Miami, Florida – Photographing a solar eclipse with a smartphone proved to be a challenging task for one individual who embarked on a mission to capture the celestial event with three flagship phones. Armed with an iPhone 15 Pro Max, Google Pixel 8 Pro, and Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra, the photographer spent 180 minutes endeavoring to capture the eclipse’s beauty with nothing but the phones’ zoom lenses.
Despite the technological advancements in these smartphones, the exposure control posed a significant challenge as the sun’s brightness overwhelmed the camera sensors. To address this issue, the photographer resorted to using Celestron eclipse glasses to reduce the glare and aid in adjusting the exposure for a clearer view of the eclipse.
As the eclipse progressed, the photographer switched between phones, adjusting tripods and capturing different angles of the sun being partially obscured by the moon. Despite some setbacks like cloud cover, the smartphones proved to be up to the challenge, each offering unique capabilities in capturing the eclipse.
A comparison of the smartphone cameras revealed the nuances in image quality and zoom capabilities. While the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra’s 10x optical zoom provided detailed close-ups, the iPhone 15 Pro Max excelled in capturing vibrant images with a 5x zoom. The Google Pixel 8 Pro, on the other hand, displayed a wider range of ISO settings, resulting in sharp shots despite exposure difficulties.
Each smartphone camera’s unique features, such as ISO settings and image processing, contributed to the overall quality of the eclipse photos. The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra emerged as the top performer with its extra optical zoom, closely followed by the iPhone 15 Pro Max. The Google Pixel 8 Pro, while producing some impressive shots, faced challenges in exposure and focus.
Looking ahead to future eclipses, the photographer expressed a desire to explore special smartphone eclipse filters and anticipate advancements in camera technology. As technology continues to evolve, the potential for even more advanced optical zoom cameras with higher resolution sensors may provide new opportunities for capturing celestial events like eclipses.