Method for operating a soldering device and soldering device, wherein a graphic representation of at least part of the soldering device is captured, wherein an instantaneous operating state of the soldering device is determined by means of automated processing of the graphic representation dependent on information about the soldering device from the graphic representation, characterized in that the information about the soldering device is determined dependent on a reference representation of at least part of the soldering device, wherein the reference representation is captured as a graphic representation or wherein the reference representation is read as a graphic representation from a memory, and in that the reference representation characterizes a degree of oxidation of solder (122) when the solder (122) flows out over at least part of a surface (124) of a soldering nozzle (116).