Beginners moon pics, EOS T7, 300mm

[Doug625]

• 1/125, iso 400 f6.3, I'm slowly learning this camera, I've had it for 1 week.  Hoping to improve. 

[Doug625]

Any tips or setting changes would be appreciated. 

[zakslm]

Doug625,

Your photo of the moon is really nice!  I’m not sure how you can improve on that.  A wise and experienced photographer told me years ago that the moon is illuminated by sunlight so when you photograph the moon, follow the Sunny 16 rule of thumb. In other words, Set if you set your ISO to 400, shoot at f16, 1/400th of a second.  Same amount of light hits the sensor at f8, 1/800th of a second or f7.1 at 1/1000th.  Experiment and see what works best for you. 

With regard to learning the camera, there are tutorials on YouTube to assist you in learning the T7 and photography in general.   Check out what Tronhard (Trevor) posted on this thread   https://community.usa.canon.com/t5/EOS-DSLR-Mirrorless-Cameras/EOS-Rebel-T7-New-vs-Refurbished/m-p/4... 

There a lot of helpful and instructive videos and links out there if you do a Google search on the topic. 

good luck!

[Doug625]

Thank you, I am learning a little each time I use it, I'm doing a lot of landscape and sunset photos lately and waiting for the full moon on the 20th, I'll remember the sunny 16.

[Whelanmo]

I’ve had my camera two weeks!  Wow you’re doing great. I’m going to attempt a moon shot tonight. 

[mdphotography]

looks great!  if you haven't already:

• try a few frames panned out a little - the extra darkness around it can be a cool effect
• alternate between af/manual - I actually found I got better results with longer exposures using manual focus on my R7 (may or may not make a difference on your T7)

most of all - keep shooting!  you're doing great!

[kvbarkley]

He is at 300mm That is a pretty severe crop. The original image will be "panned out"

[T_SARDENA]

1. Essential Equipment:

• Sturdy Tripod: Absolutely crucial. At 400mm, even the slightest camera movement will cause significant blur.
• Remote Shutter Release or Self-Timer: Pressing the shutter button directly can cause vibration. Use a cable release, wireless remote, or your camera's built-in 2-second or 10-second timer.

2. Camera Settings (Starting Points):

• Shooting Mode: Manual (M). This gives you full control over exposure.
• ISO: Start at your camera's base ISO (usually 100 or 200). The Moon is bright, so you don't need high ISO, which helps keep noise minimal.
• Aperture (f-stop): Start around f/8 to f/11. Most lenses are sharpest in this range, rather than wide open (like f/4.5, f/5.6) or stopped down too much (like f/22, where diffraction can soften the image). This range provides a good balance of sharpness and light gathering.
• Shutter Speed: This will depend on the Moon's phase and your exact ISO/aperture, but a good starting point is often around 1/125s to 1/250s.
  • How to Adjust: Take a test shot. Check the image preview and, more importantly, the histogram. The histogram should show a peak towards the right (representing the bright Moon) but without hitting the absolute right edge (which means highlights are clipped/overexposed). If it's too dark, use a slightly slower shutter speed (e.g., 1/100s). If it's too bright (hitting the right edge of the histogram), use a faster shutter speed (e.g., 1/400s).
• Focus: Manual Focus (MF) is highly recommended.
  • Switch your lens and camera to Manual Focus.
  • Turn on Live View on your camera's screen.
  • Digitally zoom in (using the camera's magnification feature in Live View, not the lens zoom) on the edge of the Moon or a distinct crater.
  • Carefully turn the focus ring on your lens until the details are tack sharp. Focus peaking, if your camera has it, can be helpful here. Autofocus often struggles to lock onto the Moon accurately.
• File Format: Shoot in RAW. This captures the most data and gives you much more flexibility in post-processing to adjust exposure, white balance, and sharpness.
• White Balance (WB): Auto White Balance (AWB) often works fine. Alternatively, setting it to 'Daylight' or 'Sunny' can give a good neutral starting point. You can easily fine-tune this later if shooting RAW.
• Image Stabilization (IS / VR / OS): Turn it OFF when your camera is mounted on a tripod. Image stabilization systems can sometimes introduce tiny movements because they detect no movement, ironically causing blur on a stable platform. (If you were attempting to hand-hold, you would leave it ON).
• Mirror Lock-up (DSLRs only): If you have a DSLR, the movement of the mirror flipping up can cause slight vibrations. Enable Mirror Lock-up mode. In this mode, the first press of the shutter (or remote) flips the mirror up, and the second press opens the shutter. Mirrorless cameras don't have this issue. If using the self-timer, Mirror Lock-up might engage automatically or might not be strictly necessary as vibrations have time to dampen.

Summary of Starting Settings:

• Mode: Manual (M)
• ISO: 100 (or base)
• Aperture: f/8
• Shutter Speed: 1/125s
• Focus: Manual (using Live View)
• Format: RAW
• Tripod: Yes
• Release: Remote or Self-Timer (2s+)
• Image Stabilization: OFF
• Mirror Lock-up: ON (for DSLRs)

Additional Tips:

• Atmospheric Conditions: Clear nights with stable air (less "twinkling" of stars) yield the sharpest images. Haze or atmospheric turbulence will soften details. Shooting when the Moon is higher in the sky often means looking through less atmosphere.
• Moon Phase: A full moon is bright but can look flat due to direct sunlight. Crescent or quarter moons often show more dramatic crater detail and texture because of the shadows along the terminator (the line between light and dark). You might need slightly longer exposures for dimmer crescent moons.
• Check Your Histogram: Don't rely solely on the image preview on the LCD, as its brightness can be misleading. Learn to read the histogram to ensure you're not losing detail in the bright areas of the Moon.
• Bracketing: If you're unsure about the perfect exposure, consider using exposure bracketing to take several shots at slightly different shutter speeds automatically.
• Post-Processing: Shooting in RAW allows you to fine-tune exposure, contrast, sharpness, and noise reduction in software like Adobe Lightroom or Capture One for the best results.

Start with these settings, take test shots, check focus and exposure carefully, and adjust as needed. Happy Moon shooting!