I took this last night out in my driveway - which is a shame as I realize it would have been a lot better getting away from sources of light. Tom offered to shoot out some porch and street lights - would have loved to have seen that as we don't own anything that shoots except the camera. Anyway, a friend of mine that teaches had posted on FB about being able to see the moon and Jupiter last night so I went out and grabbed a quick shot for her to use in class today.
How do you all do these and actually be able to see the craters on the moon? I just see shadows on this one - but I see Jupiter. I have a feeling I just don't have the right lens - Tom is going to love hearing that......
Bet you are going to be humming that song if you are old enough to get the reference.
Yours is a fabulous shot, Cathy. I was so amazed when I went to visit a friend last night and saw Jupiter--WOW it was so cool. I can never get a great shot like yours. Way to go.
Nice moonshot, Cathy! The moon certainly was large and bright last night! What a great bonus to see Jupiter as well. The moonshots with fine crater definition are taken with an adapter mounting the camera to a telescope. My best moonshot ever was taken with a 300 mm lens, tripod and remote shutter release, but still no fine crater definition (check out my May 6 image to see it).
At least you can see it!! I think thats a cracking shot, clever you......guess you'll have to save for a telescope!! ha ha bet you didn't know you needed on of those, money money!!!
Cathy, I agree with Sean O'Neill that the best moon photos showing craters are usually not the full moons.
I have several moon shots taken with either my Canon 100-400 mm or the Sigma 500. Just posted "thanksgiving moon" for the november list which was handheld. Here are the notes I found somewhere that have given me the best results: "When photographing the moon, the most important thing to understand is that the moon is very bright because it is reflecting the sun. It's critical to avoid overexposing the photo. Use a telephoto lens or your zoom lens with the longest reach. if using a tripod, set the ISO to 100 and aperture to around F5.6. Set a shutter speed of around1/100th of a second and take a test shot. If you just see a white ball, the shot is overexposed, so raise the shutter speed and try again until you can see the craters."
All good advice above Cathy.... Think the telescope thing works well (see Humphrey Hippo last week), but this is good in its own right.... And it's fun trying!
I only have a point and shoot camera, so this is far and above anything I can get. I do have a film camera with a 300 mm lens and a tripod that I haven't had out in a while... may have to drag it out and try some of this advice... I would be happy to get what you got!
I think you did so well here all I ever get is what i realise now is an over exposed blur of light. Going to try again with the help of Lyn! I must look out for Jupiter as well. We had fantastic moonlight last night.
So cool that you have Jupiter there!
I find with the moon that it's always much brighter than I expect. I tend to find I over-expose on my first attempts and have to keep dialling the settings back.
As I think other people have mentioned, you tend to get better craters when it's less full as the sun is at angle to them so you get more shadows & contrast.
@yonnie Thanks Yvonne - but I'm disappointed with it. @soboy5 That is an incredible shot Danny. I used the tripod but I don't have a telescope so probably will never get the definition I want. @fannyb Thanks Fanny - I can see it. @darrenboyj Darren - I read up on google on settings to start on but I can't get what I want. @lyno Thank you Lyn. I'll go by that. You have a way better zoom! I have lens envy again..... @jackie8 It is fun trying. And I have to stop buying things for photography.
@calm This will get you back to the film camera. Have to admit that I don't even know how to put the film in. Tom did that when we had a film camera and all I did was cut folks head's off. @amandalomonaco That's the one! You are too young. @swguevin Sorry about putting the song in your head if you don't like it. @windridge Thank you, Susan. @sugarmuser A teacher friend of mine informed me it was Jupiter. @happypat I might give it a try again tonight. @humphreyhippo I'll have to keep that part in mind. It is just the full moon draws me in more.
I learned from someone on 365 that it was Jupiter or I wouldn't have known either! I think you have done a fine job Cathy! Jupiter shows up very well! ........And I started singing it before I even started reading your commentary!
It is a little like one of my shots from wednesday Cathy, and I think that capturing Jupiter and the Moon together makes for a differentt type of shot where the definition of the moon is less important. I deliberately shot mine underexposed because the moon was so bright, and then dodged Jupiter to make it brighter. This is a lovely shot you have taken.
I have several moon shots taken with either my Canon 100-400 mm or the Sigma 500. Just posted "thanksgiving moon" for the november list which was handheld. Here are the notes I found somewhere that have given me the best results: "When photographing the moon, the most important thing to understand is that the moon is very bright because it is reflecting the sun. It's critical to avoid overexposing the photo. Use a telephoto lens or your zoom lens with the longest reach. if using a tripod, set the ISO to 100 and aperture to around F5.6. Set a shutter speed of around1/100th of a second and take a test shot. If you just see a white ball, the shot is overexposed, so raise the shutter speed and try again until you can see the craters."
I find with the moon that it's always much brighter than I expect. I tend to find I over-expose on my first attempts and have to keep dialling the settings back.
As I think other people have mentioned, you tend to get better craters when it's less full as the sun is at angle to them so you get more shadows & contrast.
@soboy5 That is an incredible shot Danny. I used the tripod but I don't have a telescope so probably will never get the definition I want.
@fannyb Thanks Fanny - I can see it.
@darrenboyj Darren - I read up on google on settings to start on but I can't get what I want.
@lyno Thank you Lyn. I'll go by that. You have a way better zoom! I have lens envy again.....
@jackie8 It is fun trying. And I have to stop buying things for photography.
@amandalomonaco That's the one! You are too young.
@swguevin Sorry about putting the song in your head if you don't like it.
@windridge Thank you, Susan.
@sugarmuser A teacher friend of mine informed me it was Jupiter.
@happypat I might give it a try again tonight.
@humphreyhippo I'll have to keep that part in mind. It is just the full moon draws me in more.
Nice sharp shot of the moon - love how you've captured Jupiter too!