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I took a few photos this weekend of a mountain range, and the sun was up above them, off to the top right for most of the photos. I was taking these photos (moving the angle around and whatnot) for about 5 minutes in total. Would this damage the sensor, or is it more like "don't aim the camera directly at the sun"?

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  • \$\begingroup\$ The question marked above as a duplicate specifies where the sun appears. That is, at sunrise - when the light and heat from the sun is passing through much more of the Earth's atmosphere than when it is high in the sky. \$\endgroup\$
    – Michael C
    Aug 1, 2017 at 2:31
  • \$\begingroup\$ @MichaelClark I don't read it that way. I think that means "Where the sun appears in the photo." \$\endgroup\$
    – mattdm
    Aug 2, 2017 at 12:19

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This will most probably not damage the camera. However if you are taking a long time composing your shots, always having the sun in the frame, the effect of magnification that the lens has can cause damage to the sensor as the temperature would rise. Using a long lens pointed directly at the sun is also dangerous even for shorter periods. Shooting the sunrise or sunset is not a problem.

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    \$\begingroup\$ this answer couldn't be more false \$\endgroup\$
    – schnipdip
    Jul 31, 2017 at 16:53
  • \$\begingroup\$ Why is this wrong? He is taking landscape photos, the sun is in the frame but it is not magnified, it is equivalent as watching the sky on a sunny day. Using a lens with a great magnification and pointing it directly at the sun can indeed cause a temperature raise and even a burn of the sensor. \$\endgroup\$
    – dannemp
    Jul 31, 2017 at 17:40
  • \$\begingroup\$ your original comment was 100% false. Go stare at the sun for 1 minute. \$\endgroup\$
    – schnipdip
    Jul 31, 2017 at 18:51
  • \$\begingroup\$ Maybe the parallel was not clear, I was trying to compare to the case when you look at the sky or over a landscape and you also see the sun, I have updated the answer to make it more undersyandable \$\endgroup\$
    – dannemp
    Jul 31, 2017 at 19:00
  • \$\begingroup\$ I think it could be far more false, actually.. \$\endgroup\$
    – Digital Lightcraft
    Aug 1, 2017 at 9:16

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