Photographing the 2026 Solar Eclipse: A Complete Beginner’s Guide

If you’ve never photographed an eclipse before, the August 12, 2026 total solar eclipse is your chance to start. With proper preparation, even a beginner with a basic camera or smartphone can capture stunning images. This guide assumes zero prior photography knowledge — by the end, you’ll know what equipment you need, how to configure it, and exactly what to do during the eclipse.

The most important rule (read this first)

You need a solar filter on your camera at all times during the partial phase of the eclipse. Without it, you will:

1. Damage your camera’s sensor permanently — sometimes within seconds.
2. Risk damaging your eyes if you’re looking through an optical viewfinder.

The only moment you can remove the solar filter is during totality — the 45 seconds to 2 minutes when the Sun is completely covered by the Moon. Before and after, the filter must be on.

This applies to:
– ✅ DSLR/mirrorless cameras
– ✅ Smartphones
– ✅ Compact cameras
– ✅ Tablets/iPads
– ✅ Anything with a lens pointed at the Sun

Camera options: from cheap to professional

Option 1: Smartphone (cost: $5-15 for filter)

Pros:
– You already have one.
– Modern phones produce surprisingly good results.
– Built-in apps make it easy.

Cons:
– Limited zoom — the Sun looks small.
– Less manual control than dedicated cameras.

Required for solar: smartphone solar filter (Solar Snap, Thousand Oaks, Baader). $5-15.

Option 2: Compact / Bridge camera (cost: $30-100 for filter)

Pros:
– Better zoom than phone.
– Manual settings for advanced users.
– Compact and portable.

Cons:
– Performance varies hugely between models.
– Harder to find correctly-sized solar filters.

Required for solar: rectangular solar filter sized for the lens, often DIY mounted using Baader Astrosolar film.

Option 3: DSLR / Mirrorless (cost: $50-300 for filter)

Pros:
– Best image quality.
– Full manual control.
– Long telephoto options.

Cons:
– Steeper learning curve.
– More gear to manage.
– More expensive.

Required for solar: screw-on or rectangular solar filter for your specific lens diameter.

Option 4: Telescope + camera (cost: significant)

Pros:
– The most detailed eclipse photography possible.
– See protuberances, sunspots in detail.

Cons:
– Expensive.
– Complex setup.
– Steep learning curve.
– Not for beginners.

What you absolutely need

For a beginner with any camera, here’s the minimum kit:

1. Solar filter (mandatory)

For phone: clip-on or stick-on filter sized for your phone’s camera. ~$10.

For interchangeable-lens cameras: filter sized for your lens’s diameter (look for “Ø” symbol on lens, e.g., “Ø67mm”). Either:
– Baader AstroSolar film — cut to size, attach with cardboard frame (DIY, ~$30 for material, suitable for 2-3 lenses).
– Threaded filter — premium product like Marumi DHG ND-100000 ($100-200) or Thousand Oaks SolarLite ($50-150).

2. Tripod or stable surface

Mandatory during totality (long exposures), strongly recommended during partial phase. A basic tripod ($30-100) works fine. For phones, a small “GorillaPod” or phone-tripod adapter ($10-30) is enough.

3. ISO 12312-2 certified glasses

For looking at the Sun (not through camera). $5-10 per pair. Buy 2 per person.

4. Spare batteries and memory cards

Eclipses fill memory fast. Bring extra batteries (cold during totality drains them) and at least 2 SD cards.

5. Optional but useful

• Remote shutter release (~$15-30) — avoids vibration when pressing shutter.
• Power bank — phones drain fast in heat + intensive use.
• Lens cleaning cloth — sun reveals every smudge.

Setting up your equipment

For smartphone

1. Download apps: Cameras (native), and optionally Halide (iOS), Camera FV-5 (Android), or NightCap.
2. Practice the night before: take a photo of any bright light (lamp at distance) to understand how to lock focus and exposure.
3. Mount on tripod or stable surface — you’ll thank yourself.
4. Solar filter on, configured.
5. Charge phone fully + power bank ready.

For DSLR/mirrorless

1. Install solar filter (verify it’s snug and secure).
2. Set to Manual mode (M).
3. Manual focus to infinity. Auto-focus might fail with the filter.
4. ISO 100, f/8, shutter 1/500 as starting point.
5. Shoot test on the Sun (still normal Sun, not eclipse) days before. Adjust until you see a clean white-orange disk filling 30-50% of frame at maximum zoom.

Settings cheat sheet

Partial phase (with solar filter)

Setting	Value
ISO	100
Aperture	f/8
Shutter speed	1/500 to 1/2000 (test first)
Focus	Manual to infinity
Mode	Manual (M)
Image quality	RAW + JPEG

Phone equivalent: tap on the Sun in the screen, drag exposure slider down -1 to -2 stops.

Totality (filter REMOVED)

Subject	ISO	Aperture	Shutter
Diamond ring (moments before/after)	200	f/8	1/2000
Inner corona (closest to Sun)	400	f/8	1/250
Mid corona	400	f/8	1/30
Outer corona	800	f/8	1 sec
Stars/planets behind	1600	f/4	4 sec

Phone: Night mode auto-activates. Tap on the cloud or sky (NOT the eclipsed Sun), the camera will choose 1-3 second exposure.

Strategy: bracketing

If your camera has it, use auto-bracketing during totality: it takes 3-7 photos at different exposures rapidly. You combine them in post-processing.

What to actually do on August 12

90 minutes before

• Arrive at viewing location.
• Set up tripod, mount camera.
• Install solar filter, verify it’s secure.
• Check battery and memory.
• Take test photos of the Sun.
• Verify focus is sharp.

60 minutes before (first contact)

• Continue test shots.
• Adjust exposure if needed.
• Photograph the Moon “biting” into the Sun.

Every 10-15 minutes during partial

• Take 1-2 photos.
• Watch the partial deepen.
• Periodically re-check focus (might drift).

5 minutes before totality

• Quickly remove solar filter (don’t waste seconds during totality).
• Switch to Night/Astro mode if smartphone, or change settings to totality bracket on DSLR.
• Stand back. Take in the sky as it darkens.

Totality begins (Second Contact / C2)

• Click 4-5 photos rapidly in different settings.
• Look at the Sun and sky directly (NO filter needed — the Sun is fully covered).
• See the corona, planets, possibly stars.
• This is the moment of awe — don’t spend it fiddling with camera.

Mid-totality

• More photos, especially of sky background and corona.
• Don’t forget to look up at simple sky during these moments.

Totality ending (Third Contact / C3)

• PUT THE SOLAR FILTER BACK ON IMMEDIATELY before the diamond ring reappears.
• Continue partial-phase photography for next 60 minutes.

Wrap-up

• Take final photo at fourth contact (C4).
• Check all photos saved properly.
• Pack up; the road home will be jammed.

What to avoid

❌ No filter during partial phase — instant sensor damage.

❌ Forgetting to remove filter during totality — you’ll miss the corona entirely (filter is too dark to see corona through).

❌ Forgetting to put filter back at C3 — sensor and eye damage.

❌ Looking through optical viewfinder of DSLR with no filter — eye damage. Always use Live View / rear screen.

❌ Auto-focus on partial phase — confused by the dark sky, will hunt and miss.

❌ Burst mode the entire eclipse — fills your memory, drains battery, and you’ll miss the experience.

❌ Phone in regular video mode for partial — will overheat and die before totality.

❌ Showing up 5 minutes before — set up takes time. Arrive 90+ minutes early.

Common phone mistakes (specific)

• Using portrait/beauty mode — distorts the eclipse.
• Maximum digital zoom — pixelated results. Use 2x or 3x optical zoom max.
• Flash on — pointless and battery-drain.
• Looking at phone screen during partial — your eyes are exposed to Sun via reflection. Look with glasses, shoot with the other hand.

Editing your photos afterward

Don’t worry about perfect captures during the event. Editing fixes a lot:

• Adjust white balance to ~5500K (sunlight neutral).
• Boost contrast of the corona for dramatic effect.
• Stack multiple totality photos for clearer corona detail (free tools: DeepSkyStacker, Sequator).
• Combine bracketing exposures to show both inner corona detail and outer corona extension.

For beginners, Lightroom (Adobe, $10/mo) or GIMP (free) are sufficient. YouTube has many tutorials specific to eclipse photo editing.

Realistic expectations for beginners

With a smartphone: you’ll get a memorable photo of the eclipse with the landscape, possibly catching the diamond ring or some corona. Detail of the corona itself will be limited.

With a basic DSLR + cheap solar filter: you’ll get clean photos of the partial phase, decent corona shots during totality. Better than 95% of casual photos.

With a premium setup + telephoto: you can get publication-quality images.

For your first eclipse, the goal isn’t a perfect photograph. The goal is a memory — and to see the eclipse with your own eyes. The best photos are taken by people who’ve already seen multiple eclipses.

After the eclipse: sharing

Once you’re home and edited:

• Use hashtag #Eclipse2026 to share publicly.
• Include details: location, equipment, time of capture.
• Submit best photos to: APOD (NASA), space.com community, local astronomy clubs, your blog.

Conclusion

Photographing the August 12, 2026 eclipse as a beginner is not just possible — it’s encouraged. With a basic camera, a $30 solar filter, a tripod, and 30 minutes of preparation, you’ll capture an event that most of humanity will never witness with their own eyes. The technical details matter, but they’re learnable in a few hours.

What matters more: looking up. The moments of totality are the most beautiful in nature. Don’t miss them through your viewfinder.

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Equipment recommendations:
– 🛒 Baader AstroSolar Safety Film
– 🛒 Thousand Oaks SolarLite Filter
– 🛒 ISO 12312-2 Eclipse Glasses
– 🛒 Travel Tripod for Smartphones

Related reading:
– Solar Eclipse 2026 Spain UK Travel Guide
– Iceland 2026 Eclipse Totality Guide
– Greenland 2026 Eclipse Arctic Guide