It can permanently damage the sensitive components inside the camera system
With protective eclipse glasses sold out nationwide, you might be tempted to use the camera on your smartphone to safely watch the solar eclipse over the UK tonight. But that could be an expensive mistake, experts caution.
Starting from 6.17pm until around 8.06pm tonight, millions of Britons will witness the most complete solar eclipse visible above UK skies since the total eclipse in 1999. A solar eclipse takes place when the moon moves between the Sun and the Earth, partially or completely blocking the rays from the Sun, casting a shadow on the Earth.
Those in the South West should enjoy the best show, with the moon obscuring up to 95% of the Sun. Plymouth is forecast to witness the best view, with around 94.66% around 7.16pm tonight. The rest of the UK should see coverage of upwards of 89%, experts forecast.
For all of us in the UK, tonight will be the best opportunity to witness a solar eclipse this close to totality until 2081.
Why it is true that watching the solar eclipse through the viewfinder built into the smartphone in your pocket won't damage your eyes... the same can't be said for the delicate components inside the cameras. The small lens — just a few millimetres thick — can reduce the amount of sunlight that reaches the sensor, so a very brief accidental shot into the sun will not destroy its critical components.
However, deliberately pointing your camera at the Sun for extended periods is a different matter. While taking one quick photo into the Sun will expose the sensor for a fraction of a second when you tap the shutter button, viewing an extended celestial event, like the solar eclipse, or filming continuously, keeps the shutter open for a long time.
That's because filming is essentially the process of taking photographs over and over (and over) — perhaps 30, 60 or more frames every second. That keeps concentrated sunlight on the same part of the sensor for much longer. Think of it like holding a magnifying glass over a piece of paper: one quick pass isn't the same as leaving it there.
And just like the magnifying glass, extended exposure will start to burn.
In simple terms, each pixel in your phone's camera sensor contains a photodiode, a tiny light-sensitive semiconductor that transforms incoming photons — that's 'light' to you and me — into an electrical signal. The problem with the Sun is that the incoming light can be many orders of magnitude brighter than what the sensor normally encounters. The camera can reduce exposure electronically, which is why your eyes won't be damaged by watching the eclipse on the screen of your iPhone, Google, Samsung, or other Android handset.
However, that doesn't prevent the sunlight from physically reaching the photodiodes themselves. The intensity of the sun generates local heating and high photonic stress in the sensor. Experts at NASA recommend using a solar filter over the camera lens for the partial phases of an eclipse to prevent this damage.
NASA advises: "Viewing any part of the bright Sun through a camera lens, binoculars, or a telescope without a special-purpose solar filter secured over the front of the optics will instantly cause severe eye injury."
What if you're wearing protective eclipse glasses? It's still dangerous to watch part of the solar event via your smartphone, NASA warns. The civil space agency cautions: "Do NOT look at the Sun through a camera lens, telescope, binoculars, or any other optical device while wearing eclipse glasses or using a handheld solar viewer — the concentrated solar rays will burn through the filter and cause serious eye injury."
Once the sensor has been damaged, you might start to see dead pixels — permanent black or stuck dots that appear in every single photo you take afterwards. Other signs of damage from overexposure to the Sun could include a vertical or horizontal line or stripe across photographs and videos, or reduced image quality or an unusual glare in one particular camera (for those with a dual- or triple-camera system on their handset) or part of the image.
Struggling to work out if your camera is damaged? The best way to quickly diagnose an issue is to shoot a picture of a blank wall or evenly lit sky — and compare it with another camera. If there's a mark that remains fixed in exactly the same position in the image, rather than moving with the subject, that points toward sensor damage.
Temporary glare or blooming after photographing the Sun isn't necessarily permanent damage. Sunlight can produce spectacular internal reflections and overexposure without having destroyed anything, so it's worth checking with a few pictures of a white wall to check if the spot stays in the same spot.
If you do have dead pixels, it could be an expensive repair bill.
There's no software update that you can download to repair those lost pixels. Since you've permanently damaged the photosensitive semiconductor structure built into the camera sensor, you will need to replace the camera module itself.
Apple charges £269 to repair the rear camera on the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max, dropping to £169 for the dual-camera system on the back of the standard iPhone 17. Older handsets from the Californian are less expensive, but it's still a hefty bill to watch the solar eclipse.
For its part, Google charges £200 to repair or replace the rear-camera system on its Pixel 10 Pro, dropping to £151.29 for the standard Pixel 10. Of course, this is just an estimate, and the exact costs are only confirmed after device inspection from an authorised service provider. So it depends on how much damage the extended exposure t the Sun has done to your handset.
Jez Samuel, Mobile Phone Expert at Uswitch, told GB News: "Many will pick up their phone to look at throughout Wednesday's eclipse – but the camera lens needs protecting. Point an unfiltered lens at the sun, and you risk burning out the sensor, just as looking with the naked eye risks your vision.
"A phone camera lens focuses sunlight into an intense point on the sensor behind it, and enough unfiltered exposure will kill pixels permanently. From then on, every shot carries the same dark marks, and only a hardware repair puts it right. Repairs typically range from around £40 for a camera glass replacement to over £250 for a full module swap, depending on the phone.
"If you want something more permanent, try to pick up a dedicated clip-on solar filter for your phone instead. If you're planning to photograph or film Wednesday’s eclipse, it's also worth making sure your phone has enough battery and storage, so you're not caught out halfway through.
"And of course people are going to want a photo – this is the biggest eclipse the UK has seen since 1999. Just make sure you’re protecting your phone and your eyes while getting the shot. Once you’ve got it, you might even want to put the phone back in your pocket for a few minutes and enjoy the moment.
"If you’ve got certified eclipse glasses, you can experience it safely, while those without them should watch indirectly through a livestream or broadcast, or use a pinhole projector instead."
If you haven't managed to get hold of eclipse glasses in time — and don't want to spend hundreds on expensive camera repairs — there are safer ways to experience the spectacle without risking your phone or eyes. Neill Sanders from Go Stargazing recommends standing with your back to the sun and creating a simple pinhole camera using a card with a tiny hole about 1mm across.
Hold it up and project the image onto a white surface. You'll see the eclipse without looking directly at it. Even better, grab a kitchen colander and hold it up with your back to the sun. You'll get multiple crescent-shaped projections of the eclipse through all the holes.
Whatever you do, do not look at the eclipse through your phone's viewfinder or camera lens.
Mohamed Elalfy, consultant ophthalmologist and president of the Royal College of Ophthalmologists, has a stark warning about what happens if you look directly at the sun during an eclipse. Looking at the sun damages your retina — the part of your eye that senses light.
The worst part? Your retina has no pain receptors, so you won't feel the damage happening. Symptoms of this condition, called solar retinopathy, may only show up hours later. These include blurred vision, blind spots, distorted vision, reduced colour perception and increased sensitivity to light.
Some people recover over weeks or months. Others face permanent visual impairment.
And regular sunglasses won't protect you. Even multiple pairs stacked together aren't enough to shield your eyes from the sun's rays. You need proper certified eclipse glasses, or you need to watch indirectly.
