E-5 and I never look at the sun without a very good sun filter.

The camera isn't doing anything to the settings, I can look at the top of the camera at the information window and the settings never change, just to the brightness of the viewfinder. focusing is done through the telescope itself.

When photographing the solar eclipse last month I noticed that when my camera was pointed directly at the sun, the image in the viewfinder dimmed quite a bit, but would brighten back to normal the moment I moved the sun to the edge of the view. I think this is a setting for protection of the camera. Question is, how do you turn this feature OFF. If I am shooting the sun I am using a solar filter so the chance of damaging the censor is very remote. When the viewfinder dims down I have a very hard time focusing. As a result about 50% of my shots were out of focus. Any information is appreciated.
I am using an Olympus E-5 mounted to the back of a Celestron 127SLT f/12 Maksutov-Cassegrain Telescope using prime focus.

Great shots, I love the old pufferbellies..

I took a long trek.... to the back yard. Totally clear skies. Photo was taken with an Olympus E-5 mounted to the back of a Celestron 5" Maksutov-Cassegrain Telescope 1500mm focal length at f-11. with a Seymour Solar Filter
Camera was set at 1600 ISO at 1/30 sec. No post processing.
Second photo was with an Olympus E-30 with a 70-300 mm f-7.1 with a 1.4 Olympus teleconverter. Effective focal length of 420mm. 2000 ISO at 1/13 sec. hand held.

If possible GO TO THE REHERSAL!!! That is where you MIGHT find out what is going to happen. Ask questions, Don't find out at the last minute it is a candle light wedding... Happened to my cousin.

Great work. You even got a sunspot!

I wasn't lecturing, I was merely stating how I do it. I was only offering a bit of free advice. And advice is like a collect phone call, it only affects you if you accept it.

I don't want to pay a monthly or yearly fee either, What I do is get free programs off the internet. BUT as my father used to say "If it is free, it is worth exactly what you pay for it" If you want the things that these great programs can do for you, you will have to pay to play. It is the way or the world...

The user manual for the camera says pressing the Movie button to start recording and press it again to stop the recording.
I know you have the manual but here is the link anyway. https://docs.sony.com/release/Manual_4591691111.pdf

I use a free program called File Renamer Basic (there is a delux version that costs $19.95) . Youi can do virtually anything you want to to your files, name, rename, number, I use it mainly to rename music files as it has an MP3 decoder built in it. Here is the product site if you want to check it out. http://www.sherrodcomputers.com/products_filerenamer.cfm
The program is easy to learn and work with.

sure come on over.

Got mine in 1955 and still got the dimple on my arm to prove it.!!

I am lucky here in Kentucky, I get about 1min 45sec of totality. I am setting up just outside my garage door.

Ansel Adams would sit for hours or days, I have read, until the conditions were just right then take a few images on his 8 x10 view camera. THEN he would go and get on his Radio Shack TRS 80 and start processing!!!