eclipse photography

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Larry Shuman

Larry Shuman

Well-known member
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I have never done this type of photography. I intend on using my D4s and 600mm F:4gVR with live view working. I'll be using a Nikon MC-20 remote trigger. I bought a Star Guy solar filter from B&H yesterday and I have 2 types of solor glasses. The filter fits over the lens first element and is held in place with 3 set screws.

Would I use the program mode on the camera or shutter speed mode? I have autoIso turned on. Should I zero out exposure compensation? Or would full manual be better to use? To do full manual I would have to look thru the camera and I've been told NOT to do that. What aperature is used? Would f:8 or F:11 be workable? Should I set iso at 400 or let autoiso continue to work?
Would I use D51, D21 or D9?

Nay help will be greatly appreciated. Thanks
 
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I just bought the Star Guy filter myself. I plan on shooting in full manual, with 9 shot exposure bracketing. I plan on testing the filter on the next sunny day, to get my exposure in the ballpark. Of course, during totality, you'll want to take the filter off.

Here's a shot I took during the 2017 eclipse (during totality) with the following settings:
D500
500mm lens
F5.6
Shutter: 1/1000
ISO:400
IMG_2244 2 copy.jpg
You can only see EXIF info for this image if you are logged in.
 
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Larry Shuman said:
How do you set for using manual mode-by looking thru the camera or by using live view?
Click to expand...
On my DSLR, I used live view. On mirrorless probably the same. Until it is in nearly totality it's really bright up there even with the solar filters, the light coming in around the camera to your eye is bright.

One thing is to always be sure your solar filter is on. I have read where photographers burned holes in their sensors right through the mirrors with telephoto lenses focused on the sun. Didn't happen to me but there were a number of stories from the last eclipse. I pointed my camera at the ground when I wasn't actively shooting images.
 
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Larry Shuman said:
I have never done this type of photography. I intend on using my D4s and 600mm F:4gVR with live view working. I'll be using a Nikon MC-20 remote trigger. I bought a Star Guy solar filter from B&H yesterday and I have 2 types of solor glasses. The filter fits over the lens first element and is held in place with 3 set screws.

Would I use the program mode on the camera or shutter speed mode? I have autoIso turned on. Should I zero out exposure compensation? Or would full manual be better to use? To do full manual I would have to look thru the camera and I've been told NOT to do that. What aperature is used? Would f:8 or F:11 be workable? Should I set iso at 400 or let autoiso continue to work?
Would I use D51, D21 or D9?

Nay help will be greatly appreciated. Thanks
Click to expand...

In this recent thread BCG members posted good commentary and links to helpful information. Have a look.

Are you Photographing the Total Solar Eclipse?

A total solar eclipse will occur across a broad swath of North America in exactly one month, on April 8th, and I’m interested in trying to capture the event. Fortunately, I live along the path of totality, so will be ideally situated. Have you done this sort of thing before and, if so, what tips...
bcgforums.com bcgforums.com
 
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I"m not a live view photographer. So I learned a couple things this morning while testing my big solar filter on my 600mm while shooting the sun. I'll continue the testing untill its time to do the eclipse.
 
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