Shoot a 3/4 or half moon. That way there will be shadows you can pick up.

Thanks, I was wondering how you did that.



Edit: dang....no moon out tonight.

Go for it, Desi! Have fun.. post 'em up for us, too! (seems like there are little "tricks" to everything, right?) lol!

From: http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/...4871-meager-attempt-moon-shot-c-c-please.html

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OK, I had to wait a few days for the moon to come out. Here's my shot. Definitely better that my earlier (unposted) attempts. Much better detail, but still nowhere near as sharp as Charlie's.

Shot at 300 mm, 1/250 sec, f9, iso 200. Tripod.

Why is mine so much less sharp? I'm using the nikkor 70-300 f4.5-5.6. Tripod with timer but shutter not locked.


DSC_0525.jpg by Javier Descalzi, on Flickr

 

[Desi]

Here's the comparison by CGipson1

He shot this at 400mm, f8, 1/80 sec, iso 100

 

[punch]

This still blows my mind every time. That's the effin moon! Nice work, I think.

 

[Desi]

Can't quite figure out why it is not at sharp as Gipson's. Is it a lens issue? Mirror slap? Southern California clear air?

I tried manual focus several times but the best shot came from auto focus......hmm, but not on single point focus.

Or is it some other mystery that my Noobish mind cannot conceive of yet?

 

[cgipson1]

Desi!! Are you mooning me! lol!

Don't have an answer for you, buddy! I was thinking lens.. since I used my 70-200 2.8 VRII.. but with the TC-20E 2x teleconverter on it, I am surprised it is that sharp also. That and the 70-300 is a sharp little booger on it's own!

On the Moon.. I usually do AF (spot focus) and (spot meter)... my HEAVY tripod... and mirror lockup with IR remote (waiting about 10 seconds after the first button push to allow all "shivers" to stop!) I do use ISO 100 (can't remember if your D90 has that... but 200 should be fine too!)

Edit (I guess I could say I pulled a Lightspeed... and scared the moon into holding perfectly still for a second.. while I shot it!) :greenpbl:

 

[Desi]

Maybe Lightspeed can go scare the moon for me a bit. I'm working on figuring out how to select the center focus point (nose deep into the manual). D90 has "lo1" which is supposed to be ISO 100.

Sorry for the fuzzy mooning.....and thanks for the inspiration.

 

[cgipson1]

Your shot actually looks pretty good.. did you sharpen it up in post? It could be the moon's / Sun's orientation too.. if I had more crosslight, it is going to make the craters stand out more.

I bought my GF a D90.... and she still hasn't finished reading the book I bought her for it. Instead she brings it to me, and asks me HOW to do stuff. Lol! I usually manage to find it.. but it really makes me appreciate the button layout on the D7k!

 

[Desi]

2nd attempt same as the first. I think Lightspeed must be on a mirror break.

No sharpening.

Maybe it is orientation. That awesome crater field at the bottom of yours is missing on mine. Well, this means there will be another night when my wife is mad at me while I'm out shooting the moon (and the obligatory web surfing).

Well, I know how your GF feels about the manual. My D90 was a gift as well. Learning it and photography at the same time. I would read the manual and just get confused after a while. I'd have to go out and just shoot for a while until I digested the last lesson and was ready for the next. There are still several untouched parts of the manual.

 

[Desi]

This still blows my mind every time. That's the effin moon! Nice work, I think.

I'm beginner in photography and never tried with moon. I just surprised after see this wonderful snapshot. I will try...

Enjoy....it's a fun challenge. Remember to use spot metering on the moon, otherwise your camera will waaaay over-expose the moon. And, you'll probably have to decrease your exposure from what your camera meter wants. Looking forward to seeing your version.

 

[Desi]

Alright.....this time with sharpening. Maybe that is some of what I was missing.


DSC_0529.jpg by Javier Descalzi, on Flickr


And I'm done for the night.

 

[thereyougo!]

Alright.....this time with sharpening. Maybe that is some of what I was missing.


DSC_0529.jpg by Javier Descalzi, on Flickr


And I'm done for the night.

Much better. You generally always have to sharpen with digital cameras as the anti aliasing filter muddies the water a tad.

 

[cgipson1]

much nicer! You nailed it!

 

[astrostu]

gipson's looks way too sharpened to me. There are some odd artifacts that I can't quite make out near Mare Crisium. As in, it looks splotchy like you'd get from over-sharpening.

 

[pgriz]

Stewart, shhhhh... the Chinese moon colony there is supposed to be a secret!

 

[One2]

Nice shots of the moon. Charlies version is amazing...