Millions in people in North America are now counting down to the solar eclipse, that will be able to be seen by many on April 8. For most places it will be a partial eclipse, but a super-rare total solar eclipse will be able to be seen from 15 US States, and parts of Mexico and Canada.
With the next total eclipse in the USA not arriving for another 20 years, this event is one not to be missed. But there are extreme dangers - as you must avoid looking directly at the sun. So you need a proper filter.
Low-cost sunglasses are available for viewing, but if you want to photograph the a total or partial eclipse you need a special filter to put over your camera's lens or over the objective lens of your telescope.
The standard ND filter you use for shooting waterfalls and seascapes is not strong enough. Typically you need a neutral density filter with an optical density of 5 or more - that reduces exposure by at least 16 stops.
Here are some of the options available:
Light reduction: 20 stops
Sizes: 49, 52, 55, 58, 62, 67, 72, 77, 82, 95mm
K&F are a well-know low-cost brand of photo filters, and it has brought out a super ND filter that reduces exposure when looking at the sun by 20 stops. We like how it is available in such a wider variety of sizes, to suit the front filter thread of practically any lens you own.
Light reduction: 16.6 stops
Sizes: 58, 67, 72, 77, 82, 95mm
Hoya are one of the best-known filter brands around - and has become synonymous with round screw-in filters of all types. The range of sizes available are restricted to just the most popular filter thread sizes - so make sure there is an option that works with the lens you will be using on your camera.
Light reduction: 20 stops
Sizes: 49, 52, 55, 58, 62, 67, 72, 77, 82, 86, 95mm
Neewer is well-known for its vast and affordable photo and video accessories. Its solar filter, like K&F's, offers a 20-stop neutral density effect - and is available in a particularly impressive range of filter ring sizes.
Light reduction: 16.6 stops
Sizes: 58, 77, 95mm
Another established filter brand, offering a solar filter with an optical density of 5 - which will reduce exposure by 16.6 stops when photographing the sun. The number of filter sizes seems severely limited though - so this Japanese-made option won't work for lots of photographers.
Light reduction: Unknown
Sizes: Fixed (75-100mm)
Telescope manufacturer Celestron offers a simple not-fuss solar filter solution. This is essentially a five-sided box that fits over the front of the telescope - or over the front of your camera lenses. They say it works for lenses with a diameter between 75-100mm - with a circular opening made of film measuring 60mm across.
Light reduction: Unknown
Sizes: Fixed
Want to use your phone to take pictures of the eclipse? This simple option provides a cardboard frame with a circular cut out of protective film to shoot through. You can buy these in packs of one, two or five filters, so you can get one for family and friend. NB You shouldn't use this for direct viewing - as it is not a safe substitute for proper eclipse glasses.
Helpful information
How to stay safe
The Sun’s infrared and ultraviolet rays are incredibly dangerous. At no point should you look at the sun directly with You must use solar eclipse glasses to look at this event and put solar filters on the front of any telescope, binoculars or camera lens. Don’t look through your camera’s optical viewfinder; use the LCD screen. This advice holds true for a partial eclipse, a ring of fire eclipse, or for the lead-up stages of a total eclipse. During the brief period of totality, when the whole of the sun is covered by the moon's shadow, you should take the filter off to take images, as the earth at this point will be in near darkness.
How to stay safe
The Sun’s infrared and ultraviolet rays are incredibly dangerous. At no point should you look at the sun directly with You must use solar eclipse glasses to look at this event and put solar filters on the front of any telescope, binoculars or camera lens. Don’t look through your camera’s optical viewfinder if you are using a DSLR; use the LCD live view screen.
This advice holds true for a partial eclipse, a ring of fire eclipse, or for the lead-up stages of a total eclipse. Howver, during the brief period of totality, when the whole of the sun is covered by the moon's shadow, you should take the filter off to take images, as the earth at this point will be in near darkness.
How to choose the right size filter
You need a filter that fits your lens’s filter thread. The diameter of the front threaded ring is often marked on the lens in millimetres and prefixed with a Ø symbol.
Where do you get solar glasses to view the eclipse?
Solar glasses made of card and with eyeholes covered with special film are readily avaiable. Look out for multipacks that allow you to make savings, and so you can be prepared for the event.
Here are some typical online deals:
But if you want a closer view of the spectacle, and don't have a camera with a telephoto lens, you can get pairs of special solar binoculars - here are deals on some of the options we have tested:
Check out our photographers' guide to the 2024 Great American Eclipse,
and here are some of the most interesting places to view the eclipse from.
