Photographing a solar eclipse questions...
Discussion
I am heading for Tennessee in August to see the last complete solar eclipse for decades to come that crosses the US. ( of course, could be cloudy)...
Anyway, am aware of the eyesight stuff and personal protection.
Has anyone photographed one?
I will probably rent a long lens as my own only runs to 200mm.
I have a couple of camera options..a Canon 5D-2 and a smaller Olynpus which has an articulated screen on the back so I can look down at the screen.
Want to have some foreground in the shots rather than a extreme close up of the event so am thinking maybe 500MM Canon ...will this be adequate?..I know I need solar filters .
Anyway, am aware of the eyesight stuff and personal protection.
Has anyone photographed one?
I will probably rent a long lens as my own only runs to 200mm.
I have a couple of camera options..a Canon 5D-2 and a smaller Olynpus which has an articulated screen on the back so I can look down at the screen.
Want to have some foreground in the shots rather than a extreme close up of the event so am thinking maybe 500MM Canon ...will this be adequate?..I know I need solar filters .
I did one last year - just used a very fast shutter and an ND filter - got a nice sharp shot but it was boring to be honest, just looked like a crescent moon! The good ones I have seen have something interesting in the shot like a castle (if only we had one in Edinburgh 
) or a bird in a tree etc. I wouldn't worry about a really long lens either if you are trying to compose something rather than just get as close as possible - maybe something like a 100-400 ?
Good luck
) or a bird in a tree etc. I wouldn't worry about a really long lens either if you are trying to compose something rather than just get as close as possible - maybe something like a 100-400 ?Good luck
Thanks for the info!...
I have a 70-200 F2.8IS Canon for the wider stuff plus the usual array of shorter lenses, so I think maybe renting a good quality 400 or so might do it. Not sure what ISO to use..thinking 800 or so .Will use an interval timer and set it up on a tripod, an empty card and just let one camera so its own thing. The other I will do a bit of wandering with the other I think....
I have booked a place that does not accept day visitors and has 2400 acres of farmland around it so no worries about big crowds in the vicinity...will have peace.
I have a 70-200 F2.8IS Canon for the wider stuff plus the usual array of shorter lenses, so I think maybe renting a good quality 400 or so might do it. Not sure what ISO to use..thinking 800 or so .Will use an interval timer and set it up on a tripod, an empty card and just let one camera so its own thing. The other I will do a bit of wandering with the other I think....
I have booked a place that does not accept day visitors and has 2400 acres of farmland around it so no worries about big crowds in the vicinity...will have peace.
Edited by RDMcG on Sunday 29th January 22:37
So what I learned from the solar eclipse was :
You won't get a clean edge to the eclipse unless you are using at least an 8 stop ND filter, stopping down the lens will still give too much flare.
You absolutely need foreground interest, just the crescent is too boring, be prepared to focus stack or use hyperfocal distance to get all elements sharp.
Some of the stuff that happens around an eclipse is the most interesting, for example crescent bokeh, tree shadows will act like a pinhole camera and give crescent shadows on the ground, birds will roost in the trees as they think it night.
Scout the location before hand and use stellarium, google maps etc to give you the idea about where to stand and how far rhte sun will move during the eclipse.
My plans ( I had a really nice tracking shot over some ruins worked out ) where somewhat ruined by cloud on the day - I woke up to overcast skies and just got in my car and drove until I found some clearer skies, then tried to make the best of it !
Cross&Eclipse2 by Nature Ist, on Flickr
Pigeons_of_the_Apocaylpse by Nature Ist, on Flickr
You won't get a clean edge to the eclipse unless you are using at least an 8 stop ND filter, stopping down the lens will still give too much flare.
You absolutely need foreground interest, just the crescent is too boring, be prepared to focus stack or use hyperfocal distance to get all elements sharp.
Some of the stuff that happens around an eclipse is the most interesting, for example crescent bokeh, tree shadows will act like a pinhole camera and give crescent shadows on the ground, birds will roost in the trees as they think it night.
Scout the location before hand and use stellarium, google maps etc to give you the idea about where to stand and how far rhte sun will move during the eclipse.
My plans ( I had a really nice tracking shot over some ruins worked out ) where somewhat ruined by cloud on the day - I woke up to overcast skies and just got in my car and drove until I found some clearer skies, then tried to make the best of it !
Cross&Eclipse2 by Nature Ist, on FlickrPigeons_of_the_Apocaylpse by Nature Ist, on FlickrGassing Station | Photography & Video | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff