this post was submitted on 28 Sep 2023
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Even if a phone sensor is 5% as sensitive as a larger format sensor (I'd guess more like 50%, large format sensors have slower and less frequent development times), it's still receiving solar energy. Phone cameras still have a (plastic, crappy) lens which focuses light down and microlenses plated on the sensor itself to further focus light directly onto the photosensitive regions of the chip.
Phones don't have physical shutters because they take up space and add unnecessary cost. I can't think of any phone use cases where the device is left outside in the elements for days at a time with a semi-direct angle towards the sun.
But is that enough energy to cause damage? Its clearly not a huge problem otherwise cases with camera covers would probably be common.
I don't think its worth most users worrying about it. But definitely don't point your camera at the sun on purpose.
I'll meet you half way on this because now I'm invested. No luck finding anything other than "It's bad" from non-scientific studies, but I found a paper quantifying sensor damage from lasers. If you can find something comparing constant solar exposure and short-term laser exposures, maybe we can figure this thing out ourselves.
https://www.spiedigitallibrary.org/journals/optical-engineering/volume-56/issue-03/034108/Laser-induced-damage-threshold-of-camera-sensors-and-micro-optoelectromechanical/10.1117/1.OE.56.3.034108.full?SSO=1
Basically, my point is don't leave your electronics out in the sun, like leaving it out on a bench park table or such in direct sunlight.
I'm pretty sure it'll be fine with a little brief exposure to the sun, just don't leave it out there ya know..