Which Solar Filter Do I Choose??

[Stu]

As you say, I doubt very much both scores were faulty so the issue will lie elsewhere.

Early morning is often the best time to image the sun as convection currents have not had a chance to build up.

One other question, do you wear glasses? If you do, and are using the optical viewfinder on the DSLR, make sure you wear them when focusing. I finally clicked this myself when taking images through the eyepiece. Focusing without my glasses inevitably leaves the image blurry for the camera. Worth ruling out anyway. Obviously this doesn't apply if using live view or a webcam on screen.

[Stub Mandrel]

> whether or not it is an IR cut filter

It will be.

[NSastronomer]

9 hours ago, Stu said:

As you say, I doubt very much both scores were faulty so the issue will lie elsewhere.

Early morning is often the best time to image the sun as convection currents have not had a chance to build up.

One other question, do you wear glasses? If you do, and are using the optical viewfinder on the DSLR, make sure you wear them when focusing. I finally clicked this myself when taking images through the eyepiece. Focusing without my glasses inevitably leaves the image blurry for the camera. Worth ruling out anyway. Obviously this doesn't apply if using live view or a webcam on screen.

Hi there, no, I don't wear glasses, well, sorta..lol.

I need reading glasses for up close viewing, like reading, but when I take macro photos using my eye to the viewfinder of my camera they are always in sharp focus, so I'm guessing it's not a vision issue.

I'm taking these photos near supper time, around 4-5pm, it's the only time I seem to have to take the pics, the sun has hardly even been out, so when it does come out, I jump on the chance to try out the new filter

Instead of having to bracket exposures, since the exposures seemed fine, I tried bracketing focus, I took a frame, then turned the focusing knob just a tiny tiny touch, took another frame, and proceeded to do this both clockwise and counter clockwise with the focusing knob from where I "thought" it was in the best focus I could see with my eye, just to rule out that it was my eyes causing the issue, and still I was not able to get it in any sharper focus.

But yeah, your right, when I tried it on the viewfinder (wearing my reading glasses of course) I obtained the same results.

Hmmm.....

I'm now drooling over a new ZWO camera, but I just cannot afford that right now.

Chris