Houghy's final eclipse setup

[h0ughy]

its like the world according to GARP - a rather altered sense of reality - this is my final eclipse setup.:rofl:

I have connected 3 cameras to the mac air utilising a powered USB hub, leaving one USB port free in case of an emergency setup?:shrug:

I can drive the 60D and the 600D as well as the trusty old 30D with the extra leg (well shoestring trigger ;) ) . I did purchase a Canon 650D but with the canon SDK's it wont work with Eclipse orchestrator (win) or more importantly Solar Eclipse Maestro on the mac.:)

I have done several live "practice" tests and the only things I now need practice are the setting up of the tripod and Starlaspe. I will be taking my Polarie mount as this will be holding the Canon 30D.;):thumbsup:

I am stoked that i can drive 3 cameras at once!!!!:D see the second video for the 2 minutes of terror, the first one is just showing some bits of SEM.

I have been doing a little bit of testing for Xavier with the canon cameras with SEM. top bloke:thumbsup:;)

setting up the software (http://youtu.be/THL9cfBJTvg)

and executing it (http://youtu.be/P0cV4XR8Wag)

now as for the 650D - i finally worked out what i will be doing with that one - i will be placing it on a tripod and attaching the standard 70-300 canon lens to it and using the video function do the totality in video form.:question:

so I will be taking the following

Canon 60D with 32G
Canon 650D with 8G
Canon 600D with 32G
Canon 30D with 16G
canon G12 for some happy snaps 32G

50mm, 70-200mmL lens
400mm L lens
70-300mm lens

lithium external power pack
powered USB hub.
Macbook Air 11"
Acer aspire 3830T
power supplies for said lappys
camera battery chargers
powered USB leads 5m x 3
lithium AA batteries, AAA batteries
2 inverlometers
Aluminuim table
lotsa sunscreen and a can of cloudaway:rofl:

Al Meehan and Scott Alder have seen the monster at work, I think Al just realised i mean business, and has gone home to do lots of homework learning how to drive his camera. Many thanks to Mr Alder for the loan of the 400mm L lens:D

now to pack the stuff:question:

[bartman]

Me thinks David wont miss a single photon!
Awesome set up David.
Is the Acer a backup if the Mac fails?
Cheers
Bartman

[jjjnettie]

You get 10 bonus Brownie Points for mentioning one of my most favourite books and movies. :)

Wowee Dave, leave some photons for us mate. Looking forward to catching up with you in Cairns.

[h0ughy]

Yes bartman it is the alternative just in case. As for missing a single photon - who knows?

It will be my first eclipse, there are far more seasoned and veteran eclipse chasers out there that deserve respect - and i have been listening intently to the advice:thumbsup:

if this setup performs it will be the basis for a future trip in 2017 to the USA;)

[h0ughy]

plenty on offer up there JJJ. I just need to take my fair share back home;)

[bartman]

Surely this is not the first eclipse you have witnessed? :shrug:
Even though there are seasoned eclipse chasers out there, I'm sure with the equipment and set up you have ( and the dedication/advice you have received), you'll be able to produce some stunning results!
Pack and observe safely...:lol:
Bartman

[venus]

watch out DARLEKS!

[acropolite]

Impressive setup. Looks like you have almost every eventuality covered.... but have you tested with cloud filters Dave??:P

[h0ughy]

no i havent Phil but i know that JJJ has the cure for that - the official Clooouwwdsdissappear chant:rofl::thumbsup:

[tornado33]

Yep I saw the setup in person today, quite amazing and definately the way to get some amazing eclipse imagery.
Scott

[AstralTraveller]

Very nice. When nothing succeeds like excess ;). You seem to have all bases covered. :thumbsup: What's you plan for the solar filters?

[bartman]

Or you might want to employ this girl....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pLzSRNqa7X0
:question::lol:
Bartman

[h0ughy]

I will be using ND5 solar film that way focus wont be changed - using the method by ozEclipse

[h0ughy]

LOL i used your lens tonight just on the tripod with the 650D Scott

[strongmanmike]

I see another Malin coming :whistle:...looks great Dave, shame I'm not coming witch ya :sadeyes:

Mike

[h0ughy]

no Mike you don't:P, there are much bigger boys:D out there with way better and bigger toys:P......... I just want something to remember the trip by;)

[bojan]

Looks OK.. However, if I were you, I would mount lenses and cameras such that they are closer to tripod vertical axis, to improve balance.
It may prove to be useful to reduce occupied footprint, in case locals decide to impose charges per square meter..

[h0ughy]

in a nutshell - i can't - the balance point is how it is in the pictures. I might have to go country in order to get rural rates

[OzEclipse]

I may have misled you slightly. Anything in the optical path can change focus. I'm sure that at some level, the Baader film does too. With the WO70 f6.3 I use, I find the Baader doesn't change the focus perceptibly in the eyepiece or on the final image and certainly not as much as a glass filter or thicker plastic filter can. I do a final trim on focus on the mountains on the limb about 30-50 seconds before totality just before removing the filter. Don't leave it too late but if you do it too early, the rapidly changing temperature can get you.

But if you use a 400mm f2.8, you might notice something of a focus shift because of the shallow focus.

For an eclipse, optical systems of f6-f8 at ISO 100 require exposures ranging from 1/4000 up to a few seconds from inner to outer corona and 8s for the Earthshine.

Looks like an awesome system Houghy. Looking forward to see the results.

Joe

[h0ughy]

so if i get absolutely perfect focus on a star then put the filter over it will be out of focus?

[gregbradley]

You're a maniac Dave! Awesome setup.

Where is the mission control booth though?

Greg.

[h0ughy]

aluminium table and a cardboard box;):thanx:

[seeker372011]

Have you got you B double permit yet?

[h0ughy]

no, :P

[OzEclipse]

I can't give a definitive answer to your question.

All I can tell you is what I have done with some success. I have focused carefully using liveview at 8x on the lunar limb ~1min before totality using the Baader film and not felt the need to change focus during totality. During totality I switch off live view and preview of the just taken image so that I don't have a distracting light.

You are asking me about focusing on a star hours before and whether it will be in focus with the filter on. But then when you shoot totality, your filter will be off just like when you focus on the star. So what does it matter about the filter? Forget the partial phases....it's all about the corona. However, now you'll need to think about temperature change, mechanical stability of the focuser as well as depth of field issues since your EFR could be less than mine.


Lets look at the variables

USER Joe

Time from
focusing -> usage 60s

Temp change small

OTA f stop f6 - f8

filter on to focus

filter off shoot totality

USER Houghy

Time from
focusing -> usage hours

Temp change small to large??

OTA f stop f2.8, f4??

filter on shoot partial ecl

filter off to focus

If you are thinking of focusing on a star pre-dawn, you need to be sure that temperature changes and mechanical stability of the focusing mechanism don't trip you up. My eclipse observing partner and I did a star focus on his Nikon lens in Libya back in 2006. I don't know whether it was temp shift or some mechanical focus shift but it just didn't work. All his images were out of focus. We could not pin down the cause, but we never tried it again.

I don't know the answer to your question about the star. You could try this simple experiment. Focus on the star one night then next day put the filter on and check the focus on some sunspots. I can see why you want an alternative, too many cameras to focus in such a short time. An early morning eclipse like this might not see too big a temperature shift. The land doesn't have much time to warm. I observed the last eclipse in this saros series in Bolivia Nov 3, 1994. We were at 4500m altitude. The eclipse was total at 23 deg altitude a bit after 8am local time. Temperature dropped 5C from pre-eclipse to totality. Biggest shift I've measured was in Romania in 1999. I had two sensors, one mounted at 1m measuring air temp the other at ground level.

Before the eclipse:
Air temp 39 Celsius
Ground temp 52 Celsius

During the eclipse:
Air temp 30 Celsius
Ground temp 31 Celsius

I've had more than my fair share of focus problems over numerous eclipses as have many friends of mine. Apart from really stupid errors like forgetting to remove the filter or forgetting to press the shutter or start the computer script, focus is one of the most common problems among eclipse photographers. It sounds silly to be caught by such a simple problem but with so little time, and so many things competing for your attention, it's so easy to make mistakes.

Sorry I can't give you a simple definitive answer.

Joe

[h0ughy]

you have given me the best answer -experience

[h0ughy]

OK small dose of reality - i tried packing one of my bags - it doesnt fit what i want it to - i may have to rationalise further my setup - try to strike a balance between what i want and what i can have

[shahgazer]

Wow Houghy!

Now you really tempting me to bring 'everything' on the flight for the eclipse! Glad to hear Solar Eclipse Maestro is working fine with 3 camera.

I've tested on my 5DMkii and now looking for extra usb cable for the other 2 cams...

[h0ughy]

i have been working with Xavier with his software with the canon cameras and i can say that he is an absolutely fantastic bloke whose dedication and knowledge is phenomenal. he has reached a limit of development for now to get canon 650d, 5d3 6d etc working with SEM but i am sure that will be fixed for the next eclipse. i am not sure which nikon cameras work with SEM?

check your international weight limits ;)