The exact slowest shutter speed you will be able to use will vary depending on the focal length of your lens. You can open up your aperture to around f4 (any more than that means not all of the Moon will be sharp) but without a motorized equatorial tracker you’ll probably need to raise your ISO considerably. Using a longer shutter speed could result in motion blur as the moon is moving quickly through your frame. So, exposure becomes a balancing act between exposing the dark side of the moon whilst not overexposing the bright side so much that it loses any definition. As an eclipse starts this will work for the bright side of the moon but will mean that the dark side isn’t visible at all. When you shoot a bright moon, you’ll probably need a shutter speed of around 1/125th – 1/250th of a second. Set your aperture to f8 to give yourself a good depth of field and start with an ISO of 100 (or 200 if that’s the lowest on your camera). Sure, the files will be bigger, but there are so many more options to edit flexibly and improve your photo in one of the best photo-editing apps for astrophotography. Shoot in RAW file format to collect as much data, and give yourself as many options, as possible in post-production. If the tripod doesn’t have a built-in spirit level, make sure you attach a portable one to your hot shoe initially to get your shots level. Do make sure that your tripod is positioned somewhere stable and level, with no prospect of it being shaken midway through a shot. Once you’ve found the right shooting spot and know what the right shooting time is for the lunar eclipse, make sure you’re in place early with plenty of time to set up. It’s advisable to have a few locations in mind to work round cloud directions. It’s also important to keep a very close eye on the weather forecast as cloud coverage could ruin your shots. There are plenty of apps out there though, so be sure to use one of the best stargazing apps. An app such as PhotoPills (opens in new tab) makes it easy to find out where the moon will be located in the sky during the lunar eclipse. The secret to all good astrophotography is planning and preparation! Before you even leave the house, make sure that your gear is all cleaned and packed ready to go. Once set up, the tracker will automatically adjust for moon movements which means that you don’t have to readjust your composition every few minutes. If you decide to get serious about lunar eclipse photography (or in fact any night sky photography) you’ll probably want to invest in an equatorial tracker. You’ll also need a shutter release, or ideally, one of the best intervalometers to prevent any camera shake from touching the shutter release button. Take lots of extra memory cards and batteries – keep the latter in your coat pockets close to your body to keep them warm. But those always on the go might want to check out some of the best travel tripods, too. We’re big fans of Manfrotto and Gitzo, who make some of the best tripods on the market. For added stability, you could also add a monopod to support your lens (most longer telephoto lenses come with a tripod collar). Ensure that the combined weight of your camera body and lens don't exceed the maximum payload of the tripod and tripod head you're using. If you’re using a long telephoto lens such as a 400mm you’ll need a sturdy tripod and head capable of bearing weight even in windy conditions.
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