How far away is too far? (Page 4): It is not 15 miles; it is 200 miles. What I learned from the annular eclipse is that you must be prepared to move and move fast to avoid cloud cover.

CliffMcKenzie Loc: Lake Athens Texas

It is not 15 miles; it is 200 miles. What I learned from the annular eclipse is that you must be prepared to move and move fast to avoid cloud cover. My home is dead center for the eclipse but has a 67% chance of cloud cover in East Texas during that spring day. Using 200 miles at 50mph, that means at 8:30am (CST), I must leave for maximum distance SW to Texas Hill Country or NE into Arkansas. Hill Country has about 30% probability for cloud cover. My club (PPC) attempted to set up the meet in Uvalde but the area cost for $150 room is now over $2,000. In that same area, major turnout for annual eclipse.

petrochemist Loc: UK

sawdust_sam wrote:

The dark glass for a welding helmet might work. It is available in a range of degrees of darkness. Size for modern helmets is quite large, available at an auto part store or welding supply. We've viewed eclips in the past by eye using just the helmet. Good luck!

Note normal photographic ND filters are NOT suitable, as they usually pass near IR.
Welding glass is specifically designed to block UV & IR to at least the extent of the visual darkening. Most will have a very strong green cast, even the gold types have some green cast.
For a guide of the visual light reduction
Shade visual stops Max Transmission
5 5.7 2%
6 7 0.8%
7 8.6 0.25%
8 10 0.1%
9 11.4 0.04%
10 12.9 0.013%
11 14.3 0.005%
12 15.7 0.002%
13 17.1 0.0008%
14 18.6 0.00025%

At least shade 12 is recommended for prolonged direct visual viewing (or via a SLR viewfinder) I gather shade 8 is considered fine for electronic viewfinders.
Shades 8-10 seem to be the most common, I've used shade 13 for photographing sunspots with a DSLR,

I think the welding glass specifications are based on the highest transmission, while ND filters probably use an average of all visual wavelengths

Most of my welding glass has been in the 3x4" size which just about fits in a cokin P holder. They typically only cost a couple of bucks each, but did get more expensive for the rarer shades. Optical quality isn't quite up to photographic filters, but isn't all that bad.

Here's one of my early experiments with a shade 8

Ghosts of Clacton 2 by Mike Kanssen, on Flickr

AzPicLady Loc: Behind the camera!

jerryc41 wrote:

Definitely! Fifteen miles is nothing. I have to drive seventeen miles just to get into town.

I get it. I drive about 25 miles to get anywhere where I live!

Properframe Loc: US Virginia

AzPicLady wrote:

Thanks, everyone, for your replies. It looks like I'll need to find a place south of Effingham to sit and enjoy the eclipse. Don't know how much shooting I'll do, as I don't have a filter and can't afford to purchase one.

Get some of the sheet film and make/cutout a filter. Without a filter you may damage the sensor shooting anything before and after totality.

AzPicLady Loc: Behind the camera!

Properframe wrote:

Get some of the sheet film and make/cutout a filter. Without a filter you may damage the sensor shooting anything before and after totality.

Thanks!

CliffMcKenzie Loc: Lake Athens Texas

I am seeing a lot of posts regarding homemade remedies (some are very creative) for filters for both the camera and your eyes. Let me give you an equivalent example, you can make gasoline out of waste, corn and other materials. You can make fuel yourself. Your camera (maybe) and your eyes (for sure) are like a Porsche. It requires premium made from oil fuel. Now order a 16.5 filter and a good pair of protective glasses. Do it now, not in late March. If you want to really go first class, then make sure the filter connects to the camera via a magnet to its ring frame.

flathead27ford Loc: Colorado, North of Greeley

jerryc41 wrote:

Definitely! Fifteen miles is nothing. I have to drive seventeen miles just to get into town.

Me too! Lol

Ron2photo Loc: Holliston, MA

I did the 2017 Solar Eclipse. Im in MA, I drove to Andrews NC. I got there at 08:30 passage was after 13;00 and the place was humming. My advice is get there early, pick a spot to set up. Shoot the eclipse, go find a place to eat because the traffic will be very heavy leaving the area. Get as close to total as possible. Good Luck. I will be in VT or ME for the April passage.

AzPicLady Loc: Behind the camera!

CliffMcKenzie wrote:

I am seeing a lot of posts regarding homemade reme... (show quote)

I never thought about the magnet. Good idea. Thanks!

AzPicLady Loc: Behind the camera!

flathead27ford wrote:

Me too! Lol

AzPicLady Loc: Behind the camera!

Ron2photo wrote:

I did the 2017 Solar Eclipse. Im in MA, I drove to Andrews NC. I got there at 08:30 passage was after 13;00 and the place was humming. My advice is get there early, pick a spot to set up. Shoot the eclipse, go find a place to eat because the traffic will be very heavy leaving the area. Get as close to total as possible. Good Luck. I will be in VT or ME for the April passage.

Sounds like a plan!

rwww80a Loc: Hampton, NH

Try for a Walmart or other box store parking lot. That's where I photographed the partial eclipse in 2017.

AzPicLady Loc: Behind the camera!

rwww80a wrote:

Try for a Walmart or other box store parking lot. That's where I photographed the partial eclipse in 2017.

Good idea! Lots of space!

DougS Loc: Central Arkansas

Adorama has this: Celestron EclipSmart Universal Solar Filter for Optics 75 to 100mm $19.95
Best thing about this is that is just 'slips' on and off; instant on/off is what you want to happen during the eclipse! I used this type this last eclipse.
https://www.adorama.com/cnecssu.html

AzPicLady Loc: Behind the camera!

DougS wrote:

Adorama has this: Celestron EclipSmart Universal Solar Filter for Optics 75 to 100mm $19.95
Best thing about this is that is just 'slips' on and off; instant on/off is what you want to happen during the eclipse! I used this type this last eclipse.
https://www.adorama.com/cnecssu.html

Good suggestion! I'll add it to my list of possibilities.