Shooting the moon?

rocketguy2

rocketguy2

Well-known member
We've had some killer full moon/cloudy skies last couple of days in CA. Any tips on best DVX settings for this shot?

Thanks,

Gary
 
Unfortunately, the 10x zoom on the DVX isn't going to get you all that close in. I've tried. It will be about the size of a 50-cent piece on your TV screen.
 
Yes, for shooting the moon, bum an XL2 off of MattC, and use the EOS adapter and put a 500mm lens on it, and it'll look like the moon in HorseFilms' signature line.
 
if you don't need real motion, shoot the moon using a dig cam set for the highest rez like 3000+ pixels) and the highest zoom you have available and enlarge the pic before putting it in the timeline.
 
And it's pretty easy to animate the moon if necessary in conjuction with andres suggestion as well ;)
 
people are right... the moon is gonna be pretty small.. here are some examples.. at full zoom... not all that large...

moon1.jpg

moon2.jpg
 
I am really into lunar photography so I can help out a little. Take Barry's Advice and use an XL with a really long lense. 500, 800, 1200. I have only done stills but used a long lense, like what you see people at football games use. I used both 800 & 1200mm. You get a lot more detail that way.

1200mmgroupmdm.jpg


cheeseball.jpg

This is a picture that I found on a forum using a 1200mm lense.

I guess you could use a long lense like that on the Canon XL1 & XL2...I don't know? Barry?

~reservoir~
 
OH YEAH!! WELL HERE'S MINE!! NOW WHAT'S UP? HUH? THAT'S WHAT I THOUGHT!!

HUBBLE.JPG


JUST KIDDING!!

Nice Telescope. That set you back about 3 grand? Meade makes AWESOME stuff!! ~reservoir~
 
reservoir said:
Nice Telescope. That set you back about 3 grand? Meade makes AWESOME stuff!! ~reservoir~
Click to expand...

Yeh, bout $3k but it's just like the DVX. Once you have it you need all these cool things to go along with it.... custom case $500, 4.2mm Nagler eyepiece $650, DC power supply $100, camera adaptors $150....etc, etc, etc.... I've probably got about $5500 in it total.. Views - Priceless. :happy:
 
reservoir said:
Are we nerds or what? ~reservoir~
Click to expand...

oh yeh - funny thing is that 20 years ago I was a nerd and hated being called one. Now - I'm proud of it. Most people now find all my toys and gadgets cool! :thumbup:

Hey Res - you gonna be at NAB?
 
Sirius_Doggy said:
Hey Res - you gonna be at NAB?
Click to expand...


I wish man!! Maybe next year if I'm lucky!! I just started to get back into filmmaking hard and heavy recently so I'm going to probably get the new HDX, try to make some films.....then maybe I'll be ready for NAB in a year!! I've never been to Vegas either so...Heck it would almost be like a vacation either way!! ~reservoir~
 
10s said:
Anybody shoot the moon during the day? results?
Click to expand...

Results unfortunately are gonna be just about the same. It's not so much a contrast problem as it is an apparent size problem. At full zoom on the DVX the moon is just sooooo small it's almost not usable. This is one time when the XL1/2 wins with the ability to attach a long telephoto lens to the camera.
Loki's photos above show the size very well.
 
I agree on the lens/zoom problem but shooting at night gives off a huge glow issue (see photos above) that is OK but during the day there are some spectacular moments (precisely when I don't have my camera) that look super nice, would have a much different contrast challenge and could be manipulated in post to further a unique look.
 
10s said:
I agree on the lens/zoom problem but shooting at night gives off a huge glow issue (see photos above)
Click to expand...

I think the "glow" in the top shot is caused by a combination of fog or haze and over exposure but that's probably the look that Loki was after.

So I just went out and shot these....
41285147.jpg


41285148.jpg

Notice the haze surrounding the moon in this overexposed shot. These were all taken from about 1 minute of tape so there was no change in weather, just exposure.


41285149.jpg


Compare these full frame grabs at max zoom with the DVX compared to the size of the moon in this shot taken with my Canon 20D and 300mm lens. This image is cropped.

35610567.jpg

Oct 27, 2004 Lunar eclipse.
 
rocketguy2 said:
We've had some killer full moon/cloudy skies last couple of days in CA. Any tips on best DVX settings for this shot?

Thanks,

Gary
Click to expand...

Gary - the one cool thing you could do with the DVX especially with the clouds if they are moving fast is make a cool time-lapse movie. Put a tree or something in the foreground for depth and do an interval recording or just let the tape roll and then speed it up in your NLE.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top