Experts have warned that pointing an unprotected phone camera at the sun for an extended period can cause damage.
Jez Samuel, mobiles expert at Uswitch.com, says: ‘Your phone screen is safe to look at throughout Wednesday’s eclipse – it’s the camera lens that 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.’
He warned repairs typically range from around £49 for a camera glass replacement to over £250 for a full module swap, depending on the phone.
‘The fix is simple, as long as you don’t zoom in,’ he explained. ‘Hold your eclipse glasses in front of the camera lens.
‘Zooming concentrates sunlight the same way a telescope does, and that can burn straight through glasses never designed for it. For zoomed shots, use a dedicated clip-on solar filter 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.’
