With a 100mm lens on 35mm camera how do I take a moon picture not too overexposed?

I try to take a picture of the moon with a 35mm camera and with 1000 mm lens but they keep coming out as a big bright circle on a black background. How can I get details of the moon? Even through a telescope too bright. I usually use 400 or 800 speed film as I have no clock motor and rely on faster exposure.

Your film is too sensitive. Try film with a lower number. The 400 film is for lower light conditions. 200 is average. Try film in the 100 range and use a fast shutter speed. The focal length of the lens won't make that much difference, except that you may get more detail. You might also stop down the aperture to allow less light to hit the film. Also, bracket your exposure. That is, take the photo at slightly different exposures and/or shutter speeds so you can have a range of choices. Sometimes corrections can be made in the printing, too, so don't think it's a total loss if you think the first print isn't that great. Ask the processor to do a custom print for you, not a machine print. With a machine print, the printer just averages out the exposure. With a custom print, a human checks the exposure and tries to give you the best result possible.

use a slower film

Short exposure about 60th of a second. Bracket the exposure so maybe start at 1/30th and work your way up to 120th or so. Remember when shooting a photo of the moon it's the same as taking a photo on a bright afternoon. It is a bright afternoon on the moon at the moment. So keep that in mind. Of course things such as film speed come into play here along with f/stop. So use similar setting to those you use on a bright summer day, and bracket. Start a little slower then you thing you would like and work you way up a little fast then you think should work and when you get the film developed a couple of them will look good.

The exposure setting for the moon is standard.
1/60 f16.

Try using 100ASA film.

You can also get moon filters for telescopes (easier on your eyes too).

Expose between 0.1 and 0.5 s.
Make some shots.
To be sure there are no vibrations.
while you open the lens, cover it with a hat and wait a few seconds.
Move the hat fast without bouncing to expose.


Th