Blood Moon Camera Settings

Bugs
Posted 27/03/2014 - 13:26 Link
Hi - I'm new so please tell me if this is posted in the wrong place...or maybe advise a better place. Thanks!

On 15/4/2014 there will be a blood moon (in Australia anyway,)(a rare event - worth Googling)and naturally I want the best photos possible. Its important to recognise that the moon being red will produce lower light quite different to "normal" moon shots.
My equipment is listed below and Im planning to lift the mirror, use no filters and of course use the tripod. I would like to use ISO 100 - unless otherwise advised.
I would be grateful for assistance with camera settings to obtain moonshine on water, a landscape including the moon and of course to just have close up moon shots.
Your advice will be most welcome.
Pentax K5, Sigma 18-200mm f3.5-6.3 DC lens. Manfrotto tripod & cable shutter release. Lightroom V5.
gwing
Posted 27/03/2014 - 14:17 Link
From what I can find 'Blood Moon' is a synonym for 'Hunter's Moon' which is the next full moon after the Autumn equinox full moon or 'Harvest Moon'. Is that right?

I wouldn't even attempt to predict what camera settings are going to give the effect you want in shots like that. Best advice is probably to practice on a normal full moon to get an idea of what compositions and reflections you are looking for in advance. Then on the day I'd take a few rapid shots to see under the present lighting conditions what EV value gives the portrayal I want, then translate that EV value to suitable low ISO/moderate aperture/long shutter speed for the mirror locked up proper shot.
Mannesty
Posted 27/03/2014 - 15:00 Link
A blood moon appears as part of a total eclipse where the sun passes through the earths contaminated atmosphere and illuminating the moon with red filtered light.

A hunters moon appears red simply because it's low in the sky and you are looking at it through our contaminated atmosphere.

We had a blood moon in Spain on 3 & 4/3/2007. This is the best I could manage with the equipment I had at the time.

Comment Image


You are shooting a moving target so shutter speed shouldn't be too long. I got my best shots between 0.5 and 1.5 secs. This image was at 1.3 secs, f5.6,ISO 400. You are going to be very hard pushed to get a fast enough exposure at ISO 100.
Peter E Smith - flickr Photostream
Edited by Mannesty: 27/03/2014 - 15:14
Galoot
Posted 27/03/2014 - 17:45 Link
Hello,

Don't know if this would be helpful to you ?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/guides


John MD
Smeggypants
Posted 28/03/2014 - 05:02 Link
Galoot wrote:
Hello,

Don't know if this would be helpful to you ?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/guides


John MD
LJ Rich

Comment Image
[i]Bodies: 1x K-5IIs, 2x K-5, Sony TX-5, Nokia 808
Lenses: Pentax DA 10-17mm ED(IF) Fish Eye, Pentax DA 14mm f/2.8, Sigma 17-70mm f/2.8, Pentax-A 28mm f/2.8, Sigma 30mm F1.4 EX DC, Pentax-A 50mm f/1.2, Pentax-A 50mm f/1.4, Pentax-FA 50mm f/1.4, Pentax-A 50mm f/1.7, Pentax DA* 50-135mm f/2.8, Sigma 135-400mm APO DG, and more ..
Flash: AF-540FGZ, Vivitar 283
Bugs
Posted 01/04/2014 - 03:42 Link
Thank you Galoot - that goes part of the way.
Here is a "map" showing where this event can/cannot be seen throughout the world.
Pentax K5, Sigma 18-200mm f3.5-6.3 DC lens. Manfrotto tripod & cable shutter release. Lightroom V5.
Bugs
Posted 01/04/2014 - 03:43 Link
Pentax K5, Sigma 18-200mm f3.5-6.3 DC lens. Manfrotto tripod & cable shutter release. Lightroom V5.

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