the moon problems

Well tried again with the Bigma and a 2x converter but this is the best I can get so giving up on the moon as I have seen much better than this, I tried all settings but I am at a loss why I cannot get a sharp image.

[IMG]http://i453.photobucket.com/albums/qq253/jackitec/moon1.jpg[/IMG]

Try it again without the teleconverter.

I tried a while back, using a 400mm SMC-A F5.6, with and without a mediocre 2xTC. Without was much, much better than with. With was awful, without was Ok, some of the time.

Bigger does not mean sharper, once you stick all that extra glass in the light path.

Camera shake, moon movement and atmospheric haze are the enemies of sharpness here.

These are the areas that you could look at but, as Chris says, ditch the teleconverter first.

Hi guys I shot it first without the converter about 20 pics all different settings all rubbish, tried with the converter about 30 pics this is the best I could get for now, I used my tripod on all photos with 3 second timer and infrared remote control, it could be the heat haze down here in Spain John so might have another go in the Winter, thanks for your advice guys I suppose I'll try again,
Jack.

Hate to say this, but you'll find this sort of thing much easier with a digital camera.

You can see your results, and adjust accordingly.

G

Have a go George lets see your best shot

Not tonight. It's blowing a gale here.

Like most other nights.

G

Well George if you get a wind free night have a go, it's about the hardest thing I have tried with a (digital camera) I had a look at some Nasa photos and theirs are not much better, let me know how you get on, Jack.

Actually, I have tried - at the time of the eclipse a year or two back. My results were nothing special. On film, with a short lens and no crop factor I would be trying to think of something a bit less challenging.

G

This is about the best I've ever managed. Taken last year, EXIF reports 550mm lens but I think it was taken with a DA*300 + Pentax-F 1.7x AF T/C

I think these can be made to look a bit better with very little effort.

I've taken the liberty of reducing the image size a bit, and applying a little USM, the result being this.

I hope you'll agree that although there's no more detail *actually* visible in this version, it appears crisper and therefore has more appeal - on a monitor at least.

It's also better than another one of yours I did the same thing to a while back (let me know if you want me to get rid of these - I didn't even remember that I still had the earlier one till I looked just now). That also looks quite crisp, but you can see that it's not quite as good - Tycho (the large crater in the bottom right corner) is a bit better defined in the one you've posted here.

And both of yours are better than mine. I definitely need to have another go...

Yes it does Chris, thanks.

I have a 500mm mirror lens i would sell it is a m42 fit so you would need a filling ring

James

to shoot the moon go for ISO100 or lower,fast shutter speed and full zoom.Obviously use a tripod and spot metering and focussing.Keep taking shots until you get it right!!!It will either be too dark or too bright,adjust accordingly..good luck

I think that advice applies to just about any photographic scenario, but we're trying to be just a bit more scientific here I think.