The Official Shoot the Moon Thread

4matic wrote in post #19116510
Amazing image Gene, detail level is good. On your 7RIV, have you tried that lens without a TC on the moon? At the resolution level of your camera you might be able to get very nice detailed close crops, I would have thought.

Thanks. I just looked through my Moon images since acquiring that lens and it looks like I used either the 1.4x or 2x extender on the few I've taken. I'll try without any extenders next time I shoot the Moon and see how it looks. I know my FE 100-400 does well on its own too. I think any loss in quality is in equal part my technique and atmospheric conditions. When I took the shot above, it was 9:41 pm and it was still 81° out.

TeamSpeed wrote in post #19116357
I wish I hadn't sold my Kenko 1.4x, I should have kept it, as the Canon ones don't stack. In any case, we won't be able to get any moon shots until about Sunday in these here parts, so here a quick shot last night.

Hosted photo: posted by TeamSpeed in
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forum: Astronomy & Celestial

Hosted photo: posted by TeamSpeed in
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forum: Astronomy & Celestial

TS,

Your shots look REALLY GREAT!!!!

I used to also have Kenko 1.4, 2.0 and a 3.0! I do not have them anymore either.

I do now have the Sigma 1.4 and 2.0. I never thought about trying to stack these.

Last night I did get some images of the moon at 600mm and at 1200mm with my 2.0 My God stacking them would give me 1680mm! That would be insane. The moon moves fast enough at 1200mm. I do not see how I would get good shots at 1680mm (2688mm with the 1.6 90D??) with the moon moving so fast.

I will try to post my shots from last night later today. I have a pretty busy day lined up....sigh.....

4matic wrote in post #19116377
Charles the lens I’m using is 200-600 which is not in potn gear list. I picked the closest in the gear list otherwise I cannot add to my gallery.

Now I understand!! Thank you!!

navydoc wrote in post #19116397
This is no comparison to the recent imags posted here but here's a shot I took on Aug. 1st.

This was taken with my FE 200-600 lens + 2x extender. I must have bumped the zoom ring as the exif shows 1176mm instead of 1200mm.

IMAGE LINK: https://flic.kr/p/2jB5​nCv Full Moon by Gene, on Flickr

Looks very good Doc!!

navydoc wrote in post #19116515
Thanks. I just looked through my Moon images since acquiring that lens and it looks like I used either the 1.4x or 2x extender on the few I've taken. I'll try without any extenders next time I shoot the Moon and see how it looks. I know my FE 100-400 does well on its own too. I think any loss in quality is in equal part my technique and atmospheric conditions. When I took the shot above, it was 9:41 pm and it was still 81° out.

Digital zoom isn't really a match for optical zoom, especially with the 7d2.

I used to stack them and handhold the combination, the moon movement wasn't that great it seemed. The bigger issue is the high ISO needed to shoot that combination, three stops more ISO than the plain lens.

TeamSpeed wrote in post #19116535
Digital zoom isn't really a match for optical zoom, especially with the 7d2.

I have used 'crop mode' using the a7r4 but no digital zoom.

TeamSpeed wrote in post #19116537
I used to stack them and handhold the combination, the moon movement wasn't that great it seemed. The bigger issue is the high ISO needed to shoot that combination, three stops more ISO than the plain lens.

That's interesting. I usually shoot at 1/80th or 1/100th at iso100 and at least I don't think I've had an issue with movement. Next time, I try iso 200 or so.

navydoc wrote in post #19116538
I have used 'crop mode' using the a7r4 but no digital zoom.

Any time you crop away the image resolution, that is digital zoom. I always go for optical zoom first... MPPC - more pixels per crater.

Stacked 2x and 1.4x reduces the amount of light three stops. So yes you can try to compensate either by ISO or shutter speed from just the plain lens, you just have to decide which is least detrimental.

TeamSpeed wrote in post #19116537
I used to stack them and handhold the combination, the moon movement wasn't that great it seemed. The bigger issue is the high ISO needed to shoot that combination, three stops more ISO than the plain lens.

I do understand that Tele-converters do require more light. What I do not understand how to figure, is how much 2 stops of light, or 3 stops of light means in terms of ISO usage. Please teach me how to do this so I know what ISO I need to change to to get the correct amount of light.

Thank you

One stop means you have to change one of the three factors of exposure (or partials of each):

1. You are doubling your ISO if you lose a stop, or halving it if you gain a stop.

2. You are halving your shutter speed if you lose a stop, or doubling it if you gain a stop.

3. You are going to open up your fstop (ex. f/4 to f/2.8) if you lose a stop, or going to close down your fstop (ex. f/4 to f/5.6) if you gain a stop.

Shooting the moon with TCs means you likely are going to run as open an aperture you can, so you can only really play with points 1 and 2. You either lower your shutter speed or raise your ISO (or a combination).

Summary:

If you lose a stop of light, you will raise your ISO, or lower your shutter speed, or open up your fstop, or some combination.

If you gain a stop of light, you will lower your ISO, raise your shutter speed, or close down your fstop, or some combination.

TeamSpeed wrote in post #19116544
Any time you crop away the image resolution, that is digital zoom. I always go for optical zoom first... MPPC - more pixels per crater.

The 7RIV with its 61MP would probably more than compensate for what it looses in cropping with the gains in aperture without the TCs, at least thats what I think. BTW I’m still trying to get my head around your fstop and light stops explanations. Its just me, I’m very slow with all that.

4matic wrote in post #19116633
The 7RIV with its 61MP would probably more than compensate for what it looses in cropping with the gains in aperture without the TCs, at least thats what I think. BTW I’m still trying to get my head around your fstop and light stops explanations. Its just me, I’m very slow with all that.

Even with more resolution, you may still want the best optical enlargement of the moon you can get if you are trying to get "in close". You just have to juggle IQ vs resolution/ISO noise/etc.

As team speed is saying here... it all starts with the lens. Im intrigued by Canon's new long lenses that are f11. You didn't used to be able to get decent focusing with F11 lenses before...seems that problem has been solved. Even more curious how the other older long lenses that were slow (ef 400 f.5.6L) work with the new bodies, with a TC on it.