Most of you are problably starting to test your visual or photographic setup. Im am very curious about the stuff you'll be operating during the event.
Ok, I'll kick off!
My last total eclipse was in 2006, Turkey. Back then I didn't have a digital camera, no smartphone and no travel mount. I did make a VHS recording from a photo tripod and although it delivered some nice footage, it didn't come near even mediocre images found online at that time. Plus fiddling with the tripod to keep the sun centered kept me away from really experience totality the way I would like to.
Eleven years later things changed a lot. I now have 2 DSLRs, a tracking mount and 2 smartphones. This ables me to automate everything and end up with much better pictures and video than before. So this it what I'll be bringing along next August:
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1. Nikon D3200 DSLR with a 600mm f/8 mirror lens
2. Nikon D3100 DSLR with a 500mm f/8 mirror lens
3. Star Adventurer RA unit
4. Wooden block cut at 42 degrees to replace the original SA wedge and prevent camera shake, mounted on a home made wooden mini tripod.
5. A smartphone running EclipseDroid to automate photography through the D3200
6. Solar filters (of course)
The D3200 will make an automated sequence with lots of different exposures at specific calculated times.
The D3100 will make a HD movie clip
Another smartphone aimed at our observing group will be recording a widefield video.
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With everything set a few minutes before totality the only thing I have to do is remove the filters at the right time.
In theory...
Test runs and images are promising though. This is a test shot of the sun through the 600mm:
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Ok, now show us your gear!
Edited by Roel, 06 June 2017 - 05:15 AM.