With less than a week till we experience one of the most prominent total solar eclipses in probably decades, you’ll surely want to make sure you’re well prepared for the moment. That means not just wearing safe glasses that let you observe the eclipse, but also making sure that your expensive smartphone camera doesn’t get damaged by the sun’s rays too. Yes, you heard me, your camera’s sensor, much like your eyes, is vulnerable to the sun… and prolonged exposure can quite literally burn the sensor the same way solar rays could damage your eyes. So if you’re all equipped with eclipse-friendly glasses, why not prepare your smartphone with some appropriate protection too? After all, you’re definitely going to want to take photos of the eclipse, right??
Designer: VisiSolar
The VisiSolar Smartphone Photo Filter is a card-shaped filter that’s designed to help you capture the magic of a solar event safely on your smartphone. Whether it’s the partial phases, the breathtaking diamond ring effect, or the ethereal totality, this filter guarantees the best shots of the cosmic phenomenon, without worrying about any damage to your phone. Quite literally the size of perhaps a credit card or a table coaster, the filter sits right in front of your camera lens, blocking out harmful rays from hitting your phone’s sensor. You can still take great photos of the eclipse, just without the potential harm. Think of it as protective glasses for your phone.
Available in a two-pack for just under $13, the VisiSolar filters feature a stiff paper outer border, and a specially coated solar-imaging film in the center. Place the film right in front of your camera lens, fire up the camera app, and zoom in on the sun without worrying about anything. The filter automatically blocks out the intense harmful rays, letting you observe the eclipse in glorious fashion. Just make sure you zoom in as much as possible for the most incredible footage ever! And when the eclipse has passed, you can use the filter to take regular photos of the sun too! If your phone (or DSLR) has a great zoom, you’ll even see a few sunspots on the surface of our nearest star!
