Moon images how fast?

<p>I took some shots of the moon (sorry, don't have any scanned) with a Canon F-1N loaded with Kodak ISO200 HD film when it was still available, an 800mm f5.6L and a 2X extender. At 1600mm the moon does a nice job of filling up the frame with a small margin at the top and bottom. Shake was my biggest problem too. The slightest air movement caused the moon to swing around wildly in the viewfinder. I ended up using two tripods. The front one was my heavy Gitzo mounted as far forward as I could go on the lens rail and had about 15 lbs. slung underneath. The rear tripod was mounted to the camera body and I had to keep moving it to keep the moon in frame. I think I was shooting at f16. I metered the moon with a spot meter, added 2 stops for the extender, and double checked with the cameras spot meter. Bracketed one and two stops up and down. The middle shot came out perfect. It was an identical view to Harvey Serreze only showed more depth and detail.</p>

<p>I really love my 800mm lens but need to make it more practical to use. I want to get some filter material and start taking pictures of the sun. I'm working on a device that will do the same thing as the two tripods using only one. It will be fairly light and quick to adjust.</p>

<p>Nothing beats an equatorial mount. This was shot on T-Max 100 in a F3 Nikon at prime focus. 6" refractor stopped to app. f/11 @ 1/60 sec.</p>

<p><img src="http://kpa.dunnnet.com/modules/coppermine/albums/userpics/10131/moon_3.jpg" alt="" /></p>

<p>This shot was taken last night (Sept 12) at 1/60sec, f/5.6, 400iso, using the 30D and 100-400mm L at 400mm. It may be difficult to get the shutter speed fast enough using f/16, unless you have the ISO set at 800-1600+. I find it difficult to get a satisfactory shot using these high ISO's on the 30D due to the resulting noise and grain, maybe the D300 will perform better.</p>

<p>Re: above</p><div></div>

<p>I think you have to experiment. For me it was helpful to shoot at dusk, when the sky is blue and the contrast between the bright moon and the sky is not as severe. The background can be adjusted in post processing. Also, a solid tripod and a shutter speed that is fast enough to limit any motion blur is essential.<br>

This shot is with a D300, 80-400 mm VR zoom at f8, 1/250 sec, iso 1600, 400 mm, on a tripod with a self timer.</p>

The image...<div></div>

<p>I shoot the moon with whatever aperture is sharpest for the lens I'm using, usually f/8-f/11. The moon is bright enough that shutter speed won't need to be too low. Spot metering is definitely key, as is exposure bracketing. Bracketing in particular is useful to fuse a few exposures together.</p>

<p>Here's a shot I took handheld with a really cheap 300mm plastic lens.</p><div></div>

<p>dave's image above only shows that it's not always the equipment. i still use my D70s and the plastic nikkor 70-300 G for serious shoots.</p>

<blockquote>

<p>This shot is with a D300, 80-400 mm VR zoom at f8, 1/250 sec, iso 1600, 400 mm, on a tripod with a self timer.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Sunny f/16 +2/3 (bright surface)</p>

<blockquote>

<p>This shot was taken last night (Sept 12) at 1/60sec, f/5.6, 400iso, using the 30D and 100-400mm L at 400mm.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Sunny f/16 -1/3 (dark surface)</p>

 

<blockquote>

<p>This was shot on T-Max 100 in a F3 Nikon at prime focus. 6" refractor stopped to app. f/11 @ 1/60 sec.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Sunny f/16 -1/3</p>

<p>Metering isn't really necessary. All of these shots were taken within a stop of each other.</p>

<p>I was so impressed with Harvey Serreze's Jupiter pictures, I just had to try it myself. I was able to duplicate his shot, but this one I thought added something new.<br />Its Jupiter and the four major moons plus Nepture on the lower right!<br />After I took the picture I looked up the names in Home Planet and was surprised to find Neptune also in the picture (I had originally thought it might be a star). Had to find the satellites names/positions on a different site. Off topic, when Gallieo observed Jupiter through his telescope, his drawings show Neptune also, he just didn't know it at the time as Nepture wasn't known yet.<br />The moons are in order (left to right) Ganymede, Europa, (Jupiter), Io, Callisto.<br />D300, Vivitar Series 1 Solid Catadioptric, 800mm, f/11. Taken 9/16/2009, 11:28 EDT, about on the meridian.<br />This site is so great, always seeing something new!</p><div></div>

<p>Paul - now you've impressed me. Neptune! That's terrific. Saturn would be great to look at next but it appears to be totally opposite to Jupiter in position, so I guess we'll have to wait several months.</p>

 

<p>Harvey - More than a few months, Saturn's rings were on edge and invisible August 11th. Its a 15 year cycle, so its 7½ years till they're on fullest possible view. I would imagine it will be many months before they're worth photographing again. Of course, this will give us a chance to record the progression of the tilt!<br>

Saturn is even further than Jupiter and smaller, so since Jupiter's current apparent diameter is 46.8" and Saturn ranges from 14.5" to 20.1", Saturn will be less than half the size of what Jupiter is now at its closest and ⅓ that size at its smallest. Gonna need a teleconverter to keep the size up! or get the telescope out, its about 1250mm.<br>

I live in Indiana and the weather and light polution here is so bad I haven't set my telescope up in years. But this new technique will give the chance to reindulge as long its not cloudy. I took the picture in front of my house, across the street from a street light with my neighbors porch lights also glaring away less than 45 degees from my lens. What's is lousy for viewing with the eye isn't so bad for the camera apparently. I'll be trying some moon shots soon. Its just coming off new and will be a few days before its visible here.</p>

<p>Saturn will be near the meridian by March.</p>