What settings should I try to shoot a full moon? I am using a canon 5D with a 100-400mml lens. Also,any tips on shooting tail lights at night?
Posted by Dan Borzynski on July 23, 2010 at 10:08 PM
On a clean, clear night with the moon overhead, sunny f11 rule.
Near the horizon, sunny f8 - f11. Check the histogram - it will depend a bit on just how clear the air is.
On a hot hazy summer evening, probably a lot less than that. With the heat and atmosphere haze we have now in the major midwest cities, probably a 2 day exposure with the moon near the horizon.
Posted by Howard Cheek on July 24, 2010 at 7:01 AM
One of the great things about digital photography is that you can check your exposure immediately and make the necessary adjustments. The moon is full this weekend. Just get out there and give it a go.
If your intent is to capture clear detail on the full moon, remember that you are shooting an object in bright sunlight, so, as Dan says, make your settings as if you are shooting a brightly lit daytime scene. When you have your exposure set for the moon at night, to show clear detail on the moon, everything else will be black or very dark.
If you want to capture a scene that includes the moon near the horizon and you want to show features in the landscape, then you will want a greater exposure. When the moon is near the horizon, It will appear yellow or orange, and need more exposure than when it is higher. If the moon is in haze, or if the scene is not completely dark, you may be able to capture detail on the full moon without terribly underexposing the rest of the scene. More likely, if you expose for the scene, especially if the moon is higher, the moon will be overexposed. Anyhow, you will need to keep your exposure time fairly short because the moon is moving. To avoid motion blur using your 100-400 lens, your exposure time will need to be less than 5 seconds, and less than 2 seconds would be best.
Re: tail lights, do you mean automobile tail lights? To show tail lights as a streak, the longer the exposure, the better. A longer exposure after dark, will reveal details in the scene that you may not be able to see with your eye. A black sky may appear blue, for instance. The attached picture is a 30 second exposure, well after dark.
Thanks to all. So if I shot the moon at a F8 and 1/250 at night, would that work? Also, if I used the bulb feature and held it for 15 - 30 seconds using the 100- 400 lens is that ok?
Posted by Rodney Ninow on July 24, 2010 at 5:20 PM
What are you planning to shoot handheld at 15-30 seconds? All you'll get is a blurry mess, which could possibly work, depending on the subject.
Here is a grab shot of the full moon last month, about half an hour before moonset, which just happened to occur simultaneously with the sunrise. This is uncropped, 300mm, 1.3 sensor. Your 400mm and 5D will give you about the same size image of the moon in the frame.
The exposure data is ISO 2oo, f8, 1/6 second, about six stops more exposure than your proposed f8, 1/250. The moon was fairly close to the horizon on a hazy night with wispy clouds. If you are shooting the moon at a higher altitude in a clear sky, you would use a shorter exposure time. Your proposed f8, 1/250, might be in the right ballpark at about ISO 200. Check your histogram, check your LCD for 'blinkies, and bracket, bracket, bracket.
A 15 to 20 second exposure would give you an oblong moon with blurred features. Btw, I expect that your camera will give you up to 30 seconds without having to use bulb.
P.S.
If you don't have a good tripod, and you will be hand-holding, you may want to increase the ISO and use a shutter speed of 1/250 or faster. Be sure to have your IS on.
Discussion
7 repliesNear the horizon, sunny f8 - f11. Check the histogram - it will depend a bit on just how clear the air is.
On a hot hazy summer evening, probably a lot less than that. With the heat and atmosphere haze we have now in the major midwest cities, probably a 2 day exposure with the moon near the horizon.
If your intent is to capture clear detail on the full moon, remember that you are shooting an object in bright sunlight, so, as Dan says, make your settings as if you are shooting a brightly lit daytime scene. When you have your exposure set for the moon at night, to show clear detail on the moon, everything else will be black or very dark.
If you want to capture a scene that includes the moon near the horizon and you want to show features in the landscape, then you will want a greater exposure. When the moon is near the horizon, It will appear yellow or orange, and need more exposure than when it is higher. If the moon is in haze, or if the scene is not completely dark, you may be able to capture detail on the full moon without terribly underexposing the rest of the scene. More likely, if you expose for the scene, especially if the moon is higher, the moon will be overexposed. Anyhow, you will need to keep your exposure time fairly short because the moon is moving. To avoid motion blur using your 100-400 lens, your exposure time will need to be less than 5 seconds, and less than 2 seconds would be best.
Re: tail lights, do you mean automobile tail lights? To show tail lights as a streak, the longer the exposure, the better. A longer exposure after dark, will reveal details in the scene that you may not be able to see with your eye. A black sky may appear blue, for instance. The attached picture is a 30 second exposure, well after dark.
Here is a grab shot of the full moon last month, about half an hour before moonset, which just happened to occur simultaneously with the sunrise. This is uncropped, 300mm, 1.3 sensor. Your 400mm and 5D will give you about the same size image of the moon in the frame.
The exposure data is ISO 2oo, f8, 1/6 second, about six stops more exposure than your proposed f8, 1/250. The moon was fairly close to the horizon on a hazy night with wispy clouds. If you are shooting the moon at a higher altitude in a clear sky, you would use a shorter exposure time. Your proposed f8, 1/250, might be in the right ballpark at about ISO 200. Check your histogram, check your LCD for 'blinkies, and bracket, bracket, bracket.
A 15 to 20 second exposure would give you an oblong moon with blurred features. Btw, I expect that your camera will give you up to 30 seconds without having to use bulb.
If you don't have a good tripod, and you will be hand-holding, you may want to increase the ISO and use a shutter speed of 1/250 or faster. Be sure to have your IS on.