Focal length!!!

[vawnidge]

erm assuming i managed to upload the files correctly, my first shots of the moon. AWEFULL!! I can't focus, i need to adjust the focal lenghth, the distance between my compact digital camera lens and my secondary mirror is about 5cm, I expect I might need it much longer...?

[Merlin66]

Looks like you're using a "point an shoot" camera behind an eyepiece.

A low power eyepice should be used, say 25mm.

You need an Afocal camera adaptor to hold the camera square and in line with the optical axis of the eyepiece.

Adaptors

I'd say your images are over exposed, try a faster setting on the shutter if you can.

[vawnidge]

mmm i had it on the fastest shutter speed, i think i got a chance of workin on the exposure n the shot bein out was me not trakin properly as i was more interested in gettin it to work, i have the camera fixed very securley to my lowest power eye piece, i just cannot get it to focus, perhaps that's just my camera then?

[vawnidge]

or maybe should i go without the eye piece n just try to get the secondary mirror in focus?

[Cornelius Varley]

Did you focus the telescope first ?

Peter

[BlueAstra]

Try a moon filter:

Moon & Neutral Density Filters

This will reduce its intensity. Without the filter I need sub 1/1000s to get a correct exposure of the full moon.

[sgazer]

assuming you focused the scope first visually, the camera focus should be set to infinity - have you got a setting for that? Also, if the camera is seeing a lot of dark sky, it might be over exposing to compensate. Have you got the camera settings (exif) data from your shots?

oh, you say "the distance between my compact digital camera lens and my secondary mirror is about 5cm", are you using an eyepiece, is the camera actually inside the tube??

[vawnidge]

well i do focus the telescope first, i do have an infinity setting, these pics were done with an eyepiece on, i started to think that removing it might help...

[vawnidge]

Try a moon filter:

Moon & Neutral Density Filters

This will reduce its intensity. Without the filter I need sub 1/1000s to get a correct exposure of the full moon.

cool http://stargazerslounge.com/images/smilies/default/icon_salut.gif

[vawnidge]

ooh chek this out

1.25" Telescope Moon Light Planet Green Filter Eyepiece on eBay (end time 25-Mar-10 09:21:37 GMT)

any good? might help though right?

[Cornelius Varley]

There are better moon filters out there. The actual filter looked quite small and green.

Peter

[vawnidge]

but for only 3 quid do you rekon it's worth a try or a complete waste of time?

[Cornelius Varley]

Buying a decent filter will save you money in the long run. The filter glass looked quite small compared to better moon filters and the green colour might turn your photographs green. Also the cheap green filter might not be as good optically as the other moon filters.

Peter

[vawnidge]

k cool i was thinking just to get goin in the right direction with managing to take pix then i can sort out better stuff wen i no what i want

[greenkat]

What camera are you using?

Can you select different iso settings? try it on the lowest iso setting.

If handholding the camera, try moving it back and forth from the eyepiece.

[vawnidge]

cool yeah jus an old compact digi b ut quite flexible settings, i used the lowest iso