Lunar Eclipse camera settings

I am planning to attempt photography of the lunar eclipse this evening, and doing some research into camera settings.

When photographing the Northern Lights I most often shoot at ISO 1600 on the K-5iis, which results in rather noise free images. So ISO 1600 will be my point if departure.

I am going to use either a 300mm lens or a 400mm lens on the K-5iis and am wondering if there is a way to calculate minimum shutter speed in order to prevent motion blur?

Secondly I am wondering what aperture to use. My FA* 300/4.5 is very sharp wide open, but maybe it is best to shoot at f5.6 or even f8?

Here in Norway the moon is visible from about 2220 pm, and is then already at its most eclipsed state (I am sorry is this is non ideomatic English...). I usually use live-view for moon shots, will live-view be possible on the dark blood moon?

I am grateful for any advice on this matter!

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Bjørn

PPG
Flickr

It depends how bright the moon's going to be in the sky and how much light is about, sunset in the UK isn't until around 21:20 ish depending on where you are.

I shot this at the end of May this year, K1 with a Pentax 150 - 450 @ 450mm - 1/200th second F5.6 and 100 ISO - Handheld.

I recall the auto settings gave an over-exposed image so went manual.

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Chris

www.chrismillsphotography.co.uk

" A Hangover is something that occupies the Head you neglected to use the night before".

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K1 - Sigma 85mm F1.4, Pentax DFA 150 -450 F4.5 / 5.6, Pentax DFA* 24 - 70 F2.8

Samyang 14mm F2.8, Pentax DFA* 70-200 F2.8

K3iii + K3ii + K5iis converted to IR, Sigma 17 - 70 F2.8, Pentax 55 - 300 F4.5 / F5.6 PLM

As the moon will get darker over the course of the almost two hours of the eclipse, keepin your iso and shutter constant and adapting to the changing light by manipulating the aperture alone seems to work well - so starting from a higher setting and opening it up as the light intensity changes. I personally never shoot the moon lower then 0.125s - that is not based on calculations but examining my own photos at different shutter speeds (mostly shot at or around 300mm). With the eclipse and the rather dim light conditions - it may very well be more beneficial to lower the shutter to keep the noise in check despite that but can't really say for sure. If you google a bit, some people seem to go below that value and seem to get good images as well. As for aperture, I seem to get most detail when shooting at f11 or even above - if I stack, then it seems to matter less. At the end of the day, think your settings need to factor in your equipment capability and optimum performance and atmospheric conditions in addition to the light changes of the eclipse so a bit hard to determine beforehand. What works for one person might completely not work for another due to weather and other factors. I did go to the trouble of pre-programming all the available user setting slots with different setups for quick access; hoping one will work well as a starting point and save the valuable time fiddling around when it's time to shoot.

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'Photography...it remembers little things, long after you have forgotten....' (Aaron Siskind)

Thank you Chris and Magdalena for sharing your experience with moon photography!

Hopefully will the moon eclipse turn out to be memorable😊

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Bjørn

PPG
Flickr

I have found spot metering mode useful in the past; I.e. using the smallest metering area, centred on the moon.

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Peter

Pentax K5
Pentax DA 18-55 Mk1, 50-200 (Samsung), 16-45, 55-300 Mk1, 35 f/2.4
Pentax MZ6 + FA28-90, FA50 f/1.4, M 50 f/1.7
Tamron 80-210mm & 28mm

Hi all,

I don't have a cloud filter but my settings from 28 September 2015 here on the edge of Chesterfield were at start F8 1/1000 of a second ISO 200.

It didn't turn red until full. Then i find I used F4 1/30th of a second ISO 6400

Much lighter of course this time as never really dark this time of year.

We seem to be due for thunderstorms from about 10pm - so unlikely to see anything!

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K-3 II, K-3 and a K-70 from SRS (having now relegated the K-30 /"K-50" to a backup body), & some Sigma and Pentax lenses (and a lot of old 35mm gear!)

Same with us here in Gloucester, 100% cloud at the mo

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Chris

www.chrismillsphotography.co.uk

" A Hangover is something that occupies the Head you neglected to use the night before".

-------------------------------------------------------------
K1 - Sigma 85mm F1.4, Pentax DFA 150 -450 F4.5 / 5.6, Pentax DFA* 24 - 70 F2.8

Samyang 14mm F2.8, Pentax DFA* 70-200 F2.8

K3iii + K3ii + K5iis converted to IR, Sigma 17 - 70 F2.8, Pentax 55 - 300 F4.5 / F5.6 PLM

Chesterfield, full cloud cover, thunder and light rain. Just packed gear away. Good luck elsewhere.

I was surprised at how dark the red period was, and then amused at myself for not realising it would be that way in the first place.

My experience last time (when storms didn't eclipse the whole affair) suggest the blood moon was more than 4000 time darker than the full moon. I knew it was going to be significantly darker but was still surprised at how much darker it was.

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Mike
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Pentax:K5ii, K7, K100D, DA18-55, DA10-17, DA55-300, DA50-200, F100-300, F50, DA35 AL, 4* M50, 2* M135, Helicoid extension, Tak 300 f4 (& 6 film bodies)
3rd Party: Bigmos (Sigma 150-500mm OS HSM),2* 28mm, 100mm macro, 28-200 zoom, 35-80 zoom, 80-200 zoom, 80-210 zoom, 300mm M42, 600 mirror, 1000-4000 scope, 50mm M42, enlarger lenses, Sony & micro 4/3 cameras with various PK mounts, Zenit E...
Far to many tele-converters, adapters, project parts & extension tubes etc.

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