Using a ND Filter with BYE

[David_RS]

Hi,

I have an ND16 filter that I use to capture solar images using my zoom lens.  Up to now, I have been using my remote trigger with the camera set to M mode so that I can tweak the shutter settings better.  I have tried using BYE for this but although I can snap an image in Frame and Focus mode, when I go to imaging, there only seems to be the option for Bulb mode for images and although I'm probably doing something wrong, is there any way to configure the plan so that it takes short (1/1000 or faster) images.  Anything longer than 1 sec overexposes the shot even with the ND16 in place.

Thanks in advance for any help.

Sorry - forgot to add - am using BYE 3.2.3 in trial mode

Edited September 15, 2024 by David_RS
Update version

[astroman133]

I take it to mean that the Shutter dropdown in the Capture Plan Center list does not contain the full list of exposure times that the camera supports.

The fix for this has been discussed in the archives of this forum several times. You need to go into Settings and Advanced Settings and click on Delete Cache Data. Then shutdown and restart BYE. After you connect with the camera the Shutter dropdown should be populated with all the timed values that the camera supports.

You may also need to repeat that process again, from time to time.

And please tell us your camera model the next time you post about a problem.

[s3igell]

Be careful attempting Solar Imaging with an ND Filter.  There simply isn't enough Light/Energy Rejection in an ND Filter, and significant amounts of Light (Heat) are transmitted into your Lens Body and Camera Body (even if not to your Camera Sensor while the Shutter is Closed). This Heat builds rather quickly, and can melt the Lens Coatings and Plastic Hardware before you are likely to feel the Heat on the outer Lens Body or Camera Grip.  This is especially true if aimed directly at the Sun on a Tripod or Tracking Mount.

Also be very careful:  If you have a DSLR with an Optical View Finder, much of that energy is directed into your eye. (If you think there is enough light to require a sub-1/1000 Shutter Speed, think of what that can do to your eye...)

[astroman133]

I was going to say the same thing, except for the fact that the OP said that he had been using it.

I would suggest a solar filter over the telescope objective, or a Herschel Prism, with an ND filter for safe solar imaging. The larger the telescope's objective the more I would prefer the former.

The O'Telescope Store sells Astrozap Baader solar filters to fit many telescopes. Here is a link to one of them ->

They work well. I used one to shoot the 2017 Solar Eclipse. And in all fairness, before I retired and moved away from Northeast Ohio I used to image with the owner of AstroZap. The one that I used was with a Stellarvue 130" refractor.

[David_RS]

17 hours ago, astroman133 said:

I was going to say the same thing, except for the fact that the OP said that he had been using it.

I would suggest a solar filter over the telescope objective, or a Herschel Prism, with an ND filter for safe solar imaging. The larger the telescope's objective the more I would prefer the former.

The O'Telescope Store sells Astrozap Baader solar filters to fit many telescopes. Here is a link to one of them ->

They work well. I used one to shoot the 2017 Solar Eclipse. And in all fairness, before I retired and moved away from Northeast Ohio I used to image with the owner of AstroZap. The one that I used was with a Stellarvue 130" refractor.

Hi - sorry about the camera omission - fairly new to the site.  It's a Canon 70D.  The ND16 is fitted to the standard 70-300 zoom and I've usually used the full zoom.  Re the view-finder - I never use it - even at night - as I know that the damage is instant.  I use the digital screen and I was hoping to use BYE as a way of reducing the glare and my exposure to the sunlight.

I had searched the forum but couldn't find any articles that seemed to answer my query so thank you for the advice re the cache.

Thanks also for the tip about overheating the lens coating s3igell - I hadn't appreciated that and didn't come across any warnings before so noted.  I had considered a solar filter but couldn't find one to cover my lens without light leaking around the edge.  Any suggestions here would be much appreciated.  I have found that the ND16 works well though - the attached photo was one of my first attempts

[s3igell]

3 hours ago, David_RS said:

Thanks also for the tip about overheating the lens coating s3igell - I hadn't appreciated that and didn't come across any warnings before so noted.  I had considered a solar filter but couldn't find one to cover my lens without light leaking around the edge.  Any suggestions here would be much appreciated.  I have found that the ND16 works well though - the attached photo was one of my first attempts

The Solar Film Filters work fine without needing to be too worried about "light leaks", especially as the design overlaps the outside of the Lens Hood and requires any reflected light to make at least 2x 180degree turns to get into the Lens Aperture.  Even so, the small amount of light leak is absolutely swamped by the direct light of your target.  (Once, I photographed a partial eclipse through a cheap Solar Eclipse "Sunglass" Lens held in front of the Camera Lens - United Airlines was "very sorry" that they misplaced my Camera Case and then returned it to my Home rather than my Hotel.)

(Nice image using ND16)