Night Photography, need some help

[Soulz3urn3lack]

Ok I'm relatively new to Photography techniques. Although I have been taking pics since I could hold a camera I need help with night time Photographs. I am using a:

Kodak Easy share z650 6.1 Megapixles
10x optical Zoom, so on and so forth


I could use some Camera specific help, my photos of the moon or distant cityscaps always show up dark or splotchy.

 

[evo5gsr]

Check to see if your camera has manual controls. Widen the aperture/decrease the shutter speed/raise the ISO up if you have to.

 

[Soulz3urn3lack]

It has Manuel setting here is what it's capable of.

Iso 80, 100, 200, 400
1/1000 to 8.0"
F 2.8 to 8.0

What are the best settings for night shots. Distant light and all that without using a lens.

 

[MarcusM]

This may seem like an obvious question, but are you using a tripod?

 

[LaFoto]

f8, at lowest ISO, and then ... depending on how much light is surrounding you ... the full 8 seconds. A tripod is, of course, indispensable for this kind of photography.

Ah, and the full moon (not eclipsed! ) in a night sky is as bright as the sun! If you want to get a photo of the moon which does not show it like a big, bright blop in the sky, then you only need to expose as if you had daylight (1/125th or so, at f5.6). No matter what the camera tells you! (And it will tell you that it is waaaaaay to dark ... but ... the moon is NOT!)

 

[eclipse13]

iso 400, f/8, 8" exposure. You will need a tripod or at least set it on something for an exposure that long.

 

[LaFoto]

That high ISO is totally unnecessary and will (especially with a small camera of the kind) only produce a hellish amount of noise.

 

[Soulz3urn3lack]

Thanks a lot everyone, and yea I'm using a tripod but I was making a boo boo and using 1/1000 instead of 8.0"

Any other tips for night photography, like General tips for me and every other noob?

 

[MarcusM]

f8, at lowest ISO, and then ... depending on how much light is surrounding you ... the full 8 seconds. A tripod is, of course, indispensable for this kind of photography.

Ah, and the full moon (not eclipsed! ) in a night sky is as bright as the sun! If you want to get a photo of the moon which does not show it like a big, bright blop in the sky, then you only need to expose as if you had daylight (1/125th or so, at f5.6). No matter what the camera tells you! (And it will tell you that it is waaaaaay to dark ... but ... the moon is NOT!)

Wow! That makes so much sense now LaFoto! The last time I tried taking pics of the moon was several years ago with my 300D when I was still a fresh newb, and I gave up because they kept turning out like big bright blobs like you said..I never would have guessed you need a faster shutter speed, but it makes sense now! I figured I just didn't have a good enough camera so I haven't tried again. Thanks.

 

[Battou]

That high ISO is totally unnecessary and will (especially with a small camera of the kind) only produce a hellish amount of noise.

I'm steering clear of this one due to my blatent disregard for the Easyshare line of cameras but, I have to chyme up for this one. Thank you, I grow somewhat irritated seeing the default answer being "Raise the ISO".

I have gotten some damn good night shots at 2sec with 200 film, A high ISO is not the almighty fix all.

 

[LaFoto]

Any other tips for night photography, like General tips for me and every other noob?

Use a SMALL aperture.
This will, of course, have you use loooooooooooooong exposure times, but at night you will have to mount the camera to a tripod, anyway, so where is the problem.

In order to avoid camera shake in the moment of pushing the button, given you have no remote release (which I haven't, either), set the timer, push the button, but have the camera release without being touched 10 seconds later. At night, you will mostly go for still subjects, anyway, so it doesn't matter if you release 10 seconds earlier or later ... but this method can avoid shake.