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Using B&W film as eclipse filter

+1000 it is!!!

Just use your #1 diopter close-up filter. It's actually a 1,000mm lens. Set it up, all by itself, pointed at the sun -- perpendicularly. Then place a white sheet of paper, etc. 1,000mm behind it. You'll get a very visible view of the sun you can view with the naked eye.
 
Last partial solar eclipse I used a cereal box viewer with a pinhole that projects to the bottom of the box. You look in the box to see the image, so you are actually looking 180 degrees from the sun.

I was also using a pinhole on the camera, cranked out to about 600mm focal length.

The ground glass view was pretty dim. You needed a dark cloth to see it well.

As you can see it was overcase, but a circle opened in the clouds long enough to make an exposure.

 
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Yes, it will be bigger than the pinhole projected image in a cereal box.

The grid on my ground glass above is 15mm and the focal length for that projected image was about 600mm.
 
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I plan on using a waist level viewfinder like I did last time. Should keep my eyes out of the danger zone
 
Cholentpot said:
I plan on using a waist level viewfinder like I did last time. Should keep my eyes out of the danger zone
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Waist level view is good for 3PM where I am. For 35mm I'll be using a Rollei 3003 with waist level finder. But, again, if the filter is not on, it is blinding.
 
I'll be doing movies with this. I still need to rig up a spotting scope. This lens is 1,000mm equivalent on this format. It is very difficult to find the sun with the filter in place. I found it also challenging without a 90 degree finder which I don't have. I read somewhere the Bolex 90 degree finder looked like one from a Minolta, but it is too late to seek one at this time.
 
Cholentpot said:
Millions upon millions world wide multiple times have used the cheapass cardboards. Is there an epidemic of blindness? I wanna see it with my eyes.
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People get Lasik too.

I’m happy looking at shadows and projections.
 
Bill Burk said:
People get Lasik too.

I’m happy looking at shadows and projections.
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Lasik has a 99% self reported success rate.

ic-racer said:
Waist level view is good for 3PM where I am. For 35mm I'll be using a Rollei 3003 with waist level finder. But, again, if the filter is not on, it is blinding.
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I'm going to attempt with a Mamiya C33 and the 180mm lens for 120. 35mm I have a 500mm mirror lens I might put on my F3 and see what happens. Both camera will have 100 speed film in them. How to meter? No idea.
 
Ask Lasik recipients to describe night time lighting. I’d hate to mess up the stars

Saw someone post that a disco ball would be cool
 
I think it was for the last transit of Venus across the Sun that I purchased an A4 sheet of Solar Filter Film made by a very well known maker.
After about a forty mile round trip to the shop I inspected the sheet at home. The filter was positively dangerous.
I posted it back, and telephoned the dealer. He agreed it was in no way safe to use. It looked like streaky oil on the sheet with large patches of transparent coating, or lack of coating.
If you luckily get a good sheet check it out for pinholes in a dark room and bright spotlight before putting your faith in the thing.

I have used a welders mask filter occasionally but it has to be a minimum of welders filter strength number 12, denser safer welders filter are desirable if your supplier has them in stock.

Back to the sheet of rubbish filter, I got my money back and ordered a proper Meade Astronomical Solar Filter. A lot more expensive but well worth the peace of mind.
 
Cholentpot said:
How to meter? No idea.
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My plans, with the solar filter I will spot meter the sun and set at middle gray. Though it could be some zones higher and print fine.
For the 'total' I'm going to follow a chart like this. This is with no filter on the lens

 

I agree! Get a proper eclipse glasses from a verified source. Your eyes are worth it. One usually only gets one set of eyes, so properly protect them.
 
ic-racer said:
My plans, with the solar filter I will spot meter the sun and set at middle gray. Though it could be some zones higher and print fine.
For the 'total' I'm going to follow a chart like this. This is with no filter on the lens

View attachment 367048
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Thanks!

Ok, you all convinced me. Can amazon get something to my doorstep by the end of the week and what should I get?
 
WARNING ABOUT TELESCOPE EYEPIECE SUN FILTERS
Never use one.

 
I got the cardboard and plastic film ones from B&H and have already tried them photographing with still and cine. They seem pretty safe, the image is quite dim. For viewing I got some cardboard from B&H and also some welding glasses that fit over my perscription glasses better.

 
At this point I'm thinking 3 cameras:

8mm with 1000mm eqivalent to film some of the partial and the transition to total.
8mm with wide angle and no filter with intervalometer to film the sky and clouds before during and after. I still need to calculate when to start it and duration between frames and when or if I need to wind the spring motor.
35mm with 200mm lens for stills of partial and total.
 

It's fairly easy to expose and develop film to a transmission density of 3.0 and maybe 4.0. that isn't quite enough to filter sunlight safely. metal-foil filters are safer and optically better while still being affordable. Also, they are more color-neutral than welding glasses for example. Using film in layers is out; you'd get annoying reflections and distortions.
 

Already have glasses. I need something to go on front of camera lenses. I used to have a chunk of welding glass but I seem to have misplaced it over the years.


I was thinking of exposing it and putting in a tray of Rodinal for a while then fixing it. I have glasses I just want something to go over the front of my lens.
 
The solar film in mine looks identical to that which is in the cardboard glasses.

 
All right! Good to go. Glued to the filter of a 500mm f/8 mirror lens and made a makeshift filter cover for the Mamiya TLR 18cm lens. I still have some of the film left so I have to figure out a way to mount onto my EF 200mm without making a mess.





 

metal-foil-filters are very good but, a pinhole projection is the safest way to observe an eclipse; even then you should wear good sunglasses. the reflection off a white piece of paper is still very bright and the full eclipse cycle takes up to two hours.
 

So matter what I do it'll never be good enough.

I'll also stay at home under my bed wearing a foam fall helmet and only eat lukewarm mashed potatoes.

You're worried about the light bouncing off a piece of paper? You know, sometimes I drive a few blocks without my seatbelt on. And once in a blue moon I'll ride a bike without a helmet. I hold roman candles in my hand and I'll drink a few bottles of beer and try to sing. I'm Mr. Danger over here.
 
Well, millions of people are going to be attempting to photograph the eclipse directly. More power to them, but I don't see the point in duplicating their efforts, so if I take a photo, it will probably be of one of the indirect effects, maybe the shadows of a tree or something. I'm mulling over ideas to make an eclipse-related picture more interesting. Maybe use water to reflect the image in some way. Or having something else in the frame. I'm open to suggestions.
 

It's a once in a lifetime opportunity to photograph something for me. I like taking photos of things, why should I not jump at the opportunity to take a photo of this thing? It's no different than taking a photo of Niagara Falls, the Moon, Grand Canyon or lighting strikes. It'll be my photo taken by me. There may be millions of other but none like mine.
 
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