NikonGear'23
Images => Life, the Universe & Everything Else => Topic started by: Øivind Tøien on April 25, 2016, 09:19:48
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This is a little heads-up that planet Mercury will pass in front of the Sun May 9. It will be be visible though its full phase in Western and Northern Europe plus Eastern parts of the American continent, and through its last phase in Western parts of the American continent including Alaska. While not as spectacular and rare as the passage of Venus in front of the Sun, it should be well worth capturing. It also looks like timing coincides with the Scotland event, so there might be another task for the gathering. What I experienced before the Venus passage was that solar filters were sold out everywhere (a colleague saved me by sharing his filter with me), so if you need to get one, hurry!
Earlier this spring I made myself a solar filter based on the Baader Astrosolar film, visual ND 5, which is safe for direct observations. I considered ND 3.8 which is listed for photographic purposes, but after looking up tables for exposure, I decided that exposures would be on the short side unless combined with other filters. Also, ND 3.8 is much harder to come by in smaller sizes; the 4x4" piece of ND 5 only cost me $15 shipped from Agena Astroproducts.
The standard recipe for making a solar filter is based on sandwiching the film between two poster boards using sticky tape. I have seen reports from some who simply have pressed the film between a couple of filters/stepup rings for a more compact solution, however that violates the recommendations to mount the film without any stretch of the film. Here is what I did to avoid that:
I had an old 77mm filter ring from an NC filter that broke. To reduce thickness (to fit in a standard Nikon filter case) i filed down the male threads to get a flat surface (a cheap 72-77 mm stepup ring could be used instead of this). Now I applied the principle most recommended: A piece of Kim-wipe was taped down to be completely flat, the Baader film placed loosely on top of that, Locktite marine epoxy was applied to the flat surface of the filter ring, and now comes the "tricky" part: Center the filter ring at low height above the film, and drop it straight down onto the Baader film. From now on do not touch it until the epoxy is completely set overnight; it is best to do this before turning in to avoid the temptation to adjust anything...
(http://otoien.zenfolio.com/img/s/v-2/p1885841414.jpg)
Next day I trimmed the film to leave a small edge of a few of mm, then applied a small amount of epoxy to the inside of a cheap 77-82 mm step-up ring and pressed the filter ring with the film into it. As the film already is firmly attached to the filter ring there is no risk of getting it stretched. I applied a moderate weight on top of the filter ring until the epoxy had set.
(http://otoien.zenfolio.com/img/s2/v51/p1911064241.jpg)
Now I have a solar filter that fits nicely in a standard Nikon filter case and can be carried everywhere without need for carrying a larger filter in a "pizza box". (I had to trim down the ridge inside the case a little to get to the right thickness when resting in the case.)
(http://otoien.zenfolio.com/img/s/v-2/p2017098576.jpg)
Here the filter is safely mounted on my 300mm PF, well protected by the shade. The only disadvantage of this approach is that if used during a total solar eclipse it will be a bit slower to mount/dismount during the dark phase than one fitted on the front of the shade, but there is no need to screw it in too tightly.
(http://otoien.zenfolio.com/img/s10/v106/p1995234469.jpg)
To the testing - the Baader film gives a pretty neutral color opposed to the typical glass filters on the market. Here is the huge sunspot from last week which completely dwarfs Mercury and some other planets, in size.
(http://otoien.zenfolio.com/img/s/v-2/p2025905720.jpg)
From the solar eclipse earlier this spring, here natural sunset colors are showing with daylight white balance.
(http://otoien.zenfolio.com/img/s4/v68/p1885820969.jpg)
From two of the remaining corners I made a pair of solar filters for my 8x20 Zeiss binoculars using the same principle.
(http://otoien.zenfolio.com/img/s1/v47/p1919571823-4.jpg)
Some links:
http://eclipsewise.com/oh/tm2016.html (http://eclipsewise.com/oh/tm2016.html)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transit_of_Mercury (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transit_of_Mercury)
http://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/transit/catalog/MercuryCatalog.html (http://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/transit/catalog/MercuryCatalog.html)
An additional note: I had applied some double sided tape to the outside of the filter ring to attach the edge of the film to the filter ring before gluing it to the step-up ring, but this did not work very well and is best omitted unless one can find a better double sided tape than I had available.
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Very nice project ;) Thanks for posting!
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I can hardly wait to see the results!
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Most helpful. Thank you very much!!!
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Thanks for the comments, glad if it can be of help.
Those lucky with capturing this event, please contribute with results here if desired.
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Great project!
Unfortunately, this Transit of Mercury cannot be observed in Japan. I just wish you Western folks the best of luck and share the result here in NG!
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Just a link with a reminder that Mercury will be a very small dot compared to Venus, so a lens setup with an adequately narrow angle of view is called for. This dpreview post has an image from a previous transit.
http://www.dpreview.com/forums/post/57488974 (http://www.dpreview.com/forums/post/57488974)
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I plan to use 200/2 AFS + TC-14E + TC-201 = 560 mm physical, on the AW1.
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Bjørn, I will be closely looking by with my AW1 and 300/2.8 AF-I.
I will need to borrow apart from the knowledge, the FT1 and the two TCs.
We will be taking turns on the FSB8 fluid head I suppose...
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No need to hurry, the Transit takes hours to complete. The visibility of the Sun tends to be the major concern for these events, not time constraints.
If the weather is conducive, we might join the queue for the steam train going over the Glenfinnan aquaduct. A steam locomotive billowing smoke and the solar disk with the tiny Mercury visible through the fumes, now that would be something special. No idea whether such ideas are feasible to achieve though.
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Bjørn, I will be closely looking by with my AW1 and 300/2.8 AF-I.
I will need to borrow apart from the knowledge, the FT1 and the two TCs.
We will be taking turns on the FSB8 fluid head I suppose...
Jakov, David has Ais 400/5.6 ED IF which will be more handy for the TOM, with or without TC.
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We won't impose on David's opportunities for shooting the transit himself.
as Mercury is so much smaller than Venus, one either needs a very long focal length, or the narrow range of view provided by a CX-format camera or suchlike. In the latter case, a long lens is still required and the camera resolution should be good as well.
These events are more remembered for their unique opportunity of perceiving Cosmic Scale than for the recorded details, if any, of the planet in question. Venus is almost the size of Earth thus a Venus Transit is easier to relate to in that perspective. However, there will be no more Venus Transits this century, thus Mercury has to suffice.
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We won't impose on David's opportunities for shooting the transit himself.
Of course, I didn't mean to take his chance away. Only if he is not trying to capture the TOM himself.
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I am considering buying an adapter like the FT-1 to use on the Nikon 1 system (I have an AW1) for the Mercury transit.
The lens I am planning to use is a Mamyia 500mm so no electronics whatsoever and I nave no AF(S) Nikkors so not keen to buy an expensive FT-1 if a much cheaper alternative can do the job in the same way.
What problems am I going to face using a completely manual lens with no electronics on a Nikon 1?
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Simone, the major issue I am facing with my cheap adapter (on a V1) is the difficulty to MF. There is no aid whatsoever.
It could be fairly easy for the transit of Mercury though as you will look for focus at infinity, with plenty of time to adjust.
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If the adapter does not supply any electrical signals the AW-1 will not see any lens attached and refuse to fire ("check lens - pictures can only be taken with a lens attached" message, just checked). With FT-1 it will still see an electrical signal and allow anything attached to the FT-1 (or not) to be used for exposure time down to 1 sec.
With FT-1 the AW1 allows zooming in to about 100% view with a press of the OK button, making manual focusing pretty easy.
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If the adapter does not supply any electrical signals the AW-1 will not see any lens attached and refuse to fire ("check lens - pictures can only be taken with a lens attached" message). With FT-1 it will still see an electrical signal and allow anything attached to the FT-1 (or not) to be used.
Is this a specific "feature" of the AW1 or is it common across Nikon 1 cameras?
If it is, items like this:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/381057054463?_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT (http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/381057054463?_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT)
are basically useless, at least for the AW1.
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The V1 focuses with entirely manual lenses and adapters without contacts. I'm regularly using the Nikkor CRT with a cheap M39 adapter and even with a lens simply mounted with rubber bands.
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Simone, I shot Transit of Venus using Nikon 1 J1, FT-1 adapter, Ai300/4.5 and TC14 teleconverter. Thanks to the genuine adapter and the non-ED Nikkor, I could just set the lens at the infinity stop. All I had to do was to chase the sun correctly.
The problem of the cheap adapter in general is the sample variation. Some sample don't allow you to focus at infinity and some allow you to focus "past" infinity. The latter case should be OK, but the former case is a big problem to shoot the Mercury in Transit.
You should be all right so long as you use the genuine FT-1 and your Mamiya lens can focus literally at infinity. With FT-1, you should be able to use either A or M mode and either spot or center-weighted metering method for the exposure.
According to Nikon's compatibility chart, you are not able to use any focus aid with an MF lens (even with the Nikkor Ai/Ais). I'm afraid I don't remember if you can magnify the live view image with the combo.
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Simone, I shot Transit of Venus using Nikon 1 J1, FT-1 adapter, Ai300/4.5 and TC14 teleconverter. Thanks to the genuine adapter and the non-ED Nikkor, I could just set the lens at the infinity stop. All I had to do was to chase the sun correctly.
The problem of the cheap adapter in general is the sample variation. Some sample don't allow you to focus at infinity and some allow you to focus "past" infinity. The latter case should be OK, but the former case is a big problem to shoot the Mercury in Transit.
You should be all right so long as you use the genuine FT-1 and your Mamiya lens can focus literally at infinity. With FT-1, you should be able to use either A or M mode and either spot or center-weighted metering method for the exposure.
According to Nikon's compatibility chart, you are not able to use any focus aid with an MF lens (even with the Nikkor Ai/Ais). I'm afraid I don't remember if you can magnify the live view image with the combo.
OK, maybe the whole idea does not have legs.
Infinity focus on the Mamyia is a problem, not sure why. I would have to fix that. Add variability from the converter and it becomes hopeless.
Not to mention that without the AW1 seeing some electronics it will completely refuse to take a photo, according to Øivind (I trust he has read the manual more carefully than me).
I will revert to the original plan, which is to use the X-T1. I also have a 2X TC for the 500mm and have shot the sun previously with this combo so not a big deal if I cannot use the AW1.
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I am considering buying an adapter like the FT-1 to use on the Nikon 1 system (I have an AW1) for the Mercury transit.
The lens I am planning to use is a Mamyia 500mm so no electronics whatsoever and I nave no AF(S) Nikkors so not keen to buy an expensive FT-1 if a much cheaper alternative can do the job in the same way.
What problems am I going to face using a completely manual lens with no electronics on a Nikon 1?
I can bring my FT-1 to Scotland if you need it. But if you put a totally manual lens in front, there is really little point in using it (except for the support, see below).
Instead, you can cobble together an improvised adapter from ebay items. The only issue is support, the lens shouldn't be too heavy because you are going to mount the rig onto the camera tripod mount. Here, the FT-1 has an advantage because it has a tripod foot. How heavy is the Mamiya 500mm? I can make and bring an improvised adapter for you if you don't have the parts, since it might be too short a time window to order them now from ebay.
You need a lens with aperture ring and you are forced to use the camera in manual mode.
I don't have the AW1, but on my V1 there is a strange upper limit to the exposure time, if I remember correctly it is 1/3s. I cannot do any exposures longer than that.
These are the only limits that come to my mind right now.
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Infinity focus on the Mamyia is a problem, not sure why.
I don't know why your lens does not focus to infinity, but if the flange distance is a problem, one can insert a M42 helicoid into the adapter to adjust the spacing between sensor and the bayonet of the lens.
Thus, my proposed improvised adapter would be
Nikon1 to M42 adapter -- M42 helicoid -- M42 to Nikon F adapter.
I have to check whether this package already exceeds the width of the FT-1. How big is the Mamiya flange distance?
What mount does the Mamiya lens have? How big is the Nikon F to Mamiya adapter you use (if you use it at all)?
I have a Nikon F male to Mamiya 645 female adapter on order (for a different project), but it hasn't arrived yet. Is that what you use?
http://www.ebay.ch/itm/Mamiya-645-lens-M645-Mount-to-Nikon-F-mount-Camera-Adapter-D4-D800-D7100-D5200-/351410153227?hash=item51d1ad670b:g:12cAAOSwl8NVZD-f (http://www.ebay.ch/itm/Mamiya-645-lens-M645-Mount-to-Nikon-F-mount-Camera-Adapter-D4-D800-D7100-D5200-/351410153227?hash=item51d1ad670b:g:12cAAOSwl8NVZD-f)
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I checked that the Mamiya flange distance is 63.3mm. If you can measure your Mamiya 645 adapter thickness, I can check whether I can make an adapter for you.
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I don't know why your lens does not focus to infinity, but if the flange distance is a problem, one can insert a M42 helicoid into the adapter to adjust the spacing between sensor and the bayonet of the lens.
Thus, my proposed improvised adapter would be
Nikon1 to M42 adapter -- M42 helicoid -- M42 to Nikon F adapter.
I have to check whether this package already exceeds the width of the FT-1. How big is the Mamiya flange distance?
What mount does the Mamiya lens have? How big is the Nikon F to Mamiya adapter you use (if you use it at all)?
I have a Nikon F male to Mamiya 645 female adapter on order (for a different project), but it hasn't arrived yet. Is that what you use?
http://www.ebay.ch/itm/Mamiya-645-lens-M645-Mount-to-Nikon-F-mount-Camera-Adapter-D4-D800-D7100-D5200-/351410153227?hash=item51d1ad670b:g:12cAAOSwl8NVZD-f (http://www.ebay.ch/itm/Mamiya-645-lens-M645-Mount-to-Nikon-F-mount-Camera-Adapter-D4-D800-D7100-D5200-/351410153227?hash=item51d1ad670b:g:12cAAOSwl8NVZD-f)
Øivind has given the important answer ("the camera will not take pictures if it does not find electronics attached to the lens mount") so what follows is purely academic.
Regardless:
1) I have two Mamiya 645 to Nikon F mount adapters. Thickness is correct in both (measured with a calliper)
2) They are just like the one you linked so thanks but I am fine.
3) My lens does not focus to infinity probably due to some impact received whilst shipping, I am hoping that some of the lens experts might have some time to help.
4) The improvised adapter you propose most certainly would not allow infinity focus because it comprises additional bits
5) If someone has an FT-1 to lend for a few minutes to try it is gladly accepted, but I won't rely on it because I can get by with the X-T1
6) An FT-1 would be an interesting gadget to own, but at the moment not worth the cost for me considered I have no AFS Nikkor lenses.
Looking forward to discussing what was the other project - face to face will be much better :)
I forgot to say that the 500mm is a big and heavy lens so obviously it has a big foot of its own with an Arca plate.
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The combo I talked about is 28mm flange to flange, I just assembled it here. That is thinner than the FT-1 which is 29.4mm. The helicoid allows you to extend that further, but I guess it won't be needed anyway because all it does is focus closer. I don't know whether that 1.4mm is sufficient to make your lens reach infinity. Maybe that could be investigated by you by free-lensing. You can decide whether I should pack the improvised adapter and/or the FT-1 for you.
I don't know whether the AW1 is different, but on my V1 I can use the adapter in manual mode. No complaints from the camera. I don't know why Øivind thinks it's impossible, perhaps he can clarify. You can even shoot with an open mount on the V1, no worries.
I can make the adapter even thinner if it needs to be.
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NG has to be the only place on the web with such amazing DIY photography hardware projects.
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NG has to be the only place on the web with such amazing DIY photography hardware projects.
It's the only one I know for sure, but the world is full of geeks and nutters and I would not be surprised that somewhere else others are doing the same :)
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NG has to be the only place on the web with such amazing DIY photography hardware projects.
The astro community is quite DIY-philic, some people build entire telescopes by themselves.
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The combo I talked about is 28mm flange to flange, I just assembled it here. That is thinner than the FT-1 which is 29.4mm. The helicoid allows you to extend that further, but I guess it won't be needed anyway because all it does is focus closer. I don't know whether that 1.4mm is sufficient to make your lens reach infinity. Maybe that could be investigated by you by free-lensing. You can decide whether I should pack the improvised adapter and/or the FT-1 for you.
I don't know whether the AW1 is different, but on my V1 I can use the adapter in manual mode. No complaints from the camera. I don't know why Øivind thinks it's impossible, perhaps he can clarify. You can even shoot with an open mount on the V1, no worries.
I can make the adapter even thinner if it needs to be.
I just made the same test that Øivind made.
An AW1 without lens on refuses to take pictures: "Check lens. Pictures can only be taken when a lens is attached".
Since the only way that the camera knows if a lens is attached is by having its contacts find something attached to them (no mechanical linkage that I can see) any adapter without electronics will be utterly useless on the AW1. :(
Unless Bjørn says otherwise...
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Did you set it to M?
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Did you set it to M?
Doh!
You are absolutely right, I missed this "tiny" detail.
Now I think it should work - or at least it should let me try what I want, success is not guaranteed at all.
Given this I might do the experiment, a cheap adapter only costs £10.
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I just made the same test that Øivind made.
An AW1 without lens on refuses to take pictures: "Check lens. Pictures can only be taken when a lens is attached".
Since the only way that the camera knows if a lens is attached is by having its contacts find something attached to them (no mechanical linkage that I can see) any adapter without electronics will be utterly useless on the AW1. :(
Unless Bjørn says otherwise...
Yes, my test with the AW1 was also empirical, no way to release the shutter unless it sees a lens or an FT-1 attached, but oops, just checked in full manual mode, and yes, the shutter can be released then. Do keep in mind though that the FT-1 is not only for AFS lenses. It works just as well with full manual lenses. Even if they are not chipped, the AW-1 will allow metering in stop down A-mode, opposed to Nikon's consumer DSLRs. (The only limitation is that one cannot do long exposures beyond about 1 second, regardless of whether a manual or an AFS lens is attached, and if an AFS lens is attached, only center AF point is supported.) I regard the FT-1 as an accessory that greatly expands the usefulness of the AW1.
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Happy that the AW1 now works for you in M mode.
The 1s long exposure limit is so strange and a shame.
The Nikon 1 is the odd lens cam, for instance with the recently purchased Rayxar 65/0.75. At the bottom the variable-length adapter I made.
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It should be on in about 6 hours. Weather forecast here in interior Alaska does not look too good for the morning, but I have on many occasions experienced that it pays to never give up.
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A lot of Mercury shooting going on here in Killin. Weather was almost perfect, only complaints were we got sunburned and temperature too high :) ...
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Bjørn, is this the original image before cropped and inverted?
I don't know if I'm seeing the corona, but it is beautiful.
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The Mercury transit as seen from outside my house in Norway.
Nikon D810, Sigma 150-600 S and Baader Astrosolar filter.
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Nice images here and in the Scotland thread! I was up before 5 AM hoping to image the sun above the large satellite dish at the university (UAF), but thick dark clouds were located in the north-east where the sun should be rising. Up again at 8 am, but still cloudy if a little better -may be there was hope.... At 9 am I could finally see sharper distinction between light and shade although still mostly cloudy. A quick inspection in the binoculars and I could see Mercury and the sun outlined sharply! Never give up hope!
Here are the first results. I got down the road to a place with a free view and set up my tracker and lens. the very first frame in false colors (using AW-1 for all images), still with clouds drifting in front of the sun:
(http://otoien.zenfolio.com/img/s7/v154/p2133191496.jpg)
It soon became even less cloudy and the sun was warming quite well.
(http://otoien.zenfolio.com/img/s4/v65/p2138511168.jpg)
I was able to follow it all the way until 10:43 am when it disappeared from the solar disk. (After these colorful frames I had to add some color to the Astrosolar film rendition):
(http://otoien.zenfolio.com/img/s2/v1/p1927919250.jpg)
(http://otoien.zenfolio.com/img/s5/v123/p2131731772.jpg)
(http://otoien.zenfolio.com/img/s4/v9/p1976868570.jpg)
The setup near the start; the tracker provided very comfortable framing of the sun in spite of not having a dedicated solar rate. I only had to adjust framing a few times. (However when reading the Scotland tread I realized that one could miss out on some creative possibilities when using a tracker, but of course the tracking can be shut off). Somehow the light clouds stayed right where the sun was, but luckily they were transparent enough. One hour after it was over it had gotten more cloudy again, and I could barely make out the outline of the sun in the my Astrosolar film protected binoculars.
(http://otoien.zenfolio.com/img/s9/v90/p2116555402.jpg)
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Congrats, guys!
The Mercury dot is much much smaller than that of Venus, but surely I'm seeing yet another once-in-a-lifetime pageant of the universe. Thanks for sharing!
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Very nice shots!