Astrophotography -=- The Moon

DI-JoeDI-Joe Registered Users Posts: 368 Major grins
edited June 4, 2007 in Wildlife
So, I've always been interested in astronomy and astrophysics.

With what gear I have, I was able to nab a good shot of the moot with a 500mm prime with a 2x adapter and taking the APS-C multiplier into account it's a 1600mm prime shot. At the time, I was using a tiny 18" tripod on the top of my car and my camera with the lense, even using the lense mount on the pod, the 2x adapter unbalanced it greatly so this is semi handheld.

One of the key factors for this shot was that it was absolutely freezing outside, i think it was about 14F. This is great for digital cameras(so long as they're cooled and warmed slowly) because the heating up of the sensor causes the digital noise noticed when taking pics at high ISO speed. My sensor stayed nice and cool for this shot, keeping the noise at an ISO100 kind of minimum.

Shot at iso3200(if I remember correctly)

406311472_fafac243d0_b.jpg
Modus Imagery
Moving away from photography and into cinema. PM me if you have questions about DSLR workflow or production questions.
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Comments

  • MaestroMaestro Registered Users Posts: 5,395 Major grins
    edited May 31, 2007
    Very nice. thumb.gif
  • ShepsMomShepsMom Registered Users Posts: 4,319 Major grins
    edited May 31, 2007
    Good shot. Every time i look at the moon it reminds me of a big grey watermelon :D
    Marina
    www.intruecolors.com
    Nikon D700 x2/D300
    Nikon 70-200 2.8/50 1.8/85 1.8/14.24 2.8
  • DI-JoeDI-Joe Registered Users Posts: 368 Major grins
    edited May 31, 2007
    ShepsMom wrote:
    Good shot. Every time i look at the moon it reminds me of a big grey watermelon :D

    What color are the seeds? ¯\(°_o)/¯
    Modus Imagery
    Moving away from photography and into cinema. PM me if you have questions about DSLR workflow or production questions.
    Film Reel: http://vimeo.com/19955876
  • anderson_paulanderson_paul Registered Users Posts: 59 Big grins
    edited June 4, 2007
    here is that same shot it wasn't bad just sharpen using the unsharp filter and added a little on the top. hope you don't mind.

    moon.jpg
    Some men see things as they are an say "Why?"
    I dream things that never were and say
    "Why Not?"


  • dbaker1221dbaker1221 Registered Users Posts: 4,482 Major grins
    edited June 4, 2007
    good capture.. I love moon shots
    **If I keep shooting, I'm bound to hit something**
    Dave
  • DI-JoeDI-Joe Registered Users Posts: 368 Major grins
    edited June 4, 2007
    here is that same shot it wasn't bad just sharpen using the unsharp filter and added a little on the top. hope you don't mind.

    Actually, I do mind. It's generally not welcome to just up and edit someone's photo without first asking. That's like walking up to someone and "fixing" their painting. You're more than welcome to suggest and if I don't feel it's something I can do, or I wish an example then that would be the time I'd invite you to edit one of my photos. Until which point, don't touch my artwork.
    angrymod.gif
    Modus Imagery
    Moving away from photography and into cinema. PM me if you have questions about DSLR workflow or production questions.
    Film Reel: http://vimeo.com/19955876
  • pathfinderpathfinder Super Moderators Posts: 14,708 moderator
    edited June 4, 2007
    DI,

    Why did you shoot this at ISO 3200??

    You will have sharper, less noisy images with ISO 100. The moon is a sun-lit object - it is rather bright and you do not need extremely high ISO's to capture it.

    I have posted numerous shots at ISO 100 with DSLRs and Point and SHoots as well..... Typical exposure should run within a stop of f11, 1/200th sec or so at ISO 100 or maybe 200.
    Pathfinder - www.pathfinder.smugmug.com

    Moderator of the Technique Forum and Finishing School on Dgrin
  • DI-JoeDI-Joe Registered Users Posts: 368 Major grins
    edited June 4, 2007
    pathfinder wrote:
    DI,

    Why did you shoot this at ISO 3200??

    You will have sharper, less noisy images with ISO 100. The moon is a sun-lit object - it is rather bright and you do not need extremely high ISO's to capture it.

    I have posted numerous shots at ISO 100 with DSLRs and Point and SHoots as well.....

    Because, as noted in my original post, it's nearly hand-held using a really flimsy 18" tripod on the top of my car with a really heavy and unbalanced lens (f/8 mind you). I didn't have the steadiness to shoot at 100. Believe me, I know all about noise. But you don't exactly see a lot of it in my image.
    Modus Imagery
    Moving away from photography and into cinema. PM me if you have questions about DSLR workflow or production questions.
    Film Reel: http://vimeo.com/19955876
  • anderson_paulanderson_paul Registered Users Posts: 59 Big grins
    edited June 4, 2007
    Sorry joe didn't mean to upset you i meant know harm and i wont do it again.
    ne_nau.gif
    Some men see things as they are an say "Why?"
    I dream things that never were and say
    "Why Not?"


  • StanStan Registered Users Posts: 1,077 Major grins
    edited June 4, 2007
    Great to see such a close up of the moon,

    This was a good post on shooting the moon, have a look

    Stan
  • DI-JoeDI-Joe Registered Users Posts: 368 Major grins
    edited June 4, 2007
    Sorry joe didn't mean to upset you i meant know harm and i wont do it again.
    ne_nau.gif

    It's kewl man, just keep that in mind, I'm not the only person who gets bent about that.

    Nuff bout that. So... How does unsharp mask work anyway? can you show me? or link me to a tute? I'm not real sure how that works. Thanks, bro.
    Modus Imagery
    Moving away from photography and into cinema. PM me if you have questions about DSLR workflow or production questions.
    Film Reel: http://vimeo.com/19955876
  • mmrodenmmroden Registered Users Posts: 472 Major grins
    edited June 4, 2007
    unsharp mask info:
    http://www.scantips.com/simple6.html
    http://www.cambridgeincolour.com/tutorials/unsharp-mask.htm

    Also, while cold is good for CCD noise in digital cameras, it's really craptastic to battery life. I've had a few night shots ruined by suddenly foreshortened battery life, because the battery won't last as long while it's cold.
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