Focal lengh to capture the moon

[Cunha]

Hi,

I need to photograph the moon in a way that occupies most of my 35mm FF frame without crop. Or bigger than the frame. I need a clear full moon with craters (no problem).

The image will be in portrait mode.

My test using a Canon EF 100mm macro L lens resulted in a very small image for my needs (image attached).

What lens do you suggest to produce a big image of the full moon?

Thank you very much.

[jrhoffman75]

1000mm or longer zoom. This image is with a 400mm + 2X on 1.3 crop sensor.

[Cunha]

Excellent .-) Now I´ve a clue. Thank you so much.

[cicopo]

I think it would be more cost effective to use a telescope rather than a camera lens.

[Cunha]

Thank you but I don´t have access to a telescope. This is a one time use so I´ll try to use a lens from a friend (don´t know which friend ,-)

[kvbarkley]

500 mm sigma on a T3i

[RobertTheFat]

---

@Cunha wrote:
Thank you but I don´t have access to a telescope. This is a one time use so I´ll try to use a lens from a friend (don´t know which friend ,-)

---

The question answers itself: the friend who owns a telescope.

[kvbarkley]

Or you can rent.

You'd better hurry though, you only have 'till sunday. 8^)

[Cunha]

:8^D

[kvbarkley]

The moon is 0.5 degrees.

I used Canon's Focal length comparator to see what the field of view (in degrees) was in the long dimension for various focal lengths

FL      FF     Crop

400    4.8       3.8

500    3.8       3.1

600    3.2       2.6

800    2.4       1.9

1000  1.9        1.5

1500  1.3       1.0

So even with  a 1500 mm lens the moon will be only half of the long dimension of the frame