ND10 to shoot the eclipse ???

[sanfairyanne]

Recently I posted a question to ask about the necessary solar filter required to shoot an eclipse. I was given the name of a company called Optcorp who I was told could help out. Yesterday I spent much of the afternoon talking to a helpful sales person but it was very much a case of umming and ahhing. By that I mean the sales person was used to people buying filters for telescopes and binoculars but not for cameras.

Despite this long ongoing conversation I came away non the wiser the sales guy didn't know whether to sell me Astro Zap solar film, or Thousand Oaks.

I'll be using a Canon 24-105mm L lens. I intend to shoot the eclipse in time lapse then layer each successive moon/sun into one image with a separate exposure for the foreground.

It was suggested I use a 10 stop neutral density filter, but I wonder is this acceptable.

I have a ND10 and I'd do a practise session if I could see the sun, but it's snowing outside and we haven't seen the sun properly for a week or more. I'm using a Canon 5D2 so I could shoot f22 at 8000 sec with a ND10.

I guess I imagined I could just buy a screw on filter to fit the 77mm diameter of my lens. It would seem not.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

[Celestron]

Good luck , i'd like to see that . Many will try and be disappointed cause if you have never shot eclipses before your not going to get what you expect . You might expect to see detail on the moon like you get with a night time moon shot but you will get nothing more than a silhouette against the sun so what i'm getting at is your sun will be blown out and the moon will have no detail shooting this way . Also it depends where your located cause if your not in the direct pathway you wont get very good shots . Check this out and if your luck you can might get these type images .

http://www.mreclipse.com/SEphoto/ASE...5galleryB.html

[paul3221]

I'm not sure about an ND10, but a cheaper alternative might be the dark protective glass from an Arc Welding helmet. I know back when I was in school they said that an arc welding helmet was good for watching an eclipse. I think replacement lenses are <$5, and you could probably rig it to fit into a Cokin filter holder or something. It may be worth a shot. It wouldn't cost much to try...

[ameerat42]

For a start in any solar work, one of the two filters you discussed with the sales rep would be the type to use. They are more like 8000-10000X density. Personally (and I've used both) I like the Baader film better. The 1000 Oaks is just too dense.

Grab a bit of the Baader (Astro Zap) solar film and shape it to suit your 24-105 lens. Go outside and practise in the conditions you have. Work it out before the eclipse.

Note that using that lens, the max. size on sensor of the sun/moon images will be about 1mm (one millimetre). That's at f=100mm.
Am.

Edit: In terms of what Paul said above, you'd better check about the welding filters. In any case, they would not be optically corrected enough for critical work. And another thing. I don't think you can get them as big as 70mm wide (may be wrong there).

[omarsultan]

I would check out some of the threads on Cloudy Nights. I do not think an ND10 is sufficient. For one thing most ND filters only cover the visible spectrum, not IR or UV, so an ND filter by itself will not protect your camera sensor or your eyes.

Omar

[Celestron]

A #14 welders glass will allow you to watch an eclipse but it's no good for photography . You need a solar filter . At thousandoaksoptical.com you can order the 77mm screw on filter in "Black Polymer for your 24-105mm L lens . I believe that is the filter size for that lens according to Canon . It's $59.00 but if you want to shoot the sun that is what you need . Don't take my word for it , follow the link and call to check it out before you buy . Otherwise like mentioned above get a Baadar film amd make one to fit on the O.D. of your lens . Just make sure it is secure and will not fall off !

[mtbdudex]

what eclipse? Of yea, there are other parts of the world besides the USA

Seriously, Good luck capturing it, and POST those pictures afterward.

[Celestron]

Originally Posted by mtbdudex

what eclipse?

Here is the first thread i posted 4 weeks ago about it but seems not many were interested but instead of looking for threads already posted about the eclipse they started a new one . I believe i was the first thread starter this time . You can follow the link and it will take you to a map of the path and where it will be seen from . If your too far off you wont catch much of it . You'll have to be in the center of the path to see the whole eclipse .

http://photography-on-the.net/forum/...nnular+eclipse

[sanfairyanne]

I'm attaching an image I shot at 105mm f14 8000sec with an ND10. The histogram shows no blown out highlights. This was shot just before midday with no cloud in the sky. Of course I could go to f22 and I even have an ND6 I could screw on top of the ND10. I doubt I'd have vignetting at 105mm though I have yet to check this.

I realise that the image is small but I want to do a timelapse with many images layered into one showing the gradual eclipse.

My main question really is will I damage my sensor if I don't have blown highlights.

Thanks to all who have taken the time to reply I am grateful for the advice. I was surprised that when I contacted Optcorp they couldn't give me a definitive answer, it was as though they only sell to people who want to view the eclipse and not to those who want to photograph it. I should say they were extremely helpful.

[ameerat42]

A: So what is your sensor doing while you're ensuring that you get no blown highlights in your exposure?

There is also no useful info in the sun's disc in this image, ie, it is overexposed.
If you get the idea that the ND10 filter is inadequate for this photography then you wouldn't be far wrong.
Am.

[sanfairyanne]

Sorry I must be missing something, if the sensor shows no blown highlight then surely there's no blown highlight.

What amazes me is that the Astro dealers can't give me a definitive answer and they think the ND10 is acceptable.

You say 'useful data' what useful data could I expect. It's not as though it were the moon and I could hope to see craters etc.

[sanfairyanne]

Ok because I can't add an image I ask that folks might Google Easter Island Eclipse and hit Images. The shot I want to replicate is the only Timelapse image on page 7. I'd add a link but it's huge and people sometimes think this will lead to a virus.

In this image the guy shot it at 28mm so the info' showing moon/sun is tiny. As you can see in this shot the eclipse is visible but there's no real detail it just shows a shadow as the moon gradually gets to cover more and more of the sun. There are 24 moon/sun shots, then the eclipse then 24 moon/sun shots plus one image exposed without filter for the foreground, in his case shot either before or more likely after the sun was in the frame.

Optcorp are telling me I should be fine with a ND10, who do I believe. Incidentally I'll be shooting in Page Arizona which should be an ideal location.

[ameerat42]

Originally Posted by sanfairyanne

Sorry I must be missing something, if the sensor shows no blown highlight then surely there's no blown highlight.

What amazes me is that the Astro dealers can't give me a definitive answer and they think the ND10 is acceptable.

You say 'useful data' what useful data could I expect. It's not as though it were the moon and I could hope to see craters etc.

Interim reply: By "useful data" I mean properly exposed, so as to be able to show such as sunspots. Else they would be just whited out too.

In my next reply I will link to an old thread of mine, (when I find it and it's not that "great") but have a look at some of the sun photos here. I will also check out the reference you gave.
Am.

Continuation: I couldn't find exactly the image you meant, but I saw others that were wide-field and showed the progressive stages of the eclipse.
OK, so you don't need to show much detail in such a shot, BUT, you still need to make sure you don't cook your camera. I'd still recommend a nicely made filer using Baader film for such a shot. You will need to increase your exposure time for the "total" phase.

I cannot find the post I mentioned above (maybe another forum), but look at other sun shots here.
Am.

[sanfairyanne]

Thanks Am,

I understand I don't want to cook my camera (even though the new Canon 5D3 is out) wouldn't that give me a good excuse!

I am rushing between shoots and have limited time but will look into this in more detail. Thanks very much for your time.


Andrew

[I DREAD ME]

Orion Full Aperture Glass Solar Filter
Fits on the end of your lens hood