DIY eclipse photography

June 14, 2017 7:24 AM

I'm going to be in the totality of the upcoming total solar eclipse. I'd like to photograph it! Specifically, I'd like to make a homemade (pinhole?) camera and create a permanent image of, at least, the ring of the corona in the sky. How, specifically, could I best do that?
posted by 4th number to Media & Arts (2 answers total)

I could be wrong but I don't think a pinhole camera will give you the same effect as the pinhole trick with an eclipse.
You could take a picture of the pinhole projection.. that would be easy to do with a regular camera.
Nikon has a breakdown how to do it if you want the actual sun.
It sounds like when the sun is totally obscured you don't need a special filter, but you would still need a very long lens.
posted by starman at 11:25 AM on June 14, 2017

After having seen a couple of eclipses, and having my spot reserved for August 21st, I humbly suggest to all of my eclipse-chasing friends that they don't bother with trying to photograph the eclipse. Especially this one. As fun as your idea sounds, this will be the fastest 2 1/2 minutes of your life, and denying yourself even a second to mess around with or worry about your camera would mean missing out on one of life's rarest and most amazing experiences - I am not exaggerating.
posted by Martys_Friend at 4:34 PM on June 14, 2017 [1 favorite]