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finding the sun
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Mar 29, 2024 08:41:46   #
alberio Loc: Casa Grande AZ
 
MCHUGH wrote:
I am going to try to take a solor eclipse picture April 8th. Since I have never tried to take a picture of the sun I needed to pratice. Got a pretty good photo using the topics already that have been posted. The problem I am having will seem so dumb but I hope someone will be able to help this old man. I am having a diffucult time finding the sun in the view finder. With the dark sun filter until the sun is actually visible it of course is black. I can find it but it takes me a long time very slowly moving the camer back and forth and up and down to locate it. I am hoping someone has a good starting point that will help me find it faster. I guess my 80 year old eyes are just really poor. Thanks in advance for any help you can give me.
I am going to try to take a solor eclipse picture ... (show quote)


If it is on a tripod or mount, just watch the shadow it casts on the ground, then move the camera/lens until the shadow is the smallest. I use this technique for my telescopes also.

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Mar 29, 2024 09:38:43   #
W9OD Loc: Wisconsin
 
Yes, watching the shadow of the telescope on the ground. When the shadow is the smallest, you should be very close. Good Luck.

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Mar 29, 2024 09:49:22   #
jcboy3
 
1grumpybear wrote:
Here is what I use. It's small and will fit in the palm of your hand. I take a couple rubber bands and strap it to my lens. Here is a link.
https://www.televue.com/engine/TV3b_page.asp?id=66


I use a hot shoe mount on mine.

Thing is, you need to find the sun first time in order to align the Sol-Searcher with the optical axis of your camera. For that, I use a wide angle lens and a tripod. I put the sun in the center of the image, line up the Sol-Searcher so the sun is illuminating the back side, and then swap with the telephoto lens.

You can make something similar with a toilet paper roll, dark paper or tape on the front, and wax paper taped to the back, and the roll taped or otherwise mounted on something you can stick in the hot shoe. Line up the camera iwth the sun using a wide angel lens, mark the sun location on the wax paper with a magic marker, and away you go.

Warning: use a solar filter on the wide angle as well, just to be safe.

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Mar 29, 2024 10:15:53   #
Sidwalkastronomy Loc: New Jersey Shore
 
1grumpybear wrote:
Here is what I use. It's small and will fit in the palm of your hand. I take a couple rubber bands and strap it to my lens. Here is a link.
https://www.televue.com/engine/TV3b_page.asp?id=66


I have of them from telvue on my solar scopes. Just parallel the unit to optical device.

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Mar 29, 2024 11:00:36   #
Sidwalkastronomy Loc: New Jersey Shore
 
I have a tracking telescope mount I used last eclipse 2017 for my 1500 photos of eclipse amm controlled by images plus on my laptop.
For moon shots I use a gamble bracket for easier tracking. If you're going to find and shot you will miss the show. Relax, Enjoy the show, I'll send you a photo from last time.

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Mar 29, 2024 11:13:19   #
wmurnahan Loc: Bloomington IN
 
I use a big zoom, 200-600, so zoom out to find then zoom in.

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Mar 29, 2024 11:19:26   #
1grumpybear
 
MCHUGH wrote:
I am going to try to take a solor eclipse picture April 8th. Since I have never tried to take a picture of the sun I needed to pratice. Got a pretty good photo using the topics already that have been posted. The problem I am having will seem so dumb but I hope someone will be able to help this old man. I am having a diffucult time finding the sun in the view finder. With the dark sun filter until the sun is actually visible it of course is black. I can find it but it takes me a long time very slowly moving the camer back and forth and up and down to locate it. I am hoping someone has a good starting point that will help me find it faster. I guess my 80 year old eyes are just really poor. Thanks in advance for any help you can give me.
I am going to try to take a solor eclipse picture ... (show quote)


My yesterday post got me thinking. Back in about 2004 a friend of mine was into sports photography and I notice he had a gun site mounted on his camera and asked why. His response was "it allowed him to have both eyes open so he could have a better feel to what was happening" I bought a EOTEC gun sight and the results were night and day.
So I went digging around a box of parts and was able to find a mount that I could mount the solar sight to.





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Mar 29, 2024 12:07:44   #
Polock
 
A cardboard tube (paper towel, tp) taped nice and square on the hotshoe and watch that shadow on a paper a few inches back.
start way out of focus
a dark cloth over you and the camera, like the old days really helps

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Mar 29, 2024 12:08:21   #
Sidwalkastronomy Loc: New Jersey Shore
 
When you zoom you might need to tighter focus

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Mar 29, 2024 12:41:22   #
Retired CPO Loc: Travel full time in an RV
 
When I first started to attempt BIFs I bought a Red Dot gunsight. It worked pretty well to help concentrate my attention/sight on a small subject. Since then, I have graduated to just concentrating on the subject/target without mechanical aids. Kinda like shooting skeet with a shotgun. It does take practice and time invested, but it's worked for me! And I'm pretty good at skeet too! Quail and Pheasants don't stand a chance!

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Mar 29, 2024 13:51:18   #
bwana Loc: Bergen, Alberta, Canada
 
MCHUGH wrote:
I am going to try to take a solor eclipse picture April 8th. Since I have never tried to take a picture of the sun I needed to pratice. Got a pretty good photo using the topics already that have been posted. The problem I am having will seem so dumb but I hope someone will be able to help this old man. I am having a diffucult time finding the sun in the view finder. With the dark sun filter until the sun is actually visible it of course is black. I can find it but it takes me a long time very slowly moving the camer back and forth and up and down to locate it. I am hoping someone has a good starting point that will help me find it faster. I guess my 80 year old eyes are just really poor. Thanks in advance for any help you can give me.
I am going to try to take a solor eclipse picture ... (show quote)

Move to the front of your setup and move the camera/lens until the shadow from the setup is nicely centered. Works wonderfully!

bwa

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Mar 29, 2024 14:40:26   #
gouldopfl
 
I am in the direct path here in central Indiana ( exiled here until we can move back to Jacksonville).I have been practicing and I am using my filter I use for the sun. I am also wearing my eclipse glasses to help determine where to point my camera. On April 8th, I believe we will have about a 1 1/2 before and after the total eclipse. I will shoot with the filter during that time, but during the 3+ minutes depending on where you are of total eclipse, I will be removing the filter. I have been trying different settings to see what gives me the best results.

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Mar 29, 2024 15:03:14   #
MCHUGH Loc: Jacksonville, Texas
 
jcboy3 wrote:
I use a hot shoe mount on mine.

Thing is, you need to find the sun first time in order to align the Sol-Searcher with the optical axis of your camera. For that, I use a wide angle lens and a tripod. I put the sun in the center of the image, line up the Sol-Searcher so the sun is illuminating the back side, and then swap with the telephoto lens.

You can make something similar with a toilet paper roll, dark paper or tape on the front, and wax paper taped to the back, and the roll taped or otherwise mounted on something you can stick in the hot shoe. Line up the camera iwth the sun using a wide angel lens, mark the sun location on the wax paper with a magic marker, and away you go.

Warning: use a solar filter on the wide angle as well, just to be safe.
I use a hot shoe mount on mine. br br Thing is,... (show quote)


Thanks jcboy3
Like the suggestion of making my own type of Sop-Searcher.

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Mar 29, 2024 15:05:59   #
MCHUGH Loc: Jacksonville, Texas
 
Thanks to everyone with all your help.
I was surprised to find so many haveing the same problem as me in that location problem. As always there are some great suggestions.

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Mar 29, 2024 15:24:26   #
MJPerini
 
Telescopes use "Finder Scopes" a small low power telescope mounted parallel to the optical axis of the main scope.
Any hollow tube Line a 1/2" diameter black plastic pipe mounted parallel to your lens with a dark gray/ black card an inch behind it will 'protect' the sun onto the black card, the longer the tube the more accurate.
YOU DO NOT LOOK THROUGH THE TUBE. Since the sun is 1000 times brighter than the sky it is much easier to get yourself close.
You can also view the eclipse via solar projection with a small telescope _Look up solar projection with a telescope.
You ONLY look at the projected image

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