Landscape 1680mm focal length.

1680mm focal length. · 08:23 PM

Finally, after many years, took the time to get my dedicated 1.4 Pentax extender coupled to the A*1200mm lens and pointed it at the moon tonight.

This is only the third image I have ever bothered to take of the moon. Not the best phase... but it does show some fo the qualities of the lens/coupler combination.

The image is uncropped.

So, it takes roughly 1700mm to fill the sensor on the K7 with the moon.
In previewing this image the sharpness just doesn't show up on the post so I have also included the direct link.

http://www.pbase.com/scgushue/image/119811563/original.jpg

100% crop: ISO 400 shot in JPEG. Extreme southern pole area.

Stephen

**madmikess** · 11-28-2009, 08:44 PM

That is a great shot of the moon, very detailed, looks like that lens and TC combo works out very nicely.

Barnster · 11-28-2009, 09:00 PM

Sharp as a tack!It shows great details that any moon shooter would be proud of.

**Ash** · 11-28-2009, 10:30 PM

Top detail mate.
Not an easy capture to get sharp.
You've done well.

**Heinrich Lohmann** · 11-28-2009, 11:19 PM

Stephen, that is the sharpest moon shot that I've seen in a long time. It's way better then I get with Bigma. 1680mm plus the crop factor makes it 2520mm, needs a pretty solid tripod. You done good and thanks for posting it.

8540tomg · 11-29-2009, 04:37 AM

Great image Steve,

Wait a moment - taken with an A* 1200 lens!!!!.

Holy crap! You must be the only guy on the planet with that lens. I'd like to see a few more examples of anything you have shot with that puppy. Noblesse oblige my friend. When you have a monster like that you just have to share.

Tom G

mikeSF · 11-29-2009, 05:05 AM

incredible!
super sharp and perfectly exposed.

i had no idea the moon looks that way - in my images it is a tiny fuzzy yellow oval...

**SCGushue** · 11-29-2009, 07:03 AM

Originally posted by madmikess

That is a great shot of the moon, very detailed, looks like that lens and TC combo works out very nicely.

Thank you. Quite frankly, I was surprised to see nearly no chromatic abberattion at the black white junction.

Originally posted by Barnster

Sharp as a tack!It shows great details that any moon shooter would be proud of.

Thank you Barnster.

Originally posted by Ash

Top detail mate.
Not an easy capture to get sharp.
You've done well.

Thank you Ash, and you are right. Sharpness at this focal length can be a real challenge at these super focal lengths. I'll explain the setup in the post below.

Originally posted by mikeSF

incredible!
super sharp and perfectly exposed.
i had no idea the moon looks that way - in my images it is a tiny fuzzy yellow oval...

Appreciate the support. To paraphrase Roy Schieder in JAWS.... " I think you're gonna need a bigger lens".

Stephen

**SCGushue** · 11-29-2009, 07:39 AM

Originally posted by Heinrich Lohmann

Stephen, that is the sharpest moon shot that I've seen in a long time. It's way better then I get with Bigma. 1680mm plus the crop factor makes it 2520mm, needs a pretty solid tripod. You done good and thanks for posting it.

Thanks Heinrich. I do have about as solid a base to shoot from as you can buy. Unfortunately, sometimes even that is tough because any mirror slap produces a small sine wave shake e even with 3 second remote delay.
I used a Gitzo 5430 6X carbon tripod (holds 58 pounds) and a Wimberley II gimbal. The weakest link in the setup is the vibrations off the deck I was shooting from.

Originally posted by 8540tomg

Great image Steve,
Wait a moment - taken with an A* 1200 lens!!!!.

Holy crap! You must be the only guy on the planet with that lens. I'd like to see a few more examples of anything you have shot with that puppy. Noblesse oblige my friend. When you have a monster like that you just have to share.

Tom G

Thank you.
I don't know how many are still in service, but there were just over a hundred made by Pentax.
A few other images taken with this lens can be found in PPG @ PENTAX Photo Gallery
Stephen

shizmo · 11-29-2009, 10:40 PM

Loving this...

Amazing how much detail you can get out of something so so so far away.

spyglass · 11-30-2009, 01:50 AM

Impressive results, very sharp, excellent detail. This just goes to show that if you shoot for the stars the moon may be obtainable.

Well done!

Spyglass

cupic · 11-30-2009, 05:30 AM

Stellar performance TFS

cheers

wildlifephotog · 11-30-2009, 05:59 AM

Outstanding shot. To get that detail at that phase makes the shot A+.

itea · 11-30-2009, 07:00 AM

beautiful
this is the first time to see so sharp moon,thx

**SCGushue** · 11-30-2009, 07:09 PM

Originally posted by shizmo

Loving this...
Amazing how much detail you can get out of something so so so far away.

Originally posted by spyglass

Impressive results, very sharp, excellent detail. This just goes to show that if you shoot for the stars the moon may be obtainable.
Well done!

Spyglass

Originally posted by cupic

Stellar performance TFS
cheers

Originally posted by wildlifephotog

Outstanding shot. To get that detail at that phase makes the shot A+.

Originally posted by itea

beautiful
this is the first time to see so sharp moon,thx

Thank you all for the supportive comments. Always appreciated.

I added a 100% crop to the original post.

Stephen

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11-29-2009, 04:37 AM	#6
8540tomg Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Waterloo, Ontario Photos: Gallery Posts: 4,461	Great image Steve, *Wait a moment - taken with an A 1200 lens!!!!*. Holy crap! You must be the only guy on the planet with that lens. I'd like to see a few more examples of anything you have shot with that puppy. Noblesse oblige my friend. When you have a monster like that you just have to share. Tom G Last edited by 8540tomg; 11-29-2009 at 05:36 AM. Reason: typo*

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11-28-2009, 08:44 PM	#2
madmikess Site Supporter Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Kenmore, NY Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 482	That is a great shot of the moon, very detailed, looks like that lens and TC combo works out very nicely.

11-28-2009, 09:00 PM	#3
Barnster Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Mid North Coast,Australia Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,016	Sharp as a tack!It shows great details that any moon shooter would be proud of.

11-28-2009, 10:30 PM	#4
Ash Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Toowoomba, Queensland Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 23,920	Top detail mate. Not an easy capture to get sharp. You've done well.

11-28-2009, 11:19 PM	#5
Heinrich Lohmann Site Supporter Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Airdrie, Alberta Canada Photos: Gallery Posts: 8,097	Stephen, that is the sharpest moon shot that I've seen in a long time. It's way better then I get with Bigma. 1680mm plus the crop factor makes it 2520mm, needs a pretty solid tripod. You done good and thanks for posting it.

11-29-2009, 05:05 AM	#7
mikeSF Pentaxian Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: East Bay Area, CA Photos: Gallery Posts: 6,622	incredible! super sharp and perfectly exposed. i had no idea the moon looks that way - in my images it is a tiny fuzzy yellow oval...

11-29-2009, 07:03 AM	#8
SCGushue Site Supporter Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Pennsylvania Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,449 Original Poster	Originally posted by madmikess That is a great shot of the moon, very detailed, looks like that lens and TC combo works out very nicely. Thank you. Quite frankly, I was surprised to see nearly no chromatic abberattion at the black white junction. Originally posted by Barnster Sharp as a tack!It shows great details that any moon shooter would be proud of. Thank you Barnster. Originally posted by Ash Top detail mate. Not an easy capture to get sharp. You've done well. Thank you Ash, and you are right. Sharpness at this focal length can be a real challenge at these super focal lengths. I'll explain the setup in the post below. Originally posted by mikeSF incredible! super sharp and perfectly exposed. i had no idea the moon looks that way - in my images it is a tiny fuzzy yellow oval... Appreciate the support. To paraphrase Roy Schieder in JAWS.... " I think you're gonna need a bigger lens". Stephen

11-29-2009, 07:39 AM	#9
SCGushue Site Supporter Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Pennsylvania Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,449 Original Poster	Originally posted by Heinrich Lohmann Stephen, that is the sharpest moon shot that I've seen in a long time. It's way better then I get with Bigma. 1680mm plus the crop factor makes it 2520mm, needs a pretty solid tripod. You done good and thanks for posting it. Thanks Heinrich. I do have about as solid a base to shoot from as you can buy. Unfortunately, sometimes even that is tough because any mirror slap produces a small sine wave shake e even with 3 second remote delay. I used a Gitzo 5430 6X carbon tripod (holds 58 pounds) and a Wimberley II gimbal. The weakest link in the setup is the vibrations off the deck I was shooting from. Originally posted by 8540tomg Great image Steve, *Wait a moment - taken with an A 1200 lens!!!!**. Holy crap! You must be the only guy on the planet with that lens. I'd like to see a few more examples of anything you have shot with that puppy. Noblesse oblige my friend. When you have a monster like that you just have to share. Tom G Thank you. I don't know how many are still in service, but there were just over a hundred made by Pentax. A few other images taken with this lens can be found in PPG @ PENTAX Photo Gallery Stephen

11-29-2009, 10:40 PM	#10
shizmo New Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Perth, WA Photos: Gallery Posts: 22	Loving this... Amazing how much detail you can get out of something so so so far away.

11-30-2009, 01:50 AM	#11
spyglass Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: British Columbia, Canada Posts: 747	Impressive results, very sharp, excellent detail. This just goes to show that if you shoot for the stars the moon may be obtainable. Well done! Spyglass

11-30-2009, 05:30 AM	#12
cupic Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Australia-NSW Photos: Gallery Posts: 4,824	Stellar performance TFS cheers

11-30-2009, 05:59 AM	#13
wildlifephotog Inactive Account Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: USA Posts: 924	Outstanding shot. To get that detail at that phase makes the shot A+.

11-30-2009, 07:00 AM	#14
itea Junior Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Posts: 28	beautiful this is the first time to see so sharp moon,thx

11-30-2009, 07:09 PM	#15
SCGushue Site Supporter Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Pennsylvania Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,449 Original Poster	Originally posted by shizmo Loving this... Amazing how much detail you can get out of something so so so far away. Originally posted by spyglass Impressive results, very sharp, excellent detail. This just goes to show that if you shoot for the stars the moon may be obtainable. Well done! Spyglass Originally posted by cupic Stellar performance TFS cheers Originally posted by wildlifephotog Outstanding shot. To get that detail at that phase makes the shot A+. Originally posted by itea beautiful this is the first time to see so sharp moon,thx Thank you all for the supportive comments. Always appreciated. I added a 100% crop to the original post. Stephen