Any tips for Moon shots with K-70 and 150-450 combo?

**dirwood** · 12-20-2021, 12:27 PM

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Originally posted by pschlute

How are you triggering the shutter ?....on a tripod for this kind of scene you need to be using a remote, or the 2 sec timer. Do not press the shutter button by hand.

I have a cable remote or release cable, whatever the terminology is. I can also connect my phone to it via wifi and use that, then I can change settings (iso/shutter speed) with the app on the phone. I just find the handheld remote easier.

The new tripod head I got is rated for 44lbs, I believe I am ok on the head part.

---------- Post added 12-20-21 at 02:49 PM ----------

I did a bit of looking around for the tripod that I have.

Bower VT6500 Heavy Duty 65" Tripod For Canon Nikon Sony Pentax Camera | eBay

This is the exact tripod I have. The head on it broke and I replaced it with the Vanguard BH-250.

**othar** · 12-20-2021, 01:36 PM

Originally posted by dirwood

This is the exact tripod I have.

For your lens slightly undersized, but useable as long as you don't extend all sections of the tripod legs.

stevebrot · 12-20-2021, 03:40 PM

Originally posted by dirwood

I never thought of hanging a weight on the tripod

Hanging weight has potential for the weight to swing in response to vibration. I use a set of ankle weights intended for exercise use draped over the "spider" (where the legs attach) of the tripod.

Steve

**dirwood** · 12-20-2021, 05:03 PM - **1 Like**

Here are a few cropped only images I took last night. Waiting for the sky to clear up tonight so I can go out and try a few shots. I tried with the clouds but they didnt come out very well. I was trying to figure out the magnify feature on live view while I was outside but I couldn't figure that out. I'll have look it up.

---------- Post added 12-20-21 at 07:04 PM ----------

These are all JPEGS as well. I didn't shoot in raw last night.

---------- Post added 12-20-21 at 07:17 PM ----------

Ok, Nevermind about the zooming on live view. I looked it up and just tried it out. Not sure how that'll help focus on the moon when its just a bright glowing ball....Should I have a filter on while doing that or am I just missing something obvious?

Attached Images

View Picture EXIF

View Picture EXIF

y0chang · 12-20-2021, 05:17 PM

Nice shots! Also you can count how long the vibrations take to settle in live view once you zoom in. I recommend setting the timer to longer than the vibration interval or the 10 second one time if you want to be safe.

**dirwood** · 12-20-2021, 05:31 PM

Originally posted by y0chang

Nice shots! Also you can count how long the vibrations take to settle in live view once you zoom in. I recommend setting the timer to longer than the vibration interval or the 10 second one time if you want to be safe.

Thanks. I'm trying to take some photos tonight but the clouds are just thin enough to fool you that its clear but its not. There is a slight haze in the photos I've taken so far. I was trying to mirror lock feature. The live view doesn't show the moon as well as it does through the eye piece since in the eye piece it isn't a bright ball. Not sure if there is a setting for the live view to make it look like I am looking through the eye piece.

**MossyRocks** · 12-20-2021, 05:52 PM

Originally posted by dirwood

Ok, Nevermind about the zooming on live view. I looked it up and just tried it out. Not sure how that'll help focus on the moon when its just a bright glowing ball

I use magnified live view when focusing on a star and minimize the star with focus peaking off. Once I have things focused I reframe on the moon.

pschlute · 12-20-2021, 05:56 PM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by dirwood

zooming on live view. I looked it up and just tried it out. Not sure how that'll help focus on the moon when its just a bright glowing ball....Should I have a filter on while doing that or am I just missing something obvious?

Ah yes, sorry, I forgot to say ...... to manually focus using LV zoomed on the moon you need to put the camera in M exposure and either stop down the lens or up the shutter speed until the image darkens and you can see the detail. Then focus. Then change the shutter speed/aperture to what you want to use for the shot itself.

---------- Post added 12-21-21 at 01:21 AM ----------

Originally posted by dirwood

Here are a few cropped only images I took last night.

These are a bit underexposed. The camera's meter is seeing the bright light and is rendering it 18% grey *. Best bet is to use manual exposure and look at the histogram after you take the shot. You want the histogram to be registering almost all the way to the right but without clipping (overexposure)

You are using f16/18 which can start to introduce what is called diffraction into your images which can soften them. Use a faster aperture like f8/11.

* The same thing happens if you take a picture of a snow scene. The camera meter tries to render the image as a grey mush.

**dirwood** · 12-20-2021, 06:51 PM

Here is a quick cropped photo. I used the live view method, iso 100, F14 with 1/320 shutter. It was windy and kept moving my camera on the tripod so took a bit of messing around to get it focused. I am not used to manual focus so that'll take some practice for my eyes. Next time it isn't so windy out and when I have more time, I'll try other stops and shutter speeds. I feel as though if I did the F11 with the faster shutter,it may have compensated for the wind a bit.

**othar** · 12-20-2021, 06:51 PM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by pschlute

Ah yes, sorry, I forgot to say ...... to manually focus using LV zoomed on the moon you need to put the camera in M exposure and either stop down the lens or up the shutter speed until the image darkens and you can see the detail. Then focus. Then change the shutter speed/aperture to what you want to use for the shot itself.

With a tele lens it is usually sufficient to switch to spot metering and position the moon in the centre of the frame for LV to darken the image so details can be seen on the moon surface

Billking · 12-20-2021, 11:36 PM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by dirwood

The tripod I have is one I got for free from somewhere. I don't really remember. Are some tripods steadier than others?...

Yep.

The 150-450 is not a light lens. You want a tripod with a bit of heft to hold it. And a head with a bit of heft too.

Assuming your tripod is the weak link you can set it up with the legs not extended too far to reduce wobble.

Here's my last moonshot. K1 with DA300 and 1.4TC and a Manfrotto tripod with a Manfrotto joystick head. I'm looking forward to getting a DFA 150-450 and a gimbal head for more stablity. The joystick in nice for BIF but not quite steady enough for lots of applications.

pschlute · 12-21-2021, 12:57 AM

Originally posted by dirwood

I feel as though if I did the F11 with the faster shutter,it may have compensated for the wind a bit.

Good idea. You don't need to stop down to f14 for moon shots. f8 is going to be better all round. it will allow a faster shutter speed which will help with movement.

y0chang · 12-21-2021, 01:13 AM

Oh another thing that Pentax can do that other brands can not is to use the green button to set an exposure in manual that way you have a baseline exposure to work with and to adjust. I personally start out in manual mode, one stop down from wide open, 1/250 second shutter speed, and then adjust iso for correct exposure but sometimes my twiddling goes too far or its a very complex exposure like a eclipse, and I can hit the green to get a guess by the camera on the exposure but stay in manual mode.

**Papa_Joe** · 12-21-2021, 01:46 AM

Very nice shots! I think you can't get much better results with a single picture.
Next thing I would suggest is to search the internet for stacking the moon.

Also try to take pictures around about 5 days before full moon. The craters at the terminator will show some nice shadows.

dlhawes · 12-21-2021, 02:48 AM

two things I'm thinking - first, make sure the barrel on the 150-450 doesn't slide in when you point it up; I put a rubber band on mine and roll it down to the body of the lens - that lens has a reputation for sliding, and if it does so as you're shooting, even very slightly, you get blur. Secondly, use a high enough f-stop (i.e., a tight aperture) because depth of field changes as you increase focal length, and you want enough to be able to capture the sphericity of the object. I use a fast enough shutter speed (I ignore "rules") to give me the equivalent of -.7 stop, given whatever aperture I've chosen, and adjust the exposure in post-processing (assuming you're shooting raw, with or without JPEG).

12-20-2021, 05:56 PM - 1 Like	#23
pschlute Moderator Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Surrey, UK Photos: Gallery Posts: 8,216	Originally posted by dirwood zooming on live view. I looked it up and just tried it out. Not sure how that'll help focus on the moon when its just a bright glowing ball....Should I have a filter on while doing that or am I just missing something obvious? Ah yes, sorry, I forgot to say ...... to manually focus using LV zoomed on the moon you need to put the camera in M exposure and either stop down the lens or up the shutter speed until the image darkens and you can see the detail. Then focus. Then change the shutter speed/aperture to what you want to use for the shot itself. ---------- Post added 12-21-21 at 01:21 AM ---------- Originally posted by dirwood Here are a few cropped only images I took last night. These are a bit underexposed. The camera's meter is seeing the bright light and is rendering it 18% grey . Best bet is to use manual exposure and look at the histogram after you take the shot. You want the histogram to be registering almost all the way to the right but without clipping (overexposure) You are using f16/18 which can start to introduce what is called diffraction into your images which can soften them. Use a faster aperture like f8/11. The same thing happens if you take a picture of a snow scene. The camera meter tries to render the image as a grey mush. Last edited by pschlute; 12-20-2021 at 06:32 PM.

12-20-2021, 11:36 PM - 1 Like	#26
Billking Forum Member Join Date: May 2021 Location: Melbourne, Victoria Posts: 72	Originally posted by dirwood The tripod I have is one I got for free from somewhere. I don't really remember. Are some tripods steadier than others?... Yep. The 150-450 is not a light lens. You want a tripod with a bit of heft to hold it. And a head with a bit of heft too. Assuming your tripod is the weak link you can set it up with the legs not extended too far to reduce wobble. Here's my last moonshot. K1 with DA300 and 1.4TC and a Manfrotto tripod with a Manfrotto joystick head. I'm looking forward to getting a DFA 150-450 and a gimbal head for more stablity. The joystick in nice for BIF but not quite steady enough for lots of applications. Attached Images Last edited by Billking; 12-20-2021 at 11:43 PM.

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12-20-2021, 12:27 PM	#16
dirwood Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Lockport, New York Posts: 302 Original Poster	Staff note: This post may contain affiliate links, which means Pentax Forums may earn a small commission if a visitor clicks through and makes a purchase. If you would like to support the forum directly, you may also make a donation here. Originally posted by pschlute How are you triggering the shutter ?....on a tripod for this kind of scene you need to be using a remote, or the 2 sec timer. Do not press the shutter button by hand. I have a cable remote or release cable, whatever the terminology is. I can also connect my phone to it via wifi and use that, then I can change settings (iso/shutter speed) with the app on the phone. I just find the handheld remote easier. The new tripod head I got is rated for 44lbs, I believe I am ok on the head part. ---------- Post added 12-20-21 at 02:49 PM ---------- I did a bit of looking around for the tripod that I have. Bower VT6500 Heavy Duty 65" Tripod For Canon Nikon Sony Pentax Camera \| eBay This is the exact tripod I have. The head on it broke and I replaced it with the Vanguard BH-250.

12-20-2021, 01:36 PM	#17
othar Site Supporter Join Date: May 2014 Location: Linz Photos: Albums Posts: 3,098	Originally posted by dirwood This is the exact tripod I have. For your lens slightly undersized, but useable as long as you don't extend all sections of the tripod legs.

12-20-2021, 03:40 PM	#18
stevebrot Otis Memorial Pentaxian Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Vancouver (USA) Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 42,007	Originally posted by dirwood I never thought of hanging a weight on the tripod Hanging weight has potential for the weight to swing in response to vibration. I use a set of ankle weights intended for exercise use draped over the "spider" (where the legs attach) of the tripod. Steve

12-20-2021, 05:17 PM	#20
y0chang Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: United States Posts: 793	Nice shots! Also you can count how long the vibrations take to settle in live view once you zoom in. I recommend setting the timer to longer than the vibration interval or the 10 second one time if you want to be safe.

12-20-2021, 05:31 PM	#21
dirwood Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Lockport, New York Posts: 302 Original Poster	Originally posted by y0chang Nice shots! Also you can count how long the vibrations take to settle in live view once you zoom in. I recommend setting the timer to longer than the vibration interval or the 10 second one time if you want to be safe. Thanks. I'm trying to take some photos tonight but the clouds are just thin enough to fool you that its clear but its not. There is a slight haze in the photos I've taken so far. I was trying to mirror lock feature. The live view doesn't show the moon as well as it does through the eye piece since in the eye piece it isn't a bright ball. Not sure if there is a setting for the live view to make it look like I am looking through the eye piece.

12-20-2021, 05:52 PM	#22
MossyRocks Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Nov 2017 Location: Minnesota Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,982	Originally posted by dirwood Ok, Nevermind about the zooming on live view. I looked it up and just tried it out. Not sure how that'll help focus on the moon when its just a bright glowing ball I use magnified live view when focusing on a star and minimize the star with focus peaking off. Once I have things focused I reframe on the moon.

12-20-2021, 06:51 PM - 1 Like	#25
othar Site Supporter Join Date: May 2014 Location: Linz Photos: Albums Posts: 3,098	Originally posted by pschlute Ah yes, sorry, I forgot to say ...... to manually focus using LV zoomed on the moon you need to put the camera in M exposure and either stop down the lens or up the shutter speed until the image darkens and you can see the detail. Then focus. Then change the shutter speed/aperture to what you want to use for the shot itself. With a tele lens it is usually sufficient to switch to spot metering and position the moon in the centre of the frame for LV to darken the image so details can be seen on the moon surface

12-21-2021, 12:57 AM	#27
pschlute Moderator Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Surrey, UK Photos: Gallery Posts: 8,216	Originally posted by dirwood I feel as though if I did the F11 with the faster shutter,it may have compensated for the wind a bit. Good idea. You don't need to stop down to f14 for moon shots. f8 is going to be better all round. it will allow a faster shutter speed which will help with movement.

12-21-2021, 01:13 AM	#28
y0chang Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: United States Posts: 793	Oh another thing that Pentax can do that other brands can not is to use the green button to set an exposure in manual that way you have a baseline exposure to work with and to adjust. I personally start out in manual mode, one stop down from wide open, 1/250 second shutter speed, and then adjust iso for correct exposure but sometimes my twiddling goes too far or its a very complex exposure like a eclipse, and I can hit the green to get a guess by the camera on the exposure but stay in manual mode.

12-21-2021, 01:46 AM	#29
Papa_Joe Site Supporter Join Date: Sep 2018 Location: SW Bavaria Posts: 562	Very nice shots! I think you can't get much better results with a single picture. Next thing I would suggest is to search the internet for stacking the moon. Also try to take pictures around about 5 days before full moon. The craters at the terminator will show some nice shadows.

12-21-2021, 02:48 AM	#30
dlhawes Guest	two things I'm thinking - first, make sure the barrel on the 150-450 doesn't slide in when you point it up; I put a rubber band on mine and roll it down to the body of the lens - that lens has a reputation for sliding, and if it does so as you're shooting, even very slightly, you get blur. Secondly, use a high enough f-stop (i.e., a tight aperture) because depth of field changes as you increase focal length, and you want enough to be able to capture the sphericity of the object. I use a fast enough shutter speed (I ignore "rules") to give me the equivalent of -.7 stop, given whatever aperture I've chosen, and adjust the exposure in post-processing (assuming you're shooting raw, with or without JPEG).