Total Solar Eclipse 11.8.1999

Total Solar Eclipse 11.8.1999, 14:11-14:13 EET

Here's a few of the 70 pics I shot in Bulgaria with Kodak Ektaspeed 400 ASA dia film in

manually operated Canon EOS-10S camera + Canon EF f/4-5.6 75-300mm USM lens &
fully manual Zenit 12 camera + f/8 (fixed) 500 mm MTO Maksutov type lens.

Cameras were mounted on a quarz motor driven Fujigawa equatorial mount on a tripod.

Info:

Map of the location Kamen brjag ( Rocky beach ) in the region of Kavarna, Bulgaria

Totality pics:

There were no clouds at all in the northern Bulgaria on the Black Sea beaches. But - oh my - it was hot: >35 degrees Celcius (100F); dropped below 30 for few minutes :) in Finland we never get this much of heat ( in the Sauna yes but outside no ).

First Diamond Ring 1/125 sec with Canon at f/5.6
..same with the Zenit 1/125
Corona at 1sec with the Zenit
Last Diamond Ring 1/125 sec with the Zenit

Men in Action pics (with a pocket camera):

Tips’n’tricks for the camera crew

Long before the event start practicing with your actual camera setup.
Want to use more than 2 cameras? Do you have more than 2 hands?
If you have a video camera among others put it on its own tripod and be sure its recording.
The obvious: film loaded, cameras all setup and running, new batteries, a few test shots done.
Can the solar filter be quickly removed and reinstalled?
Where to put the filter just before first diamond ring so you can get it back on after second diamond ring?
It will be quite dark - can you see the controls of your cameras?
If motorized tracking is used what if it fails - can you do it manually too?
During totality use different exposure times up to say 20 seconds.
You will have no time to reload a new film during the few minutes.

Updated 14.9.2000

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