billgdyoung Loc: Big Bear City, CA

Yes, but do YOU need a white cane now? :-)

Roadrunner Loc: Quebec, Canada

I used a 19 on one eclipse many years ago, a 22 is much too dark

Barbara D Loc: Norfolk, VA

jeep_daddy, may I post your experience on my FaceBook page? I have quite a few friends who range from good enough to earn a living form their photos down to inexperienced "look what I bought to take pix of the eclipse!" kind of people who think it will be fine to point their new toy at the sun. If your story causes even one of those people to reconsider their intentions, it would be well worth the effort.

wdross Loc: Castle Rock, Colorado

NASA and Fred "MrEclipse" Espenak recommend #14 welder glass and only number #14 welders glass. Go to NASA.org and type in "eclipse" in the search block. Or go to Fred Espenak's MrEclipse.com and check it out yourself. Less than #14, there are no guarantees.

wdross Loc: Castle Rock, Colorado

I am sorry to say that NASA and Fred "MrEclipse" Espenak disagree with you big time. #10 is not even close to being enough protection. I have a #13 that I only use on my camera because it is too bright for viewing long periods of time. I have used it for three eclipses, camera only, and I only recommend Thousand Oaks solar glasses and #14 welders glass for direct viewing of the sun. The eye does not have any pain cells and will not tell you that you have burned your eye until hours later when it is too late to do anything about the damage.

Again, the only recommended welders glass, by NASA, Fred "MrEclipse" Espenak, and myself, is #14 no matter what anyone else says.

RE Loc: California

Thank you all for your info and for sharing in the excitment.

skh1454

There's a lot of confusion in this area. The only definitive advice that I've seen is from NASA and the AAS and that pertains to eye safety not cameras. NASA originally advised only #14 glass was adequate to observe the sun; they have now relaxed that standard to #12 glass, (for comparison, high amp plasma arc welding, >400A, requires #11). But that's to protect your eyes, and your camera is not as sensitive to UV which is a critical factor for the eyes.

Unfortunately, I am not aware of anybody who has actually done a spectral analysis of welding glass to determine what is safe for cameras. I have read countless warnings that ND filters lack the necessary IR and UV protection for the eyes, but are routinely used to photograph the eclipse (just don't use your analog viewer -- digital viewers or Live View only). The ND filters used to photograph the sun are typically 4.0 and 5.0, about 13.3 stops and 16.6 stops of visible light reduction respectively (NDs are rated on a logarithmic scale, e.g. 5.0 = 100,000X reduction).

My best guess is that #10 glass would probably be enough to protect your camera, but #12 for sure.

Roadrunner Loc: Quebec, Canada

Yes,, I used a 19 but for my eyes .....and besides that was all we had available where I worked LOL

LFingar Loc: Claverack, NY

First off, all welding glass provides the same UV/IR protection, regardless of the shade. NASA is, of course, going to recommend on the conservative side. The other self-described "experts", I put no stock in. If I, and millions of other welders around the world, can spend countless hours safely viewing welding arcs with #10 glass, then I have no qualms about using it to view an eclipse. An eclipse doesn't even come close to the visible, UV, and IR emissions of a welding arc.
The eye does feel pain, BTW. Ask any welder. We have all "flashed" ourselves on more then one occasion. That brief flash of unshielded arc contains such intense UV radiation that it instantly sunburns the interior of the eye, resulting in a mildly painful temporary sandy feeling in the eye. That, in itself, is relatively harmless, but continued exposure can cause cataracts. Despite that, I have met "macho he-men" who brag about welding without protection. In the event that they are actually telling the truth, they will probably be blind long before they retire.

Roadrunner Loc: Quebec, Canada

I see you've been there......32 years in shipyards

LFingar Loc: Claverack, NY

Welding wasn't my full time job, but I did a lot of it repairing trucks and heavy equipment for 20 yrs. Enough to know that it is a hot, dirty, strenuous, and often dangerous job. My hat is off to anyone who does it full time.

Roadrunner Loc: Quebec, Canada

redlegfrog

I have to call you on this one. If "millions of other welders around the world, can spend countless hours safely viewing welding arcs with #10 glass" Okey Then why would companies waste time and money manufacturing darker lens?

Have you ever done any large carbon arc work? have you ever worn a gold #12 and still found yourself taking a trip to the hospital at 2am to get those drops in your eyes to stop the pain? I tell ya, it feels better than sex when the pain stops.

Have you ever noticed subtler things like blue eyed people need more protection that brown eyed people?

We are all full grown and if we want to go out and injure ourselves, well have at it. BUT don't offer suggestions to the uninformed that might get them hurt.

If it matters I was in the business of welding and welding supplies from 1966 to 2014.

LFingar Loc: Claverack, NY

The more amperage, the brighter the arc and the more protection needed. No secret there. Just the same, #10 is still the standard glass for the vast majority of welding since most people rarely weld above 150-200 amps. The sun isn't magically getting brighter or more intense during an eclipse. It is getting dimmer in all respects. What can harm you is the contrast. The entire sky and landscape darken and your iris opens to compensate. When you look at that intense bright sliver of light with an open iris it can do damage. Even a #10 glass will bring that intensity down to a safe, but not necessarily comfortable level. It all depends on one's comfort level. If you had read what I have posted you would have noticed that I recommended that anyone with any doubts go darker. BTW, I have blue eyes and still have 20/15 vision according to my Optometrist.

Roadrunner Loc: Quebec, Canada

I'm from Canada and maybe our 19 might be your 10, however ''gouging'' needs darkers lenses