What hardware risk is exponentially increased when using a long telephoto lens pointed at the Sun?
Answer
The light energy is compressed onto a smaller physical target area on the sensor.
A longer focal length acts similarly to a magnifying glass, concentrating the Sun's energy. This compression increases the intensity hitting the sensor chip, which can physically damage delicate circuitry, potentially leading to dead pixels or sensor failure.

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How to Photograph the Sun Safely - YouTube
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