TheSkySearchers

In another thread recently I posed a question about the best way to get some decent Moon photos just using the DSLR camera that I have - Panasonic Lumix FZ1000.

Graeme1858 (Co-Admin) suggested I take a few 20-second clips using different settings with the camera on a tripod, then start a new thread to get comments and suggestions.

For us, Moonrise is currently in the early hours of the morning - way past my bedtime.

Today (Friday 2 April), it rose at 1.45 a.m.

As we were getting ready to go out for our walk at 6.17 a.m. today the Moon was still visible in the brightening sky, so I decided to try to get a quick shot. The Moon is about 74% illumination. I handheld the camera.

I had the camera set on Intelligent Auto, and below is the result...

The settings that the camera used are; shutter speed - 1/125 sec / aperture - f/4.0 / ISO - 1000.

I was reasonably happy with the result, and it has given me some ballpark figures to work with to experiment with other 'manual' settings.

I would appreciate any comments and suggestions for other methods to try.

I'm not really into Astrophotography, so I don't really want suggestions for getting additional optical equipment. I just want to be able to get the occasional Moon shot when different sky conditions present themselves.

Looks good Vanessa.

nice shot , thx

Good start, Vanessa. Be careful not to slide down the "slippery slope" of AP

If you have a tripod you might be able to drop the ISO a bit and increase exposure time. It might help with the grain somewhat. I am not familiar with the Panasonic, so not definite advice, just a possibility.

Bob

Thank you Bob

I am going to make notes of all suggestions I get here, so I can try out different things.

It really helps a lot when other more knowledgeable people, such as yourself, offers little snippets of information like that.

I do have a tripod, quite a sturdy one in fact, which is suitable for my camera so at least I don't have to buy another one.

If we hadn't been in such a rush this morning to get out for our walk I would probably have taken more time over my shot of the Moon

Anyway, thanks again for your suggestion. Eventually (I hope) I will find the ideal settings to consistently get good enough shots that I can be proud of.

The Moon isn't going anywhere anytime soon, so I'll have plenty of opportunities to experiment

It looks great Vanessa
Watch out for that AP rabbit hole

Hi Vanessa,

That's a GREAT start!

By being able to 'capture' the data now you can play with processing.

I would suggest 'attaching' the image data here and let a few folks play with it and show you what can be done. If you captured the image in "Raw" mode that's even better!!!

Nicely done!

Butterfly Maiden wrote: ↑Fri Apr 02, 2021 1:35 pm(...)I'm not really into Astrophotography, so I don't really want suggestions for getting additional optical equipment. I just want to be able to get the occasional Moon shot when different sky conditions present themselves.

Suggestion:
Try to photograph the Moon through your Nikon fieldscope. Just hold the camera ( not zoomed in) right behind the 30X magnifying eyepiece. Not the easiest way, but you wil get used to it. You won't need any more equipment, except what you already have. You'll be surprised with the outcome.

Gordon wrote: ↑Fri Apr 02, 2021 6:20 pm Hi Vanessa,

That's a GREAT start!

By being able to 'capture' the data now you can play with processing.

I would suggest 'attaching' the image data here and let a few folks play with it and show you what can be done. If you captured the image in "Raw" mode that's even better!!!

Thank you Gordon.

I did a screenshot of the data from Photoshop after processing the photo, and saved it as an image - is that what you meant?
I never shoot in RAW so I don't have that data.

The only information that is wrong in the data is the time I took the photo. It is an hour behind the actual time as I hadn't altered the time in the camera menu accounting for Daylight Saving Time.

Really nice image Vanessa!

Hi Vanessa. A very nice lunar image from you with just the Panasonic DSLR. You have good contrast and surface details along the terminator. Thanks for sharing this well done work with us Vanessa, and the best of wishes on your next lunar adventure.

This is a very nice image Vanessa.

Very nice image Vanessa!

Bwah-ha-ha! Another one takes the bait!

Really nice image, Vanessa!

KathyNS wrote: ↑Sat Apr 03, 2021 12:14 pm Bwah-ha-ha! Another one takes the bait!

Really nice image, Vanessa!

Thank you Kathy

That's really good clarity for hand held.

The movement of the atmosphere makes really sharp Luna images difficult. Opening your lens to maximum aperture will allow a faster shutter speed and that will help. A tripod will help. The trick with capturing a video is called lucky imaging. You import your video into Autostarkert 3 or similar. This software will separate the individual frames of the video and then you stack the best 20% of the frames, the clearest, the lucky ones, when the air was moving the least. It's easier than it sounds!

Admit it you're addicted!

Regards

Graeme

It's lovely.

Vanessa, that's really good!! Handheld in a brightening sky; that's amazing what you got from that. As well, the fuller the Moon is, I find it's harder to shoot for that balance of brightness and contrast. That really worked well for you!

I agree with the others on camera settings too. As an example, on my camera I shoot a full Moon at ISO 100, a quarter moon at ISO 400, and a crescent at ISO 800. My shutter speeds are between 1/100th and 1/500th of a second, depending on the brightness.

Your camera of course is not the same as mine, but generally I've found a lower ISO setting at a fuller Moon will help. And just take a few at different settings and exposures; all it costs is your time

And like Gordon said, if your camera has a RAW file setting (I believe it does), use that if you can. I believe Macs can open RAW files with their native software, but this seems to be a good link too.

A tripod would be good as well as a remote shutter; but I'm really impressed with your steadiness on that for handheld!

Yup, you're well on your way to the rabbit hole... Welcome!

All the best and again, well done,

I would just like to thank everyone who has given me such lovely comments so far, and the amazing suggestions for getting the best results possible

I don't know that I'm brave enough to even attempt anything other than the Moon, but I suppose... never say never

Take a look at some of the images taken by other members in the "nightscape" subforum.

Many of these are DSLR images taken with just a tripod setup. viewforum.php?f=68