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Samsung S21 Ultra 5G (and eventually S23) - Safe filter for taking Solar Eclipse shots?

(Topic created: 10-21-2022 07:27 AM)
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EwanRGR
Asteroid
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Galaxy S21

Annular Eclipse about this time next year in Texas, and a full-on eclipse in 2024. I have an older camera I have been holding onto because I wasn't sure if there was anyway to get a decent eclipse shot with the S21 I have, or the S23 I am expecting to get next year.

Wondering if there is a filter system that can be placed over the entire camera bump that would allow for a safe pic?

FWIW, I have a 77mm solar safe filter that works with the old camera. I've looked to see if there is something that would go over the camera block since that is large enough to cover all the lenses. But so far, no luck.

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usersUA9Te3PNs
Astronaut
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Galaxy S21
If you want to shoot the sun you are going about it entirely the wrong way. You need a telescope the can use solar filters then attach a camera to the telescope.
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bill-e
Epic Samsung Care Ambassador
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Galaxy S21

Yea, I know it's not ideal, but you could easily make a gasket around the area on the filter where the camera goes and it's better than nothing if it comes to that. 

 

 
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Bill
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Galaxy Fold 5 512g(VZW), Galaxy Book (original, VZW), Tab S8 Ultra, Tab S4, Galaxy Watch6Classic 47mm(VZW), Galaxy Watch5Pro(VZW), M8 Smart Monitor
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Solution
EwanRGR
Asteroid
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Galaxy S21

So I ended up with two solutions. One of which is decently cheap (and works ok) and the other which is rather spendy, but works much better.

Solution 1 was to find a S21 Ultra Phone case that has a sliding cover for the phone block. This gives enough "depth" to cut a sheet of Solar Black Polymer and tape to the inside of the case so that the tape doesn't block the cameras at all. Put camera in case, and you can take so-so pictures. Even at 10x, the sun just isn't all that big. I'm sure that it would still look "ok" for some uses, but since the 10x only gives a 10mp image, you can't really crop further.

So we come to solution 2 - a pair of astronomical binoculars (20x70) with a smartphone adapter - and then solar filters for the binoculars. Am still working on getting a decent shot with this (Autofocus is a bit of an issue here), but I like that this should also give me a better solution for some moonshots and other astronomy.

I do wish I were part of the S23 beta program (hint, hint) so I could see what a 200mp camera could do in this setting. But for now, I think this will work.