Thanks guys. I've just ordered a filter for my Nikon 800 mm lens. The camera is the Z9. I have been doing moon photography with this kit including the 2x teleconverter for a total of 1600mm. When the filter comes I'll do some experimenting with settings for the sun. This camera can do 120 fps! So I expect dozens of frames during a transit. Also, it does 4k video at 120fps! I think that will be how I will do the transit. Replay can be at 24 fps so that will show the transit at about 1/5th speed. I can't wait.
You most certainly can try! But I think I don't think it will produce results. The 600mm rating for that camera is an "equivalent" focal length due to the crop sensor. Its not a true 600mm. The maximum optical focal length is technically 220mm, so I wouldn't expect to see the ISS in the shots. At the end of the day, your best bet will be a full-frame camera and a true 600mm lens. The Sigma contemporary 150-600mm I used in the video is reasonably priced compared to 600mm prime lenses. Hope this helps. Good luck!
With the amount of patience and precision that goes with some of the photography I sometimes wonder why I'm not wearing neon orange when I'm in the field :P :P
Hi Andy! Thanks for watching! I think it's just called a "Solar Filter" for telescopes. Mine is made by Orion Telescopes. You can buy them by diameter measurement.
Good question! Even at 30K feet, a commercial airliner would appear much larger than the ISS if it were to transit the sun. (Despite the ISS being larger than most planes.) The ISS is about 250 miles up give or take at zenith, so the angular size of the ISS appears decently large even at great distances. That angular size diminishes pretty quickly at lower viewing altitudes. The one in this video was pretty high in the sky, so it appears quite large.
Good questions! I would recommend only ever using a dedicated solar filter for solar photography. ND's are more like sunglasses, they don't offer the proper protection from the sun's intensity. You risk damaging your camera sensor or your eyes (depending on your viewfinder.) I achieve focus by using the "peaking" function in my camera. It marks the subject's edges in a red highlight if its in focus. In this case, the edge of the solar disk or any sunspots that may be present. For the moon, the craters will highlight red.
What's the reason for shooting still photos (at 7FPS) instead of shooting a "slow motion" video with 60FPS or more (depending on your camera) and picking the best frames afterwards? Wouldn't this give more and better footage?
That's a good question! The pixel resolution of still images on my camera is almost 2x higher than that of 4K video. That being said, due to the ISS being so small in the image and detail of the Station being the ultimate goal, I'd rather have 7 frames with maximum detail than 60 frames with mediocre detail. I've done both to test it and still frames wins every time. But at the end of the day, neither is wrong. Just depends on what type of medium you want to deliver to. I recently posted a video capture of a solar transit to RUclips Shorts that you can see on my channel. You can see the difference for sure!
Still photos in burst mode will always give you better quality than video with a DSLR. Though it will still be quite tough to see much detail at 300mm. Good luck!
Hi Charlie! Unfortunately it won't work very well. 125mm is not enough zoom to see the ISS. I recommend at least 600mm or a telescope with a higher focal length. Also the P1000 only has a frame rate buffer of about 7 frames before it stops taking rapid fire photos. You'd have to be dead accurate to get it in the shot with no margin for error. A camera body with a higher frame buffer would work best. You need good SD cards with fast write speeds too. Hope this helps! Good luck!
@@TheOrbitalAlliance the 125mm applies to the small image sensor; the advertised full frame equivalence is 3000mm. Indeed accurate timing is required (and aiming at that), but alot of fun when it works. @ Charlie a baader assf 65 filter works nicely for it
Nice! Makes me want to buy a camera and gear!
The used market is a great way to get in cheaply!
Thanks guys. I've just ordered a filter for my Nikon 800 mm lens. The camera is the Z9. I have been doing moon photography with this kit including the 2x teleconverter for a total of 1600mm. When the filter comes I'll do some experimenting with settings for the sun. This camera can do 120 fps! So I expect dozens of frames during a transit. Also, it does 4k video at 120fps! I think that will be how I will do the transit. Replay can be at 24 fps so that will show the transit at about 1/5th speed. I can't wait.
I definitely do NOT want to go back to June 2020. Awesome video though!
I'd go back for this! :P
I have a Sony RX10 iv. 25 x optical zoom to 600mm and 600 mm focal length. Will it be able to to capture the ISS transit the sun?
You most certainly can try! But I think I don't think it will produce results. The 600mm rating for that camera is an "equivalent" focal length due to the crop sensor. Its not a true 600mm. The maximum optical focal length is technically 220mm, so I wouldn't expect to see the ISS in the shots. At the end of the day, your best bet will be a full-frame camera and a true 600mm lens. The Sigma contemporary 150-600mm I used in the video is reasonably priced compared to 600mm prime lenses. Hope this helps. Good luck!
Thank you very much.@@TheOrbitalAlliance
"sport" like you're hunting the space station haha BRILLIANT!!
With the amount of patience and precision that goes with some of the photography I sometimes wonder why I'm not wearing neon orange when I'm in the field :P :P
@@TheOrbitalAlliance You should get on that wearing neon orange thing. It'd be a good look ;)
I have a question. Does the ISS Transit Finder use our local time?
I just shot my first transit today, what a blast! I actually used the same lens that you have.
Great stuff! What's the filter called for the Sun?
Hi Andy! Thanks for watching! I think it's just called a "Solar Filter" for telescopes. Mine is made by Orion Telescopes. You can buy them by diameter measurement.
why is the ISS so big ? Isnt it supposed to be atleast 30 times further away from the cruising altitude of a commercial airliners?
Good question! Even at 30K feet, a commercial airliner would appear much larger than the ISS if it were to transit the sun. (Despite the ISS being larger than most planes.) The ISS is about 250 miles up give or take at zenith, so the angular size of the ISS appears decently large even at great distances. That angular size diminishes pretty quickly at lower viewing altitudes. The one in this video was pretty high in the sky, so it appears quite large.
Nice share, Nick. Best of luck on the channel. Cheering for you.
Thanks Eric!! Great to hear from you, man! Hope you're well!
Can I use ND-Filters too? Like combining ND 1000 and ND 64? And another thing: how do you focus? There are no focusable points on the sun, am i right?
Good questions! I would recommend only ever using a dedicated solar filter for solar photography. ND's are more like sunglasses, they don't offer the proper protection from the sun's intensity. You risk damaging your camera sensor or your eyes (depending on your viewfinder.) I achieve focus by using the "peaking" function in my camera. It marks the subject's edges in a red highlight if its in focus. In this case, the edge of the solar disk or any sunspots that may be present. For the moon, the craters will highlight red.
nice instructional video, thanks.
Thank you for watching! Glad it helped!
What's the reason for shooting still photos (at 7FPS) instead of shooting a "slow motion" video with 60FPS or more (depending on your camera) and picking the best frames afterwards? Wouldn't this give more and better footage?
That's a good question! The pixel resolution of still images on my camera is almost 2x higher than that of 4K video. That being said, due to the ISS being so small in the image and detail of the Station being the ultimate goal, I'd rather have 7 frames with maximum detail than 60 frames with mediocre detail. I've done both to test it and still frames wins every time. But at the end of the day, neither is wrong. Just depends on what type of medium you want to deliver to. I recently posted a video capture of a solar transit to RUclips Shorts that you can see on my channel. You can see the difference for sure!
What should I shoot at 300mm with nikon d3400 ?? Burst photos or 1080 60fps video ???
Still photos in burst mode will always give you better quality than video with a DSLR. Though it will still be quite tough to see much detail at 300mm. Good luck!
Hi can i use the nikon P1000 125zoom.
Hi Charlie! Unfortunately it won't work very well. 125mm is not enough zoom to see the ISS. I recommend at least 600mm or a telescope with a higher focal length. Also the P1000 only has a frame rate buffer of about 7 frames before it stops taking rapid fire photos. You'd have to be dead accurate to get it in the shot with no margin for error. A camera body with a higher frame buffer would work best. You need good SD cards with fast write speeds too. Hope this helps! Good luck!
@@TheOrbitalAlliance the 125mm applies to the small image sensor; the advertised full frame equivalence is 3000mm. Indeed accurate timing is required (and aiming at that), but alot of fun when it works. @ Charlie a baader assf 65 filter works nicely for it
Even the dust on the screen looks like stars!