9 Best Camera For Moon Photography | Cuts Through Lunar Haze

Check Price on Amazon

The superzoom that pulls the moon close enough to count impact craters.

This camera gives you an ultra-telephoto reach equivalent to 24-3000mm with a 250X Dynamic Fine Zoom. Buyers report that you can literally see the moon’s surface texture and shadow gradients at the full zoom, which is rare for a camera that fits in your hand. The Dual Detect Optical VR image stabilization is rated to be equivalent to shooting at a shutter speed 4.0 stops faster, so the distant target stays steady even when you are not using a tripod at full stretch. You can shoot in RAW (a file format that stores full sensor data without compression), which gives you the flexibility to adjust exposure and sharpness later.

It has a built-in Bird-watching mode that you can access right from the mode dial. That same dedicated approach works well for lunar shots too, as it tune the camera settings for distant detail. The Close Focus Macro Mode lets you get as close as approx. 1 cm from a subject, so this camera is not just a one-trick pony for the sky. Owners mention that the 179 autofocus points give you plenty of coverage for locking onto the moon’s edge without hunting around the sky.

A catch to note is that this is a point-and-shoot body, not an interchangeable lens system. You are stuck with the 125x zoom range it comes with, but considering that range covers 24-3000mm, that is not really a limitation for most moon shooters. The F2.8-F8.0 aperture range gives you enough flexibility to stop down for a sharper image on bright lunar nights.

Check Price on Amazon

The dedicated Moon mode on this superzoom makes lunar shots a one-button operation.

This camera has a built-in Bird and Moon modes that set the exposure and focus specifically for distant celestial targets. Customers note that the 83x optical zoom, combined with a 166X Dynamic Fine Zoom and the Dual Detect VR stabilization, captures craters and maria (the dark plains on the moon’s surface) with surprising clarity for a non-interchangeable lens camera. The 16 MP sensor and 4K UHD video capability mean you can grab a high-res still from a video clip if the moon is moving fast through clouds. The maximum focal length of 2000mm (35mm equivalent) exceeds what most lenses for DSLRs can reach at this price point.

It has a 3.2-inch vari-angle LCD screen, so you can tilt the display to compose the shot at an angle without craning your neck upward. The camera shoots in RAW format too, preserving the color and exposure data for later editing. Reviewers appreciate that the 4K UHD video capture gives you flexibility if you want to pull frames from a time-lapse sequence of the moon’s movement.

The trade-off here is that the 83x zoom does not quite match the reach of the P1100’s 125x zoom. However, for most moon photographers, 83x is plenty to fill the frame nicely. The F2.8-F6.5 aperture range is decent but a bit narrower at the telephoto end than some shooters might prefer for low-light sharpness.

Check Price on Amazon

A 60x superzoom that lets you tap the focus point after you have already taken the shot.

The Panasonic LUMIX FZ80D comes with a 60x optical zoom (20-1200mm equivalent) and a Power O.I.S. (Optical Image Stabilizer) that effectively suppresses hand-shake vibration at the tele-end, which is exactly where you spend your time while shooting the moon. The standout feature here is the Post Focus capability. You take one shot, then touch the area of the screen you want in focus afterward — the camera captures a stack of images at different focus distances and lets you pick the sharpest one. For a moon shot where the autofocus sometimes hunts on the bright edge, this is a huge timesaver.

It records 4K video at up to 4x the resolution of Full HD, giving you room to extract 8-megapixel stills from a video clip. The 2,360K-dot Large LVF (Live View Finder) at 0.74x (35mm camera equivalent) means you see the screen clearly even in bright sunlight, which is common when setting up a daytime or early evening moon shot. The 18.1 MP sensor sits a bit below the 24.2 MP of some DSLR rivals, but the 60x zoom reach is far longer than any kit telephoto lens. As the data shows, the Panasonic FZ80D has 18.1 MP compared to the Nikon D3200’s 24.2 MP, a noticeable gap if you plan to crop in heavily.

Buyers mention that the F2.8-F8.0 aperture gives good low-light performance at the wide end, though it narrows as you zoom in. The 39 autofocus points are plenty for locking onto the moon.

Check Price on Amazon

A 67x zoom that brings lunar reach at a price that leaves room for accessories.

The Minolta Pro Shot 20MP delivers a 67x optical zoom and a 20-megapixel CMOS sensor, giving you a solid foundation for moon photography at a lower entry point. The optical image stabilization (which cancels out small hand movements) and HDR (High Dynamic Range — a feature that combines multiple exposures to bring out details in both bright and dark areas) help produce a cleaner image of the moon’s bright surface against the dark sky. The 3-inch articulating LCD screen flips out, so you can frame your shot from a low angle or a high angle without bending backward.

It has a 16GB SD card included in the box, which means you can start shooting right away. The camera supports Full HD (1080p) video. The aperture range of F2.8-F5.6 is decent for gathering light, and the 39 autofocus points are a step up from some entry-level cameras for tracking a distant subject. Reviewers point out that the 67x zoom is enough to see major moon craters clearly.

A few shoppers say that the 20 MP sensor is a good resolution level, but the overall image sharpness at full zoom can be hit or miss if you are not using a tripod. The Minolta’s 67x optical zoom is more than the Panasonic ZS99’s 30x zoom, giving you noticeably more reach for lunar shots.

Check Price on Amazon

A 40x zoom that slides into a jacket pocket for spur-of-the-moment lunar captures.

The Canon PowerShot SX740 HS packs a 40x optical zoom with Optical Image Stabilizer and Zoom Framing Assist into a very compact body. The 20.3 MP CMOS sensor and DIGIC 8 Image Processor provide the speed to handle quick focus adjustments. For moon photography, the Zoom Framing Assist is handy: it temporarily pulls the zoom back to help you locate the moon, then instantly returns to your set zoom level. This solves the problem of losing your target in the frame at high magnification. The camera records 4K video and 4K time-lapse movies, which are great for capturing the moon’s movement across the sky.

It has a 3.0-inch tilt-type LCD that goes up 180 degrees for selfies, which also helps when tilting the camera upward at the sky. The built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth technology let you transfer images to your phone. The high-speed continuous shooting at up to 7.4 fps (frames per second) with AF lock is rated for up to 10.0 fps with AF lock off.

However, the 40x optical zoom is shorter than what the superzoom specialists offer. You will get a full-frame shot of the moon, but it will not fill the frame with crater detail the way an 83x zoom does. The aperture range of F3.3-F6.9 is the narrowest on this list at the telephoto end, so you will need steady tripod support for the best results. The single autofocus point is also a constraint compared to the 171 points on the Panasonic TZ/ZS99.