Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsThatPainter is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Learn More
Start here: For a partial or annular eclipse, use a certified solar photography filter over the front of the lens, manual exposure, ISO 100–200, about f/8–f/11, and test shutter speeds from roughly 1/500 to 1/4000 second. During totality, remove the filter only after the photosphere is completely covered and use a bracket ranging from very fast exposures for prominences and the inner corona to much longer exposures for the outer corona. These are starting points, not universal presets: filter transmission, lens, sensor, haze and your intended subject all change the result.
The safest workflow is to test the complete camera, lens, filter and support combination before eclipse day, lock focus and white balance, and automate as much of the sequence as possible.
Safety rules come before settings
Whenever any part of the bright Sun is visible, a certified filter designed for solar photography or observation must cover the front of the lens. Ordinary neutral-density filters, polarizers, stacked photographic filters and eclipse glasses placed behind a lens are not substitutes. Do not look through an unfiltered optical viewfinder.
#1 Best Overall
- SOLAR SAFE TELESCOPE FILTER: Filter conforms to the ISO 12312-2:2015(E) international safety standard for filters directly viewing the Sun. The ideal tool for viewing eclipses, sunspots, or the Sun any day!
- WORKS WITH YOUR EXISTING TELESCOPE, SPOTTING SCOPE, OR DSLR CAMERA: Compatible with objective lenses with an outside diameter of 75mm to 100mm.
- SAFE, SECURE FIT: Adjust the side panels to fit the filter to your telescope or camera and attach the elastic band to secure. When you're done observing, fold the filter flat and store it in the reusable bag.
- SOLAR FILM MADE IN THE USA: Celestron Solar Safe film is produced in the USA by American Paper Optics, one of the suppliers recommended by NASA & the American Astronomical Society for safe solar viewing, & independently tested by a third-party lab.
- GREAT VIEWS AND IMAGES: This filter features an orange tint, producing a natural look perfect for visual observing and capturing images through your telescope, spotting scope, or DSLR camera.
Only observers inside the path of totality may remove the filter, and only while the Sun is completely covered. Put it back before the bright photosphere reappears. “Almost covered” is not a safe transition. NASA’s safety guidance is at science.nasa.gov/eclipses/safety/ and its total-eclipse photography advice is at nasa.gov.
Choose the picture you actually want
Close-up solar disk
A telephoto setup records sunspots, the Moon’s silhouette, partial phases, Baily’s beads, the diamond ring, prominences and the corona. It demands a secure filter, stable support, manual focus and careful timing.
Wide-angle environmental scene
A wide lens can include people, buildings, silhouettes and the changing horizon light. NASA specifically recommends this approach when you do not have a long telephoto lens: NASA’s eclipse photography tips.
Rank #2
- Black polymer is the most common filtering material for observing sunspots and granulation, through telescopes and binoculars.
- These sheets are a quality product of Thousand Oaks Optical, Arizona, a manufacturer of safe solar filters for over 30 years. "Stronger than Mylar with the filtering properties protected within the substrate. Guaranteed five years."
- Make a filter on your own for any telescope / binoculars / camera, and for a fraction of what factory made filters cost.
- The sun will appear in a natural orange color when viewed through your telescope using this filter.
- WARNING: ALWAYS MAKE SURE THE FILTER IS WELL ATTACHED TO THE TELESCOPE/BINOCULARS, USING STICKY TAPE, TO KEEP IT FROM FALLING WHILE OBSERVING!
Time-lapse or sequence
Lock the composition, use an interval timer or intervalometer, and keep exposure and white balance manual. With a long lens, plan periodic reframing because the Sun moves across the frame.
Quick wins for a faster PC:
Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Composite or HDR-style image
A composite combines frames made at different times or exposures. It can show the eclipse’s progression or blend the corona’s wide brightness range, but it is an interpretive presentation rather than a single exposure. Disclose that the image was composited.
The equipment that matters
Camera
Any body with manual exposure and focus control can work. Mirrorless cameras and DSLRs offer the most flexibility; bridge cameras can deliver useful reach through their built-in zoom. Look for RAW capture, Live View or an electronic viewfinder, exposure bracketing, an interval timer or remote option, and enough battery and card capacity. Smartphones are useful for environmental scenes, but their small sensors and lenses rarely resolve a large solar disk; NASA’s smartphone precautions are in this PDF guide.
Rank #3
- Silver-black polymer is the most common filtering material for observing sunspots and granulation, through telescopes and binoculars
- Make a filter on your own for any telescope / binoculars / camera, and for a fraction of what factory made filters cost.
- The sun will appear in a natural orange color when viewed through your telescope using this filter.
- WARNING: ALWAYS MAKE SURE THE FILTER IS WELL ATTACHED TO THE TELESCOPE/BINOCULARS, USING STICKY TAPE, TO KEEP IT FROM FALLING WHILE OBSERVING.
Lens and focal length
| Focal length | Typical use | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|
| Wide angle | People, landmarks and horizon glow | The Sun remains small |
| 100–200mm | A recognizable Sun within a broader scene | Limited disk detail |
| 300–600mm | Prominent solar disk and partial phases | More precise aiming and reframing |
| 600mm and longer | Maximum disk detail in steady air | Tight framing can exclude the corona and make contact events easy to miss |
Sensor format changes the field of view, but crop factor does not create extra optical detail. NASA’s focal-length examples show how modest the solar image remains at shorter lengths: NASA solar photography reference and NASA focal-length discussion.
Solar filter
Buy a filter explicitly intended for solar photography or observation, sized for your lens and securely mounted over the front element. Inspect it for pinholes, tears, cracks and loose edges before use. Front mounting is the general safe recommendation; Canon warns not to assume that a rear drop-in filter is sufficient, even on a super-telephoto lens: Canon’s filter guidance. Filter types and safety distinctions are also explained by B&H Explora.
Support and accessories
- Use a sturdy tripod and a head that supports the camera without drooping.
- A wired or wireless remote, intervalometer or tested camera app reduces shake and lets you watch the event.
- Carry spare batteries, high-capacity cards, a blower, lens cloth, retaining tape, eclipse glasses and a written contact-time schedule.
- A second wide-angle camera is often more valuable than replacing a good telephoto body. A tracking mount is optional and adds alignment complexity.
Prepare the complete setup before eclipse day
- Confirm your location. Only observers inside the path of totality get a filter-free interval; everyone else keeps the filter on throughout.
- Fit and test the filter. Test the exact camera, lens, extender, filter and tripod together. Canon recommends advance testing because filter density changes exposure: Canon exposure guidance.
- Focus manually. With the filter attached, magnify the solar edge in Live View or an electronic display, refine focus, disable autofocus and protect the focus ring with tape. Nikon’s procedure is at Nikon’s eclipse guide.
- Lock exposure variables. Set manual exposure, fixed white balance and, if applicable, fixed ISO. Automatic changes create flicker and make frames harder to align.
- Practice the transition. Rehearse removing and replacing the filter without touching focus or shifting the tripod. Store partial and totality settings in custom camera modes if available.
- Write a timeline. Note first and last contact, totality start and end, Baily’s beads and diamond-ring cues, filter changes, battery checks and card capacity.
- Practice finding the Sun. A shorter focal length makes aiming easier. Decide when to re-center and keep a wider backup composition.
Partial and annular eclipse settings
Keep the certified front filter attached for the entire partial or annular event. Start with this manual profile:
Rank #4
- Black polymer is the most common filtering material for observing sunspots and granulation, through telescopes and binoculars.
- These sheets are a quality product of Thousand Oaks Optical, Arizona, a manufacturer of safe solar filters for over 30 years. "Stronger than Mylar with the filtering properties protected within the substrate. Guaranteed five years."
- Make a filter on your own for any telescope / binoculars / camera, and for a fraction of what factory made filters cost.
- The sun will appear in a natural orange color when viewed through your telescope using this filter.
- WARNING: ALWAYS MAKE SURE THE FILTER IS WELL ATTACHED TO THE TELESCOPE/BINOCULARS, USING STICKY TAPE, TO KEEP IT FROM FALLING WHILE OBSERVING!
| Control | Starting point |
|---|---|
| Mode | Manual |
| File | RAW |
| ISO | 100 or 200 |
| Aperture | f/8–f/11 |
| Shutter | Test approximately 1/500–1/4000 sec |
| Focus | Manual and locked |
| White balance | Fixed |
The American Astronomical Society recommends testing ISO 100–200, f/8 and short exposures in this approximate range: AAS eclipse photography guidance. Expose for texture on the solar disk, not a featureless white circle. Use the histogram and highlight warnings; clipping at the right edge means the disk is probably overexposed.
Do not assume an “18-stop” filter behaves like another brand’s 18-stop filter. Transmission, aperture, sensor response, haze and atmospheric altitude all matter. NASA notes that surface brightness is broadly steady through partial phases, although a narrow crescent can appear to need compensation because of limb darkening: NASA’s exposure notes. Bracket when cloud or haze changes contrast.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Totality requires a separate exposure plan
Once totality is fully established inside the path of totality, remove the filter and keep the camera in manual mode. The corona covers an enormous brightness range, so one exposure cannot normally preserve bright prominences, the inner corona and faint outer structure equally well.
Best Value
- 【Ultra Dark ND Filter】Capture stunning images with unparalleled clarity and natural color, with our exclusive ND100000 Filter.
- 【16.6 Stops Light Reduction】This ND100000 lens filter provides 16.6 stops light reduction, blocks extreme amounts of light. It delivering crisp, sharp, and vivid images without overexposure or color cast.
- 【Premium Material 】This ND lens filter made by imported AGC optical glass, 0.2% reflectivity; Aviation aluminum alloy frame, super slim and lightweight, avoiding vignetting on the wide-angle lens. Extra tough frame ensuring durability and jamming prevention.
- 【28 Multi-Layer Coatings】Multi-Layer coated process suppresses ghosting, flare, and reflections, and increases light transmission; effectively reducing the light reflection of the surface, and improving image quality.
- 【Compatible Note】The 52mm fixed nd filter ONLY be used on 52mm lens, please verify your lens size before ordering, this number is always preceded by a "ø" (diameter) symbol.
An illustrative bracket
For a rehearsed setup, a planning sequence might include approximately 1/1000 sec, 1/250 sec, 1/60 sec, 1/15 sec, 1/4 sec and 1 sec. This is an example range, not a universal recipe; adapt it to your aperture, ISO, focal length and camera. Canon describes a seven-frame, two-stop bracket as one possible strategy, while NASA and published tables show different examples: Canon totality guidance, NASA exposure material and B&H exposure table.
The filter sequence
- Before totality: filter on.
- After the photosphere is completely covered: filter may come off.
- At the first sign that totality is ending: replace the filter before the bright photosphere returns.
- After totality: keep the filter on for the remaining partial phase.
Do not improvise this transition. A second camera can remain filtered for a wide scene while the primary camera handles the bracket.
Diamond ring, Baily’s beads and prominences
These brief transitions are bright and require short exposures. Keep the filter on until the exact start of totality, then use the preplanned fast end of your bracket. Reverse the procedure before totality ends. Because timing is critical, a written cue sheet and rehearsed custom modes are safer than changing several controls by hand.
Focus, framing and sharpness
Long lenses magnify every mistake. Wind, tripod vibration, heat shimmer, atmospheric turbulence, lens softness wide open and accidental autofocus can all soften the disk. A tracking mount can reduce reframing but cannot correct poor focus or turbulent air. If the Sun repeatedly leaves the frame, shorten the focal length, re-center at planned intervals or use a wider backup sequence.
Recommended Free Tools
Quick Recap
Time-lapse and composite workflow
- Use a locked tripod, manual exposure, manual white balance and a tested interval.
- Leave enough card space and battery capacity for the full partial phase.
- With a long lens, schedule reframing; otherwise the Sun will drift out of the composition.
- Keep the original RAW files. Apply consistent exposure, white balance, cropping and lens corrections before alignment.
- For a corona composite, align frames and blend masked exposure ranges carefully. Label the final image as a composite or HDR-style interpretation.
Troubleshooting in the field
| Symptom | Likely cause | Recovery |
|---|---|---|
| White, detail-free Sun | Overexposure, wrong filter or sky-based metering | Confirm the solar front filter, lower ISO, stop down or use a faster shutter in manual mode. |
| Sun leaves the frame | Focal length too long, drift or shifted tripod | Use a shorter lens, re-center at intervals, tighten the head or use tracking. |
| Filter slips or falls | Loose or incorrect mount | Stop immediately; secure a properly fitted filter before pointing at the Sun again. |
| Autofocus changes between frames | AF left enabled | Re-establish focus with magnified Live View and switch to manual focus. |
| Totality frames are black or white | Partial settings carried into totality, or an unbracketed long exposure | Use separate custom modes and the rehearsed fast-to-long bracket. |
| Sequence flickers | Auto exposure, Auto ISO, Auto WB or changing clouds | Lock variables, process RAW files consistently and note weather-driven changes. |
| Camera appears damaged | Improvised or unsuitable filter | Stop using the setup. A dark-looking image does not certify camera or eye safety. |
A practical final checklist
- Solar filter is solar-rated, undamaged, correctly sized and secure over the front element.
- Location is confirmed; totality timing and filter cues are written down.
- Manual exposure, RAW, fixed white balance and manual focus are set.
- Partial settings have been tested with the exact equipment.
- Totality bracket and filter transition have been rehearsed.
- Tripod, head, remote or intervalometer are stable and compatible.
- Batteries are charged; spare batteries and memory cards are packed.
- Wide-angle backup camera, eclipse glasses and cleaning items are ready.
- Focus ring and filter mount are protected from accidental movement.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
