Solar filters for upcoming eclipse this summer

RKSphoto wrote in post #18432753
Thanks Dave! I will try that!

your new image post came and went LOL

it was better but you could still brighten further

Nice, but man that is a high ISO. Would not have thought about going that high but I have an old 7D.
Don

Heavy clouds rolling in from IL. Probably not going to happen for me.

Ascenta wrote in post #18433106
Heavy clouds rolling in from IL. Probably not going to happen for me.

Yep, I was about to get set up here in central IL and the clouds rolled in. Now we have a thunderstorm beginning. Rats.

Got a nice break! Getting some nice shots...well as nice as you could with 200mm on a FF; just not quite enough but still fun.

Same here. Sky cleared mostly for the major portion, although after the peak it was very hazy.

We only had a partial eclipse.

Littlefield wrote in post #18432790
Nice, but man that is a high ISO. Would not have thought about going that high but I have an old 7D.
Don

The 7D can handle 1600 pretty well. Not a sun shot, but a tight moon crop with the 7D. I didn't order an 82mm solar filter soon enough, will have to wait for 6 years or so again.

ISO 1600 on the 7D
https://photos.smugmug​.com …/0fc47b1b/XL/po​tna-XL.jpg

No filter. What. An. Experience

Clouds and storm rolled in right as the partial started. Only thing I got was my setup test shot Had some nice views through the telescope though as the partial started.

IMAGE LINK: https://flic.kr/p/XKQQ​en

Final thoughts - I'm posting because I think this thread will be a resource for future eclipses.

First, I have some prior experience photographing the Sun, specifically ISS transits. I realized a while back that my Thousand Oaks film filter forced me to use slow shutter speeds and/or high ISO. For transits, I decided to only use a 10 stop filter, being careful not to look through the viewfinder and only using live view. This way, I was only risking damage to my camera's sensor (which can be replaced) and not my eyesight. For the few transits I used this method, it worked and my sensor wasn't damaged. The settings used were just within the camera's limits: 1/8000, f/22, ISO100.


My original plan for the eclipse was:

Camera 1: Using an iOptron Sky Guider, shoot a timelapse with my 7D, 100-400, 2x tc, with solar filter.
Camera 2: 80D, Siggy 150-600, 1.4 tc, and solar filter for occasional shots. Also would use other lenses for non-solar shots, and would remove solar filter for totality.
Camera 3: T2i used for anything I might want to set up, such as maybe a fisheye.


Then, due to this thread, I realized something that has escaped me for a few years: The Thousand Oaks film that I was using lets in much less light than other safe options, specifically Baader film. After an internet search, I also realized that my film degrades the image IQ worse than the Baader. It was too late to upgrade my filters. I changed my plans:

Camera 1: T2i on guider with solar film. Based on the fact that I'm still new to the guider, I switched to a 1.4 tc with my 100-400, making the Sun's image a little smaller allowing for a little more drift in the frame before I had to adjust it.
Result: I haven't looked at all the frames (800+), but the guider worked relatively well. I had to adjust it 3 or 4 times.

Camera 2: 7D, 150-600, 2x tc, 10 stop ND filter for occasional shots. I planned to shoot 10 pre-totality and 10 post totality shots. Using live view to focus.
Results: These images look great. Sharp. My sensor does not appear to be damaged.

Camera 3: 80D. A few minutes before totality, switch the 150-600 (no filter) to this camera and shoot totality shots. After totality, put the lens back on the 7D.
Results: Great images of totality, although in the rush, I shot all of these at f/10 rather than my planned f/8.

Further results: I was moved by the awesome sight of totality. I didn't really care about getting more partial eclipse photos. After a few minutes of sitting in quiet reflection, I spent the rest of the time talking with the people around me - strangers at 12pm and friends at 2pm. I did allow the timelapse to continue. I believe the shutter died toward the end but this wouldn't be the result of solar shooting. It was just on it's last legs anyway.


Plans for future eclipses ( do I really have to wait 7 years?):

Upgrade Solar filters!

My camera for partial eclipse images will be on a tracker. Either I'll have another tracker or I'll ditch the timelapse. Adjusting the tripod for each shot is a chore. It would have been much more enjoyable If I had used my tracker for this.

For totality, I'll use a computer and have all shots automated. I knew this was possible for this eclipse, but didn't do it. Next time I will, so that the entire time of totality can be spent enjoying the event. I believe in this so strongly that I've already decided that if automation is not possible (for whatever reason), I won't even take photos. I'll just sit back and enjoy the insanely beautiful spectacle in front of me.