Annular Eclipse May 20,2012

Greetings everyone. I have the opportunity to shoot an annular eclipse later this month. I'm looking for advice on how to best shoot this rare event. I am thinking about renting a 1.4 or even 2 extender for this. Basically, I need to know if the gear I have below will be adequate to get a decent capture. Using advanced theoretical mathematics, I figure I can get a reach of 448 mm using the 1.4 extender and 640 mm with the 2.0 extender.

Gear:
7D
70-200 IS
tripod
B+W ND110 (10 stop filter)
various LEE GNDs

Much obliged for your expertise! Erno (image taken from Google Images)
Attachment 1020

Erno,

Are you heading North to the Chico area? I am going to be in Monterey, but am trying to figure out how to head north....

BTW, we are thinking along the same lines...here is the thread I posted:

http://community.the-digital-picture...ead.php?t=6015

still up in the air, but i think i may drive out to Bidwell Park. I need to find a tree or something to put in the foreground. sun will be about 2 "handwidths' from the horizon, so not even sure how to do this. I'll be using Live View only on my 7D for this. worse case scenario is a fry my sensor, so will have to upgrade to a 5DM3.

:) I had the exact same thought.

FWIW, I filled my APS-C sensor (maybe 90% of sensor height) with the supermoon the other week, using 1000mm f/14 (250 f/3.5 x2 x2).
Don't go too overboard with length, with that tight a framing the moon moved out of shot in about 30 seconds. (It was kinda freaky, watching it move on 5x live-view that quickly).

I know the sun's probably smaller than a supermoon, but 800mm or so is probably long enough for an aps-c (1200mm FF or so?) if you want to get a nice border around it like that palm-tree shot, 200mm x2 = 400mm and a bit of cropping on a 7D should be just nice.

Enro,

There is a thread on this over at CR. They mention Baader filter paper. I just picked some up from http://www.astro-physics.com/. There also seem to be several filters made from the material for telescopes. I found some "astrozap" filters here: http://www.optcorp.com/productList.aspx that seem to be from the same material.

Maybe you have a local photography/telescope store that has some of this material.

Good luck,
Brant

If you know anyone that is a welder, you could use welding glass for your filter.

Thanks Pat. I have seen that you need Shade No. 14 for solar viewing. I've been looking, but haven't yet found what the basis is for the shade numbers. I actually have ordered some shade number 12 from mcmaster.com, but had trouble finding shade number 14. Most welding glass out there seems to be shade #5-8. So, be careful if using welding glass.

For comparison, the Baader filter/film for photography is rated at ND 3.8 (12 2/3 stops). But when I talked to the people at astro-physics they really emphasized that was for photography only and if there was any chance of me looking through the viewfinder, to use the filter/film rated "visual" which is ND 5.0, so 16 2/3 stops.

I am a complete novice about this, so I am being conservative. But it also seems to be about more than just number of stops and that you have to be very careful about blocking non-visible light, both IR and UV.

Brant:
I agree... you do have to be careful when looking at the sun. The last time there was a solar eclipes, we watched at work using the glass that we use to look at 3000 deg F molten metal and 5000 deg F molten zerconia. I always thought it was welding glass, but maybe not. I will check to see where they get it from and what the spec is.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Kayaker72

...Most welding glass out there seems to be shade #5-8. So, be careful if using welding glass.

I am a complete novice about this, so I am being conservative. But it also seems to be about more than just number of stops and that you have to be very careful about blocking non-visible light, both IR and UV.

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See link below. Welding glass in shades of 10-15. I am not an expert,but it sounds like welding glass in the range you are looking for is avaialble.
http://www.phillips-safety.com/store...hp?cPath=41_68

I saw what was called welding safety glasses that were shades of 5-8, but I do not think those would ever be considered good enough for arc welding.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by conropl

The last time there was a solar eclipes, we watched at work using the glass that we use to look at 3000 deg F molten metal and 5000 deg F molten zerconia.

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Ha.
The last time there was a solar eclipse, everyone at my work went outside and looked at it through CD-Rs...

Quote:

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Originally Posted by conropl

I saw what was called welding safety glasses that were shades of 5-8, but I do not think those would ever be considered good enough for arc welding.

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Yep, and yet welding safety googles with #5 shade glass pop up twice in the first four options if you type in "solar eclipse glasses" on amazon. :eek: For welding glass, I've only seen the #14 recommended. I've read about people successfully using shades ~11-12, and I may try shade 12 with the 7D in Live view. But for direct viewing, I am going to stay with the baader film I bought. :cool:

These are some summaries as I have found on the web:
http://www.perkins-observatory.org/eclipsesafety.html

http://earthsky.org/space/view-may-2...f-venus-safely

http://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/SEhelp/safety.html#filter

BTW, for photography:

http://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/SEhelp/SEphoto.html

http://www.mreclipse.com/SEphoto/SEphoto.html

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Dr Croubie

Ha.
The last time there was a solar eclipse, everyone at my work went outside and looked at it through CD-Rs...

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I wonder how much eye damage is caused with solar eclipe's and peoples homemade methods of looking at it.:confused:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by conropl

I wonder how much eye damage is caused with solar eclipe's and peoples homemade methods of looking at it.:confused:

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I've been wondering the same thing myself. Or, how much damage would there be if you look through shade 12 welders glass versus shade 14. Or, how much help would the UV filter on the camera lens be if it was stacked with a 10 stop ND??

Personally, I don't know. But what I do know is that my camera sensor and my eyes are worth more to me than the $130 I just spent to have Baader film overnighted. :D Some things aren't worth messing around with.

BTW, as a kid, I saw my first eclipse through X-ray film.

Since Albuquerque, NM is a prime viewing spot for the eclipse, the event has created quite a frenzy for viewing material in this area. As of yesterday, all of the libraries and most of the museums were out of viewing glasses and since I failed to plan ahead and do as Kayaker did, I had pretty much given up on getting filter material for shooting the event. Lucky for me, I found an article in the newspaper where one of the tint shops had planned ahead and purchased certified 5.0 ND tint film and was selling it for $2.00 for personal viewing strips and $10.00 for an 8x8 sheet for telescopes and cameras--So I ran out and got me some this morning. I am not sure how photographically clear the film is, but it's better than doing without.

Another unfortunate thing about this frenzy is that there are several unscrupulous venders selling regular car window tint for as much as $5.00 a strip and people are actually buying it. Not a bad deal, get ripped off and go blind in one swift move:mad:. I am wondering if these guys are in business with the local opthamologists:confused:.

IF you were lucky or smart enough to get appropriate filter material for this event, there is a great website for estimating exposure parameters HERE . I think the link was posted earlier, but I will do it again for those interested.


Looking forward to seeing the pics generated from this event.

Happy shooting,

Bob

Good luck guys!

Well, It was a beautiful evening for shooting an eclipse here in Central New Mexico. Unfortunately, a cloud rolled by just as the moon was reaching the "ring of fire" stage, so I missed getting the one I really went out for. Also, The sun set before the eclipse completed but still made for a few interesting shots.

Enjoy:

7D @700mm, useing 5.0 ND filter film. No Editing yet. I took 1300 pics of this thing, But I thought these 5 would do.

Attachment 1061Attachment 1062Attachment 1063Attachment 1064Attachment 1060

Thanks for sharing Bob,
looks amazing. I missed the whole thing here in California (family stuff).

With 1300 pictures you could do a time lapse movie, no?

Arnt

Quote:

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Originally Posted by ahab1372

Thanks for sharing Bob,
looks amazing. I missed the whole thing here in California (family stuff).

With 1300 pictures you could do a time lapse movie, no?

Arnt

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That'd only be practical if the interval between shots was consistent. Otherwise it'd be extremely choppy and poor quality.

Thanks Ahab, But Rocco is correct, and Since I had to follow the sun in the frame, the sun is never in excatly the same spot within the frame, so that would even make it worse. I think the best I could do is maybe superimpose select images in a single photo to show the track.

Nice shots Bob. I am away right now so it may be a bit before I load mine up. The Baader film and homemade filter worked great (could make out sun spots). Just saying if any of you are interested in the transect of Venus over the sun on June 5. (www.astro-physics.com)

So after all the effort in buying the Baader film, making the filter, etc, a friend shows me a shot last night he took walking down the sidewalk with an iPhone. The leaves of a tree were acting like multiple pine hole cameras and he could see all these images of the eclipse on the ground. Great shot.

Attachment 1065

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ernogy/...in/photostream

Annular eclipse 05/20/2012
Experiencing this spectacle made the long afternoon drive from Folsom to Chico, CA all the worthwhile for 4 little minutes of glory. Talk about challenging...having absolutely no knowledge on how to shoot a solar eclipse, I "Googled" like crazy but never really found the magic formula. I rented a 2x Canon extender, screwed on my 10 stop B+W ND filter, set my camera to Live-View, and hoped for the best. I tried finding anything for a foreground but this turned out to be nearly impossible as the sun was far too high in the sky. I found some trees and somewhat blindly included some of the upper branches in frame. As far as that nasty lens flare ring? $5 to anyone who can clean it up. I think I'm too lazy from the drive home tonight!

Since the lens flare ring nicely encircles the tree, why not call it "intentional"?

Great shot Enro. Love the color. One thing on mine is that they are pretty white.

your's is probably white because you know what you're doing! i am just winging it. i do notice a red/purple cast with the B+W 10stop and i really didnt play around with the white balance much in post (Aperture 3). i am just surprised how dark the images were. my shot of duplicating the tree in silhouette was too challenging given the huge contrast with an overhead eclipsed sun. i tried shooting in manual for better control of the metering but ended up shooting in both manual and aperture priority during the 4 minutes of annularity.

i cant wait to see your shots kayaker! bob, strong celestial images sir!

Just got back yesterday. Below are a few from the eclipse. I am still processing most of the photos. Overall, it was a lot of fun.

All shots were through Baader film.

This is a shot taken testing out my homemade filter of Baader film the day before. The black specs are sun spots.
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7245/7...d1cec079_b.jpg
small-4643 by kayaker72, on Flickr

At the start of the eclipse:

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7105/7...dc9e96dd_b.jpg
small-4657 by kayaker72, on Flickr

I was far enough south that I never got to see the "ring of fire." This is the closest I came (color added in post):
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7094/7...3f04e5bb_b.jpg
small-4707 by kayaker72, on Flickr

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8024/7...f16df7b8_b.jpg
small-4720 by kayaker72, on Flickr

In addition to making a filter for the front of my 100-400L with the Baader film, I made a couple of hand held filters that got past around:
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7092/7...2e377887_b.jpg
small-4736 by kayaker72, on Flickr

I am still processing most of my photos (snapped ~130). There seems to be a texture to the edges of some. At the time, I thought it was natural, looking at it on my monitor, it may be the Baader film showing up if my focus is off. I will play around with that some more before the Transit of Venus (June 5-6), but it definitely doesn't appear in several of the shots with better focus (#1).

But, overall, it was a lot of fun.

Thanks for viewing...Brant