Eclipse photography settings
Pick your ISO and aperture and get the shutter speed for every phase, from the filtered partial Sun to the faint outer corona. Built on Fred Espenak’s solar eclipse exposure guide.
Exposure calculator
1/8000
Exact: 1/12800 · Q = 11
Solar filter ON
That is faster than most shutters (1/8000). Lower the ISO or close the aperture a stop or two.
The usual white-light solar film/glass filter. Also right for annular eclipses.
Totality bracket
At ISO 400, f/8. Shoot these in sequence during totality, then start over.
| Subject | Shutter |
|---|---|
| Chromosphere | 1/8000 |
| Prominences | 1/4000 |
| Inner corona (0.1 solar radii) | 1/1000 |
| Corona 0.2 solar radii | 1/250 |
| Corona 0.5 solar radii | 1/60 |
| Corona 1 solar radius | 1/15 |
| Corona 2 solar radii | 1/8 |
| Outer corona 4 solar radii | 1/4 |
| Faint outer corona 8 solar radii | 1 s |
How big will the Sun be?
On a full-frame (36 × 24 mm) sensor the Sun is 5.5 mm across; the corona out to 2 solar radii needs about 22 mm. A good framing for the Sun plus inner corona.
Divide by 1.5 (APS-C) or 2 (Micro Four Thirds) to get the full-frame-equivalent focal length you need.
How to photograph a solar eclipse
Gear
- A certified solar filter for the front of your lens (white-light glass or black-polymer film, ND 5.0 “visual” density). This protects both you and the camera.
- A solid tripod and a remote release or the 2-second timer.
- Spare batteries and cards: totality burns through them quickly with bracketing.
Settings that don’t change
- Manual exposure, manual focus (focus on the Sun’s edge or a sunspot with the filter on, then tape the ring).
- RAW files, image stabilisation off on a tripod, auto-ISO off.
- Practise on the uneclipsed Sun days before, with the same filter.
During totality
Remove the filter right at second contact. Shoot the diamond ring and Baily’s beads first, then run your bracket from fast (prominences) to slow (outer corona). Many photographers use automatic exposure bracketing to cover several steps per press. Save the last 20 seconds for simply looking. Filter back on at third contact.
Annular and partial eclipses
The filter stays on the whole time, because the Sun is never fully covered. Use the “partial phases” settings throughout, and try a sequence every five minutes for a composite.
Questions
What are the best camera settings for a solar eclipse?
For the partial phases with a standard ND 4.0 (1/10,000) solar filter, ISO 100 at f/8 needs about 1/4000 s, and ISO 400 at f/8 about 1/1000 s (Espenak’s exposure guide). During totality remove the filter and bracket widely: from about 1/1000 s for prominences to 1 s or more for the outer corona at ISO 400 and f/8.
What focal length do I need?
The Sun’s image on the sensor is about the focal length divided by 109. A 500–800 mm lens on a full-frame camera frames the Sun with room for the inner corona; 300–400 mm shows more of the outer corona; a wide lens captures the landscape and the 360° sunset glow.
Can I photograph an eclipse with my phone?
Yes, but put an ISO 12312-2 or solar filter over the lens for the partial phases, lock focus and exposure on the Sun, and use a tripod. During totality remove the filter and shoot wide scenes: phones do the eclipse landscape and people’s reactions far better than the corona itself.
Do I need a filter during totality?
No. During totality (and only then) remove the filter to capture the corona, prominences and chromosphere. Put it back immediately after third contact. Never look through an optical viewfinder at the uncovered Sun.
How do I photograph a lunar eclipse?
No filter is needed. Start with a normal full-moon exposure (roughly ISO 100, f/8, 1/250 s) and increase the exposure as the shadow advances. The totally eclipsed Moon is many thousands of times fainter, so expect around ISO 800–1600 and 1–4 s at f/5.6 on a tripod, and bracket.
Exposure values: F. Espenak, Solar Eclipse Photography and exposure table, NASA/GSFC. Values assume a clear sky and a corona of average brightness; bracket at least one stop either way.