The ASI294MC Color Astronomy Camera from ZWO!
The highly sensitive Sony sensor provides the ASI294MC with incredible qualities such as a high QE value, low read out noise, and a large dynamic range. These incredible specs paired with the useful additions within the camera body itself delivers a feature packed planetary camera sure to take your lunar, solar, or planetary astrophotography to the next level!
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When imaging the Sun, Moon, or planets, high speed imaging is primarily used into order to capture the sharpest frames where the seeing is steady for brief moments in time. Understanding this, ZWO has crafted the ASI294MC with a USB3.0 for fast, reliable transmission of data, letting you stack the best frames for the clearest images! This camera utilizes the Sony IMX294CJK sensor and adopts a back illuminated design for superb sensitivity. Its large 4144×2822 resolution supports 4k output, and through its high peak QE of 75% and low readout noise of 1.2e, enjoy images of our solar system neighbors filled with detail!
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A High Performance, Professional Camera for Astrophotography
Let’s Dig into the Data!
What sets one astrophotography camera apart from another? How is performance measured? Camera and sensor manufacturers provide certain interconnected specifications that give insight into the performance of a camera. These measurements include quantum efficiency, read noise, full well depth, gain, dark current, and dynamic range. While the graphs provided by the manufacturer may be confusing or intimidating, don’t fret! Our team has put together a breakdown of these complicated topics to help you make sense of them. Take a look at the article here: Understanding ZWO Camera Charts and Graphs, and feel more confident making the right choice for your astrophotography needs!
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Sony IMX294CJK CMOS Sensor
Producing exceptional clarity and sensitivity is the onboard 11.69MP color Sony IMX294CJK sensor. By providing enough pixels through its large 4144×2822 resolution, this 4/3 type sensor fully supports 4K output. The high full well capacity of 63.7Ke and 14bit ADC result in 13 stops of dynamic range, and the back illuminated design of the sensor offers a camera with exceptional sensitivity. Its high peak QE value of 75% paired with the low readout noise of 1.2e delivers a high signal to noise ratio within the frames captured. This ZWO camera allows for a fast frame rate of 19FPS and has a pixel size of 4.63um for stunning details on our Moon, our Sun, and the planets within our solar system!
Electronic Highlights
In typical CMOS cameras, the higher the gain value, the lower the readout noise becomes, though unfortunately, the lower the dynamic range becomes as well. In order to preserve the dynamic range while still taking advantage of the lower readout noise, ZWO has integrated the High Conversion Gain (HCG) mode within their cameras. This mode automatically kicks in at a gain value of 120 for the ASI294MC, where the read noise drops below 2e and the dynamic range is retained at 13 stops, offering sharper images filled with incredible signal collection!
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USB 3.0 and ST4 Guide Port
The two means of connection on the ASI294MC camera body offers great versatility. The USB3.0 offers a large bandwidth of 5Gb for incredible transfer speed, even when imaging at a fast 19FPS in full resolution! Not only does this camera perform incredibly well for astrophotography, its great sensitivity makes it a high performance guide camera as well! The ASI294MC can be utilized as a guide camera either through the USB3.0 port, or through the onboard ST4 port. Utilize the included USB3.0 cable or ST4 cable for immediate use.
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