The scientific debriefing of the Apollo 12 astronauts indicated there were areas of strong interest for which there was no data and that the data could have been provided by an Apollo lunar surface closeup stereo camera.

These included three distinct kinds of soil noticed by the astronauts, strangely patterned surface in certain areas, glazings in craters, and fillets around certain rocks. To assist the Apollo 13 astronauts in making scientific judgment of targets to be documented, the following photography list was established: unexpected features, glassy features, rock-soil junction, undisturbed surface, surface patterns, rock surface, and craters.