[Stickler]

With the upcoming super moon lunar eclipse coming this Sunday in the US, I'm wanting to get a few tips to best have the most success.
I'm shooting with a K10D and a K-5 and a variety of lens options (DA15/4, Sigma 10-20, DA16-45/4, M28/3.5, DA35/2.4, DA40/2.8, FA50/1.4, 90/2.8, M135/3.5, DA55-300, Sigma 400/5.6 (Ø72).)

I have a few shots in mind, and figure I'd like to set up one of the cameras as a time lapse, and then some other shots with the other body + long lens.

One shot I'd like to attempt is (not mine) described here
How to Photograph a Lunar Eclipse from Nikon


I'd like to also get these turned into a short (15 sec) video as well, so I figure that I need 360 (1 pic every 34 sec) images over the duration of the eclipse (3hr 20min)

So I did some playing around here
Sun/Moon Calculator
to get the altitude (16°-45°) and azimuth (100°-150°) angles during the show.
Then using the field of view calculator here:
Field of View Calculator - Rectilinear and Fisheye lenses - Bob Atkins Photography
I figure to capture a ~45°x45° inclusion angle,I determined that I'd probably want to use my DA15/4

Then I started thinking about exposure changing over the course of the event, which led me here:
Lunar Eclipse Time Exposure Calculator - Xavier Jubier

My questions are related to setup, equipment choice, and exposure fiddling:

Body choice:

• On the one hand, the K-5 has the most exposure latitude and interval shooting built-in, so it would be nice to use that to good effect on the timelapse setup. I'm not sure how/if I can adjust exposure once the K-5 has been set into it's interval shooting mode.
• On the other hand, the K-5 also would be better suited for the long lens as well. and I'd likely appreciate the extra resolution for cropping "close" shots

Lens choice

• Which lens will likely produce the best results for closeups? My 400/5.6 (Ø72) isn't my sharpest lens, will I be better off using the 55-300 and cropping more, does this impact my body choices?
• Is the 15/4 the right choice for time lapse? of course I'll want to find a background that will be suitable as well, but is this too wide for a moon shot?

Exposure and other

• Are there good automatic tools for stitching and aligning time lapses (ideally it should just be stitching with a fixed tripod setup.)
• How often will I need to adjust exposure?
• What exposure parameters should I be varying? I'm assuming I'd adjust shutter with aperture fixed at f/8 and ISO 100?, but at some point the exposure time may be greater than my interval, should I try to keep the ISO consistent and then start adjusting aperture or what?
• Any better worse ISO values as my starting point?
• Am I likely to run into battery issues on the time lapse? I'll turn off the screen but will the battery hold up for 3hr 20 min, this isn't in my usual style of shooting?
• Something else I'm missing?

[WPRESTO]

Cannot answer all questions, but on one point, the 400mm f5.6, one stop down, will probably out IQ the 55-300 @ 300mm then cropped.
Although I'm not certain, I think the battery will hold out. The timer uses next to nothing, remember there is a clock running 24/7 to give a time/date for the metadata, and the certainly the battery can handle the number of exposures. Turn off everything you can, especially the rear screen. If in doubt, carefully change the battery once or twice. Better still, run a pre-eclipse test on any any random thing, maybe a clock face. You have time (pun intended).
Full moon, if you want to show it's surface details, is basically sunny-16. Not sure about the fully shadowed moon, but a much longer exposure is surely required. Set at AV, AE with spot metering might do the trick, but I'm not certain.

Also, try a GOOGLE search for photographing an eclipse.

AND ADDED NEXT DAY, AN OBVIOUS TIP: WHATEVER SUPPORT YOU USE, IT CANNOT BE TOO MASSIVE. If possible, attach support both at ends of your rig - one support under the camera body, a second as far forward on the lens as possible. Use a second tripod or even a light stand attached to the end of the lens hood with a hook-and-loop strap or elastics (elastic hook-and-loop strap probably best, but a small bungie cord or even several big rubber bands will do). The initial exposures will be short, but near and during totality the correct exposure will be in the 1/10 to several seconds.

[jpzk]

To the OP: ... Great thread !

I wanted to start a thread on "how do you put "many moons" in one single image, showing progression of the eclipse" but since there is already such a thread, no use to have several instances of the same thing.
You beat me to it !

I have no intention to jack this thread .... just that I take this as an opportunity to reiterate what WPRESTO suggested previously, but in my case it will be the DA*300/4, and to ask questions.(see below).
I have had some good luck in the past with the "Harvest" moon and of course will be out there (weather permitting) again this year.

My question (and of course pretty much the same question as the OP): how in the world do you end up with an image, such as the one shown by the OP in the first post .... "several moons" showing the course it has taken across the sky.
Multiple exposures?
Several shots collated into one?

Thanks!!

[NoobOnTour]

My question (and of course pretty much the same question as the OP): how in the world do you end up with an image, such as the one shown by the OP in the first post .... "several moons" showing the course it has taken across the sky.
Multiple exposures?
Several shots collated into one?

Thanks!!

"July 16, 2000 total lunar eclipse, Maui, HI. Nikon 8008 SLR and 35mm NIKKOR lens in multiple exposure mode to capture the entire eclipse on one frame of Kodak Royal Gold 100 film. Basic exposure of 1/125 sec. at f/5.6 was increased to 1/8 sec. within 15 min. of totality, then set to 4 sec. throughout totality. A second metered exposure captures morning twilight and silhouetted palm trees."

source:

How to Photograph a Lunar Eclipse from Nikon

If I misunderstood you... sorry!

greetings Sascha

[Stickler]

To the OP: ... Great thread !

I wanted to start a thread on "how do you put "many moons" in one single image, showing progression of the eclipse" but since there is already such a thread, no use to have several instances of the same thing.
You beat me to it !

I have no intention to jack this thread .... just that I take this as an opportunity to reiterate what WPRESTO suggested previously, but in my case it will be the DA*300/4, and to ask questions.(see below).
I have had some good luck in the past with the "Harvest" moon and of course will be out there (weather permitting) again this year.

My question (and of course pretty much the same question as the OP): how in the world do you end up with an image, such as the one shown by the OP in the first post .... "several moons" showing the course it has taken across the sky.
Multiple exposures?
Several shots collated into one?

Thanks!!

I plan on using layers in gimp or similar to stack the images via layers, possibly with masks to avoid star trails. I'm sure you could do it with multi-exposure, but suspect there's it's a bit more forgiving to use multiple exposures combined in post processing rather than in camera.

[Paul MaudDib]

I'm going to try and shoot continuous video that more or less fills the frame. Boring, I know, but I have a great dark-sky area.

A full-frame moon shot needs something like 2100mm. I have a 1.5x crop body and a P67 400/4 EDIF lens. I could run a 2x TC which would get me to 1200mm f/8. That's not really filling the frame, but since I'll be hand-tracking I'll need some wiggle room anyway.

The other way I could go is to snag a Pentax Q. The 5x crop would get me to 2000mm f/4 equivalent. That's about 0.7 degrees on the short side, the moon is 0.5 degrees - would that be too tight to track with?

[gifthorse]

Bear in mind that the entire eclipse might not be visible where you are. There are charts showing where the eclipse will be visible. Do a web search for "LE2015Sep28T" minus the quotation marks. It's a NASA pdf. Where I am, the eclipse begins at 5:11 pm but the moon doesn't rise until 6:45 pm. On the other hand, I might be able to get some images of an eclipsed supermoon rising. When life gives you lemons, make Lynchburg lemonade. Good luck!

[jpzk]

I plan on using layers in gimp or similar to stack the images via layers, possibly with masks to avoid star trails. I'm sure you could do it with multi-exposure, but suspect there's it's a bit more forgiving to use multiple exposures combined in post processing rather than in camera.

Great.
So CS5 would be the way to go since I do not have gimp.

This way? .... take several shots in a given sequence then "combine" them in PP .... as long as the background stays the same??
Is this how you plan to do it?

JP

[interested_observer]

Bear in mind that the entire eclipse might not be visible where you are. There are charts showing where the eclipse will be visible. Do a web search for "LE2015Sep28T" minus the quotation marks. It's a NASA pdf. Where I am, the eclipse begins at 5:11 pm but the moon doesn't rise until 6:45 pm. On the other hand, I might be able to get some images of an eclipsed supermoon rising. When life gives you lemons, make Lynchburg lemonade. Good luck!

• How to Photograph Sunday?s Total Lunar Eclipse

[Kath]

@stickler - thanks for starting the thread. I wondered who of us would be out there this weekend.

I'll be attempting to get some shots over the Portland landscape/cityscape with my 150-500 and may even try a few with the 1.4 teleconverter. For us in the PNW, the timing is terrific - dinnertime.

For those who are researching, there are some helpful posts found in the PF search for past eclipses. Another resource is here:

September 27 / September 28, 2015 — Total Lunar Eclipse ? Where and when to see

---------- Post added 09-26-15 at 01:31 PM ----------

The initial exposures will be short, but near and during totality the correct exposure will be in the 1/10 to several seconds.

This will be my first astro/nightsky, let alone lunar eclipse, attempt and have a question:

I'll be using my Sigma 150-500 f/5 and down, on a very stable setup and will be taking landscape-with-moon shots, not going for fill-the-frame shots.

Should I be anticipating any blur from the earth's rotation during the maximum phase of eclipse? I know there is a formula for when my shutter speed will be too slow to accommodate that movement, but I'll be darned if I can find it. Something on the order of 20-30 seconds, if I recall? Looking at others' exifs from past eclipses, it appears the common eclipse shutter speeds are more in the 1/10 to <10 seconds, as @wpresto has indicated above.

So, not to worry about this issue?

[WPRESTO]

I would not worry in that TV range, BUT, the problem of star motion gets more important with longer focal length. At "normal" focal lengths (~40mm for APS-C) the moon is very small, so be wary of landscape + Moon. At the short FL end you'll have plenty of landscape, a tiny Moon, and little problem with star trails. At the long FL end, you'll have a Moon with considerable surface detail, not much landscape, and considerable problem with camera shake and possibly star motion. In either case, you'll have problems combining any image of the Moon, landscape, and good detail for stars.

Best for Moon = relatively short exposure except near totality
Best for night landscape = several seconds up to a minute or more depending on the time of night and the landscape
Best for stars = several short exposures combined in a stacking program (easier), or tracking with an equatorial mount (alignment and periodic error correction are not to be attempted by a first-time astrophotographer for an important picture)

[Kath]

@wpresto - thank you, that's helpful. It'll be interesting to see how it goes. Good luck to us all!