specpro
Established
What's the best lens to use to capture the total eclipse next Wednesday July 22nd? Any safety pre-cautions to take when viewing the eclipse through the M7 viewfinder? Thanks in advance for the advice.
Total Eclipse
- Thread starter specpro
- Start date
- Latest activity Latest activity:
- Replies 9
- Views 1K
qruyk12
Established
you will need a solar filter from an astronomy shop. check out this link for more info:
http://www.mreclipse.com/SEphoto/SEphoto.html
http://www.mreclipse.com/SEphoto/SEphoto.html
rbiemer
Unabashed Amateur
NASA has a ood, basic page of info:
http://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/solar.html
Scroll down and there are links to good maps of the coverage and there are some basic viewing safety and photo tips as well.
Good luck! I'm not going to see this one; the next time there is a total eclipse where I'll be able to see it is in 2024🙁
Rob
http://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/solar.html
Scroll down and there are links to good maps of the coverage and there are some basic viewing safety and photo tips as well.
Good luck! I'm not going to see this one; the next time there is a total eclipse where I'll be able to see it is in 2024🙁
Rob
specpro
Established
Thanks
Thanks
Thanks for the prompt response. Will study those websites carefully. Seems like I'll only be able to get a tiny shot of the eclipse with my 35mm lens though 🙁
Thanks
Thanks for the prompt response. Will study those websites carefully. Seems like I'll only be able to get a tiny shot of the eclipse with my 35mm lens though 🙁
uhligfd
Well-known
I second the 600 mm lens and best used with 1.4 TC.
Not Leica or rangefinder territory, these far away tele shots, not at all!
Not Leica or rangefinder territory, these far away tele shots, not at all!
specpro
Established
safety
safety
great blurb here http://www.mreclipse.com/Totality2/TotalityCh11.html about using tri-x film as a safety filter. wonder has anybody tried it out here?
safety
great blurb here http://www.mreclipse.com/Totality2/TotalityCh11.html about using tri-x film as a safety filter. wonder has anybody tried it out here?
Tin
Well-known
Years ago, a member of the astronomy club that I used to belong to demonstrated one way to take eclipse pictures with any camera/lens. He placed a clean/shiny hub cap on the ground and took pictures from it. The hub cap served as a fish-eye mirror. With that setup, he was able to take pictures of the eclipse in progress together with all the observers and telescopes around. His pictures were distinctively different from the usual eclipse pictures. Your M7 is certainly suitable for that setup.
specpro
Established
that's ingenious
that's ingenious
did your friend take any safety precautions? is the eclipse reflected as harmful as non-reflected?
that's ingenious
did your friend take any safety precautions? is the eclipse reflected as harmful as non-reflected?
Tin
Well-known
I don't know whether he had solar filters on his camera lens. I only saw a slide show and heard his description of his setup. Nobody in the audience asked that particular question either. But I would suggest that for visual observation (by yourself) you should have eye protection regardless. I am sure that my friend also had proper eye protection at that time. Check the websites quoted earlier in the thread to see if they mentioned whether solar filters are needed on the lens during totality. If so, you need solar filters at all times.
Also, if you are using your M7 or any other RF cameras without a solar filter on the lens, make sure that you only point the camera at the sun when you are ready to make an exposure. Turn the camera away at other times so that the shutter don't get damaged by the focused sun. Even if you use a SLR where the mirror will protect the shutter, the sunlight might still generate heat inside the prism and eyepiece if it is pointing to the sun for longer than needed be. And of course you should not look into the eyepiece unless you wear eye protection.
The hub cab method should cut down a lot on the intense radiation, but I have no idea by how much. So to be on the safe side, I would suggest that you'd better take more precautions than might be necessary.
Also, if you are using your M7 or any other RF cameras without a solar filter on the lens, make sure that you only point the camera at the sun when you are ready to make an exposure. Turn the camera away at other times so that the shutter don't get damaged by the focused sun. Even if you use a SLR where the mirror will protect the shutter, the sunlight might still generate heat inside the prism and eyepiece if it is pointing to the sun for longer than needed be. And of course you should not look into the eyepiece unless you wear eye protection.
The hub cab method should cut down a lot on the intense radiation, but I have no idea by how much. So to be on the safe side, I would suggest that you'd better take more precautions than might be necessary.
hobbim
Member
I used two leaders of FP4+ stacked to view (visually) a partial eclipse. Works very well. It filters IR too so it is safe. With two of them stacked you'll not have to worry about pinholes either.
It was my first look at the sun and I was supprised the sun was about the size of a cherry 6 feet away. You'll definately need a long telephoto for that!
For direct photographing you'll need some filters. I'm sure the developed b&w film between the lens and the sun works but it won't give the optimal image quality.
