Then turn on the D810 again waiting for messaging to complete and communications to be established. I then turn on the D500 and wait for all communications to finish by watching the Console messaging. Then I open the Setup->Hardware Configuration window in SEM. I load the script if not reloaded from the last session – the usual case. I start SEM with the Console window active and watch that it gives the normal start up messages. I found that the best sequence is to be sure the batteries are over 50%, lots of room on the cards, and start with the cameras off but USB cables plugged in – I am using an OWC Thunderbolt hub that has 5 powered USB ports – very fast and reliable. The entire totality sequence is done with mirror up in Live View Photo mode and I run at 5 fps to be conservative. I am using the XQD card slot to save images. The huge buffer must help but I notice in watching the Console window the communication seems instant. The D500 has been the very best in terms of reliability and speed. I chose to be conservative on frame rate around C2 and more aggressive around C3 for both the D500 and the D810. It seems very reliable since the release of recent betas and the final version 1.8.6v1. The D810 has been the most temperamental but only in the ramps. Then does a 26 shot ramp and 20 shot burst for mid corona leading up to MAX, another 26 shot ramp starting at MAX, some more bursts at 5 fps leading to C3 then a ramp leaving C3 for the diamond ring. The script does three bursts at 3 fps of ~10 shots each around C2 for the diamond ring, Baily’s beads, and chromosphere and prominences. This allows fast and smooth operation of just shutter action – no vibration detected in solar test shots. The SEM script sets it up for Live View photography (mirror is up the entire time of totality and a few seconds before C2 and after C3.

The D810 is at 550 mm and writes to a 160 MB/s CF SanDisk card. The D700 is on a 85mm lens where I am trying for star fields, Mars, Mercury, and deep extended corona. The D700 is by far the slowest camera but I do three 2 fps bursts at C2 then individual shots with mirror up for 0.5 sec covering a large dynamic range during totality. My script takes 38 shots on the D700, 122 shots on the D500 and 141 shots on the D810 during the totality phase. I am running 3 cameras, D700, D500, and D810 at different plate scales and fields of view on a Sky Watcher EQ6 mount. I’ve had a very good experience with Solar Eclipse Maestro.

Solar eclipse maestro ramp up