Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2002/10/30

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Subject: Re: [Leica] moon shots?
From: "Rei Shinozuka" <shino@panix.com>
Date: Wed, 30 Oct 2002 10:59:19 -0500 (EST)

1. first of all, doesn't "moon shot" always imply Hasselblad?  :-)

2. in _The Negative_, Adams writes about coming across the moonrise
in Hernandez NM and rapidly setting up his camera:

  Then, to my dismay, I could not find my exposure meter!  I
  remembered that the luminance of the moon at that position was about
  250 c/ft^2, placing this luminance on Zone VII, i could calculate that
  60 c/ft^2 would fall on zone V. With a film if ASA 64, the exposure
  would be 1/60 second at f/8.  Allowing a 3x exposure factor for the
  filter, the basic exposure was 1/20 second at f/8 or about one second
  at f/32, the exposure given.... We have all seen the blank white
  circle that represents the moon in many photographs, primarily
  caused by gross overexposure.

3. what's happening is that your metering is taking in too much dark
   sky.  if you cannot use a spot meter or other method to isolate the
   moon, my recommendation would be to compensate for your overexposure by
   shooting the moon and doubling and then quadrupuling your film EI 
   (or exposure compensating -1, -2).  if it's B&W, perhaps
   underdeveloping the negative would help (Adams used water-bath
   development on _Moonrise_)
  
- -rei

> I have been trying to get good moon shots with high contrast of surface detail... R 8,
> long lens,  on a tripod...but my shots always turn out overexposed ...and I am frustrated
> by my absolute lack of experience to accomplish this sort of thing.  Your thoughts and
> tips on best ways to get a great exposure much appreciated.
> 
> Steve

- -- 
Rei Shinozuka shino@panix.com
Ridgewood, New Jersey

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