Tomorrow I am off on a solar cruise in the Pacific from Sydney. This time I invested in Baader ND5 solar film to be safe and not to damage my camera. I am using Nikon D7000 and 18-200mm lens. I did test shots and it looks OK. See sample at 100% crop. Nothing else was adjusted post process. Even few sun spots are visible - 200mm Manual mode f/10 1/640s ISO 100 spot metering and single focus point. Focus in auto was obtained quickly so I will use it. I know that at least one other Nikonian will be on the same cruise from reading the posts.

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Besides the obvious...

Could you please explain a solar cruise?

Cheers...

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>Besides the obvious...
>
>Could you please explain a solar cruise?

Just normal 14 nights cruise visiting various south pacific ports. Because of Total Solar Eclipse during the cruise ship will sail to the best observation location. Area of longest totality and free of clouds. There are number of Astronomical experts on the cruise giving lectures, talks and evening stargazing troughout the cruise. The highlight is on the morning of the 14th with the total solar eclipse.

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Nice...I hasve cruised 3 times currently...nice way to holiday

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Enjoy the cruise!

You may consider opening up a bit, for higher shutter speeds. (Or a higher ISO, which might be a better move, at least up to 400)

You did not need it here but you may need it on the ship in open seas. You'll want to allow plenty of time to figure that part out on eclipse day

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Neil
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Wow! Enjoy your cruise. Some friends of ours did a similar cruise for the last solar eclipse and had a great time - I know you will too.

Good luck,
Richard

>Enjoy the cruise!
>
>You may consider opening up a bit, for higher shutter speeds.
>(Or a higher ISO, which might be a better move, at least up to
>400)
>
>You did not need it here but you may need it on the ship in
>open seas. You'll want to allow plenty of time to figure that
>part out on eclipse day


Thank you. I will have plenty of time for tests before the eclipse on the 14th.

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Way cool. Very jealous here. Can't wait to see your pictures.

Best,

Mark Smith
Just like I previsualized it, more or less...

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I am writting this from the HAL Oosterdam cruise ship. I just experienced my first Total Solar Eclipse. We were lucky with weather but have lost second Diamond Ring observation due to clouds. Lot of good quality camera equipment was in use. Sad to see some of the people who have made decision to use manual focus and have disapointing result. In all my tests I have found it impossible to achieve manual focus on such a small object in the sky. Auto focus is the only way good focus can be achieved. Few attached photos are taken with D7000 and 18-200mm lens.

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Very cool, nice shots.

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Very cool, indeed. Love the corona shot! Congrats.


Mark Smith
Just like I previsualized it, more or less...

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>Very cool, indeed. Love the corona shot! Congrats.

Thank you. It was all luck.
I have been practicing photographing the sun during the first few days of the cruise and was getting good results. I saved the setting for solar filter use to U1 in my D7000 camera. I also used Bracketing in +/-1EV. For totality best guess settings saved to U2. I was confident but things sometime don't turn out as one would expect.
We woke up to cloudy day. Sun become visable for a short time when moon was already half way across the sun. In the distance we could see sunlight patch in the sea and the ship was heading for it. We had the clearing as the thin cresent was still visible. Took few shots and remove solar filter. Now it was geting dark. Could not see the camera mode dial and turned it the wrong way. Took few photos of Diamond ring looked at result and made changes blind in the dark. This continued into totality. In the end the settings were right and the totality was visible. We have been lucky.

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Hi,
great photos, thanks for sharing.
The corona is great, but the combined image as well.

best

Christian

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Very nice set of images! I'm surprised you got as much corona as you did with such a short exposure. Did you have difficulty framing around the roll of the ship?

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Nikonians Team
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>Very nice set of images! I'm surprised you got as much
>corona as you did with such a short exposure. Did you have
>difficulty framing around the roll of the ship?

No one is as surprised as I was. It was luck but understanding camera and exposures also helps. I was not sure where I was with the setting in the dark. I judged the speed by the sound and compensated. This is not normal in the dark adjustments. Diamond ring lasted 10 seconds. I took 7 images at 3 different setting. All keepers. Totality lasted less then 2 minute before clouds took over. I took 45 images at 2 different settings but most in manual mode. Most keepers. At the same time I wanted to experience it but I must say that view trough the lens was the best.
Camera was set on tripod with preset tension of ball head. It was easy to keep the sun in the frame at 200mm. Movement of the ship did not cause problem. It is a big ship.

Totality was taken in manual mode f/5.6, 1/160s, Matrix, ISO 200

Diamond ring was taken in Scene Landscape f/11, 1/125s, Matrix, ISO 200.(by accident)

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