I have an lx3. Is it possible to get a shot of the moon that isn't a blur? I've tried spot metering with a tripod zoomed out at f2.0 and still a blur. I feel like if it can be done learning how will make me a better photographer. 
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How to shoot the moon?
- Thread starter coppit
- Start date
radamczak
Senior Member
There is a thread on this running at the moment: http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/readflat.asp?forum=1002&thread=33865500
I learned a lot taking shots of the moon. My own experience tells me not to rely on the camera's metering, and that moon shots tend to be overexposed. The craters show up nicely from earth shadow on the moon: it is difficult to get much detail from a full moon.
Richard
I learned a lot taking shots of the moon. My own experience tells me not to rely on the camera's metering, and that moon shots tend to be overexposed. The craters show up nicely from earth shadow on the moon: it is difficult to get much detail from a full moon.
Richard
L Bradford
Forum Enthusiast
Hi Coppit
I shoot the moon often, both with and without a tripod. I do not have an LX3, but I shoot regularly with the FZ 50, FZ 35, and an Olympus DSLR. I use the same settings on all, and am very pleased with the output.
Set the ISO as low as it goes (80 to 100). Spot meter, and Spot focus. F stop between 5.6 and 7.3 and the shutter speed between 500th and 800th of a second. You can experiment with which of the f stops go best with which shutter speed. I typically stay at f 5.6 and 600th of a second.
If you use a tripod, with all the above settings, you should try shutting off the OIS. and use the 2 second timer to help reduce shake. This should give you the best shot, but if you brace yourself against something, hand held comes out nicely as well. You can also try the 2 second time when hand held, which seems to help a smidge....
The moon is very bright, so that is why these higher speeds work better, plus the F stop above 5.0 minimizes any fringing....
Give it a whirl, and let us know how the LX3 does....
Larry
--
Olympus E-510 DSLR with 14-42 mm & 40-150 mm Lens
Lumix FZ 35, FZ 50, FZ 20, TZ5, TZ3, FX 07, TCON 17, MCON 35, RDS, Sunpak 383.
Fuji F-20.
I shoot the moon often, both with and without a tripod. I do not have an LX3, but I shoot regularly with the FZ 50, FZ 35, and an Olympus DSLR. I use the same settings on all, and am very pleased with the output.
Set the ISO as low as it goes (80 to 100). Spot meter, and Spot focus. F stop between 5.6 and 7.3 and the shutter speed between 500th and 800th of a second. You can experiment with which of the f stops go best with which shutter speed. I typically stay at f 5.6 and 600th of a second.
If you use a tripod, with all the above settings, you should try shutting off the OIS. and use the 2 second timer to help reduce shake. This should give you the best shot, but if you brace yourself against something, hand held comes out nicely as well. You can also try the 2 second time when hand held, which seems to help a smidge....
The moon is very bright, so that is why these higher speeds work better, plus the F stop above 5.0 minimizes any fringing....
Give it a whirl, and let us know how the LX3 does....
Larry
--
Olympus E-510 DSLR with 14-42 mm & 40-150 mm Lens
Lumix FZ 35, FZ 50, FZ 20, TZ5, TZ3, FX 07, TCON 17, MCON 35, RDS, Sunpak 383.
Fuji F-20.
Smithhill
Forum Enthusiast
Here is my LX3 shot of the moon. Taken digiscope style with a 10 inch Dob.
mount Celestron telescope and the LX3 attached to a Baadar Hyperion 17mm eyepiece. Gene Smith
I also digiscope snowcrystals with the LX3 and a microscope objective.
mount Celestron telescope and the LX3 attached to a Baadar Hyperion 17mm eyepiece. Gene Smith
I also digiscope snowcrystals with the LX3 and a microscope objective.
L Bradford
Forum Enthusiast
Make sure you are at full zoom. I know that isn't much on the LX3, but you need to get as close as you can. Even try EZ zoom if the LX3 has it.
Larry
--
Olympus E-510 DSLR with 14-42 mm & 40-150 mm Lens
Lumix FZ 35, FZ 50, FZ 20, TZ5, TZ3, FX 07, TCON 17, MCON 35, RDS, Sunpak 383.
Fuji F-20.
Larry
--
Olympus E-510 DSLR with 14-42 mm & 40-150 mm Lens
Lumix FZ 35, FZ 50, FZ 20, TZ5, TZ3, FX 07, TCON 17, MCON 35, RDS, Sunpak 383.
Fuji F-20.
L Bradford
Forum Enthusiast
That is one heck of a shot. Really nice work, thanks for sharing.
Larry
--
Olympus E-510 DSLR with 14-42 mm & 40-150 mm Lens
Lumix FZ 35, FZ 50, FZ 20, TZ5, TZ3, FX 07, TCON 17, MCON 35, RDS, Sunpak 383.
Fuji F-20.
Larry
--
Olympus E-510 DSLR with 14-42 mm & 40-150 mm Lens
Lumix FZ 35, FZ 50, FZ 20, TZ5, TZ3, FX 07, TCON 17, MCON 35, RDS, Sunpak 383.
Fuji F-20.
myssvictoria
Veteran Member
coppit - perhaps it would help if you posted an example of what you are getting now so we have the right context? Is it a moon in a nightscape? Or are you attempting a close up?
--
Vickie
Life was simpler before technology made life easier.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/myssvictoria/
--
Vickie
Life was simpler before technology made life easier.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/myssvictoria/
You must first realise that the moon is reflected sunlight. Make sense? Any attempt at auto metering will take into account the whole black sky and will likely result in a bright white, and likely blurry, ball. Go to manual mode. See if you can get the thing to focus. If not, go to manual focus as well. You might want to try that little focus button that lets you select the focus area.
I have not played with moon shots with the Leica DL4, but have done many using various DSLRs.
Here is a link to help you get started and understand things. It's an old post, but still good.
http://www.nightscapes.net/techniques/PhotographingMoon/PhotographingMoon.html
Also see this post by Dan Heller on shooting moon scenics if you get bored with shooting just the moon. Again a little dated and geared for film, but it does a good job of explaining some things.
Ideally I would start with maybe settings at f/8 1/100 at ISO 100 and work from there. Turn your histogram feature on and you can check for any exposure blowout.
http://www.danheller.com/moon.html
Unfortunately on the LX3 you are severely limited by the telephoto range of the camera so the results will be kind of lackluster. But understand the exposure and get at least some kind of good capture and it will be a small victory for you. ;-)
Good luck!
I have not played with moon shots with the Leica DL4, but have done many using various DSLRs.
Here is a link to help you get started and understand things. It's an old post, but still good.
http://www.nightscapes.net/techniques/PhotographingMoon/PhotographingMoon.html
Also see this post by Dan Heller on shooting moon scenics if you get bored with shooting just the moon. Again a little dated and geared for film, but it does a good job of explaining some things.
Ideally I would start with maybe settings at f/8 1/100 at ISO 100 and work from there. Turn your histogram feature on and you can check for any exposure blowout.
http://www.danheller.com/moon.html
Unfortunately on the LX3 you are severely limited by the telephoto range of the camera so the results will be kind of lackluster. But understand the exposure and get at least some kind of good capture and it will be a small victory for you. ;-)
Good luck!
BillZM
Senior Member
The moon is a sunlit object. Its albedo (reflectance) is approximately 8% (it's dark gray). Proper exposure will generally be via the "sunny 16 rule" (1/ISO @ f16, or equivalent) or thereabouts. Some experimentation required.
Zigsta
Senior Member
This is what you can do just hand held to the eyepiece of a celestron telescope 900mm. Spot metre.
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Cheers Brett
http://bretthayvice.zenfolio.com
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Cheers Brett
http://bretthayvice.zenfolio.com
You need:
a) a spotting 'scope or small telescope, which an objective lens around 60-100mm aperture,
b) an eyepiece for the 'scope, providing magnification in the range 15X - 30X,
c) an adapter to connect the LX3 to the eyepiece, and
d) a solid tripod, preferably an astronomical one for the telescope, since most photographic ones are far too flimsy.
With respect to the eyepiece and adapter there are several sources of bits & pieces for "digiscoping". If your 'scope has interchangeable eyepieces, buy a Baader Hyperion eyepiece - there are adapter rings specifically for these allowing the LX3 to screw onto the eyepiece.
Lastly, zooming the LX3 lens will move the position of the iris inside the lens relative to the telescope eyepiece. It is important to position the camera so that the iris is at the "eye point" of the eyepiece in order to fill the field of view of the camera; otherwise the camera will view only a small portion of the field.
From personal experience:
a) a spotting 'scope or small telescope, which an objective lens around 60-100mm aperture,
b) an eyepiece for the 'scope, providing magnification in the range 15X - 30X,
c) an adapter to connect the LX3 to the eyepiece, and
d) a solid tripod, preferably an astronomical one for the telescope, since most photographic ones are far too flimsy.
With respect to the eyepiece and adapter there are several sources of bits & pieces for "digiscoping". If your 'scope has interchangeable eyepieces, buy a Baader Hyperion eyepiece - there are adapter rings specifically for these allowing the LX3 to screw onto the eyepiece.
Lastly, zooming the LX3 lens will move the position of the iris inside the lens relative to the telescope eyepiece. It is important to position the camera so that the iris is at the "eye point" of the eyepiece in order to fill the field of view of the camera; otherwise the camera will view only a small portion of the field.
From personal experience:
- set the camera exposure manually and make absolutely sure it is at its widest aperture (f/2 or 2.8).
- set the focus manually at infinity, and use the telescopes focussing to get the image sharp.
- zoom in/out as desired.
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