ASI294mm "new" Bin1 does not perform as expected

ryanha

(note that this is with the new bin1 mode on ASI294)

I tested out 7h of exposure with Bin1 mode vs. 7h of exposure on Bin2 mode.

What I found is that the 7h stack at Bin1 was Significantly lower quality than the 7h stack at Bin2. This was unexpected and I wonder if there is an issue that I am just not understanding.

Note that both were taken at 121 gain, since I did not realize that unity gain was 108 on the Bin1 mode, but that should not matter in terms of signal loss, right?

Bin 1, 7h Stack: link
Bin 2, 7h Stack: (link)

I have details of what I found posted on this thread: https://www.cloudynights.com/topic/790623-testing-out-bin1-vs-bin2-on-the-asi294mm/

Any info would be very much appreciated!

--Ryan

WalterT

I could’ve sworn ZWO commenting on another thread that unity gain was the same at both bins, I won’t be surprised if they just pulled that answer out of thin air like when they claimed it came with a sensor dew heater.

Anyway, from what I understand at Bin 1 the camera runs at 12 bit, requires double the imaging time, you lose dynamic range, and full well depth is also way lower. So at bin 1 it’s an all around bad performer.