Solar Eclipse Workbench 1.7.0 — Major Update with Sony Support & New Eclipse Visualization!
Solar Eclipse Workbench 1.7.0 has arrived — and it’s one of the biggest updates yet!
This release brings powerful new visualization tools, full Sony camera support, a more flexible HDR workflow, and a smoother experience in the eclipse‑script wizard. Whether you're a seasoned eclipse chaser or preparing for your first automated capture sequence, this version gives you more control, clarity, and compatibility than ever.
👉 GitHub project page: https://github.com/AstroWimSara/SolarEclipseWorkbench
🌄 New: Interactive Eclipse Visualization
This tool displays the solar and lunar discs to scale, in local horizontal coordinates, expressed in solar radii. It also includes:
- Topocentric parallax
- Apparent angular size differences
- Accurate on-site disk geometry
This makes it easier than ever to verify contact timings, preview local eclipse conditions, and understand what your camera will actually see at your location.
A huge leap forward for planning!
📸 Full Sony Alpha Camera Support
Solar Eclipse Workbench now officially supports Sony DSLR and mirrorless cameras — including popular models like the ILCE‑7M3, ILCE‑7RM5, A7 IV, and A9 III.
Highlights of Sony support:
- New
SonyCameraadapter class wraps gphoto2 and identifies Sony bodies - Exposure mode handled using Sony’s
"M"manual string - Auto-ISO is automatically disabled before each capture
- Aperture control matches Nikon style (
f-number) - Burst mode functions identically to Nikon’s frame‑count system
- Shooting-mode mapping ensures consistent behaviour across brands
- Sony detection fully integrated in
get_camera()andget_camera_by_port()
And for those wanting a quick start, there’s now a Sony example script showing:
take_picturetake_burst(frame-count)take_hdr
…demonstrated on a Sony ILCE‑7M3 across all four eclipse contacts.
Sony users: welcome aboard!
🌗 Smarter, More Flexible HDR Control
HDR bursts at maximum eclipse (take_hdr) are now configurable in two ways:
🔧 Auto-Calculate (default)
The starting shutter speed is automatically derived from the inner‑corona exposure calculation — identical to previous versions.
🎛️ Manual Mode
This gives photographers much finer control over their dynamic‑range strategy during maximum eclipse.
🧭 Wizard Improvements & Usability Enhancements
The eclipse-automation wizard has received several upgrades:
✔ Sony included in burst logic
Sony cameras now use the same frame‑count burst parameter as Nikon (e.g. 30 frames around C2 and C3).
✔ Camera name examples updated
Sony is now explicitly listed in the UI, making the new support more visible.
✔ HDR documentation updated
All references now correctly state that take_hdr works with Canon, Nikon, and Sony.
✔ Wizard now fits 1680×1050 displays
The minimum window height was lowered to 620 px, with scrollable pages ensuring:
- All content remains reachable
- Navigation buttons stay visible
- Summary page stays compact
A more comfortable workflow, especially on laptops and field setups.
🛠 Build System Migrated from Poetry to uv
Developers will appreciate the cleaner, more modern project structure:
- Build metadata now uses standard PEP 621
[project]fields setuptoolsreplaces Poetry as build backend- Developer dependencies live in
[dependency-groups] - Commands now use
uv:uv sync --group devfor environment setupuv run sewanduv run sew_wizardto launch the app
A simpler and more maintainable development environment going forward.
🌞 Final Thoughts
Solar Eclipse Workbench 1.7.0 is a major step toward a more intuitive, powerful, and camera‑agnostic eclipse automation toolkit. The addition of Sony support alone will open the door for countless new users — but the visualization tools and HDR flexibility make this update valuable for everyone preparing for their next eclipse expedition.
If you’d like to try the new features or contribute, visit the GitHub page:
Clear skies and happy capturing! 🌖✨
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