i have a Nikon D80(18-200 VR Lens), what is the best sitting to take a picture of the moon?

Question

i tried the default sitting (night mode) but no use, it was so glow. i need to know the Shutter speed, Aperture, ISO that i should use?
P.S. i am using a tripod.
Thanks

Answer 1

Set your camera on full automatic mode and use Spot Metering; you will see that the camera will fire off very fast because the moon is a very bright object in a dark surrounding. The moon is reflecting the light from the sun that is hidden from us; it is very bright moon, although the surface of the moon is brown, looks white-bluish.

By using SPOT metering, your camera's light meter will concentrate on the very bright circle of light (the moon) and not factor in the surrounding darkness of the sky as Average and Matrix Metering will do. Try using a slow ISO setting like 100 or 200.

You will not get a large image of the moon with your lens; you really should use a much longer focal length lens.

Answer 2

You would be better off using a telescope with a camera adapter. Also the telescope would work better with a tracking device that keeps up with the movement of the moon. I have tried endlessly to take photos of the moon with a tripod and I am an experienced photographer. It is hard to get a good shot because of the brightness of the moon. It tends to overexpose most of the time. Maybe an extremely fast black and white film with a quick exposure would work? I am not sure. I have tried different things but black and white film may work better. When you say night mode I know that you can't be serious. I hope you don't think these ridiculous modes on Nikons will help in this type of special photography. The moon is very bright and moves which results in a blur mostly. Do a google search on photographing the moon. I will check it out myself because I have failed photographing the moon which is the only thing I haven't been able to photograph well.

Answer 3

With an ISO of 100, try a range of shutter speeds, from 1/250 to 1/25 depending on the phase (crescent or full) of the moon, and irrespective of the lens length. Because of so many variables, test shots will give you the optimal settings. And since you aren't processing film, you can take a lot of test shots. Just record each setting to compare to the results. Note: The longer the focal length, at a given f/number and ISO setting, the longer the exposure. If you want to capture craters, you'll need at least a 500 mm lens. If you are shooting landscapes with a moon in the sky, try 50-100mm.

Answer 4

Just like the sun, there is a rule of thumb. Choose your ISO. It can be pretty much anything, so use 200. Take the moon at f/16 at 1/200th of a second. It's always f/16 with a shutter speed that is the inverse of the ISO. Approx. This is a starting point. Check your results and bracket up and down until you get a useable image.

Answer 5

no, just keep 18-135.