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Best eclipse lens for a7ii?
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PostPosted: Sat Apr 29, 2017 7:06 pm    Post subject: Best eclipse lens for a7ii? Reply with quote

The eclipse will be traversing very near where I live. I intend to be in totality for near 2 minutes. I know some of you are skilled in astrophotography. What lenses and filters would you recommend for wide angle and tele?


PostPosted: Sun Apr 30, 2017 1:10 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

The Solar eclipse this Summer, in August? You should be prepared! Laughing There is a lot of online info to study.

Generally, you need the proper filter(s), or, better a Solar Telescope -- made by Coronado...I think they make filters too...the Coronado site can lead to more info. Be sure to properly filter the lens and your eyes!!!

Lens focal length depends on results wanted Smile Wide angle lens pointed properly can capture the entire event...the resulting photos can be superimposed, for example. Telephoto lens needs a tracking mount to follow the subject!


PostPosted: Sun Apr 30, 2017 3:59 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

If you just want to take close up photos of the eclipse as it progresses, then you don't need tracking, you can readjust periodically. Even with the right filter, the Sun is plenty bright enough for tripod mounted shots of 1/100sec for example.
You can get specific solar filters, which are cheap..... Google solar filter sheets. I mount the sheeting on existing filters.


Last edited by dnas on Sun Apr 30, 2017 4:03 am; edited 1 time in total


PostPosted: Mon May 01, 2017 10:28 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

If you want to shoot wide angle, one thing to consider is the time of day, and how high up the sun will be at your location during the eclipse. That could influence your choice in focal length to capture both the sun and the ground in one shot.

Here's a useful collection of links provided by NASA: https://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/SEhelp/eclipsePhoto.html. If you click on the first one, it shows you some examples of the size of the sun and its corona at different telephoto focal lengths. You need just about 1000mm for the corona to fill the frame, and over 2000mm if you want only the sun.


PostPosted: Mon May 01, 2017 2:28 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Depending on focal length, on static tripod @1/100 sec may not be fast enough to prevent blur.

http://starcircleacademy.com/2012/06/600-rule/

and from great NASA link kindly provided by Crazy Leica Fox:



PostPosted: Tue May 02, 2017 6:31 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I used extremly slow 100-300/5.6-6.7 zoom plus two Cokin filters that were pretty dark (each).

Stopping down does not help of course unless it is a preset lens!

Still did not dare to really look seriously into the viewfinder, only glance, and have the AF find it and freehand-ly navigate by exposure (it goes from 1/50 to 1/2000 when the sun is in center).
Actually I do not remember, perhaps I even decoupled the AF after it reached infinity.

In any case, that is how I did it, but I cannot recommend it. It may still be too dangerous. The filter may fall off, etc etc


PostPosted: Tue May 02, 2017 1:28 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

There are aspects of the eclipse that work best with a relatively normal focal length (such as the pinhole type projected images through gaps in leaves).
For the Eclipse itself quite a long focal length is needed to fill the frame reasonably. It's easy to check using the moon.
I'd suggest using several cameras, one with long telephoto & another (even your phone) for the environment.

A fish eye shot of the whole sky during totality could have been interesting too at the horizon all round is paler, an effect not seen at other times...

During totality it gets dark enough that you'll need a tripod, and fast lenses or high ISO. But before totality the light levels are high enough to be harmful so a strong filter is needed! A standard 10 stop filter is not recommended (especially with a DSLR) as it doesn't block NIR...

Most of the shots I took of the total eclipse back in 1999 where totally useless. The 500mm mirror lens was OK except that it wasn't fast enough for the film I had available. The best result I got was from pure luck camera shake on my attempt at baileys beads left a (huge) 99 trail which at least shows the year Smile

Cloud cover threatened to obscure the action from the spot we'd gone to. Most of the campsite had cleared with observers heading off in search of clearer skies, fortunately for us the clouds parted about half an hour before totality...


PostPosted: Tue May 02, 2017 10:34 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

This level of detail with Olympus 300mm f4.5, and soft solar filter:
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PostPosted: Wed May 03, 2017 7:20 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

dnas wrote:
This level of detail with Olympus 300mm f4.5, and soft solar filter:
[/URL]

That's not an eclipse! Smile
Lovely shot
Would it be the transit of Venus?


PostPosted: Thu May 04, 2017 12:28 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

DConvert wrote:
dnas wrote:
This level of detail with Olympus 300mm f4.5, and soft solar filter:
[/URL]

That's not an eclipse! Smile
Lovely shot
Would it be the transit of Venus?


Yes, transit of Venus!!!!

HERE is an eclipse!!!! It's an annular eclipse, taken through cloud with same lens, but with 2 x polarising filters. I was lucky to see anything, as it was raining ten minutes before!!!


PostPosted: Thu May 04, 2017 2:35 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quote:
HERE is an eclipse


WOW!!!


PostPosted: Thu May 11, 2017 8:07 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

http://www.daystarfilters.com/Quark/CameraQuark.shtml


PostPosted: Thu May 11, 2017 8:36 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

visualopsins wrote:
http://www.daystarfilters.com/Quark/CameraQuark.shtml


That could be the ultimate for solar viewing, but I don't think it's right for the eclipse.
It's a little bit pricey for most of us as well I suspect!