DPChallenge: A Digital Photography Contest You are not logged in. (log in or register) 
 

DPChallenge Forums >> Hardware and Software >> Photographing the moon
Pages:  
Showing posts 1 - 25 of 37, (reverse)
AuthorThread
 11/01/2005 09:25:34 AM · #1
I would like to take detailed shots of the moon with my current setup of
Canon 350D and a Sigma 70-300mm f/4-5.6 APO Lens.

I live in Ireland where the usual inclination of the moon is about 70 degrees from the horizon so this make the moon fairly small.

I have been able to get some shots with the current setup but the moon is too small to get adequate detail.

I know a telescope would be best and I am looking into the possiblity of getting a "GO-TO" scope but for now I would like to limit my purchases to under 250 US dollars

Would a 2x tele-converter be useful to increase the focal length to 600mm or would I be better getting a mirror reflex lens?

Thanks
11/01/2005 09:36:59 AM · #2
There are amateur scopes you can get for under $250 (including T-ring adapter for EOS mount). Using 2x teleconverter on a f/5.6 would further step down your aperture to the point of XT not being able to autofocus.

I'd go with the telescope.

-Serge
 11/01/2005 09:50:46 AM · #3
It is surprisingly difficult to get a good quality photograph of the moon. Having a telescope is a great assist, especially if the telescope is able to track (canceling out the Earth's rotation).

Also, the altitude of the moon does not affect its size. It may look bigger when it's near the horizon, but in fact it is not. The infamous "moon illusion."
 11/01/2005 10:21:20 AM · #4
Check out Orion's Apex 102mm Maksutov-Cassegrain. Its slightly more than your budget @ $279 , but its a quality product unlike alot in that price range. Of course like all others you will need a T-mount ($20-30) for your camera.

11/01/2005 10:51:53 AM · #5
Photographing the moon is not hard and you certainly don't need a tracking mount. Remember, the moon is illuminated by the sun. You can use the sunny/f16 rule and you will get the true color of the moon, which is much darker than what you perceive at night. The moon appears much brighter than it actually is because it's dark when you're looking at it. The best approach is to start with sunny/f16 and overexpose by about 1.5 stops. That's what I did here using my 80mm f6 scope.


11/01/2005 05:10:55 PM · #6
I was looking at Adorama later and I saw a Meade ETX-90EC including tripod for $500.

I think I may wait and get some money to get this scope unless there is a better scope for around the same price with the same set of features i.e. GO-TO.

Thank you for your replies
 11/01/2005 05:16:02 PM · #7
Hey Darragh - I'm in Ireland too.

The forums at //www.irishastronomy.org are pretty good for telescope and astrophotography questions.

By the way, the method I use for photographing the moon is a modified webcam on a 70mm refractor. Stack the images using a program called registax. I've got a few shots I'll see if I can dig them out.

11/01/2005 05:18:52 PM · #8
The Meade ETX-90EC can be made into a goto scope just by adding the autostar controller. I have had a ETX-90 for the past 5 years, Its a great scope to take pictures of the moon. I made a simple mount to go into the eye piece, got some great photos..
 11/01/2005 05:20:24 PM · #9
if you dont mind used scopes you can sign up at

Astromart

I do beleive there are several people in the UK or on your side of the pond with used equipment or could give you some good ideas of were to look locally to help on the cost a bit.

true you dont need a scope, but if you want goto and tracking its best to get an EQ mount (equitorial mount) and not an alt/az mount.

or have a look at this set up, no goto, but tracking option is available (look under options for this item)

Astroview EQ mount

James
 11/01/2005 05:39:09 PM · #10
Just mount it on a tripod, use your custom function mirrior lockup, use between f8-f11 @ 300mm. Take several exposures until you get it right. Its pretty easy I have gotten good results with that using my 75-300mm canon lense.

GreenGiant
 11/01/2005 05:41:15 PM · #11
Originally posted by dsherwin:

I live in Ireland where the usual inclination of the moon is about 70 degrees from the horizon so this make the moon fairly small.


Despite popular belief, this is merely an optical illusion. The moon is no bigger on the horizon, but the objects around the moon give it a reference and so it appears bigger.
 11/01/2005 05:55:40 PM · #12
This is still my favorite non-telescoped moon shot
The Moon
Mine suck in comparison.

But I keep trying!
 11/01/2005 06:17:22 PM · #13
Here's the shot I took with the modified webcam;



11/01/2005 06:20:17 PM · #14
Originally posted by DrAchoo:


Despite popular belief, this is merely an optical illusion. The moon is no bigger on the horizon, but the objects around the moon give it a reference and so it appears bigger.


I read somewhere that the moon will never appear larger than an American Dime held at arms length. I didn't belive it so I kept a Dime in my pocket for over a year, and it never did.
 11/01/2005 07:09:43 PM · #15
Bobdaveant did an excellent job here:



Message edited by author 2005-11-01 19:10:47.
 11/02/2005 06:45:18 AM · #16
Here's an effort of mine, handheld with a 100-400L IS and 2x tele.

I still had to crop a reasonable bit of the frame to get this - i never had much success with my old 300mm and 2x, so i think you'd need something a bit longer.
 11/02/2005 12:42:22 PM · #17
Here are a couple of examples of what you can do with a webcam and Registar:
//www.astrocruise.com/l_clavius.htm
//www.astrocruise.com/l_alpine.htm
 11/02/2005 01:27:24 PM · #18
You know...

I wonder if I could take a shot using my 500mm Mirror Reflector lens stacked on my Canon 2x Extender (normally used with 70-200mm). THe 500mm is already "manual focus". That'd give me a 1000mm

Or nearly three times the distance I get with my 70-200mm. Albeit the quality will likely be akin to a cheap telescope. Darn....I need a tripod!

So far this was with my 70-200mm on a 2x, but it was handheld....


Message edited by author 2005-11-02 13:29:36.
 11/02/2005 02:31:43 PM · #19
Originally posted by MQuinn:
The Meade ETX-90EC can be made into a goto scope just by adding the autostar controller. I have had a ETX-90 for the past 5 years, Its a great scope to take pictures of the moon. I made a simple mount to go into the eye piece, got some great photos..

Can you provide any details on how you made an eyepiece mount
 11/02/2005 03:44:59 PM · #20
Originally posted by theSaj:
I wonder if I could take a shot using my 500mm Mirror Reflector lens stacked on my Canon 2x Extender (normally used with 70-200mm). THe 500mm is already "manual focus". That'd give me a 1000mm


1600mm with your 20D... i've tried the same setup, but my cheapo 2x extender brings out the already appalling quality of my mirror lens. Even using my old cheap 70-300mm and cropping got me better clarity :/
 11/02/2005 03:47:54 PM · #21
11/02/2005 04:11:32 PM · #22
Originally posted by theSaj:
You know...

I wonder if I could take a shot using my 500mm Mirror Reflector lens stacked on my Canon 2x Extender (normally used with 70-200mm). THe 500mm is already "manual focus". That'd give me a 1000mm


Here is a 1000mm equivelent with a 500mm mirror...

500mm f8 Nikkor on an Olympus e-300.

11/02/2005 05:08:57 PM · #23
This is the closest I've come to "astrophotography"

Harvest Moon From Grizzly Peak


These are just photos where the Moon was a compositional element:

Fly Me To The Moon


I'm Shocked, Simply Shocked!
11/02/2005 10:05:28 PM · #24
Originally posted by donniev:
Originally posted by MQuinn:
The Meade ETX-90EC can be made into a goto scope just by adding the autostar controller. I have had a ETX-90 for the past 5 years, Its a great scope to take pictures of the moon. I made a simple mount to go into the eye piece, got some great photos..

Can you provide any details on how you made an eyepiece mount


Its really simple, I used 2 eyepiece containers, one the exact size of the barrel on the D-450Z the other was the size of the eyepiece. I cut the bottom off the one that fit over the Camera, and mounted friction fit and superglued it to the same focus as the eyepiece normal viewing to the container that fit nicely over the eyepiece side. Took about 1000 photos to get it perfect. Works good for landscape photography also just its always mirrored. Check out the site:

[url=.//www.quinnsautomotive.com/TeleMount.htm]Telescope mount[/url]
 11/02/2005 10:06:17 PM · #25
Man... //www.quinnsautomotive.com/TeleMount.htm
Pages:  
Current Server Time: 06/01/2025 02:40:18 AM

Please log in or register to post to the forums.


Home - Challenges - Community - League - Photos - Cameras - Lenses - Learn - Help - Terms of Use - Privacy - Top ^
DPChallenge, and website content and design, Copyright © 2001-2025 Challenging Technologies, LLC.
All digital photo copyrights belong to the photographers and may not be used without permission.
Current Server Time: 06/01/2025 02:40:18 AM EDT.