Preparing for Total Eclipse (Page 3): If you've reviewed my previous thread ( https://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-785225-1.html ), which has already been referenced in this thread, then you...

OldCADuser Loc: Irvine, CA

Photolearner01 wrote:

I am planning to a location in the path of totality to shoot the eclipse. I am looking for recommendations on how best to shoot this event.

If you've reviewed my previous thread ( https://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-785225-1.html ), which has already been referenced in this thread, then you may have seen that we're planning to be in Lampasas, Texas for the April event. Also, if you review that referenced thread, you'll see that I and others spent a lot of time talking about filters, lens, shooting scenarios, etc.

Anyway, review the other thread and good luck with your planning.

btbg

User ID wrote:

I loved covering large scale nitetime highway work projects, especially high bridges. Great experieces but definitely hadda be only ~5% into photography and ~95% into the overall experience ... thaz cuz its a very dangerouse environment and if youre not verrrrry clearly "in the moment" you could get limited to the distant far edge of the site by the DOT safety steward. Acoarst that would result in useless boring dark little images. Really not my style.

That sounds like somethimg that would be fun to shoot. Only thing I shoot on the higjway is when the paper sends me out to shoot bad car crashes.

Not my favorite thing, and they only send me if they know its bad, otherwise if its just a fender bender and they need filler for the paper they will send someone else.

markwilliam1

btbg wrote:

You are right that there are a few seconds on both ends of totality where you don't need a filter.

Not using the viewfinder is also good advice.

Correct! When I photographed the 2017 eclipse I did Not use a filter. I had my solar glasses on and as soon as the sun started to disappear I took the glasses off and started shooting. I was fortunate enough to get the “Ring of Fire” which was what I wanted. So filters are not necessary unless you’re going for the whole sequence! Just remember to take the filter off when the ring appears or you won’t get the full effect. And it Happens Fast!

markwilliam1

druthven wrote:

Google Nikon USA, How to Photograph a Solar Eclips... (show quote)

Sweet! You nailed it!

druthven

btbg wrote:

It might but it might also hunt for focus. Simpler to manually focus with lens set on infinity. Then you dont have to worry about it.

Many camers wont focus with f8 big lenses, and when you add 16 or more stops of neutral density filter that is a lot more than f8.

Why on earth wouldnt you focus manually and know exactly what hou had?

Thanks for the info, I was just relying on my recent experience with the annular eclipse. Perhaps the best way to guarantee focus would be to do what I did in 2017. Since some lenses can focus beyond infinity check where the infinity symbol is when actually focused on something very far away, ie. the moon and before the eclipse set the focus ring there and immobilize it with electrician tape to prevent accidentally changing it.

btbg

druthven wrote:

Thanks for the info, I was just relying on my recent experience with the annular eclipse. Perhaps the best way to guarantee focus would be to do what I did in 2017. Since some lenses can focus beyond infinity check where the infinity symbol is when actually focused on something very far away, ie. the moon and before the eclipse set the focus ring there and immobilize it with electrician tape to prevent accidentally changing it.

That would work fine

druthven

Photolearner01 wrote:

Dear All: br I am planning to a location in the pa... (show quote)

A few addendums to my previous post. An excellent way to assure focus is to see where the infinity symbol on the lens rests when focused on something far away, a distant mountain or the moon would be excellent choices. Before the eclipse set the lens at that point and immobilize the focus ring with electrician's tape to prevent accidental movement. One less thing to be concerned with. Just don't forget to remove the tape afterward. I speak from experience. Here in Texas the eclipse begins a little after12:oo and ends a little before 3:00. That means the camera will be pointed almost straight up and it will be virtually impossible to look through the eyepiece of a camera mounted on a tripod at about eye level. I consider a right angle viewfinder a must. Lastly, practice, practice, practice. There will be plenty of sunny days to determine what the best exposures, f stop, shutter speed and ISO combinations are. Practice indoors the transition from partiality to totality. Totality will last about 3-4 minutes and you don't want to lose some of them fumbling to mount the camera on the tripod, trying to remove an overly tightened filter, inserting the remote release, and disengaging the image stabilization, (if necessary).

jcboy3

Photolearner01 wrote:

Dear All: br I am planning to a location in the pa... (show quote)

A fast lens is not an advantage; there is plenty of light and you want depth of field to mitigate imprecise focus.

The 400mm would be better.

With a large lens, it will be cheaper to get an add-on solar filter made from film versus a glass screw on filter. You can DIY them, but I recommend getting one already installed into a frame that has adjustment screws to fit over your lens. I've used both styles and they work well.

I don't recommend using a remote shutter release; you really don't want to be tied to your camera during the eclipse. I shoot with two cameras; a telephoto that captures the eclipse and a wide angle zoom that captures the landscape. Getting a shot of the shadow moving in and out, and people around you (they look funny with the glasses and tend to point at the eclipse),.

I use a star tracker in solar tracking mode, but you can keep up with the sun by regularly adjusting pointing. I recommend a combination of an intervalometer and bracketing; I usually use an intervalometer to trigger the camera with AE bracketing. If you aren't going to get a star tracker (it's in investment, for sure) then I recommend a geared head; it's easier to do precise adjustments and you spend less time fiddling with the camera.

You want an easy was to monitor where the sun is in your frame. If using a DSLR with fixed LCD, you will want a right angle viewer. But better is to use a flip out LCD (or an external monitor), shoot in live view. If using a mirrorless camera, no problem. But an external monitor is a good idea because it can be mounted in a fixed position and it doesn't move or need to be adjusted when the pointing changes.

KenProspero

First -- if you're going to shoot a partial eclipse, you should get a 16 stop filter.

Next -- What I did the last time, was bracket -- taking 5 shots. That largely compensated for changing light conditions.

I took a series every 10 minutes -- I had to adjust my camera on the tripod several times because the sun changes position in the sky. Just check your screen or viewfinder periodically. You could probably hand hold the camera, but the tripod made it easier, and assuming your camera has an intervalometer, you can automate this process if you're using a tripod.

Personally, I would go with the longest lens I could find -- for next eclipse, I'll be using a 400 mm lens with a 1.4x Teleconverter. -- which brings me up to 560mm The lens will be slow (F/9), but since I'll be on a tripod I'll be fine with that. I'll probably shoot somewhere between ISO 100 and ISO 400 and adjust the shutter speed accordingly.

The tricky part -- you pretty much have to decide whether you want that last pre-eclipse crescent or try for Baily's Beads (because you need time to take off the filter). I'll be going for the Beads next time.

This next is important -- I STRONGLY recommend a tripod (or at least a monopod) for totality. When you look at the shutter speeds you'll be using, you may think that handheld (esp. with anti-shake) is ok, and it may be. However, for my first eclipse -- I found that even though I intellectually knew what was going to happen, my Lizard Brain took over, and I was both shaking like a leaf, and emotional. Basically, my body (not the Camera's) knew something was "wrong" and reacted. I was LUCKY to get one usable photo of totality. YMMV, of course.

Finally -- take some time to enjoy the moment without taking pictures. As wonderful as the pictures will be, just take it all in.

AzPicLady Loc: Behind the camera!

KenProspero wrote:

First -- if you're going to shoot a partial eclips... (show quote)

Thank you.

OldCADuser Loc: Irvine, CA

When I shot the annular eclipse, as covered in my other thread previously referenced, I used two set-ups. One camera with a 400mm lens for shooting explicit shots of the Sun/Moon, and one with a wider lens (an 18-135mm set at 30mm) for the sequence. I also used a remote shutter control with an intervalometer set to get a shot every 10 minutes. Using that scheme I was able to get the full three-hour sequence without having to move the camera once. And I also bracketed my shots using a five-shot sequence (with both my 400mm and the 18-135mm set-ups). I have to say, my results were much better than I had hoped (check out those previous links to the other thread for more details and images).

With that in mind, the plan is to do basically the same drill in April using the same gear and flowing the same procedures. Note that as we get closer to April, I'll probably start another thread dedicated to that event and the planning that I'll be going through.