Moon pics...what am I doing wrong?

[sec]

There is only one moon, so why is there two in my pics? The bright featureless spot is where the real moon actually was. Not only do I have two moons, but the one with the moon features is the one that wasn't actually there.

 

[480sparky]

1. The real moon in the shot is horribly overexposed, most likely because you're letting the camera set the exposure. Use manual, and shoot using the Sunny 16 rule. After all, the moon is sunlit, isn't it?

2. The secondary image is due to the use of a protective UV, skylight or other filter. It did it's job.... it protecting you from getting good images. Remove the filter, and the ghost will most likely disappear.

 

[Overread]

The moon is very bright, but its surrounded by darkness; due to its small size in teh frame the camera thus meters more for the dark and thus you get an overexposed (white) moon. You've got to shift into manual and change the exposure until you get a nice sharp and detailed moon.

The secondary moon is, as said, caused by reflections on a filter lens.

 

[nzmacro]

No need for that ISO 1600. Try the same settings at ISO 100 - 200. Keep the F/5.6 and maybe 1/60 - 1/80 on a tripod, turn OIS to off.

All the best.

Danny.

 

[astroNikon]

on a humerous note, I think you were on the wrong planet, like you were on Tatooine (Star Wars) when you took that photo :thumbup:

http://static2.businessinsider.com/image/4e8249f7ecad04121a00000c/planet.jpg



here's a couple other references on Moon photography

How to photograph the moon: an easy way to shoot moon pictures full of detail | Digital Camera World

How to Photograph the Moon

How to Photograph the Moon

 

[sec]

Thanks everybody. The pic I posted was just one of many I took a couple of days ago. It was the best representative of the problem they all had. I will definitely remove the UV filter next time and try the recommendations given.

Honestly I have no idea what setting any of my pictures were taken at. I took three or four pics at all of the settings my T3i has, manual and preset. They all came out the same. Apparently I moved some of the manual settings in the wrong direction. At the risk of sounding totally stupid, how do you know I used ISO 1600? All my computer tells me is the date and time I took it.

Thanks for the links and the Star Wars photo. That's the first thing I thought of when I saw my pictures.

 

[480sparky]

.....Honestly I have no idea what setting any of my pictures were taken at. ...........

Camera Maker: Canon
Camera Model: Canon EOS REBEL T3i
Lens: EF70-300mm f/4-5.6L IS USM
Image Date: 2014-04-16 01:01:38 (no TZ)
Focal Length: 300mm
Aperture: f/5.6
Exposure Time: 0.017 s (1/60)
ISO equiv: 1600
Exposure Bias: none
Metering Mode: Matrix
Exposure: aperture priority (semi-auto)
White Balance: Auto
Flash Fired: No (enforced)
Orientation: Normal
Color Space: sRGB
GPS Coordinate: undefined, undefined
Comment:

..... At the risk of sounding totally stupid, how do you know I used ISO 1600?.....

We have low friends in high places.

 

[nzmacro]

Sorry, I thought this was in the beginners question forum and not the general gallery.

Danny.