Best Camera for EAA ?

[Cliff]

Just wondering peoples opinions on what they consider the best camera for EAA style Astronomy using SharpCap or similar.

Currently use a ZWO178MC ;my first astro camera, Does pretty well .

but considering a ZWO290mm Mono . (either mini or full size). for lower noise and greater sensitivity.

Mallincam's look good the DS10 but expensive.

Thanks for any feedback,

[bladekeeper]

John Michaelson uses an ASI294MC Pro to great effect:

Ultimately, budget may be your deciding factor.

[OhNo]

LOL Cliff, the question is complex. I have to say I'm biased because I have only used one camera to do what the accepted general definition of EAA is. The one I picked up used is an Atik Infinity. This camera seems to work the best with the Software Atik developed. It allows me to capture long live stacked images without the need of guiding. I use it in a SW Quattro (f/4 Imaging Newt) on a GEM mount.

New this camera could be considered pricey, but what in AP isn't! I have saved some of the images and they aren't all that terrible, depending on your expectations.

[Cliff]

John Michaelson uses an ASI294MC Pro to great effect:

Ultimately, budget may be your deciding factor.

Yes the PRO cameras are a little pricey , not sure I need cooling for video astronomy ,

[Cliff]

LOL Cliff, the question is complex. I have to say I'm biased because I have only used one camera to do what the accepted general definition of EAA is. The one I picked up used is an Atik Infinity. This camera seems to work the best with the Software Atik developed. It allows me to capture long live stacked images without the need of guiding. I use it in a SW Quattro (f/4 Imaging Newt) on a GEM mount.

New this camera could be considered pricey, but what in AP isn't! I have saved some of the images and they aren't all that terrible, depending on your expectations.

Yes have seen some examples with the Infinity seems pretty good the software helps , I have not even considered guiding at the moment , My scopes are F6 and F10 so not as fast as yours.

Astro is expensive as I am finding out even buying used ,
I am primarily a Mac OSX user , I can dual boot Win10 but prefer Mac native Apps. Not always easy in astronomy , I am following a developer of a program called Asro Live which hopefully will run on Mac ?

Appreciate the information just getting an idea what people use in EAA mainly . I think I'll forget the expensive cooled options.

[Harmonious]

You may find it useful, I did, to watch two videos in which Dr. Robin Glover discusses camera sensors, sky brightness and camera settings. Good info on cooling and on the use of short exposures and stacking. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3RH93UvP358 and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JcRNnS5coi8&t=555s

The sky brightness tool he mentions is found at http://tools.sharpcap.co.uk/ But as he also mentions the easy way is to download SharpCap and use the brain function in the smart histogram to set whatever camera you buy.

You may also want to visit https://astronomy.tools/calculators/field_of_view/, you can use the tools to compare the relative size of targets using your scope and any camera. If you scope and camera are not on the lists you can add them. You can easily see the difference in field of view between a 1/3" sensor and a 1/2 or 4/3 sensor.

Before you buy you can use the information to assess your sky, your scope and in effect get an idea of how some particular camera with or without cooling might suit your situation.

That said I have several ZWO cams, a 120 mono, a 290 mono, a 224 cool and a 294 Pro. My primary scopes are f/7 refractors (one with a reducer at f/5.9 and a C-9.25 at f/10 or f/20 for planets and small DSOs. I use the 120 mono as a guider. The 290 mono is very sensitive and has a reasonable noise level. The 224 cool color is for lunar and planetary primarily but it also works nicely for DSOs. The 294 Pro is my primary cam because of the wider field of view and the combination of sensitivity, well depth and noise level.

Any of these cameras will work for exposures of 30 seconds or less and at gains in the 350 range because stacking (SharpCap or AstroToaster) really does knock down the noise.

[Cliff]

You may find it useful, I did, to watch two videos in which Dr. Robin Glover discusses camera sensors, sky brightness and camera settings. Good info on cooling and on the use of short exposures and stacking. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3RH93UvP358 and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JcRNnS5coi8&t=555s

Yes I have already watched those and have used Sharpcap a few times , certainly has a lot of extras like the sensor measurements .Also experimented with AstroliveUSB on the Mac

The sky brightness tool he mentions is found at http://tools.sharpcap.co.uk/ But as he also mentions the easy way is to download SharpCap and use the brain function in the smart histogram to set whatever camera you buy.

I have tried the brain function just as a test on my zwo178mc , not sure how good it was as I need a flat light source.

You may also want to visit https://astronomy.tools/calculators/field_of_view/, you can use the tools to compare the relative size of targets using your scope and any camera. If you scope and camera are not on the lists you can add them. You can easily see the difference in field of view between a 1/3" sensor and a 1/2 or 4/3 sensor.

This is probably one of my most used websites , wish there was a portable version to use offline, really lets you get an idea of what fits in . Discovered Orion is just too big for my 80mm with the zwo. Going to try cheap 0.5x reducer.

Before you buy you can use the information to assess your sky, your scope and in effect get an idea of how some particular camera with or without cooling might suit your situation.

I have been using that tool to look for my next camera sought of interested in the new zwo533mc pro. If its as good as they say with no amp glow sounds ideal.

That said I have several ZWO cams, a 120 mono, a 290 mono, a 224 cool and a 294 Pro. My primary scopes are f/7 refractors (one with a reducer at f/5.9 and a C-9.25 at f/10 or f/20 for planets and small DSOs. I use the 120 mono as a guider. The 290 mono is very sensitive and has a reasonable noise level. The 224 cool color is for lunar and planetary primarily but it also works nicely for DSOs. The 294 Pro is my primary cam because of the wider field of view and the combination of sensitivity, well depth and noise level.

Appreciate your feedback , sorry I took so long responding, had nothing but cloudy/smokey skies for a while now. Was clear last night but a bushfire 5km away made it impossible with smoke.


Any of these cameras will work for exposures of 30 seconds or less and at gains in the 350 range because stacking (SharpCap or AstroToaster) really does knock down the noise.

Tempted to go with a cooled more future proof perhaps.
Cliff

[John.Sankus]

+1 for the ZWO ASI294MC. Even though you can use darks/flats to help with a non-cooled camera, the stability and lack of warm/hot pixels DOES help with short subs and stacking. At times with distant objects you will need a longer sub to see detail and cooling will help. I have used my 178mc non cooled camera a bunch of times as well, but it seems to never be as clear as the 294 cooled.
As few online friends use the new 533 sensor, but from what we saw (even with cooling), hot pixels seem to pop out all over with medium to high gain.

If you are looking for a really sensitive sensor, the 385 is pretty well reviewed by a bunch of folks and it shows good results.