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BetterPhoto Q&A
Category: Problems with Images

Photography Question 

Larry Smith 		 

Full Moon


 
 
Shooting a full moon, I'm getting all white and no details, what is the best way to photograph the full moon?


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November 09, 2011

 
- Gregory LaGrange

BetterPhoto Member
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Gregory LaGrange's Gallery 		  Common question. Start at f/11, ISO 100, shutter speed 100th (or 125t,h if you don't have 100th), and raise shutter or ISO as needed while matching the correct aperture.
Search "moon" in the Q&A and you'll get a bunch of stuff for it.


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November 09, 2011

 

Larry Smith 		  Thanks for the quick response Gregory, I'm going out now before the clouds come in and try it, and I will let you kow how I made out
Thank you
Larry


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November 09, 2011

 
- Carlton Ward

BetterPhoto Member
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Carlton Ward's Gallery 		  Hi Larry,
I think I shot at f/11 and 1/125s at ISO100 last time and got details (Full Moon). Here is a chart as a guide because the different phases require slight adjustments :)
I use my 100-400mm lens w/1.4 extender and tripod/manual focus...

Lunar Photography Exposure Guide (@f/16)
ISO Film Speed Full Moon Gibbous 1st Quarter Thick Crescent Thin Crescent Earthshine
25 1/15 1/8 1/4 1/2 1
50 1/30 1/15 1/18 1/4 1/2
100 1/60 1/30 1/15 1/8 1/4
200 1/125 1/60 1/30 1/15 1/8 40 to 80 sec.
400 1/250 1/125 1/60 1/30 1/15 20 to 40 sec.
800 1/500 1/250 1/125 1/60 1/30 10 to 20 sec.
1600 1/1000 1/500 1/250 1/125 1/60 5 to 10 sec.
3200 1/2000 1/1000 1/300 1/250 1/125 2 to 5 sec.
home.hiwaay.net/~krcool/Astro/moon/howtophoto/
Hope this helps,
Carlton


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November 09, 2011

 

Larry Smith 		  Thanks, Carlton you and Gregory wre a big help, I just hop toniht clears up and try again
Thanks again Larry


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November 10, 2011

 
- Kenneth De Pree

BetterPhoto Member
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Kenneth De Pree's Gallery 		  Do a Google search. Lots of good info available on the subject.


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November 22, 2011

 

Larry Smith 		  Thanks Ken I tried it there are a lot of good ideas to shoot all phases of the moon


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November 22, 2011

 

Dan W. Dooley 		 
 
  Supermoon Over Texas
Supermoon Over Texas
f/8, 1/640 sec, Canon 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 L IS USM at 400mm, Handheld, 9:04 PM. The moon was practically directly overhead.

Dan W. Dooley

  
 
Larry, I don't know if you've been successful yet in your moon shots but there are a couple of points which I have not seen touched on yet. I have had good success at getting well exposed moon shots. The secret is to avoid overexposure. The camera meter is seeing the "whole" of the sky around the moon and averaging the metered light. It's saying in effect, "it's a dark scene so the exposure needs to be increased." The meter is being fooled. The blackness being the bulk of the "scene" in the frame is calling for more exposure and thus the part which is actually light is overexposed.

Try spot metering and meter off of the surface of the moon itself. Try a couple of test shots and if it's still too bright, reduce the exposure. If you are using other than Manaul reduce the exposure with EC by some amount you may need to experiment with. I use only manual exposure and I may reduce the exposure by a good part of, or to a whole f-stop. As the light from the moon is bright, yes, you can use a moderatly low ISO. 100 should work.

My last time was at ISO 200. Shutter speed was 1/640 sec, f/8. Focal length 400mm. Handheld. I could have shot it at ISO 100 but I was handholding and wanted to keep the shutter speed up

I am including an image to show that it can be done.


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December 09, 2011

 
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