solar eclipse maestro liveview prevents shutter

Solar eclipse maestro liveview prevents shutter plus#

Then I open the Setup->Hardware Configuration window in SEM. I load the script if not reloaded from the last session – the usual case. I start SEM with the Console window active and watch that it gives the normal start up messages. I found that the best sequence is to be sure the batteries are over 50%, lots of room on the cards, and start with the cameras off but USB cables plugged in – I am using an OWC Thunderbolt hub that has 5 powered USB ports – very fast and reliable. The entire totality sequence is done with mirror up in Live View Photo mode and I run at 5 fps to be conservative. I am using the XQD card slot to save images. The huge buffer must help but I notice in watching the Console window the communication seems instant. The D500 has been the very best in terms of reliability and speed.

I chose to be conservative on frame rate around C2 and more aggressive around C3 for both the D500 and the D810. It seems very reliable since the release of recent betas and the final version 1.8.6v1. The D810 has been the most temperamental but only in the ramps. Then does a 26 shot ramp and 20 shot burst for mid corona leading up to MAX, another 26 shot ramp starting at MAX, some more bursts at 5 fps leading to C3 then a ramp leaving C3 for the diamond ring. The script does three bursts at 3 fps of ~10 shots each around C2 for the diamond ring, Baily’s beads, and chromosphere and prominences. This allows fast and smooth operation of just shutter action – no vibration detected in solar test shots. The SEM script sets it up for Live View photography (mirror is up the entire time of totality and a few seconds before C2 and after C3. The D810 is at 550 mm and writes to a 160 MB/s CF SanDisk card. The D700 is on a 85mm lens where I am trying for star fields, Mars, Mercury, and deep extended corona. The D700 is by far the slowest camera but I do three 2 fps bursts at C2 then individual shots with mirror up for 0.5 sec covering a large dynamic range during totality. My script takes 38 shots on the D700, 122 shots on the D500 and 141 shots on the D810 during the totality phase. I am running 3 cameras, D700, D500, and D810 at different plate scales and fields of view on a Sky Watcher EQ6 mount. A maximum eclipse diagram at the mouse-over location can also be displayed.I’ve had a very good experience with Solar Eclipse Maestro.

Eclipse color coded map with mouse-over geographic cursor coordinates and eclipse duration info to indicate where to move to increase your eclipse duration. Sun/Moon diagram and large event countdown display. Refraction, lunar limb profile effects, and deltaT correction supported. Observer position (latitude and longitude coordinates, altitude) is used to calculate local circumstances, so that camera actions can be referenced to specific eclipse events. You must then preprogram all exposure information according to a script.

Solar eclipse maestro liveview prevents shutter plus#

To help you enjoy the event, it can control up to four USB or Firewire connected cameras (Nikon and Canon DSLRs, plus Nikon Coolpix line) and up to four USB or Ethernet connected SBIG CCD cameras with their filter wheels during a solar eclipse, so that you can be free to concentrate on observing the event visually. It can handle any solar eclipse, provide you Baily's beads preview and animation, simulate an all-sky view or weather statistics, and a lot more.

Solar Eclipse Maestro is the most versatile and feature-rich application for solar eclipses.