Note to self: Clean sensor next time before shooting eclipse at f/32

Edgar_in_Indy · 08-21-2017, 12:00 PM

I think the title says it all! I still got some pretty decent pics, just had to clone out a few dust spots. Next time I'll be ready!

**jacamar** · 08-21-2017, 12:15 PM

Maybe they were sunspots??

Edgar_in_Indy · 08-21-2017, 12:28 PM - **8 Likes**

Originally posted by jacamar

Maybe they were sunspots??

Lol, a kind sentiment, but I know a dirty sensor when I see one! It really wasn't too bad though. I'm just now going through my pics. Here's my favorite so far:

A bit overexposed perhaps in the area of the sun, but I like the effect with the clouds. Maybe I can reprocess it with a graduated filter to expose the left side more, to even things out.

---------- Post added 08-21-17 at 04:16 PM ----------

Here it is with the left side brightened and the exposure on the sun dialed down a bit:

**travelswsage** · 08-21-2017, 04:07 PM

Wow, pretty nice -- I like the really primal look of it!

Sandy Hancock · 08-21-2017, 04:15 PM

I imagine the clouds caused some disappointment to many, but they really give this image some "atmosphere"

carolina_sky · 08-21-2017, 04:25 PM

Those are very cool photos! Really like what the clouds add to the image, quite unique.

stevebrot · 08-21-2017, 05:04 PM

Originally posted by Sandy Hancock

I imagine the clouds caused some disappointment to many, but they really give this image some "atmosphere"

Agreed! Those are dramatic. One almost expects that sorcery was involved.

Steve

Edgar_in_Indy · 08-21-2017, 06:36 PM

Yeah, at first I was disappointed that clouds were periodically passing over the sun during the event, but when I saw some of the dramatic images I changed my mind. Without the clouds, you would basically just get a sliver of crescent with the rest of the frame black.

For reference, the pictures were captured with my Sigma 100-300mm f4 attached to my Panasonic GX-7 with a K-mount adapter and set at 300mm, so I guess it was 600mm equiv. I had not planned to take any pictures of the eclipse, but at the last minute, near peak eclipse, I caved in and quickly brought my gear out to the front lawn to see what I could do.

I used a combination of the manual aperture on the Sigma and a variable ND filter to regulate the sun's rays. My aperture varied from f/32 all the way to f/4 depending on cloud cover (or lack thereof) and depending on how much I dialed my ND filter in. I was a bit worried about damaging my sensor, since I was using a mirrorless camera, but everything seems to be okay.

GlennG · 08-21-2017, 08:09 PM

Originally posted by Edgar_in_Indy

Here it is with the left side brightened and the exposure on the sun dialed down a bit:

Yes, I prefer the second over the first, with the sun more defined. I agree about the effects of the clouds. To me it has the feeling that I'm there at the beginning of creation with everything in a vaporous soup. Well done and thanks for sharing. Sure glad you caved in.

Edgar_in_Indy · 08-22-2017, 02:44 AM

Originally posted by GlennG

Yes, I prefer the second over the first, with the sun more defined. I agree about the effects of the clouds. To me it has the feeling that I'm there at the beginning of creation with everything in a vaporous soup. Well done and thanks for sharing. Sure glad you caved in.

At my monitor at home, the eclipse is visible in both photos. But here at work, where the monitor is probably set too bright, it's not visible in the first photo, and barely visible in the second. Maybe I should dial it down a bit more.

**NS_Sailor** · 08-22-2017, 12:17 PM

Originally posted by jacamar

Maybe they were sunspots??

Don't rule sunspots out, a friend here in Nova Scotia where we got a almost 50% solar coverage was able to see major sunspot activity along with some solar flaring in the upper hemisphere during the eclipse through a solar telescope

08-21-2017, 12:00 PM	#1
Edgar_in_Indy Veteran Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Indiana, USA Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,685	Note to self: Clean sensor next time before shooting eclipse at f/32 I think the title says it all! I still got some pretty decent pics, just had to clone out a few dust spots. Next time I'll be ready!

08-21-2017, 12:28 PM - 8 Likes	#3
Edgar_in_Indy Veteran Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Indiana, USA Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,685 Original Poster	Originally posted by jacamar Maybe they were sunspots?? Lol, a kind sentiment, but I know a dirty sensor when I see one! It really wasn't too bad though. I'm just now going through my pics. Here's my favorite so far: A bit overexposed perhaps in the area of the sun, but I like the effect with the clouds. Maybe I can reprocess it with a graduated filter to expose the left side more, to even things out. ---------- Post added 08-21-17 at 04:16 PM ---------- Here it is with the left side brightened and the exposure on the sun dialed down a bit: Last edited by Edgar_in_Indy; 08-22-2017 at 06:34 PM.

08-21-2017, 06:36 PM	#8
Edgar_in_Indy Veteran Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Indiana, USA Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,685 Original Poster	Yeah, at first I was disappointed that clouds were periodically passing over the sun during the event, but when I saw some of the dramatic images I changed my mind. Without the clouds, you would basically just get a sliver of crescent with the rest of the frame black. For reference, the pictures were captured with my Sigma 100-300mm f4 attached to my Panasonic GX-7 with a K-mount adapter and set at 300mm, so I guess it was 600mm equiv. I had not planned to take any pictures of the eclipse, but at the last minute, near peak eclipse, I caved in and quickly brought my gear out to the front lawn to see what I could do. I used a combination of the manual aperture on the Sigma and a variable ND filter to regulate the sun's rays. My aperture varied from f/32 all the way to f/4 depending on cloud cover (or lack thereof) and depending on how much I dialed my ND filter in. I was a bit worried about damaging my sensor, since I was using a mirrorless camera, but everything seems to be okay. Last edited by Edgar_in_Indy; 08-21-2017 at 06:44 PM.

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08-21-2017, 12:15 PM	#2
jacamar Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Toronto Photos: Albums Posts: 3,443	Maybe they were sunspots??

08-21-2017, 04:07 PM	#4
travelswsage Site Supporter Join Date: Jun 2016 Posts: 385	Wow, pretty nice -- I like the really primal look of it!

08-21-2017, 04:15 PM	#5
Sandy Hancock Moderator Site Supporter Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Adelaide Hills, South Australia Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 11,272	I imagine the clouds caused some disappointment to many, but they really give this image some "atmosphere"

08-21-2017, 04:25 PM	#6
carolina_sky Site Supporter Join Date: Nov 2013 Photos: Gallery Posts: 156	Those are very cool photos! Really like what the clouds add to the image, quite unique.

08-21-2017, 05:04 PM	#7
stevebrot Otis Memorial Pentaxian Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Vancouver (USA) Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 42,007	Originally posted by Sandy Hancock I imagine the clouds caused some disappointment to many, but they really give this image some "atmosphere" Agreed! Those are dramatic. One almost expects that sorcery was involved. Steve

08-21-2017, 08:09 PM	#9
GlennG Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Houston, Texas Posts: 824	Originally posted by Edgar_in_Indy Here it is with the left side brightened and the exposure on the sun dialed down a bit: Yes, I prefer the second over the first, with the sun more defined. I agree about the effects of the clouds. To me it has the feeling that I'm there at the beginning of creation with everything in a vaporous soup. Well done and thanks for sharing. Sure glad you caved in.

08-22-2017, 02:44 AM	#10
Edgar_in_Indy Veteran Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Indiana, USA Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,685 Original Poster	Originally posted by GlennG Yes, I prefer the second over the first, with the sun more defined. I agree about the effects of the clouds. To me it has the feeling that I'm there at the beginning of creation with everything in a vaporous soup. Well done and thanks for sharing. Sure glad you caved in. At my monitor at home, the eclipse is visible in both photos. But here at work, where the monitor is probably set too bright, it's not visible in the first photo, and barely visible in the second. Maybe I should dial it down a bit more.

08-22-2017, 12:17 PM	#11
NS_Sailor Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Dartmouth Nova Scotia Canada Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 1,020	Originally posted by jacamar Maybe they were sunspots?? Don't rule sunspots out, a friend here in Nova Scotia where we got a almost 50% solar coverage was able to see major sunspot activity along with some solar flaring in the upper hemisphere during the eclipse through a solar telescope

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