My friends captured these eclipse photos with their Pixels, and I'm pretty jealous

Taking a photo with the Google Pixel 7 Pro
(Image credit: Nicholas Sutrich / Android Central)

Eclipses are cool, and I've only ever had the chance to see a handful in my lifetime. Unfortunately, I've never seen a total eclipse, and I had to miss out on this one, too, but plenty of other people got to see one today as one passed through parts of the United States. One friend wasn't lucky enough to see the total eclipse since he lives in California, but he still took some pretty cool photos with his Pixel, while one Android Central writer also managed to get a cool image with his Pixel 8 Pro.

With my friend being in California, he could only capture the eclipse from an angle, with most of the sun still present. However, you can clearly see the moon peaking through the corner, covering about one-quarter of the sun. And despite capturing a partial view of the eclipse, I'm still quite impressed with how the photos came out from his Pixel 7 Pro.

According to my friend, he used the Pixel 7 Pro and captured the images at 5x optical and then at 30x. To protect his lens, he took the photos through the lens of some cheap eclipse glasses, similar to the pair we recommended, and a 100mm photographic filter.

Android Central's Nick Sutrich, who is closer to the path of totality, also got a pretty great photo of the eclipse from his Pixel 8 Pro. The image below was taken at 30xzoom, similar to my friend's Pixel 7 Pro, and you can see the moon covering most of the sun except for a sliver on the side. That said, there was a bit of cloud coverage where he's at, which obstructed the image a bit, but the result is spectacular nonetheless.

April 8 eclipse taken from a Google Pixel 8 Pro at 30x zoom

(Image credit: Nick Sutrich / Android Central)

Unfortunately, cloud coverage was a problem for many Android Central staff. That includes myself, although I wouldn't have been able to see much from Seattle, WA, anyway.

I did manage to get a pretty okay photo of the 2023 annular solar eclipse, which I took using my Galaxy Note 20 Ultra at full zoom. It's extremely grainy, and clouds were trying to ruin the experience, but I'm still happy with the result, as it's the closest I've gotten to witnessing a total eclipse.

October 2023 eclipse taken with the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra

(Image credit: Android Central)

As Android Central's Jerry Hildenbrand points out, taking a photo of an eclipse can be easy, so long as the timing and weather are right (darn clouds) and you have the right equipment, like a phone tripod. Hopefully, some of you were able to take some pretty cool images of the eclipse with your smartphones and use the appropriate gear to protect your lenses.

Derrek Lee
Managing Editor

Derrek is the managing editor of Android Central, helping to guide the site's editorial content and direction to reach and resonate with readers, old and new, who are just as passionate about tech as we are. He's been obsessed with mobile technology since he was 12, when he discovered the Nokia N90, and his love of flip phones and new form factors continues to this day. As a fitness enthusiast, he has always been curious about the intersection of tech and fitness. When he's not working, he's probably working out.

  • winmod21
    Well, instead of 'Totality' . . . it was a total flop here in west Michigan! :rolleyes: And to think we wasted our precious time driving around looking for eclipse glasses. :rolleyes: Here, it didn't even get half as dark as it did for the partial eclipse in 2017. In fact, it didn't even get as dark as when a regular cloud passes in front of the sun, and us. :rolleyes:
    Nonetheless, one of the local news school-boy looking reporters (who looks like he's maybe 15 yrs old), was squeaking and gushing so much about the supposed 94% partial eclipse hardly noticeable nothing-ness, where he was located about 1/4 mile from us, that I wouldn't be surprised in the least if he peed in his panties! :rolleyes:

    . . . I gotta rest my rolling eyes!
    Reply
  • Derrek Lee
    winmod21 said:
    Well, instead of 'Totality' . . . it was a total flop here in west Michigan! :rolleyes: And to think we wasted our precious time driving around looking for eclipse glasses. :rolleyes: Here, it didn't even get half as dark as it did for the partial eclipse in 2017. In fact, it didn't even get as dark as when a regular cloud passes in front of the sun, and us. :rolleyes:
    Nonetheless, one of the local news school-boy looking reporters (who looks like he's maybe 15 yrs old), was squeaking and gushing so much about the supposed 94% partial eclipse hardly noticeable nothing-ness, where he was located about 1/4 mile from us, that I wouldn't be surprised in the least if he peed in his panties! :rolleyes:

    . . . I gotta rest my rolling eyes!
    That's a bummer, I know people who drove quite a while to check out the total eclipse, although idk yet if they managed to capture it. Based on how the weather has been, I kinda doubt it. Some people just barely got to see it before the clouds rolled in :cry: I'm used to Seattle's cloudy weather so I never expect to see anything. I'm surprised I got as much of last year's eclipse as I did
    Reply
  • KWKSLVR
    It was cloudy in Alabama and we were under 90% totality but I still got some good shots with my Pixel 7 Pro and ProShot.
    Reply
  • simpsojp
    From my Pixel 8 Pro in New Brunswick, Canada. That was incredible!361587
    Reply
  • Joshua Luther1
    I took these along with about 80 other ones on my S23 ultra. We were in SE Michigan about an hour away from the edge of totality.
    Reply
  • Mooncatt
    I got to see it totally eclipsed in Wisconsin. Happens rather often, actually.

    361617
    Reply
  • spARTacus
    simpsojp said:
    From my Pixel 8 Pro in New Brunswick, Canada. That was incredible!361587
    That's pretty impressive for a phone camera. Presumably on a tripod? No zoom lens attachment?
    Reply
  • easmith793
    Cleveland OH area on my pixel 8 pro 30x zoom. Edited the color to be a little more yellow than white. Held the glasses lens over the camera lens, lol
    Reply