Preparing For The 2024 Total Eclipse

Getting ready to photograph the next total eclipse in April? In this video I’ll give you some tips and information to get you prepared for the day. We'll look at some of the types of filters, how to find a location and what features of the eclipse to try and capture.

Links to websites I mention:

Filtering
Firecrest (Formatt-Hitech) Eclipse filter (77mm) - 18 stop (FC77ECLP5.4)
Black polymer filter sheets - Thousand Oaks Optical

Star Tracker: iOpteron SkyGuider Pro

MyGear:
Nikon Z7 and Z7ii
Wide angle zoom - Nikon Z 14-30mm f4 S
Medium zoom - Nikon Z 24-120mm f4 S
Telephoto lens - Nikon Z 100-400mm f5.6 S
Telephoto lens - Nikon Z 600mm PF f6.3 S
Tripod - Gitzo GT1542 Mountaineer Series 1 Carbon Fibre
Video: Nikon Z7ii, iPhone 13, DJI Osmo Pocket

Chapters:
0:00 Intro
1:00 Eye protection
1:30 Filters
3:00 Sun target for lens
3:30 Lens options
4:00 Practice
5:00 Tracker for following the sun
6:30 Websites for location info
11:00 Xjubier
13:50 Features to photogaph
17:05 Base exposure table
17:35 Conclusion
19:00 Eclipse images

[MelindaGreen]

I didn't watch the full video, but I didn't find you talking about the most incredible view of all which is looking directly at the eclipse during totality. I've done it once with a very nice telescope and once with binoculars. The dynamic range is tremendous and provides a view that you'll never reproduce with any modern cameras. The corona is especially beautiful, and the moon is the blackest black. It's also no problem when the sun first reappears. You get to look for Bailey Beads, and then it quickly gets too bright, so anyone would naturally look away without any prompting. And of course you can go by the clock and only peek near the center of totality if you want to be extremely cautious.