CarsonSmitty Loc: Carson City Nevada

Do this and you may destroy your camera. The sun inside the unfiltered lens will focus like a magnifying glass on your shutter or sensor. The heat can cause a fire inside.

elliott937 Loc: St. Louis

First, let me say that you have an impressive image there. So did you 'find the sun', and compose your shot while looking through your view finder, looking directly at the sun, with no eclipse filter?

jcboy3

Right angle viewer. You can get a Neewer brand for $45 on Amazon with prime shipping. I have one, which I use on an adapter for my Vixen Polar Scope. Comes with adapters for a variety of cameras. Note that the Nikon adapter will also work on some Panasonic cameras (my GH3, for instance). And you can use it for other shooting; especially for those low perspective shots.

This pic is my setup. This is on an Olympus E-M1 with Panasonic 100-400 in this picture. I have the following:

Olympus VA-1 right angle viewer with a custom mount,
Sol-Searcher by Tele Vue sun finder on a custom mount (on the hot shoe),
Solar Filter from Kendrick Astro Instruments (here attached to a rubber collapsible lens hood because the solar filter is large enough to fit on my 300mm f/2.8 or 600mm f/8 lenses)
Pluto Trigger for use as an intervalometer (mounted to the bottom of the camera Arca bracket).
Desmond tilt head.
Vixen Polarie Star Tracker with a custom mount and adjustable counterbalance, with additional screw on counterbalance (I only need one with this lens). I've modified the tilt head and mount to add a lock screw for anti-rotation.
Vixen Polar Meter (the compass, useful for aligning the NCP during the day), mounted on the cold shoe of the Vixen Polarie. This gets pulled off after alignment, otherwise the sun heats up the bubble level too much.
Sky-Watcher Star Adventurer Equatorial Wedge Base (what a mouthful), a pretty solid tilt mount, modified for securely mounting the Vixen Polarie.
Feisol 70mm panning base. The Sky-Watcher Wedge has small, fine pan adjustment, but requires that the tripod have an approximately correct orientation; the panning base solves that issue.
For power, I've mounted a Pocket Juice USB charger on a tripod leg (not visible) and plugged it into the Vixen Polarie. The Polarie runs on 2xAA batteries, sufficient for the duration of the Eclipse but just in case...

elliott937 Loc: St. Louis

OneyedLarry,
Are you saying that you aimed your camera, and took the shot, totally with no filter in front of your lens?

Jcboy,
I commend you in your setup. I never thought of the siting scope on top of the camera. I already found it on Amazon, paid the extra $3.95, and it will be here tomorrow. Assuming you've already tested this out, did you place a small eclipse filter piece (or even the filter from the cardboard glasses) in front of the site scope?

It looks like I may have ordered the same scope you have. (Astromania 1X40RD Reflex Red Green Dot Sight) if so, the description on Amazon states that it is battery driven, but does not say that such cells are included. If in fact that is the case, and should yours be what Amazon is selling, what cells does it take? And would the be required for daytime (green dot) use?

mhertich

Yes, use the live view feature. Settings ISO 400, f16 at 1/125 until you locate the sun then change as needed. I hook my laptop to the camera which really helps. Be aware live view uses mirror lock up so have extra batteries ready

hamilton.gary

Here's my trick of the day. It works every time with my setup (Sony A7R2 and Sigma 150-600). Admittedly it is much easier if you have a flip out rear monitor.

Practicing between 11am-1pm so sun is high in the sky

Now here's the trick:
Observe the shadow made by your front tripod leg before you attach gear
Pick up and rotate the tripod until the shadow thrown by the front leg projects is halfway between the two rear legs (important)
Now when you rotate/swing your camera vertically and aligned with the shadow line ... bingo! Geometry 101

Turn camera on
Camera/lens: Manual, ISO100-200, F6.3 (remember to turn off image stabilization)
Camera is on tripod and lens zoomed at 300mm or less (make sure solar filter is in place)
Flip out rear monitor screen / tripod height is set so you are viewing monitor horizontally or at a downward angle. I never realized the sun is soo bright!
Set ball head tension so you can move/rotate lens comfortably aligned with shadow projection (I don't envy you 800mm guys)
Important to swing camera and lens aligned with shadow projection. Keep an eye on the camera/lens alignment with the shadow.
A couple of tries and it gets easier. Once I find it at 300, I zoom in to 500 or 600

Also remember the sun is moving. After a few minutes the shadow will no longer be in the middle (between the two rear legs) and you might want to readjust and try again.
Good luck !

rehess Loc: South Bend, Indiana, USA

Just an image, with no context, tells us nothing

ggttc Loc: TN

Get a step up ring from amazon and cut the film accordingly. Use rubber cement to attach.

jcboy3

I am using the Sol-Searcher. You have ordered a red dot sight, which is not at all suitable for solar viewing.

jcboy3

There are lots of DIY posts; simple and effective.

Fotoartist Loc: Detroit, Michigan

I just got this from my telescope friends. To make a Solar Spotter to find the sun attach a hollow tube pointing along your lens barrel, I attached it to the hot shoe. Cover the back end with Scotch magic tape. Rotate your camera and lens toward the sun and when the end with the tape fully lights up you should be aligned. I made my spotter but it's too late to try it out today.

BTW, to attach an image to this forum you have to start by clicking "Quote Reply". Then you will get the append image box.

Dennis in Texas Loc: Katy, Texas

That sounds intriguing. Any chance you could post up a photo?

Fotoartist Loc: Detroit, Michigan

Forgot to say don't look thru the tube. I'll post a photo tomorrow when I set it up.

elliott937 Loc: St. Louis

Thank you for posting tomorrow. I wish this specific brainstorming would have begun two weeks ago.

Dennis in Texas Loc: Katy, Texas

And it works!!!! Got sighted in on the first try!