How do YOU photograph the moon?

I've been trying to photograph the moon and it seems hit or miss. I've been using my a77 + 70-300G lens while hand holding. I don't think the IBIS works in this situation. I also found out the moon moves rather quickly in the viewfinder and I've had no luck with auto focus so I put the lens at f/8 and a high ISO. What lens are you using or recommend? What about exposure times and ISO? I'd appreciate your thoughts and opinions.

There have been a number of discussions on this topic answering your question and lots more. If you do a search you will find some really great advice. In short, I've typically shot when the moon is about 3/4 because you get better crater shadows than with a full moon. Most people have really good success using a sunny 11 rule (remember the moon illumination is merely reflected sunshine). I typically try to shoot at 1/200 or faster to reduce blurring. Always, always using a tripod. Forget autofocus...manually focus your lens. f/8 works for me, because I usually shoot with a 400/6.3 lens closed down 1 stop.

I don't photograph the moon, but I've often thought I should try. There's an interesting Q&A on this at photo.stackexchange.com here:

Why do moon shots bring out the worst in telephoto lenses?

I haven't read the photo.stackexchange article yet, but this is probably my best shot after many fails: Sigma 150-600 @600, 1/200 @ f/11, ISO 800

 

 

The rule of thumb for exposure, in lieu of "Sunny Sixteen", is "Loony Eleven," which might go to f/8 or f/5.6 depending on the phase. The moon is always in full sunlight, but has a low reflectance, which decreases as the phase wanes. That usually permits a shutter speed fast enough to ignore its rotation through the sky, even hand-held shots with surprising detail. If you don't see detail, you are probably grossly overexposing. AE is useless.

 

The moon subtends a little more than half a degree in diameter. To fill most of the frame, you need an 800 or 1000 mm lens (40-50 power in a telescope). A tripod is best, since it's hard to line up a powerful lens accurately by hand. It's best to use a gimbal or fluid head with a long lens, to avoid slip-stick action and spring-back due to flexibility in the mount. An equatorial drive is best, but not necessary unless you wish to do a time-lapse of an eclipse, or a lunar occlusion.

It is really not that hard - various combinations of shutter speeds, aperture and ISO will work. This hand held (as most are ex. with my heaviest lens) D7200 75-300.

F 11 is certainly a good spot to use, and it is easy enough to shoot in Aperture at a few different settings. Full moon, IMO is the most difficult - other stages usually more dramatic

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When you use a 500mm AF F8 one of the variables is removed. This is 1/30s ISO 100 F8 and must have been taken with a tripod

 

Half Moon | A7 and Minolta 500mm AF F8

The suggestions above are great--I particularly like Ed Ingold's for his recommendation of a fluid or gymbal head. I use what I have, an Arca-Swiss Z1 head, and it's fussy. The following photo was made with a Nikon 300mm f/4 AFS and a 1.4X TC for a focal length of 420mm on a D7100, 1/400 second, f/5.6, ISO 200. Posted before.

 

I should add that I have trouble hand-holding heavy lenses, even if they have image-stabilization, because of tendinitis in my hands and wrists.

Edited May 26, 2019 by Hector Javkin

Not necessarily my favorite moon shot, but when an exceptionally clear night gives me a chance I try to take it. This was shot with a 560mm Leica Telyt, I think at f/8, Nikon D100 ISO 400 @ 1/250. Tripod and beanbags on the lens for stability

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At 560 mm, the moon will cover less than half the width of the frame. Cropping notwithstanding, this is an excellent photo.

 

Any time you try to frame tightly with a long lens, a ball head or conventional 3-way proves very difficult - head banging difficult. That's true for the closeups too. A geared head would work for a stationary subject, but best with Arca-type QR. I find Manfrotto plates too springy, with little control over twisting except when absolutely level.

Mostly handheld, ISO 800, 1/800-sec and f/8, 800mm or 1000mm, depending on what I have on me, but I adjust from there:

 

Waxing Gibbous Moon by David Stephens, on Flickr

 

The clarity of the atmosphere is a big factor. Some days, you'll look up and it'll be crystal clear and other days, NOT. 45-degrees from the horizon and higher give more clarity, but, sometimes there's something of interest at ground level:

 

Moon Sets Over Mount Evans by David Stephens, on Flickr

 

Forget the tripod. It doesn't add anything but weight.

 

Oh, looking at some of the other shots, DON'T get too carried away with Contrast. I try to get something a little crisper than what I see with my eye. That's NOT black valley and shadow.

"The clarity of the atmosphere is a big factor. Some days, you'll look up and it'll be crystal clear and other days, NOT. 45-degrees from the horizon and higher give more clarity, but, sometimes there's something of interest at ground level:"

 

 

Jupiter/moon conjunction; 5 moons visible (view large) by Tom Yin, on Flickr

 

Or sometimes there's something up in the sky that is of interest.