Solar Filters & Photos

[mfrymus]

Looked around, but havent seem much talk about this.

 

Can you get solar filters with binoculars such as the Orion 20x80s?

 

Is it even worth getting them for binoculars?

Can you see sun spots and any details of the sun with binos?

 

 

2) Is there a way to take photos (DSLR / compact camera) through binoculars?

[Dave In Vermont]

You absolutely need a properly fitting solar-filter - 2 of them for binoculars - before viewing the Sun. If it is worth it to you to outfit your binoculars for this, by all means go for it! 20X will be able to show sunspots. Unless you wanted to spend a bucket of money for more specialized gear, sunspots is about all you can expect to see regards surface details. If it were me, I'd use a telescope as the double-cost of filters for binoculars would be a hinderance. I have binoculars and telescopes though, so this colours my viewpoint. I might feel differently if I had only binoculars.

Never Look at the Sun - Even for a Second - Without Proper Filters Fitted Correctly!

Dave

[Pete Presland]

I would be very reluctant to use filters on binoculars. Even if they are fixed securely to the them it is just to easy to knock them off, especially when you consider where your hands are going to be holding the binoculars. 

[Moonshane]

Bear in mind that filters like this should only ever be used on the objective end not the eyepiece end.

Double filters =double potential for being kmocked/blown off during observing

[Knighty2112]

You can make some filters for each eyepiece quite easily, but make sure that they would stay on the binoculars at all times whilst required. This could be done by sticking Velcro to both your binocular barrels, and then fixing a couple of support lugs from any filter you make ( either with cardboard or plastic) so that this can attach and stick to the Velcro. I haven't made any filters for my binoculars, but I did make one for my scope using card board and Velcro to help support and attach the filter sheet securely to the end of the telescope tube. I did however make some light baffles for the end of my 15 x 70 binoculars and used Velcro to attach the foam tubes I made to each barrel of the binoculars securely whilst in use.

[David Smith]

I've made a pair of filters for my 10x50's from Baader film before. Managed to find something that fitted over the objective quite snugly and then just cut a hole in it and stuck some film in the hole. I used them mostly when not t home because the view was a bit low power for my tastes but the filters worked well enough.

They never fell off as generally I was looking up at some angle or other.

[JB80]

You could always look into the Sunocular from Lunt. Purpose built solar viewing binoculars.

https://luntsolarsystems.com/sunocular-tm-solar-binoculars/

Not sure about imaging with them, maybe to could project the image on a piece of card and photograph that.

[BinocularSky]

I occasionally use Baader Astro-Solar filters on 10x50s. I tape them on with either masking tape or micropore, depending on what I have to hand.

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

If you want to image, solar film and a telescope is probably vastly easier. Binoculars can be used for solar (I have the SUNoculars from Lunt), and a 20x80 should work nicely, provided the solar film is attached securely. In theory, you could use afocal or eyepiece projection with binoculars, but I doubt that would work very well.

[Peter Drew]

I use solar film filters on 4" and 6" binocular telescopes. Each filter is fitted individually as with a single telescope. I find that magnifications of at least 20x are needed for a detailed view.  

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

At 8 times with the SUNoculars detail is limited, I find. Still very usefull for scouting out big sunspots and faculae

[Steve Ward]

I used a filtered binocular for checking out sunspot activity for a few years before I got online and discovered SDO , was a quick and easy way of seeing what was on offer and made the decision as to whether to set up a 'scope or not an easy one ... 

As to photography , it's not easy but doable .

My first ever solar image was of the partial eclipse in Dec 2010 with a simple Kodak digital camera held up to one EP of a binocular ... 

[mfrymus]

I just purchased the 15x70 celestron skymasters instead of the 20x80s as they were dirt cheap!!

I'm have it mounted to my tripod, and for sun viewing, thats for sure going to stay on the tripod, as you mentioned, I dont want to have the filters fall off. So, better have it steady than free-holding it.

I could possibly make them myself. But if I can buy it, that would be better.

Unless its a big price difference?

What kind of filters should I look at?

Seeing sunspots would be great. If I could see any more details, that would be even better!

[Steve Ward]

I would highly recommend going for filters that use Baader Solar Film (ND5.0) 

There are other options i.e. Polymer film or glass-based filters , but neither of them provide anything close to the detail that the Baader film does.

You should be able to find appropriately sized filters here from Kendricks ...

http://www.kendrickastro.com/solarfilters.html

[mfrymus]

Thanks!

But gez, thats expensive.

I think id rather make my own. I can buy the film and attach it myself. I think it would be much cheaper to do so.

I would highly recommend going for filters that use Baader Solar Film (ND5.0) 

There are other options i.e. Polymer film or glass-based filters , but neither of them provide anything close to the detail that the Baader film does.

You should be able to find appropriately sized filters here from Kendricks ...

http://www.kendrickastro.com/solarfilters.html