How can I photograph the moon with a compact point-and-shoot camera?
Asked 9/1/2012
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I have a compact digital camera with 26x optical zoom and 10 MP resolution. What settings and technique should I use to get a good photo of the moon at night? Specifically, what should I do for shutter speed, aperture, and ISO, and should I let the camera choose exposure automatically?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
14y ago
2 Answers
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I would use the lowest ISO setting available - you don't need much sensitivity - the Moon is a source of light after all. This is also why I would choose a fast shutter. If you can set your camera to different modes, I would start with an aperture priority mode, zoom in as close as it gets using optical zoom (some cameras offer programmatic zoom, but don't use that because your photo will have lower quality).
Your camera will want to measure the light reflected from the Moon, and the black background and average the frame for what it considers a good exposure. If the moon does not fill your frame, the camera will want to overexpose to compensate for the black background. If you fill the frame with the Moon you get a better chance for a good measurement.
Naturally, if your camera lets you control the exposure triange - ISO, shutter and aperture then you can just experiment until you get a good exposure.
Here is some more info about photographing the Moon:
Originally by user11038. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user11038
14y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
Use the lowest ISO your camera offers, because the moon is surprisingly bright—it’s illuminated by full sunlight. A fast shutter speed is usually better than a long one, and if your camera has aperture-priority or manual controls, start there and avoid letting the camera meter a wide black sky. If the moon is small in the frame, auto exposure often overexposes it, so zoom in with optical zoom only and try to fill as much of the frame as possible. Don’t use digital zoom.
A tripod helps a lot at long focal lengths, and clear, dry air will improve sharpness. If your compact camera can’t make the moon very large, consider composing it with landscape or foreground elements instead of expecting a detailed close-up. Also expect that if you expose correctly for the moon, the rest of the scene may go very dark or appear as a silhouette.
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