Total Eclipse lenses

[slat]

I have a Canon SL1 and will be in prime viewing for the eclipse in August. I would like some ideas on a good lenses to shoot it with. I have been looking at some of the mirror lenses because they are long lenses. I have also considered some of the 70-300mm lenses. I would probably use a 1.4 teleconverter to increase the reach. What are some thoughts on this? Is there a better option? I'm not looking to spend thousands on a lens. These photos will be for personal use to document the event, but I want shots that have some size to them with reasonable quality.

 

[480sparky]

My philosophy is: If you've never witnessed a total solar eclipse, don't bother using a camera. Experience it, don't try to record it.

 

[weepete]

My favorite eclipse shots are not close ups, but are landscapes which show the progression of the eclipse in the sky, rather than a straight up shot of the sun or moon.

 

[KmH]

A 70-300 mm zoom likely has a wide open f-stop of f/5.6 @ 300 mm.
Adding a 1.4x TC causes the loss of 1 stop so the lens wide open is effectively f/8.

Eclipse totality will last about 2:30 (minutes:seconds) to 2:40 if you're right on the center of the path of totality.
That doesn't give you much time to get a good image. Don't expect AF to work and exposure won't be straight forward either.
The corona is mainly what you will capture during totality.

If you're wanting to entire eclipse sequence from start to finish you'll need a good solar filter for your lens.
Unfortunately the solar filter makers (small companies) have pretty much run out of stock, bit you can still make your own before the stock of solar filter film runs out.

I'll be using an f/5, 400 mm astronomical telescope as my lens.

 

[greybeard]

My philosophy is: If you've never witnessed a total solar eclipse, don't bother using a camera. Experience it, don't try to record it.

absolutely, there will be millions of pictures taken, just relax and enjoy the moment, you probably won't get a chance to see it again.

 

[480sparky]

....... there will be millions of pictures taken,........

And many by well-funded and equipped people who have the means to travel all over the globe for every eclipse available. I figure they'll take far better photos than I ever could could.

Besides, if you spend all your time trying to take 'the' photo, then 'the' photo is all you'll remember.

 

[nerwin]

I don't think I'll be taking pictures as there will be many other pictures available online that will put mine to shame. I'm just going to experience it. I've seen one a long time ago in the 90s when I was a kid but I vaguely remember it.

 

[petrochemist]

....... there will be millions of pictures taken,........

And many by well-funded and equipped people who have the means to travel all over the globe for every eclipse available. I figure they'll take far better photos than I ever could could.

Besides, if you spend all your time trying to take 'the' photo, then 'the' photo is all you'll remember.

I photographed the total eclipse back in 1999, and am unlikely to witness another (Kids arrived before the one in Turkey we were planning on attending) My photos were certainly not spectacular, but I do clearly remember the event itself.
The light band all round the horizon & the way the birds quietened down didn't feature in any of my efforts to photograph it, but are certainly things I'll not forget - it definitely felt eerie!

The last minute clearing of the morning cloud, may have featured in my photographs but to be honest I don't remember most of the shots sufficiently to know. The only photograph I remember clearly is one of baileys beads where camera shake fortunately produced a 99 - rather appropriate given the year!

I rather suspect some of the bits I saw through the camera wouldn't have been very obvious without the magnification provided by the long lens. Baileys beads would barely have been visible using unaided viewing.

Perhaps the fact I was using a film SLR & had to limit my shots gave me enough time to enjoy the eclipse as well - having to change a film during totality would have really messed things up!

Remember the moon is the same visual size, and moves across the sky at a fairly similar rate. So use that to decide which focal length will be the best to use if you want to take close ups. During totality you'll want a tripod it gets quite dark! With your camera on a tripod taking bracketed shots via an intervalometer you should be free to experience things without paying too much attention to the photography.