Jump to content

Total Solar Eclipse: Settings VS. Damage protection


Recommended Posts

Advertisement (gone after registration)

On March 20'th i will be in a country where Total Solar Eclipse will occur for two minutes, where it will be "peaking" at 9:41 AM local time.

 

I think i already now know the scenery/landscape where i will be, but i'm wondering how to protect the camera from damage, since i did read somewhere that you should be very careful and not stare at the sun.

 

This leads me to think, if the sun is so strong, that it can damage my eyes the two minutes - the lengt of the total solar eclipse - could it also damage my camera as well?

 

I will most likely be on a mountain, some 20 meters above a flat surface where 600-800 people will gater for the eclipse. All the people will be in the front of the image, with the sun above them, and some mountains surrounding all the scenery.

 

My M6 will be on a tripod with a Summicron 35 ASPH and i will try to shoot two rolls during the two minutes.

 

1. Should i protect my camera from the direct sunlight? If yes, how? [Corrected: Should i avoid having the sun directly in my frame?]

 

2. Do you have any suggested settings, i maybe should prefer?

 

3. Which film would you prefer?

 

Maybe some strange questions, but since a total solar eclipse is also strange for me, it explains my questions ;)

Edited by BjarniM
  • Like 2
Link to post
Share on other sites

There is no reason to protect the camera from direct sunlight, it cannot even be damaged by shooting into the uneclipsed noonday sun.

For exposure I would take (but this is a guess) the sky next to the sun as a reference. this will probably throw your people into silhouettes.

I would use bracketing too.

As film I would take a moderately slow one, with a second body with fairly fast to shoot the audience during the eclipse.

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

There is no reason to protect the camera from direct sunlight, it cannot even be damaged by shooting into the uneclipsed noonday sun.

 

Really? I've seen several threads on the web discussing how easy it's to burn a hole in the shutter curtain on a film Leica with/from direct sunlight.

Link to post
Share on other sites

At the solar eclipse in southern England a few years ago I used a 400mm Telyt to obtain a large image of the sun (~ every 100mm of focal length = 1mm sun diameter on the film). I loaded my M3 with 50 ISO film, used a ×8 red filter and shot at 1/1000 sec at f/22.

  • Like 2
Link to post
Share on other sites

A busy time for the Faroe Islands.:) If I was there I would be aiming to bracket widely. Not just to maximise my options but also to get the photography over quickly without too much thinking about it so that you can actually enjoy the moment. With a 35mm lens presumably you will be aiming to capture the mood and light/darkness of the occasion with the eclipse itself just a minor detail. A quick google brought up this info which seems to have a few tips about exposures, etc.

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

A busy time for the Faroe Islands.:)

 

Yes, sir. With tourists corresponding to about 1/7 of all the population of the Faroe Islands it for sure will be busy up here in the cold north on March 20'th:)

 

If I was there I would be aiming to bracket widely.

 

Bracketing sounds like a winner to me, since it's gonna be a long wait until the next total solar eclipse up here, but i'm wondering how dark it gets. Please see my question below.

 

With a 35mm lens presumably you will be aiming to capture the mood and light/darkness of the occasion with the eclipse itself just a minor detail.

 

You're correct. My goal is to capture the mood at the scene of the moment in the environment where i will be.

 

One thing though. The link describes exposure values when photographing the sun itself, so i'm wondering what a good starting point would be for me, when photographing the scene and environment where i will be.

 

Meaning, the pictures i will take will be exposed after the scene itself - lots of people in a flat area in the mountains, with the sun in a distant view.

 

Does anyone here know how dark it gets, so i can do some digital test shootings prior to the solar eclipse, hoping to get best possible exposures on film when total solar eclipse happens?

Edited by BjarniM
Link to post
Share on other sites

Advertisement (gone after registration)

Really? I've seen several threads on the web discussing how easy it's to burn a hole in the shutter curtain on a film Leica with/from direct sunlight.

 

Yes, but this is unrelated at all to eclipse and is not specific of Leica in itself.... haven't you ever played that "instructive game" for children, to ignite a sheet of paper with a trivial handheld enlarging lens ? (maybe at your latitude isn't so common... ;)... at the Italian sun works well...) . It's the same with direct sun on a photo lens FOCUSED TO INFINITY that has a focal plane shutter directly behind (the SLRs usually have a mirror within... ;)) : the surface of the shutter becomes very warm and, depending on material, damage can occur (it needs TIME...even with strong sun, over 10 sec.) ; hence the golden rules "mount always a lens cap" and "if you wish to keep your Leica ready to shoot, lens uncapped, better not to have focus to infinity".

Edited by luigi bertolotti
  • Like 3
Link to post
Share on other sites

Hello Bjarni,

 

Years ago Kodak printed a "How to take pictures during a Solar Eclipse." Pamphlet.

 

It was relatively short & quite instructive. I am pretty sure that if you looked for it under: Kodak Publications. You could probably find it.

 

Leica cloth shutter curtains have been known to have holes burnt thru them when lenses are focussed on Infinity & cameras are on tripods (or on tables) & are pointed at the Sun for a period of time. Eclipse or no eclipse.

 

Best Regards,

 

Michael

Edited by Michael Geschlecht
Link to post
Share on other sites

Leica cloth shutter curtains have been known to have holes burnt thru them when lenses are focussed on Infinity

 

Michael - are you quite sure about the cameras being focussed on infinity? In this case the surface of the curtain would be at quite a distance in front of the focal plane, where the heat would get the most intense.

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

Really? I've seen several threads on the web discussing how easy it's to burn a hole in the shutter curtain on a film Leica with/from direct sunlight.
You need to point it for quite a time at the sun unmoving to do this, far longer than it takes to take an image. These stories relate to cameras that have been left on a table etc. in an unfortunate position. Edited by jaapv
Link to post
Share on other sites

What you really need is some Baader Astro solar safety film to construct a filter for the lens. I have just unearthed my notes from 1999 when the last event occured. Most of the photo press carried extensive coverage and many hints which I still have. The film was not expensive.

 

Best,

 

normclarke.

Link to post
Share on other sites

The only full solar eclipse I've seen lasted only a short while, so preparedness was all. It never became completely dark, like midnight, but it was like a medium dusk for a short time. Crickets began to chirp, everything else quieted down - like birds, street lights came on. It was a strange experience. I'd do a lot of bracketing as far as exposures go. Good luck and enjoy it.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Meaning, the pictures i will take will be exposed after the scene itself - lots of people in a flat area in the mountains, with the sun in a distant view.

 

During a solar eclipse there is still enough light on the ground to make photos. Your light meter will be adequate.

 

We have experienced a total eclipse here and it was downright spooky. The ambient light is strangely polarized or something like that. The whole environment is flatly lit. No reflections, no shadows, little color.

Edited by pico
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...

It was a nice one this morning, though not total where I am. The English cloud cover helped.

 

Apo Telyt R 280 f/4.

Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here…

Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members!

  • Like 3
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...

To wrap things up, i shot a roll of Fuji Provia 100F during the total solar eclipse.

 

F4 and shutter times ranging from 1/60 to 12 seconds, so i guess there will be something right exposed somewhere :)

Have you processed the images yet?

I suspect the Sun will be very overexposed.  I think one needs the solar film filter...not too expensive.  Should be able to photograph sunspots...I have been meaning to try it.

Will order soon  :p

 

cheers  Dave S

Link to post
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...