Alexandru Barbovschi

Abstract

Capturing a total solar eclipse (TSE) in all its glory with a camera is challenging—especially if the camera brand is Sony. The software support is poor, making it difficult to use Sony cameras for the demanding task of photographing a TSE. Nevertheless, attempts were made, and they proved to be successful despite the encountered limitations. This was made possible through the use of an open-source project called gPhoto2, which allows remote control of multiple camera models via USB, including Sony. However, due to a number of unexplained constraints on Sony’s part, the support is not on par with cameras from Canon and Nikon.

After extensive probing and testing, several hacks were identified to bypass some of these limitations. These hacks—and how to apply them—will be described in detail.

Despite the success of the devised solutions for USB remote control, the results are not satisfactory for truly demanding TSE photography. For that, a different approach is required. Fortunately, Sony provides both an SDK (Software Development Kit) and REST API documentation. The former requires programming skills but offers the most comprehensive set of tools. The latter is much easier to use and requires minimal knowledge of web technologies, ensuring a low barrier to entry and making it a good alternative to USB remote control. Both solutions deliver significantly better performance, though each comes with its own set of limitations, which will also be discussed in detail.

BIO

I am an amateur astrophotographer from the Republic of Moldova. I have been interested in astronomy since childhood and fulfilled my dream of observing a total solar eclipse in 2017. Since then, I have traveled around the world in pursuit of various astronomical events, with eclipses being my main focus.

In 2019, I acquired my first Sony camera (I currently own three and will probably add more soon), along with a Nikon camera. To automate both and fully enjoy the eclipse—something I could only partially achieve in 2017—I began researching available solutions and eventually discovered the gPhoto2 project. Since then, I have fallen ever deeper into the rabbit hole of remote camera control, particularly with Sony cameras.

Motivated by the fact that many of my fellow eclipse chasers also use Sony cameras, I decided to compile all the knowledge I've gathered and share it with the world!