Shooting Solar Eclipses

[ryan_boehler]

I'd have thought this would be an overdone topic, but a number of searches has returned very little.

 

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My questions about shooting solar eclipses are two:

 

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1. What filter (if any) should be used? I have seen filters mentioned for solar viewing by telescope, but none specific to SLR cameras.

 

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2. Film types for this application were briefly discussed on this forum, but were concerned mostly with slide film. I will be using print film. The fine grain of Royal Gold 25 seems ideal for enlarging what will undoubtedly be a tiny image (200 mm prime + 2X); any problems with this choice?

 

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Help with these questions and any other tips will be greatly appreciated.

[tatu_laitinen]

The cheapest way to photograph solar eclipses is to use MYLAR. It is sold in sheets of various sizes. You can simply wrap it around your lens with tape. Mylar is mostly used in telescopes but it can be used for photography. This material is available trough many dealers in Astronomy and S&T magazines. Glass filters are better choise but they are more expensive. Thousand Oaks Optical manufactures various high quality glass filters. Type A+ is for general photographic use. the suns disk is yellow-orange. This can allso be used for unlimited viewing. Type B+ is for photographic use only. Its light transmission is much higher and exposure times are shorter. Both glass types come in many sizes. You can also order unmounted glass filter for custom use. They dont manufacture filters for lenses, but you can allways build your own mountings!!!!

And of cource the best filter for more naturalistic shots is fair-weather cumulus cloud. The cloud allows enough light to pass trough, so the sun appears as a beatiful ring. The diffraction creates beautiful colors into the cloud. You should be very carefull with this technique because the cloud doesnt stop UV radiation.

The film you mentioned is a fine choice, but you dont have to do enlargements. You can track entire eclipse into single frame by using multiple exposures. With a nice siluette or landscape this technique delivers most beautiful photos. It is advisable to use two cameras, one for a single frame exposure and another for individual shots. If this sound too difficult you should buy glass filter and shoot individual shots!

Most of all, be very carefull. I damaged my right eye because I didnt follow the instructions!!!!

[john_mollenkamp]

I assume the upcoming Feb. 26 eclipse has spurred the interest. I don't have any personal experience, but the Sky Online web page has loads of information about viewing and photographing eclipses including the tips on photographing partial solar eclipses located at:

 

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http://www.skypub.com/eclipses/spartial.html

 

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Good luck (and don't forget to protect your eyes and your gear).

[bobatkins]

Did you read <a href="http://www.photo.net/photo/nature/sunmoon.html">

http://www.photo.net/photo/nature/sunmoon.html</a> (and the links in

that article)?

[tait_stangl]

You might also consider looking at <a href="http://www.nyip.com/tips/topic_eclipse0298.html">http://www.nyip.com/tips/topic_eclipse0298.html</a>

[tom_benedict]

Take a look at sci.astro.amateur. Luckily it's not as crowded with crazies as the other sci.astro groups, and I can gurantee you the topic has come up recently.

 

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To directly photograph the eclipse (i.e. camera pointed at the sun), you must use a filter. No, make that you *MUST* use a filter. Even that may not be enough emphasis...

 

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If you plan to look through the viewfinder, get a filter that's ok for use with your eye. Thousand Oaks Optical makes several fine ones of this grade. A #7 welder's glass is NOT 100% protection, nor is most mylar. You can get mylar that's designed to block UV for human eye viewing, but if it wrinkles and gets pinholes, you're up a creek.

 

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If you don't plan to look through the viewfinder, your options are a little wider. I've even used two sheets of TMax 100 that had been over-exposed and developed. They give the image a nice ruddy tint. They also do very little to block UV, and will do an excellent job of blinding you if used incorrectly.

 

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An alternative is to photograph a projected image of the sun. Some of the neater eclipse pictures I've seen have been projected images. Pinholes, trees, even a salt-shaker top can project a neat image during a partial eclipse.

 

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Whatever you do, play it safe. The machine shop I used to work in had a sign by every lathe and mill: "You only get one set of eyes. Wear protection." The sun is a runaway fusion reactor. If I'm cautious around an end-mill, I'm even more cautious around nuclear reactors.

 

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Tom