shoot the eclipse?

[tom lombard]

I'm planning on staying home next Monday to see how my chickens handle the eclipse. I've got an infrared security camera set up outside the coop to monitor their coming & going as well as a second infrared security camera inside the coop monitoring the roost. Will also have a DSLR on hand to see what else I can catch. Not really a "project" as much as just taking advantage of the opportunity. Something else occurred to me a couple minutes ago... I just got my Bolex EL running again (had a blown fuse) and I was wondering about putting it on a tripod, pointing it at the sun, and setting the FPS really slow to get a time lapse. Stock I have on hand (and likely too late to get anything else) is Kodak D50, D250, and Double X B&W. Any thoughts on doing something other than wasting a 100' of film? I haven't thought it thru yet & would welcome any input. I'm in Nebraska and will have full totality for 2 & a half minutes so 24FPS would catch it but would like to stretch it out to get some before & after. Thanks, Tom

[Landon D. Parks]

Something like this seems much easier with digital than film, at least to me. If you want a timelapse, why not just do that with your DSLR? While film cameras can do timelapse, that is really more of a photography technique.

 

Why do you want to shoot this on film when most DSLR's can already do it?

[tom lombard]

In part because I'm in the forum trying to learn more about working with film :) Not trying to be a smart a$$ but, yeah.

 

So drifting off to bed last night I realized that I have these eclipse "glasses" and I can take one of the filters from that and put it in the filter holder of the EL. Also realized that the only parts I want of the whole eclipse period would be the 2 & a half minutes of totality and, maybe, an equal length of time before & after. So going from 24FPS down to 10 and starting about a minute & a half prior to totality should get the whole thing. Then just run 'till the 100' is shot. Lens/aperture thoughts? Need to keep the whole sun in frame and use something with good focus at infinity. Don't know how aperture figures in here.

[Brett Allbritton]

I recall noticing that B&H has a how to guide on photographing an eclipse that might be helpful. I will say though, I've personally decided that I'm not going to worry about recording it, I'm just going to watch. Some of my coworkers said that they're going all out and setting up every camera they have, but I know myself well enough that if I tried to shoot it I'd just end up missing out because I'd be fiddling with my camera. :P

[tom lombard]

I hear ya on fiddling with camera & missing out on what's going on. Again, I'm kinda going with the side of me that's wanting to learn more about working with film and trying to film a full eclipse isn't one of those educational opportunities I'll get very often. Not anticipating that I'll get anything as good (with any camera I have or with naked eye even) as what I'll be able to see on Discovery or NOVA in near future. But mine will likely be the only one I'll see shot on 16mm :)

 

I'm not anticipating seeing anything in the chicken behavior other than them heading to the coop when it darkens & coming back out a bit later. On a personal level, I'm anticipating an overwhelming feeling like I need to follow my normal routine as it gets dark... sit on the porch with a beer & listen to the coyotes as the sun goes down.

[Brian Drysdale]

I shot a partial eclipse for our local BBC. I was just hired for the day, it was their kit and (surprise, surprise) they hadn't organised any filters. but they were lucky it was cloudy and wasn't so dense you couldn't see anything.

 

This article may assist those in its path.

 

https://www.provideocoalition.com/guide-capture-great-american-eclipse/

[Tyler Purcell]

I just gotta find a lens. I'm gonna shoot it on 3 perf 35, but I don't have a long enough lens to make it happen and my S16 zoom is out for service, so there goes shooting it on 16! GRRRR!!!!!!