Moon help

[steviemac500]

HI. I've been trying shots of the moon with a Canon DSLR tonight but everything is coming out over exposed (big white ball). I'm using prime focus method so I don't understand how I can change the exposure of the camera. I've tried different shutter speeds too. I don't really know my way round the camera yet which doesn't help.

Any help please?

Thanks,

Steve

[Alien 13]

Hi Steve

1st thing to do is put the camera in manual mode and set the ISO to 200 the shutter speed is then set to give the required exposure, the live view screen should show a good approximation of the final image use the zoom buttons to make sure that none of the areas of the moon are over exposed.

Alan

[ronin]

Set the ISO to something like 100, if the ISO is too high then all the moon will lose contrast.

If your camera is like mine you have to set the shutter speed by putting the camera to the "S" setting and setting the value to say 1/100 sec (guess).

You cannot set the Aperture as there is no connection to allow it, no doubt the camera will complain.

Set camera to Manual "M" usually.

Attach DSLR and t-ring to the scope and get the moon in focus.

Preferably with a cable release take a shot and see how it comes out.

What I have found on my DSLR is that you have to set ISO and shutter speed seperatley then when in Manual the DSLR uses whatever has been set by you. ISO is easy, it is the exposure time the is the fun one.

If everything is a bit too light set the ISO down and try again.

If too dark I suggest setting the shutter speed to 1/50 - you will have to select "S" mode again for this, then put it back to "M".

Keep checking focus.

[Night Hawk]

You could also try using the barlow(with or without the lens) on T ring instead of the adapater that comes with the T ring or scope. I'm no expert but I had the same problem as we have the same scope. It's trial and error but using the barlow on the T ring should resolve problem. 

[T-WING]

Iso200, shutter 1/160. Just took this one using a SW200pds.

[steviemac500]

Thanks everyone. I have used a combination of shutter speeds and ISOs but there was no change. Are there any other settings I need to change?

[PeterCPC]

I can really recommend using Backyard EOS or APT to control your camera using a laptop. It makes exposing and focusing much easier. Also you can take an AVI and stack the images in AS!2 and R6 which will give better results than single frames.

Peter

[happy-kat]

perhaps the changes in the iso and shutter speed you may were too small.

try iso 200 and shutter 1/500

the moon is really bright now so you need to make the settings much faster

if after that it is now a darker blob you don't have focus

if you do not have a laptop you might have a tablet, I like to use DSLR Controller on my android tablet to control my canon. Simple controls but does what I was after.

[Cornelius Varley]

HI. I've been trying shots of the moon with a Canon DSLR tonight but everything is coming out over exposed (big white ball). I'm using prime focus method so I don't understand how I can change the exposure of the camera. I've tried different shutter speeds too. I don't really know my way round the camera yet which doesn't help.

Any help please?

Thanks,

Steve

When you look through the camera's viewfinder / LCD screen do you see a sharp image ?

[steviemac500]

Yes the image is perfect through the LCD screen.

[happy-kat]

what are you using to trigger the camera?

[steviemac500]

I have a cable release. I may be setting the shutter speed in the wrong area but I'm not sure. Every image I took was just a white ball, looked over exposed. I don't have an S area that was mentioned in a previous post but I am setting things in M which I assumed was manual then changing the values there.

[happy-kat]

M mode is what you want to use.

I think some practice using the camera in m mode during the day with kit lens on would help you understand the camera.

using the cable rules out vibration blur. But what you see on the LCD should be about what you see on the image taken so is there any way you are moving and causing telescope shake as you take the image?

[steviemac500]

I'm going out tonight to try again. It was a full moon too but I thought I would still be able with a faster shutter speed. It was so much easier with the webcam!!!!

[Essex nightsky]

For the moon I usually underexpose by .3-.7 of a stop, so as mentioned fully manual mode, lowest iso possible (100 or 200) and adjust shutter speed until camera meters at underexposed. Don't forget to change the metering mode to center

[Alienfox]

I have just managed to take some images of the moon (scope problems) however I now get some good images. Try to bracket the shots, take notes and then shoot selecting the best exposure, the images I am shooting are at the moment, ISO 200, F16, 1/500, I am not removing the cap from the scope, just the small cap, this reduces the amount of light from the moon.

[steviemac500]

Alien, thanks. I cant change the F stop as I'm using prime focus - no lens but I will try with the cap off though. Thanks everyone for the advice, I'll see how I get on tonight and let you know.

[Essex nightsky]

Aperture is directly linked to resolving power so only using the small opening will affect the level of detail

[steviemac500]

It did! Made a huge difference. Turns out I shouldn't have been pressing the set button either before I pressed the shutter. Cant post any photos as they are too big.