The Official Shoot the Moon Thread

nardes wrote in post #18943909
Hi Charles

Although I am "cheating" somewhat by using a telescope and a ZWO AS1600MM Mono camera (industrial webcam), I still enjoy seeing the variety of photos posted here regardless of equipment used, even if some are upside down compared to my views in Australia.

Cheers

Dennis

Thank you Dennis!

On that note here is what I took Saturday Night with my 90D

This one is a cropped 500MM shot at ISO 400 1/1250 f/6.3

IMAGE LINK: https://flic.kr/p/2huF​Kw4

IMAGE LINK: https://flic.kr/p/2huK​B12

IMAGE LINK: https://flic.kr/p/2huK​K4g

IMAGE LINK: https://flic.kr/p/2huG​cCs

Inspeqtor wrote in post #18943925
Thank you Dennis!

On that note here is what I took Saturday Night with my 90D

This one is a cropped 500MM shot at ISO 400 1/1250 f/6.3


This one is 500MM with my 2X Kenko TC shot at ISO 2000 1/1250 f6.3


This one is 500MM with my 3X Kenko TC shot at ISO 2000 1/1250 f6.3 (yes I should have bumped up the ISO but neglected to do so)
This one does not have any cropping done to it.


Here is something I had never done before:
This one is 500MM with my 2X AND my 3X Kenko TC's shot at ISO 12800 1/1250 f/6.3 (I think that makes this 4800MM??)
This one does not have any cropping done to it.

Hi Charles

The image scale on these is quite large for non-telescopic images, so well done.

The full Moon is one of the "worst" phases to shoot, as the illumination is face on producing a flat, shadowless disc. Having said that, you have got some nice details in the craters and mountains at the lunar limb (edge) which are nicely detailed and resolved. Quite remarkable when you consider that you were not using a telescope on a tracking mount.

The "best" detail is usually found along the terminator (dividing line between dark and light) at the 1st and 3rd Quarter Moon, i.e. when the Moon appears as half a disc.

If you can manage to use a tripod and let the Moon drift into the field of view, use Live View and a remote release, you can experiment with slower shutter speeds and lower ISO's too.

Cheers

Dennis

PS - I had a quick edit of #3 using Topaz and Nik Collection Plug Ins in PS CC.

nardes wrote in post #18943954
Hi Charles

The image scale on these is quite large for non-telescopic images, so well done.

The full Moon is one of the "worst" phases to shoot, as the illumination is face on producing a flat, shadowless disc. Having said that, you have got some nice details in the craters and mountains at the lunar limb (edge) which are nicely detailed and resolved. Quite remarkable when you consider that you were not using a telescope on a tracking mount.

The "best" detail is usually found along the terminator (dividing line between dark and light) at the 1st and 3rd Quarter Moon, i.e. when the Moon appears as half a disc.


Cheers

Dennis

PS - I had a quick edit of #3 using Topaz and Nik Collection Plug Ins in PS CC.

Hosted photo: posted by nardes in
./showthread.php?p=189​43954&i=i256521249
forum: Astronomy & Celestial

Dennis,


Thank you very much for your very kind words for my work on my photos. My photos were all SOOC (straight out of camera) I did no PP work on them other than cropping and resizing.

When photographing the moon I ALWAYS use a tripod, and I use Live View, and I use my RS60-E3 remote switch. How would using lower ISO's and slower shutter speeds help my photos?

Thank you for editing my 3rd photo! Oh my gosh that looks magnificent!! It looks too good to be a photo that I took!!

I have Photoshop Elements 15, (but I am not very good with it) and I have used in the past some Topaz add-on's but I have not used them in a long time. Which Topaz add-ons did you use? I am not sure I have these anymore or where to find them on my computer.

Inspeqtor wrote in post #18943905
With photos as great as these both are, how in the world can I post my measly photos.

Great photos from both of you!!

Thank you.

Inspeqtor wrote in post #18943991
Dennis,

>snip. How would using lower ISO's and slower shutter speeds help my photos?

I have Photoshop Elements 15, (but I am not very good with it) and I have used in the past some Topaz add-on's but I have not used them in a long time. Which Topaz add-ons did you use? I am not sure I have these anymore or where to find them on my computer.

Hi Charles

I experimented (but using my tracking mount - so that makes a BIG difference) using different ISO and Shutter settings with my Canon DSLRs and I found that my best image quality was at ISO100 and between 1/30 and 1/60 sec. So, maybe reducing the ISO and slower SS might reveal a sweet spot for your set up, taking into account the limitations of a fixed tripod set up.

In PS CC, I find that the Nik Plug In DETAIL EXTRACTOR and the Topaz labs Plug In DETAIL (Micro Contrast Enhancement) at their default settings, make the image appear more detailed without being too crunchy. They seem to map the tones in a flat looking image to make the processed image pop on screen.

Cheers

Dennis

My first attempt with my 7D2 attached to a Celestron C5.
Image is not cropped - was hard to get the whole moon in the image - can't wait for a 1/4 or 1/2 moon.
Need a stronger tripod head though - was very difficult getting it adjusted and staying in the shot without the setup drooping. lol.
I found my cropped images with the 70-200 with 1.4x attached a bit sharper though...

IMAGE LINK: https://flic.kr/p/2hu6​kds

I like to use Topaz Adjust but it also doesn't give you fine control of detail, just some general options. Also, I agree about the shutter speeds. I'm able to use 1/40 - 1/60s at long focal lengths (though my scope is not the greatest). The below is a shot I took with my scope (Celestron Power Sekker 80EQ - 900mm) and 2x and 1.4x kenko clone TC stacked (2-shot panorama). The results at full resolution were not great because of the TCs and my scope optics, so I usually don't stack them.

Also, I usually stack images and process to get better sharpness and detail but below is an example of a single image I took the other day.

This is as far as I can reach with my crop camera and longest lens. You guys with the telescopes kind of make me wish I had a … I'm not jealous, I'm NOT jealous.

DrMitch wrote in post #18944457
My first attempt with my 7D2 attached to a Celestron C5.
Image is not cropped - was hard to get the whole moon in the image - can't wait for a 1/4 or 1/2 moon.
Need a stronger tripod head though - was very difficult getting it adjusted and staying in the shot without the setup drooping. lol.
I found my cropped images with the 70-200 with 1.4x attached a bit sharper though...

Is there a focal reducer for the C5, I found my best moon photos were with the Celestron focal reducer on my C6.

Photo from Canonuser123's gallery.
Image hosted by forum (790135)

Canonuser123 wrote in post #18944514
Is there a focal reducer for the C5, I found my best moon photos were with the Celestron focal reducer on my C6.

Gallery photo (hosted):
posted by Canonuser123 originally in forum: Astronomy & Celestial

Beautiful!

madjack wrote in post #18944492
This is as far as I can reach with my crop camera and longest lens. You guys with the telescopes kind of make me wish I had a … I'm not jealous, I'm NOT jealous.

Hosted photo: posted by madjack in
./showthread.php?p=189​44492&i=i138576496
forum: Astronomy & Celestial

Thats a very nice image with a camera only I wish I could get one that good I will have to keep trying I'am not jealous either ߘ

First luna shot with my new rig - not set up in any shape just a very quick grab shot.

P.

Here is the Hunter's Moon I snapped a couple of nights ago.