Solar Eclipse

[jet486]

This will be my only opportunity to see the solar eclipse in Nov next year in Nth Qld so I thought I get in early and ask for advise on what bits of equipment I would need to photograph this event and as it will be in the morning will I need filters, even settings on the camera, should I go auto or manual or get a larger lens? I'll be using a Nikon D70s with a 18-70mm lens.

[Rob_K]

Originally Posted by jet486

This will be my only opportunity to see the solar eclipse in Nov next year in Nth Qld so I thought I get in early and ask for advise on what bits of equipment I would need to photograph this event and as it will be in the morning will I need filters, even settings on the camera, should I go auto or manual or get a larger lens? I'll be using a Nikon D70s with a 18-70mm lens.

Hi jet - hope these attached images might be of some help. They're mine from the 2010 eclipse, cropped at actual size from original subs with no processing. I've added the zoom & camera settings I used. I had a Canon 400D and 55-200 zoom lens (cheap Sigma) on a tripod. Don't have any really long corona exposures to show you because I was shipboard.

Didn't know what I was doing settings-wise and didn't change settings from those used for the partial (through filter), to those used for the Diamond Ring & totality. Just whipped the filter off and kept shooting. The filter was a bit of Baader film taped into a 1.25" screw-in filter mount (like you screw into a telescope eyepiece), and mounted in a plastic lens cap bought for a dollar from a spares box at a camera shop.

You will need a solar filter for the partial phases, and might need more zoom than the 18-70mm can give you.

Cheers -

[jet486]

Thanks Rob for your help. Where would I get this baader AstroSolar filter?

[Rob_K]

Originally Posted by jet486

Thanks Rob for your help. Where would I get this baader AstroSolar filter?

OzScopes have it for about $35 an A4 sheet. It's a thin flexible foil that you can cut with scissors - construct your own filter cell to suit. Follow safety instructions though. There may be other suppliers.
http://www.ozscopes.com.au/baader-as...fety-film.html

Cheers -

[Paullus (Paul)]

I too will be travelling north for the eclipse and initially contemplating taking my 6" newt with me, but the fact I am having mount problems, obvious logistic issues and it might be *slightly* overkill, I am considering other options. Either a smaller scope, or just a decent lens for my 400d. I've already got a Sigma 18-200 and 70-300, but these aren't much chop when combined with high zooms and low light. Long exposures aren't required (no?) so maybe I'm better off sinking some money into another body and a couple of lenses.

Cheers

[cyclone]

i've started to setup a number of webcams for the total eclipse.
http://www.gorgecreekorchards.com.au/
One question: what is the light intensity (f-stop) difference at totallity and 10 mins before/after ?

cheers