The weather was just great ! Sunny with some few clouds, which started to emerge as the solar eclipse reached its maximum of 33% over Stockholm - cumulus clouds started to turn up. While hours later it was overcast.

Nevertheless, the entire length of the partial solar eclipse was well visible here in Stockholm. What also surprised me on my way home from taking photos, was the stunning temperatures of 15°C. It felt so much spring time as it possible can be. Which is very early given that we are in the end of March - where you normally in average get a MAX around 6°C during the day !

A pity was that I only took images at maximum. Because 40 minutes later, the "bitten off" part of the sun, was located right "on top" of the sun - which looked really funny (and unusual). However I never made any photos of that.

Primary photo tools

I used the Olympus OM-1 camera, combined with the M.Zuiko ED 300mm ƒ4 IS PRO lens and a 1.4x converter, resulting into a focal length of 800mm. That's about the longest reach I could use for the solar mission. Of course, with tripod and a Marumi 100000x (ND 5) gray filter (plus another 8x gray filter). The latter i could have skipped, when taking images. I don't know why I did it. Probably when i visually tested the first 100.000x gray filter, i felt the sun was a notch too bright for my eyes. So, i added another ND 8 filter.

In theory i could have used the big Sigma SPORT 60-600 mm lens with the Canon EOS R6 - but I have no solar filter in the Ø 105mm size. Actually I do have one filter that large; it is a 8x gray filter. Too weak; incapable of reducing the intensity of the sun. It would still damage the image sensor.

Delight of a mature yet small camera system
(Olympus / OM System )

Dealing with an Olympus OM-1 and that "small" super telephoto 300mm (600mm) lens, was and is a real joy. Everything is so "nimble" in comparison to fullframe camera & lenses... Or mediumformat cameras / lenses for that matter. Makes me once again realize how mature the Olympus / OM System actually is. And very useful for many things - making it a truly handy and joyful system to work with.

I am not saying it is always better. But given that we today have digital tools that handle both sharpness and make fantastic noise reductions (Adobe Camera Raw Noise AI) - the 4x smaller Micro Four Thirds sensor (compared to fullframe) marks no limitation in real life anymore. It gains however from the low weight and sizes in everything

Think for example of travels - which nowadays is a dilemma for serious photographers. You can't and should never check in photographic equipment. Yet you are not allowed to take much with you into the cabin either. I often traveled with the Olympus system - even the entire system, in my on-board backpack.

I wouldn't be able to do that with my Canon system. It isn't really a true problem for the casual photographer. One works with the "limitation" from selected lenses. Which often feels as more as freedom, really.

Thinking of Stromboli Volcano journey, 2006

I remember on my first journey to Stromboli in 2006... my goodness. So insane my luggage was. I had overwhelmingly lots of photo stuff with me, so vast, you wouldn't believe. Filter this, filter that. All kinds of things,, I would never use. I remember a mix of silent inner irritation and baffled realization... as i opened the drawers at the hotel, looking at the discover of all my photo stuff, in each of them... Really, Ralf ?!

So, there. You learn. Along the road of life.

Bam !