I tried out my new solar filters on the noon day sun, and the sun at 7:30 pm this afternoon (the time of the full eclipse on Sunday) to see how they work. The filters reduce the light by 9 stops, and I’m underexposing the photos by another five stops from what the light meter would like the exposure to be. The noon day sun is through cloud cover, and shot at 600 mm. The 7:30 sun, shot at 400 mm, is shining through a hazy sky. Both photos are full-frame, how they came out of the camera.
We got new welding helmets to view the eclipse with. They say cheap 3-D type glasses can be used to view the eclipse, but the welding helmets with #10 glass are equivalent to about 11 stops on the camera, so the sun looks very much like today’s photos viewing it through the welding helmets. We laid out on the chaise lounges at lunch and watched the clouds pass under the sun through the welding helmets. It was very entertaining.
The kitties were really happy to have me home working in the garden this morning. Guildenstern smashed flowers and chewed on catnip, and Diné guarded one of the tomatoes while I worked on drippers for the vegetable garden.
Off Center & Not Even 
Love the photos, love the kitties. I’m looking forward to seeing your photos from Sunday.
Every article I have read says that the welder’s glass needs to be #14 to safely view the sun. (?)
I borrowed an IR 14 lens that fits our welding helmet from my neighbor, so we are covered. I had found a table that showed how much IR and UV light the different welding glass cuts out, and IR 10 is on the threshold for IR, so it’s generally not recommended as “safe”. IR 8 or lower is what you really want to avoid using.
I’m still glad you borrowed the #14 lens! I’ll stop worrying about you and your family. Sorry. . . My mom and I will be out with our cardboard frames but safe lenses (I do know they look very funny; I’m actually glad some safe stuff was made cheap enough for almost anyone to afford), but I did not get lenses for my camera, so no solar pics. BUT, maybe some pics of people in their various kinds of eyewear! 🙂 I’ll look forward to your pics of the eclipse!!
-Another warning from me not to use the welding helmet. We had an eclipse a few years ago and we got special glasses to view it including the warning NOT to use cdroms or welding helmets ( ? something like they do pass the full amount of Infrared or such. Consult your docter ! )
You are right. But never fear, my neighbor had a extra IR 14 lens that fits our welding helmet, so we are covered.