alice62 Loc: eureka, IL

I am a novice photographer that would any helpful hint to photograph the aug 21 eclipse. I have a filter for my Nikon D3100. a tripod. I am not sure if my camera has the capability for focus to infinity. I have taken moon shots before, so I have an elementary grasp of what I will need to do. I would also like to know if my camera has the ability to do time lapse photography. Any helpful suggestions will be Greatly appreciated.

rmorrison1116 Loc: Near Valley Forge, Pennsylvania

Your camera does not focus to infinity, your lens does. You should have at least a 500 mm lens or bigger to get decent eclipse photos. You will need an intervolometer to do time lapse but don't worry, they cost around $25 for a decent one. If you have already done moon shots then you have a handle on focusing for the eclipse. Make a note the focus point when focused on the moon, this is where you set the lens to photograph the eclipse. Make sure your filter is certified Solar Filter, not a ND filter. It also helps if you have solar sun glasses for when you are not looking thru the lens. Practice beforehand, it is hard finding the sun in the black view finder. Good luck and be careful, the sun can and will burn ones retinas in a very very short time.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Filters -
http://www.thousandoaksoptical.com/solar.html

Technique -
https://www.dpreview.com/learn/3999097998/these-nikon-videos-break-down-the-gear-and-settings-you-need-to-shoot-the-eclipse
http://www.mreclipse.com/SEphoto/image/SE-Exposure1w.GIF
http://www.mreclipse.com/SEphoto/SEphoto.html
http://www.eclipse2017.org/2017/photographing.HTM
http://www.nikonusa.com/en/learn-and-explore/article/h20zakgu/how-to-photograph-a-solar-eclipse.html
https://photographylife.com/how-to-photograph-a-solar-eclipse

rdubreuil Loc: Dummer, NH USA

The D3100 does not have a built-in intervalometer for time lapse photography, you'll need to purchase an external one such as the Vello Shutterboss ii

http://www.vellogear.com/6413-4269

They are not expensive and I have one I share between my D3300 and D90 as well as one I share for my D500 and D810, as they use different connectors. They work great and can even be used as a shutter release without batteries, of course you'll need batteries for using the other functions of the unit for setting your number of shots and time intervals. Your D3100 should have a DC2 connector on the left side, the link above is for the compatible unit. The D500/D810 use the 10 pin version where the connection is on the front of the camera.

wdross Loc: Castle Rock, Colorado

What filter? If it is not made from solar film, a ND100000 solar filter, or #14 welders glass, I would not use it.
Look in your camera manual's index. If you do not have the manual any more, download it from online.

alice62 Loc: eureka, IL

I think I have everything I need: special filter, and intervalometer, tripod. Now I am trying to figure out how long (~ 2 hrs) and how many shots to take per minute.

sjb3

Well, if you wanted to end up with (for example) a 30-second video playing back at 30 frames per second, you'd need 900 photos (frames). As to the interval between shots, for a wide-angle view, where the Sun is a lot smaller and it's movement isn't so apparent, you could go with a photo every 5 seconds (12 per minute). Dividing the number of frames needed for the 30-second video (900) by the number of shots per minute (in this example 12), you'd have a shooting session of 75 minutes; you'd start your session about 35 minutes before totality, go through totality itself for the 2 minutes and something, then the other 30-something minutes up the 75-minute mark.

Now if you'll be using a telescopic view (you did say you've shot the Moon so I assume you were going for a frame-filling view) the Sun's movement is much more apparent, so you're better off with a 1-second shot interval (60 shots per minute). Using the same formula, your shooting session is now 15 minutes, which would still give you a great finished 30-second video of the last few minutes of the Moon moving in front of and covering the Sun, totality itself, and the first few minutes of the Moon slowly moving on uncovering the Sun.

The only hitch, especially if you're going for the telescopic view, is how wide your camera lens field of view is. Even if the Sun is moving apparently slower in the wide angle view, it's still moving and you've got to keep up with it somehow. This means having some kind of tracking apparatus that will keep up with the Earth's rotation and keep the unfolding eclipse centered in the viewfinder. Adjusting the tripod by hand without jiggling the image like a bouncing ball is literally impossible, I regret to say (through experience).

alice62 Loc: eureka, IL

Taken at Lake of Egypt, in southern Illinois. I think it turned out pretty good for an amateur. thanks for all the good advice. i will be prepared for the next one in 7 years.

Salo Loc: Cherry Hill, NJ

I also think it turned out pretty good. Very nice work!