• Nikon D3400 DSLR: The Nikon D3400 is a versatile and user-friendly digital single-lens reflex (DSLR) camera designed for entry-level photographers. With a compact and lightweight body, it offers a 24.2-megapixel DX-format CMOS sensor for high-quality images and Full HD video recording. The camera features a wide ISO range, enabling excellent performance in various lighting conditions. The D3400 is equipped with an 11-point autofocus system for precise and fast focusing, making it suitable for capturing both stills and moving subjects. Additionally, it boasts built-in Bluetooth connectivity for easy sharing and remote control using a smartphone or tablet.
• DigiCamControl Software: A software designed for remotely controlling digital cameras from a computer. It provides a range of features, including live view, autofocus, and the ability to adjust camera settings remotely. Digicamcontrol supports various camera models, including our camera, and enables photographers to capture images, control exposure settings, and manage camera functions seamlessly through a user-friendly interface. Additionally, it offers advanced features like interval shooting and time-lapse photography, making it a valuable tool for both sun photography as well as night sky photography. All you need to get ready for using it is to connect your camera to your PC using a USB cable, usually provided with the camera and open the software.

Home screen of the software when the camera is not connected.

• Neutral Density filter (ND5): A Neutral Density (ND) filter, particularly an ND5 filter, is a photographic accessory that reduces the amount of light entering the camera without affecting its color balance. The "ND5" designation typically indicates a filter that reduces the light intensity by a factor of 10^4, thus letting pass only 1 out of 10000 photons In solar photography, ND filters play a crucial role in controlling the brightness of the sun. When photographing the sun directly, its intense brightness can lead to overexposed images with loss of details. The ND5 filter, by cutting down the incoming light, allows photographers to achieve proper exposure without compromising the quality of the image. This is particularly important when capturing solar events like sunspots or solar eclipses, where maintaining clarity and detail is essential. By using an ND5 filter in solar photography, you can achieve the necessary reduction in brightness to capture the intricate features of the sun, while still maintaining a well-exposed and visually appealing image. It's important to note that when photographing the sun, photographers should always use proper solar filters to protect their eyes and equipment from the potentially harmful effects of solar radiation.

You cut a circular part of the filter sheet and use any other filter film along with its aluminum rim that screws onto your camera lens(in our case, we used UV filter) for the purpose of keeping the ND5 filter securely placed on the lens. Keep the shiny side facing the sun and the dark side of the film towards the camera.

• 128 GB SD card for storage, along with a SD card reader that plugs into your PC for you to save it locally or on cloud storages.
• Camera Tripod: For adding stability and fixing the orientation of the camera