Moon shot

[Gilda]

Hello

this morning I have taken my first picture of the moon. Location: UK, time: 5.05; digital camera Panasonic FZ18; maximum optical zoom (18x)
focal length 83 mm
f-number F/4.2
Exposure time 1/40sec
ISO Speed ISO-200
Exposure compensation 0 step
Date picture taken 18/02/2008 05.05
well, as you can see from the result - it's still far from what I would like to get! I can improve it a little bit with Photoshop, but I have preferred to upload it as it is (just cropped and reduced in size), so that you can give me all sorts of suggestions for getting better results next time! In a couple of days (or nights, better) there will be a full eclipse and I would like so much to take some nice pictures of it.
Sorry for possible mistakes in the e-mail - I am not native British. And many thanks in advance for your attention and suggestions!

Have a nice day

Gilda

[carl yeomans]

* Shoot RAW (the higher dynamic range and detail will help for post-processing)
* Camera set to manual mode
* 1/250th shutter speed
* Somewhere in the neighborhood of f/8 - f/11 aperture
* ISO 100 for minimum noise
* Mirror-lockup enabled (when available)
* Lens set to manual focus
* A minimum zoom of 300mm

[Gilda]

great - thanks for your detailed instructions, Carl! The only thing I cannot do will be locking the mirror, but hoping the weather stays clear till tomorrow morning, I will try all these settings.

Gilda