And you guys call yourselves photo hobbyists. It's all right there in front of you.......
Model = Canon EOS 350D DIGITAL
Post processing Software = Adobe Photoshop CS3 Windows
Exposure Time = 1/1600"
F Number = F2.2
Exposure Program = Aperture priority
ISO Speed Ratings = 100
Exposure Bias Value = -0.67EV
Metering Mode = Pattern
Flash = Flash did not fire, compulsory flash mode
Focal Length = 50mm
Exposure Mode = Auto exposure
White Balance = Auto white balance
Scene Capture Type = Normal
Nice sharp images Don. I'm curious of your sharpening skills in Photoshop. I can't seem to do any post sharpening as it always looks terrible for me. What are you doing with sharpening? I'm guessing that you are doing at least some in Photoshop. Or is that what you get with a 50 mm prime in comparison with say a kit lens?
Last picture I did, we plan on getting a better one, the ones I took like that were my first attempt at pictures like that so I wasn't really prepared, nor really had an clue how to do it so we just.. made attempts, and that was the best one that came out.
I tried to shoot the moon for preparation of the eclipse tomorrow night since the wife got me a tripod for Valentine's Day. Manual focus for my non-dSLR is nearly impossible though in manual shooting mode. I have to figure out the manual focus before 10 pm US-est tomorrow night.
Didn't help any that the moon was directly overhead and I didn't want to kneel in 15 inches of snow and ice to view the screen.
With Nikon D40 it is very hard as focusing must be done with optical view finder and if I try to focus to stars I can't see them trough it, only wild questimates are possible then. Must try moon when next time possible, however managed to destroy gears from stock objective. Lesson is to remember detach usb cable right after transferring photos, otherwise it could be that one takes camera with him forgetting it has cord plugged in and then camera falls down (luckily) to printer paper box, causing only objective gears to get messed up.
Focusing on infinity won't work. Pretty much all lenses focus PAST infinity whe you turn it all the way. If you have live view you can use that, and zoom in all the way, and fine tune the focus in real time. Thats one of the awesome things about live view. If not, then you just have to take a shot, adjust very slightly, take another, and so on.
Yup. My problem is (remember, NON-dSLR), I have to focus to get any sort of shot, but I have to reset back to auto focus to make any shutter/aperture setting changes. Then go back to manual focus, refocus (holding the EV button and using zoom control), take shot, look to see if I like, then do it all over again with changing to autofocus again.
At least until I know and understand where I want to be with settings. Unfortunately, right now, I have no idea where I want to be yet as I'm new to the camera and manual settings. Also, it's friggin COLD out there to be messing around with the camera, LOL.
Focusing on infinity will work. Most lenses have an infinity mark on them for this reason. Yes lenses go past infinity to compensate for cold and temp. changes and such. But you just don't go all the way to the end.
OOps sorry didn't see the non-SLR part of your post.
Here ya all go. The ole eclipse of the moon from Pennsylvania, USA. Not too bad for a low-light-hating NON-dSLR.
Fuji S700/5700
380mm (35 mm equiv. with a lot of crop)
shutter: 2.0 seconds
aperture: f/3.5
ISO 100
It was EXTREMELY cold out there, LOL. I set the tripod up around 7:30 pm and ran in and out of the house with the camera all night (total eclipse was from 10 pm through 10:45 pm I think). Here's what a tripod looks like after 3 hours out in the cold. And.... NO, I didn't stick my tongue on it, LOL.
Glyphon, love that 3rd shot shining through the clouds.
This morning, the sky was still crystal clear and the moon was right outside the kitchen window. I took some shots real quick from the kitchen as well (still on the camera). It was just moving behind some pine trees in the back yard and I got some pine branches silhouetted in front of it.
The most impressive moon for photographing is usually on my way to work as the eastern sky is lighting up and the moon is in the west. The moon is usually quite large and a golden color with some blue starting to show in the sky. Unfortunately, that's usually at around 6:45 am and at that time, I'm nearly at work and usually a bit late as I like to be at work at 6:30. Thus, no time to stop if I had the camera with me.
I think I'd get more detail in a moon shot at that time in the morning with my camera.