My first ever moon picture...

SnappingShark · Dec 5, 2013

Not exactly the color I wanted, as I forgot my ISO was set at 800!! oops. Now the moon has disappeared behind trees for a while. I'll give it another crack another time.

f/11, @ 250, 800 ISO, 300mm
Nikkor 55-300 lens

Any recommendations? should ISO be higher or lower to get the more silvery effect?

weags77 · Dec 5, 2013

How would ISO affect anything color wise ?

SnappingShark · Dec 5, 2013

The sensitivity to the light.

ronlane · Dec 5, 2013

I shoot the moon at ISO 200

pgriz · Dec 5, 2013

The lit parts of the moon are essentially at the same distance from the sun as we are, so the daylight exposure setting (sunny-16 rule) would be a starting point. Depending on the altitude of the moon relative to the horizon, and atmospheric conditions, there may be some light extinction, so if it is too dark, you start opening things up. I use the native ISO (in my case 100), use an f/stop which is sharp with my lens (since I probably don't need a deep DOF unless I'm shooting the foreground as well), put my camera on a tripod, and shoot at 1/400 sec or so at f/8. IF, on the other hand, I want to capture the earth-glow on the moon, then that is anywhere from 6-8 stops dimmer. In practice, an exposure about 4 stops dimmer will keep the earth-glow dark, but not black, which is the effect that I would normally want.

weags77 · Dec 5, 2013

I guess I still don't see how ISO could affect the color you wanted. Sure it will add noise and wash colors out because of it but I don't think it will give an amber moon a silvery affect. I would think that would be your white balance or actual exposure values outside of ISO.

I could be completely wrong mind you. And I do t have any experience with "shooting the moon" so it could be different than what I'm used to. I typically want to use the lowest ISO possible and want to account for DOF and shutter speed with color not even playing a factor in my camera settings. Unless I NEED to raise it for a faster shutter speed or greater DOF and that would be the ONLY reasons I would raise it.

deeky · Dec 5, 2013

I think you've got a good enough base here if you are fine with a little post. Run some noise reduction (maybe just your downsize for posting), adjust your white point and desaturate the yellows. By all means reshoot later, but don't scrap this one.

JustJazzie · Dec 5, 2013

Were you using auto focus or manual focus?? It looks a bit soft to me, but I could have dirty glasses.

From what I understand, if you were shooting at 300mm, you'd want to keep your SS at or above /300 since all camera shake is magnified with longer Lens's.

I did my best moon pictures at 1/200 F/10 200mm ISO 200.

SnappingShark · Dec 10, 2013

So, weird thing (ignore the crappiness of this shot)

I just used my new 70-200mm Tamron lens, and same settings as when I took it with the 55-300mm Nikkor lens - same location from my balcony - no tripod as before (heavier lens and a bit more windy, so a LOT more blur/shake) - and the moon came out perfect moon color - but the weird thing was the color difference between the two moon shots at the same settings but just a different lens.

first focal point was 300
this was 200.

same conditions in the sky.

Is there a problem with the 55-300 color distortion or anything? Is that even possible?

EDITED**** ISO 800 last time!! D'oh - this was 400. I'll try again tomorrow when the moon is back in the same spot to get exact same conditions / settings.