Eclipse '24

Using the same camera and lens, a Canon 6D and 300m f4, I captured a second eclipse with identical settings. However when comparing the 2017 eclipse to 2024, you can see sunspots clearly whereas in ‘24, the image and timelapse is diffused and a bit overexposed.

Ultimately the difference was the difference in solar filters. This year I was only able to find (2) No. 4 rated welding glasses which wasn’t able to cut the light down enough to get a proper exposure and stacking them made the image a lot less sharp. These are not glasses that you wear on your head but insertable welding helmet glass. Since the hype was all over the media, all types of solar filters, glasses, and welding glass was sold out everywhere I went. Still, it was cool seeing the sky go noticeably darker and the temperature drop.

You can see sunspots using the No. 14 glass

My setup in 2017. Originally I used a thermal blanket from Dick’s sporting goods as a makeshift solar filter but couldn’t get it flat enough to get a clear image. Then I happened to find a no. 14 welding glass in the studio shop. Welding glass is rated 1-14. 14 lets the least amount of light pass through. It was a wild fluke that I even found the glass that day, having setup and organized the shop myself.