Solar Eclipse March 20

Polo_Mint

Hi All

There will be a Solar Eclipse on March 20th

The blackout will begin in the UK at 8.45am and the maximum eclipse, when the moon is nearest the middle of the sun, will be at 9.31am.

I going to go up the Dublin / Wicklow mountains but i have 2 Questions

1. I have a Nikon 3200 with a 55 and 200 lens. What filters could i use or what should i build to get a good shot and cut out Glare.

2. Where could I go in the mountains that overlooks the sea?

Thanks

Pat Dunne

Polo_Mint wrote: »

Hi All

There will be a Solar Eclipse on March 20th

The blackout will begin in the UK at 8.45am and the maximum eclipse, when the moon is nearest the middle of the sun, will be at 9.31am.

I going to go up the Dublin / Wicklow mountains but i have 2 Questions

1. I have a Nikon 3200 with a 55 and 200 lens. What filters could i use or what should i build to get a good shot and cut out Glare.

2. Where could I go in the mountains that overlooks the sea?

Thanks

I would suggest Howth Head or Killiney Hill. I wouldn't make a big effort to travel far, as our wonderful weather could screw up all your efforts to find the perfect spot easily.

With anything, preparation is vital in doing this correctly and safely. What you will also need to do is the following.

http://astrosolar.com/en/information/how-to/how-to-make-your-own-objective-solar-filter-for-your-camera-or-telescope/

You can get the solar filter film from the following local places. But, hurry I would say the local "Astro-heads" will be moving fast on supplies.

http://www.scopesandspace.ie/search/solar/10
http://www.ktectelescopes.ie/Solar-Observing/Seymour-Solar-Filters/Seymour-Solar-Filter-Paper-12-X-12.html

I'd also sugest a pair of these.

http://www.ktectelescopes.ie/Solar-Observing/Seymour-Solar-Filters/Seymour-Solar-Eclipse-Viewers.html

Also have a read of the following.
http://www.nikonusa.com/en/Learn-And-Explore/Article/h20zakgu/How-to-Photograph-a-Solar-Eclipse.html
http://www.irishastronomy.org/images/How%20to%20observe%20the%20Sun%20%28IFAS%29.pdf

To get the correct Irish times of the eclipse look at the following links

http://eclipse2015.ie
http://www.timeanddate.com/eclipse/in/ireland/dublin

As the times you have mentioned are a fair bit out and you will miss the good part.

I cannot emphasis enough, as too how dangerous taking a photo of the sun can be at anytime, especially during the eclipse itself. Please remember you can do permanent damage to your eyes!

Lets hope for a lovely clear sky on the morning, it will be truly worth all the effort.

Thargor

Thanks a million OP, this had totally slipped my mind, day off booked and a set of glasses ordered from EBAY.

Can anyone tell me the best way to get a pic of it with an Android phone? I have a OnePlus One with loads of options in the camera app.

eoglyn

Will this be honestly worth photographing?

What sort of images could you get with regular gear??

I get it if you have an astro set up and love taking pictures of the moon and far flung galaxies etc.

I remember the one in 1999, it was cool that it got darker and a bit colder for 20 minutes or so, an awe inspiring experience but nothing visually spectacular that i remember. Its not a full eclipse we'll be seeing either.

With either wide angle or zoom lenses in the normal hobbyist range, would anyone be able to link to examples of cool images of a solar eclipse? I'm genuinely curious, Google hasn't turned up anything for me that is particularly noteworthy.

danire

i have a 150-500mm lens will i get the best shots with this or would the 100-300mm be better.

elysium321

Hi,

If we're lucky, we get to see the upcoming solar eclipse next week which is a fantastic photography opportunity.
All the articles that I've read so far strongly recommend using a strong ND filter or a solar filter to protect the camera's sensor. Since the weather here isn't guaranteed and there is a good chance that it might be overcast I don't want to spend too much money on a filter that I will probably never use again. Or not anytime soon anyway.
Would you know of any tips, workarounds or reasonably price filters?

Any tips much appreciated.

Cheers

sheesh

get welding glass

Pat Dunne

sheesh wrote: »

get welding glass

No, please do not follow this advice.
There are many different grades of weldering filter glass, most of which are NOT suitable for viewing the eclispe

Unless you get expert advice from a reputable welding supplier, do not take any chances with your eyes when viewing the eclispe. You can damage your eyes permanently!

Iancar29

You can only view it through solar baader filter paper , DO NOT just use a normal ND filter to look at it , unless you want to cause damage to your retina!

Polo_Mint

I bought http://www.ktectelescopes.ie/Solar-Observing/Seymour-Solar-Filters/Seymour-Solar-Filter-Paper-12-X-12.html

Got 12X12 sheet . Just need to figure out how to construct something to attach to my Camera

Effects

How come you got 12 sheets? You could buy a cokin filter holder and cut a sheet to the right size.

Polo_Mint

Effects wrote: »

How come you got 12 sheets? You could buy a cokin filter holder and cut a sheet to the right size.

Sorry ment 12X12 sheet

magicbastarder

eoglyn wrote: »

Will this be honestly worth photographing?

What sort of images could you get with regular gear??

exactly; for landscape shots, the effect will just be like the sun moving behind a cloud. for a closeup, you'd need a good long lens and an expensive filter or else like risk taking to take a photo of the sun which will look like every other photo of the sun during the eclipse you'll see.
you'll get more out of the experience by just enjoying it. assuming it's not cloudy.

wrt40

Weather permitting, I hope to get some photos of the solar eclipse this Friday. I'm no budding photographer so I was wondering if you pros could give any tips on camera settings or techniques I should use? I want to get people in the photo, with the eclipse in the background.

I have a fairly decent (for the layman) camera, Panasonic Lumix GF6 micro 4/3.

Cheers.

DaireQuinlan

General tips on photographing an eclipse...
http://www.mreclipse.com/SEphoto/SEphoto.html

(and others, google)

As regards the second bit ? I wouldn't say you'll get anything worthwhile. If you're filtered up to catch the eclipse properly without damaging your camera you won't get any sort of decent exposure of people. Plus the sun is actually quite tiny in the sky. You'll either get a picture of a tiny totally overexposed bright dot and some people, or a tiny properly exposed dot and some totally underexposed people.

wrt40

OK thanks. All I'd be looking for is a sickle shaped light in the background, I'm not talking about getting a clear image of the sun in the background.

eoglyn

wrt40 wrote: »

OK thanks. All I'd be looking for is a sickle shaped light in the background, I'm not talking about getting a clear image of the sun in the background.

You won't get that as if you expose for the foreground the sun will still be blown out even if part of it is covered - no sickles for you.

If you wanted to create an image like that you would need to composite.

eoglyn

Oh, and this question wass asked already - pat dunne provided all the info one would need

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2057386815

wrt40

OK grand, not worth trying so! Thanks for advice.

Tiriel

Mod note: Threads merged.

HighLine

DaireQuinlan wrote: »

General tips on photographing an eclipse...
http://www.mreclipse.com/SEphoto/SEphoto.html

(and others, google)

As regards the second bit ? I wouldn't say you'll get anything worthwhile. If you're filtered up to catch the eclipse properly without damaging your camera you won't get any sort of decent exposure of people. Plus the sun is actually quite tiny in the sky. You'll either get a picture of a tiny totally overexposed bright dot and some people, or a tiny properly exposed dot and some totally underexposed people.

Just in regard to the part in bold above... I was thinking of capturing a time lapse using my Gopro without any filter... would I be risking damaging the sensor by doing so?

the_monkey

Hi Folks, an ND 10 filter will be ok to use to take shots of this ?

It will block the light enough ?

DaireQuinlan

the_monkey wrote: »

Hi Folks, an ND 10 filter will be ok to use to take shots of this ?

It will block the light enough ?

from earlier in the thread...

Iancar29 wrote: »

You can only view it through solar baader filter paper , DO NOT just use a normal ND filter to look at it , unless you want to cause damage to your retina!

magicbastarder

remember that it's not visible light which will really damage your eye, but UV light - an ND filter may block visible light and allow the UV light through (because blocking UV light is not generally on the list of things it needs to do).
same with cheapo sunglasses - they can actually be more dangerous for your eyes. they reduce the amount of light generally, which means your pupil opens up - but if they don't block UV light, your pupil is opening up to that UV light.

the_monkey

Yes but , I'm thinking of the camera sensor , surely an ND 10 filter (blocks 99% of light) is enough ?

I have taken shots of the setting sun with it before and my camera is fine ..

dacogawa

the_monkey wrote: »

Yes but , I'm thinking of the camera sensor , surely an ND 10 filter (blocks 99% of light) is enough ?

I have taken shots of the setting sun with it before and my camera is fine ..

+1 for this question

I'm planning on taking some pictures too (not looking at it) can't find any solar filter paper or Polymer sheets so was going to use a ND filter stack (2,4,8) and a UV filter, would that be ok? I really can't find a conclusive answer on the internet.

Also mine would probably be more of a landscape shot with the Sun/Moon to the side. Not a complete 600mm zoom on it

the_monkey

Heres a pic I took with this fllter ... should be perfect for this eclipse ..

dacogawa

the_monkey wrote: »

Heres a pic I took with this fllter ... should be perfect for this eclipse ..

That looks great!

I've been doing a bit of research and I've found out that "emergency blankets" are made of Mylar which should be good enough to make a filter for a camera, I haven't tried it and know it doesn't work for eye viewing glasses.

Here's a link http://www.instructables.com/id/3-Camera-usable-Solar-Filter/?ALLSTEPS

magicbastarder

the_monkey wrote: »

surely an ND 10 filter (blocks 99% of light) is enough ?

beware, there are multiple standards for naming neutral density filters - one naming convention would imply that filter allows 1/10th (rather than 1/100th) of the light through.

i know my ND8 (i think it says NDx8 on it) blocks out 3 stops - i.e. increases the exposure required by a factor of 8.

ScumLord

I have a UV filter. I wonder would that work?

sheesh

Pat Dunne wrote: »

No, please do not follow this advice.
There are many different grades of weldering filter glass, most of which are NOT suitable for viewing the eclispe

Unless you get expert advice from a reputable welding supplier, do not take any chances with your eyes when viewing the eclispe. You can damage your eyes permanently!

fit the welding glass onto your camera lens not for looking at the sun

HighLine

HighLine wrote: »

Just in regard to the part in bold above... I was thinking of capturing a time lapse using my Gopro without any filter... would I be risking damaging the sensor by doing so?

Anyone?

Polo_Mint

Are you pointing a Go pro directly at the sun?

magicbastarder

my immediate reaction would be that since you'd just get an overexposed speck in the sky with a go-pro, the best you'd see is the sun darkening a bit and then getting brighter again.

ScumLord

A guy on the radio said not to point your camera at the sun without a filter either. The lens is focusing the sun's rays onto the capture chip and microchips and heat don't mix.

HighLine

Thanks for the replies... I was planning on going to a local lighthouse having it in the foreground and the sun in the background.... think I will play it safe and leave it so.

dacogawa

Well I went into get some aluminized polyester (or Mylar) and here's my 1st test, it did not turn out too bad at all, now to make a few more for all the lenses I might use...



2 layers of aluminized polyester, UV filter, ISO 100, 1/640th (around F8) on Sony A7 (around 600mm and cropped)

(disclamer) I'm not saying this works perfectly and there is no damage to the sensor, I don't have that info at hand but it's worked fine for me. This will not work as eye protection, camera only

magicbastarder

well, there's a fantastic neutral density filter in place right now, but unfortunately it's a bit fuzzy.

ScumLord

ScumLord wrote: »

I have a UV filter. I wonder would that work?

Of course, when I was taking my UV filter off the camera this morning I realised what I meant to say was I have an IR filter.

IR filter sort of worked. Clouds worked better.

mystic86

magicbastarder

ScumLord wrote: »

Of course, when I was taking my UV filter off the camera this morning I realised what I meant to say was I have an IR filter.

does an IR filter block or pass IR though?

ScumLord

magicbastarder wrote: »

does an IR filter block or pass IR though?

I think it blocks everything but IR.

magicbastarder

gotta love the naming conventions of the filters. a UV filter blocks UV, an IR filter allows IR.

Effects

Grabbed a quick shot with my Fuji X100. Should have got the Canon and the 500mm out with 1.4x extender. Guess I'll have to wait for the next one.

slowcyclist

Offers?

ScumLord

This is what it looked like through the IR and CPL filter.



Through the clouds.


The through the clouds pictures came out pretty good, but other than the bit of blue it could be mistaken for a picture of the moon.

dacogawa

Some of mine from today, using the 1 layer "emergency blanket" filter, didn't need the 2 layer with all the cloud

slowcyclist