Photographing the solar eclipse tomorrow?

I'm using a DSLR nikon. And always have a uv filter on it. Is it going to be ok to look at the sun during the eclipse? From my location the sun will be un the horizon an hour or so before sunset.ist the thing about looking at them an old wifes tale? I watched the sun come over the horizon this morning with no problem… It didn't even seem bright until it got higher in the sky…

This is NOT an old wives tale (who, by the way, were pretty wise and worth listening to). You can damage your vision up to blindness by staring at an eclipse. A quick glance won't hurt, staring and watching the whole thing can cause serious damage. Use protective eyewear.

I asked a very similar question yesterday. See:

(astronomy section's pov) and

)photo section's pov.

Looking at an eclipse will harm your eyesight - particularly if you are viewing it through a camera lens. Wear protective eyegear. If you don't have any, you can make one - I used this technique, published by NASA in 1991 to view and photograph a total eclipse:

Get a roll of 400 black and white film and pull it out of the cartridge so it is exposed to sunlight.

Load it up on a reel and develop it in D76 at 1:1 for 12 minutes, with constant agitation. Fix and dry.

Cut up the result and fit one over the eyepiece of your camera. I did this, and have used the film/filter for many years and I assure you I can see just fine.

The question is damage to the sensor. As I live on the west coast I also will only get a short view of a PARTIAL eclipse around sunset. I'm treating the shot like a sunset shot and am not going to filter the lens. If I were shooting the close up of the annular at totality, I'd have filters on that thing - in fact I might dump the digital altogether and shoot film. It depends on how long you're going to be shooting - keep the lens cap on when not shooting, and for good measure I stand in front of the lens letting my body block it - So you need to look at what lens you will be using - if it is a long lens (300mm +) and you are centering the orb in the shot, you better filter that lens. I'm reading welders glass #14 is what you need, but that will play havoc with your colors. Also at totality sunlight takes on an eerie blue tint. Be prepared to do some massive color correction. If you're using a wider lens and the sunset/eclipse is just a small part of the image overall, you should be okay. Note, this is my sense of the matter, we'll actually see tomorrow if I'm right. I've never shot a solar eclipse on digital and I'm using an old Rebel camera just in case I screw it up. Are you willing to risk your camera?