As Linda From Maine, Longshadow, CHG_CANON, and some others have stated, "fill the frame" is a relative term. I always fill the frame, but as Linda has pointed out, it is the photographic composition that must fill the frame. As Jimmy T points out, for a full-frame or APS-C image most will be a "non-standard" print unless one crops for 5X7, 8X10, 11X14, etc. And if shooting for a "standard" size print, one cannot necessarily shoot to "fill the frame". As CHG_CANON pointed out though, 45mp should allow one to crop very heavily while retaining image quality easily up to and including 20X24. If you are still having trouble obtaining the image size for your composition, then a good teleconverter would be your best option in my opinion. Since I shoot 4/3rds and have less megapixels, it becomes more important that I shoot the best I can to fill the frame so my cropping is minimal. Also, my sensor shape requires less cropping for most standard print sizes than full-frame or APS-C. But at 45mp and additional room for your composition than my sensor, you should not have any worries about filling the frame unless you are printing 30X40 or larger.

First, no desperation. You already have a good system. You can take your time. You can spend time at the camera store and maybe even rent to see how various cameras and lenses fit your needs.

Second, the main differences between 4/3rds and full frame and APS-C is size, weight, cost, depth of field, ISO, and occasionally megapixels (20mp and 25mp is max for 4/3rds at this time). Size and weight of the camera bodies tend to be similar for just about any format. But the size, weight, and cost of the 4/3rds lenses tend to be less, especially for the larger telephoto lenses. Because of the sensor size difference, the smaller 4/3rds sensor results in a relatively larger depth of field than full frame or APS-C for the same aperture. If you do a lot of heavy cropping, that is when the higher megapixel sensors (30+) are a savior. Because of the shape of the 4/3rds sensor, most standard print formats require less image (megapixels) loss than full frame or APS-C. And ISO tends to be noisier at higher ISOs as the sensor gets smaller. ISOs less than 3200 tends to be more than acceptable in 4/3rds.These are the very basic differences in the formats. And as far as image quality goes, there are a lot of UHHers that love the image quality of their Sony RX10s and RX100s which has an even smaller sensor than 4/3rds. Image quality is really one of least important concerns between all formats at this digital point in time.

Third, many UHHers have both a full frame camera and a 4/3rds camera. And there are photographers
on even other photo sites that have both a full frame and a 4/3rds camera. Some photographers have even given up their full frame cameras after spending time with their 4/3rds camera. And as a travel camera, especially international travel, 4/3rds is one of the favorites because of the 4/3rds size and weight.

And fourth and last, all 4/3rds is interchangeable for all basic functions. An OM body or Panasonic body can use an OM lens or Panasonic lens. This allows for a lot more choices in bodies and lens. OM specializes in still shooting with good video. Panasonic now shoots very good stills and specializes in some of the very best camera video.

How have fun taking a look at 4/3rds. And if you want less shoulder weight when walking around, definitely consider buying something like an OM-1 mkII with a 12-40 or 12-100 lens.

The satellite will give you all the GPS you want for your photographs - if you want or need that GPS. It is at least an option available to you that a lot of other photographers do not have an option to.

Go to the NASA eclipse web site and the Thousand Oaks web site. These sites will educate you. Thousand Oaks Optical will sell you film that can stop both intense sunlight and UV rays. If you are not using a DSLR and only a mirrorless, they can sell you film that cuts the intense sunlight. Do not make the mistake of getting the wrong type filter for your camera. Blindness is a possibility if you use a DSLR with the wrong filter. UV "sunburned" eyes rarely see again. Both B&H Photo and Adorama will sell you filters too. Most will not stop UV rays unless the paperwork with the filters cite the correct spec for UV cutoff. Welders glass will also work because it will cut both the intense light and UV of welding. ND18 or ND19 welders glass will do fine. You should be able to use a piece to watch the sun if you do not buy Thousand Oaks sun shades.

Absolutely not! You need to do more research. If you use an unacceptable filter, you will damage or lose your eye or damage your shutter and/or sensor. You must go to proper sources and have proper equipment. Start with NASA's eclipse web site and the Thousand Oaks web site. B&H Photo and Adorama should have proper information also.

Most photographic camera filters for eclipses will cut the light level but not the UV. That concentrated UV will burn your eye if you are using a DSLR. There are materials made by manufacturers that will cut out both high light levels and stop the UV rays. And then there are other materials that just cut the light level and not the UV. You have to use the absolutely correct materials with your camera or your eyes unless you want to chance eye damage or blindness. Welders glass will also attenuate both light level and stop UV rays. Welding produces both high intensity light and UV similar to the sun. I have used an ND 18 welders glass, along with Thousand Oaks eye shades, in the film days for both shooting and naked eye viewing. But when I was much younger, I came within a half a second of being blind in one eye because of incorrect filter usage. You must be very careful with your filter usage when it comes to viewing the sun. If done properly, it is exciting and fun. But it is a dangerous risk if not done properly.

Again, go to both the NASA web site and Thousand Oaks web site for the best information.

Look at the MindShift Gear BackLight 18L Backpack (Woodland Green) or MindShift Gear BackLight 26L Backpack (Woodland Green). It can be swung around from the backpack position to in front of you and has a support cord to keep the equipment from falling as one changes equipment. The backpack works well even if you take it off your back a put it on the ground since the backpack's padding never touches the ground (faces up when on the ground for equipment access). There are some LowePro and Manfrotto backpack that are good, but the MindShift have been the most lmpressive as for true access to one's equipment.

If you are within about three miles of the launch, you should be OK. Otherwise, I would recommend a teleconverter with the 300. If it is a nighttime shot, you will have about 5 seconds to shoot the launch such that you can distinguish the rocket as it leaves the pad. Otherwise, you will need a wide angle lens to capture the exhaust trail as it lifts off and then starts to roll over to an angle to make it to orbit. Daytime shots don't have the same problem, but they do take off just as fast off the launch pad. Since they are in daylight, they can be shot longer until they are really to small to see. Have fun.

"not up to par" is a relative term. Depth of field is not the same as larger format cameras. ISO is not the same as larger format cameras. One cannot take 120 frames per second without using a larger format camera. Although smartphones will maybe get it in the future, there are no phones that I know of that do pre-capture.

Now if one does not need or use things like that, then the smartphones and regular cameras become much more alike. And I like my smartphone camera too. I just like my OM camera better.

The lenses I have can only use one teleconverter at a time. But the lenses that allow the teleconverter's usage were originally designed for the usage of the teleconverter. Therefore, the image from the lens with the teleconverter is very sharp even in the corners. Yes, there will always be some image loss. But the image difference from a longer lens at that focal length compared to the lens plus teleconverter will be very minimal.

One other source is welder's glass. One can get photographic frames with lens thread adapter inserts for mounting the squares of glass (welder's glass of 17, 18, or 19 should be enough). In my opinion, the best way for one's lens and body is a proper filter so the filter is optically flat. But the welder's glass is safe for optical viewing of the sun. It will cut off all UV rays from your eyes. But be aware that not all lens filters are designed and made to cut out UV rays. Unless they specifically quote the proper specification stating so, they may not block UV rays. Viewing the sun with a lens filter, that is not designed to cut off UV rays, can and probably will lead to eye damage or blindness.

Thousand Oaks Optical is another good site.
https://thousandoaksoptical.com/

Welcome to eclipse hunter's dilemma! The answer is - there is no truly 100% correct answer!!! No matter how well one plans, that cloud that drifts in for the time of totality cannot actually be planned for. I know because I have been there. Out of three total eclipses I have gone to, the longest one for my lifetime was clouded out. And some times it is a random decision that will "kill" it for you.

The only thing you can do is plan the best you can and hope for the best. Decide on how much money you want to spend on this adventure as a start. And realize that although the weather is predicted to be better in Texas, the key word is "predicted". Global warming has caused the jet streams to go further north (~80°F Anchorage, AK warmer than freezing Denver, CO on the same day) and south (a 65°F high while cruising just below Cuba and Haiti; the pool was nearly empty) and very unpredictable. These weather predictions are based off of history, not April 8, 2024. And that history is now less accurate due to the more wobbly jet stream.

The best way to plan for all this is to either stay in one place (Indiana) and drive to a nearby possible clear spot or go to a mid point outside of the totality path between Indiana and Texas and drive to a clear spot after seeing how the weather patterns develop on the news stations. And there will still be no garenttees that the whole totality path will not be covered with clouds.

But remember, if you don't try to see it, you will never see it. It is always worth the try, even if you are clouded out.

Personally, I would put the camera in "P" (Program mode). This way the two control knobs near the shutter button will control the shutter speed (try to stay around 1/60) and exposure compensation. "A" (Auto mode) will basically make almost all the exposure decisions for you with little input from you. "M" (Manual mode) requires that you control just about everything without the camera trying to make any corrections. "M" is the hardest mode for a beginner without a teacher or instructor.

If I were you, I would invest in either a photography course or photography book (or both). You may find that it will let you "see" life and the world very differently.

And "meter" means light meter which tells one how much light the camera is "seeing".