Go Shoot the Moon!!!

I would like to see some moon shots done on a 70-200mm f/2.8 non IS. I will be tryng it myself as soon as I get my copy. TC 1.4 will folllow but I want to see if just the mere 70-200mm f/2.8 can do it.
TIA.

JDennis

Nice one, Neil.

I guess I'll throw one in as well:

Tom, what did you use? Excellent!!

Canon 300 mm f/4L with 2X teleconverter, f/11 aperture, 1/200 second, ISO 640. The 2X works very well with primes.

BTW, that is a 100% crop. It is one of my best moon shots, and I've been mooning for a couple of years now. (no, not that kind of mooning, though there is the distinct possibility that I did that at some point in my life as well).

Also, I did a little curves work in DPP to bring out the contrast and detail better.

I forgot to say-Solinger that IS something different-Georgeous
I gotta try that next time round

first of all my apology for resurrecting old thread.....just got 100-400 and first attempt is to shoot the moon. I have followed the direction on shooting the moon in this thread. I also experimenting with my own assumption. I found that shooting at shutter speed between 300-400, the result is better than shooting at f11.

I shot at the speed of 300-400 using 5.6, iso 400 which is pushing the native aperture of the lens using Tv and the aperture indicator was blinking all the time but I manage to gain focus.

My question is, have I do it in a correct way ? Because like I said above, shooting at f5.6 with 300-400 speed, iso 400 yield better result/sharper than shooting at f11 with whatever shutter speed Av program determined in this case 1/80 and iso also 400. Attached is the result. Please ignore the color of the moon since I'm just experimenting with white balance to get a different color/feel for the moon. The reddish one is 5.6 and the other is f11.

Any input will be highly appreciated. Thanks

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Add one from the other night:

Date Time Original 2011:08:09 23:37:05
Exposure Time 1/12
F Number 22
ISO Speed Ratings 100
Flash Flash did not fire, compulsory flash mode
Focal Length 250
White Balance Auto white balance
Make Canon
Model Canon EOS 60D

what happened to your picture there? it's oddly overprocessed IMO.
It's almost painterly...but the white "lines" are a little distracting i think.

I wouldn't use F/22...f/8 or f/11, but not f/22.
Was there any motion blur from using that slow of a shutter speed?

forbigger, I suspect that mirror slap and tripod vibration may be the cause of the poorer shot at 1/80 as opposed to 1/300 Also, diffractioncould just be a fatcor, although I would have thought that unlikely. Daylight tests with the lens in question will give you its "sweet spot" aperture for sharpness.

hi martyn, thanks for the reply. i enable the mirror lockup. im using a reasonable tripod (i think) though not the real expensive ones. how do you suggest to test the lens during daylight ? unless there's other culprit there's only 2 possibilities: problems with the lens or sub par tripod

Note: just shot tonight and its full moon. the difference seems negligible now though i expect that the f11 is sharper.....now i'm confused. see the pics

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Last night's Moon 1 day before it's full

forbigger wrote in post #12923375
hi martyn, thanks for the reply. i enable the mirror lockup. im using a reasonable tripod (i think) though not the real expensive ones. how do you suggest to test the lens during daylight ? unless there's other culprit there's only 2 possibilities: problems with the lens or sub par tripod

I think it is accepted that all lenses, telephoto or otherwise, each have their own aperture "sweet spot" at which each individual lens is at its sharpest. An easy test for this with your lens is put it up on a tripod in daylight, Av Mode, low ISO, mirror locked, remote/timer release and focus it on an infinity subject at wide open. Subject should have plenty of detail AND colour contrasts. I.e. NOT a tree! Take three shots. Stop down one stop, REFOCUS!!!, and repeat. When you have sets of three at each and every aperture, get them all into photoshop/gimp or wherever and really start to pixel peep. First get the best at each aperture. This allows for wind-blown trees, the cat knocking the tripod etc. Then look at each one in the centre and the corners and decide which aperture give you the sharpest picture to your liking. Note this down somewhere, even on the lens itself. This aperture is the one to try first for moon shots

It is seldom that a lens is as sharp at its widest aperture compared to stopped down a few stops. If it is, it's an excellent lens!

what if on a zoom lens? Should i repeat the procedure with every F/L? Say in my case 100-400, should I repeat the procedure with each 100mm? Thanks

forbigger wrote in post #12927204
what if on a zoom lens? Should i repeat the procedure with every F/L? Say in my case 100-400, should I repeat the procedure with each 100mm? Thanks

For completeness, I might. Normally you will only be using the 400mm end to shoot the moon and worrying if it's sharp or not. At the 100mm end there is not enough detail to worry about sharpness anyway

Moon August 10th in Minneapolis, MN

Canon EF 70-300 f/4-5.6 L IS
100% Crop Handheld 60D iso100, f8.0, 1/200, 300mm