Filming the Moon

From: Ken Paul Rosenthal (email suppressed)
Date: Sun Mar 23 2008 - 21:02:46 PDT


Thanks for the input Sam.

Yes, our meters read exactly the same; f8/11 split, with the ASA set at 80 to take into account that my S8 camera's shutter angle is 150 degrees, not 180.

Keep in mind that I'm shooting Reversal Stocks--Plus-X and EK 100D, both rated at 100ASA--so my exposures need to be dead on, not 'hotter'. By 'hotter' I presume you meant overexposing??

Ah, but of course--the Teleconverter!!! Hmm, now I'm curious to see what reading the in-camera meter will give me without the Teleconverter. But then, as Fred cautioned, the moon will take up even less of the frame, even if it's centered, and therefore the camera meter might weight the reading more towards the night sky.

All that said, would you recommend shooting at f5.6 with the Teleconvertor, or staying at f8? Of course the test roll will bear out the results, but I'm curious in the meantime.

Re flare, I have a second Canon 1014xls and it bears the same artifacts, so I don't think there's something 'wrong' with the lens, rather it's not a pro lens. Though as far as S8 cameras go, it's among the finest.

Thanks, Ken

> Date: Sun, 23 Mar 2008 00:32:33 -0400
> From: Sam Wells <email suppressed>
> Subject: Re: Filming the Moon
>
> Hi Ken --
>
> I just read the moon tonight - midnight EDT - with my digital spot
> meter (moon sits within most of 1 degree) cloudless sky
>
> Assuming ASA 100 & 1/50 sec (that wd be 180 degree shutter - do the
> math for yours) I got an f8 - f11 split, closer to f8.
>
> This seems as I expected, remembering shooting the bright part of an
> eclipse - not the recent one - a few years ago on pushed 7245
> daylight film.
>
> I would guess you could put the moon 2 stops over mid grey -- or make
> it hotter - one stop.
>
> I also just shot it with my DSLR with the above assumptions,
> bracketed I liked f 11 or f 16 (contrastier detail)
>
> In your calculations, bear in mind the 1.4 converter is costing you
> one stop.
>
> I'd be inclined to loose the yellow filter -- for B&W it will only
> darken a bold blue & I think you'll have plenty of contrast in the
> subject itself, the moon much brighter than the clouds it illuminates..
>
> The teleconverter could be contributing to flare, or maybe you've
> just got a flarey lens.
>
> HTH
>
> -Sam
>

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