ASI294MC Pro, First 14bit 4/3″ Cooled Color Camera

Support@ZWO

ASI294MC Pro and ASI294MC is avaliable now.

https://astronomy-imaging-camera.com/product-category/new-products/

mcgillca

Sean.Wang wrote:
ASI294MC Pro and ASI294MC is avaliable now.

https://astronomy-imaging-camera.com/product-category/new-products/https://astronomy-imaging-camera.com/product-category/new-products/

That's very exciting, Sean.

What causes the jump in read noise at a gain of 120? It looks like you'd lose some of the benefit of the large well depth by having to run the camera at a high gain to reduce the read noise?

Colin

olav

mcgillca wrote:
What causes the jump in read noise at a gain of 120? It looks like you'd lose some of the benefit of the large well depth by having to run the camera at a high gain to reduce the read noise?

Hi,

Took my chances and ordered the ASI294MC Pro.

Like Colin, I'd like some pointers in dealing with the apparent read noise jump when the HCG Mode goes off below a gain of 120. Yes, will definitely want to use low gain for some targets.

No manual to be found.

Thanks.

Sam@ZWO

Yes, 120 is the HCG ON point

jacques croiziers

Sean.Wang wrote:
ASI294MC Pro and ASI294MC is avaliable now.

https://astronomy-imaging-camera.com/product-category/new-products/https://astronomy-imaging-camera.com/product-category/new-products/

Hello to all

This camera is really what I'm looking for.

What is the image format for RAW long poses ??

How to treat the matrix of Bayer 4x4 with software like Pixinsight ???

Best regards

Jacques

chipguy1us

Received camera today, but unable to use the provided mini-CD for driver install. I need ASCOM and X2 driver for Windows, and X2 driver for Mac. Cannot find these on the ZWO web site. Please provide link.

olav

Any manual yet?

Trying to figure out the best way to add an ir-cut or lp filter.

Will use T2 at the scope side, hoping to use the supplied M42-1.25” adapter for 1.25” filters just above the sensor glass - IF no vignetting.

Looks like some optics may have issues.

An T2 male adapter plate with clip holders for 31 or 36mm filters could be ideal.

Had hoped to avoid M48-filters, can't fit between OAG and camera.

Thanks.

zorg

ASI 294 seems very interesting to me.

Why so big dark current ? Dark current is about 10 times ASI070. How it will affect long exposures performance ?.

for example

ASI 294 PRO 0.025 e-/s x 600s = 15 ev

ASI 071 0.003 e-/s x 600s = 1.8 ev, less than readnoise

olav

Not tested mine yet due to clouds, but I'm also curious about the higher dark current and how others (doing AP and not only EAA) have been dealing with it. (ok, a bit early after just recently hitting the market)

I bought the camera primarily for my C11HD w/Hyperstar (560mm f/2) to get better shots of comets and doing some NRTV/EAA, but hope I will be happy with the results at f/7 (the C11HD with reducer at 1960mm, and a refractor at 910mm) for some faint stuff.

That is, 600s exposures would be nice, but guess I have to go a lot lower.

Sam@ZWO

Jacques Croiziers wrote:
Sean.Wang wrote:ASI294MC Pro and ASI294MC is avaliable now.

https://astronomy-imaging-camera.com/product-category/new-products/https://astronomy-imaging-camera.com/product-category/new-products/

Hello to all

This camera is really what I'm looking for.

What is the image format for RAW long poses ??

How to treat the matrix of Bayer 4x4 with software like Pixinsight ???

Best regards

Jacques

it is the same as other ASI cameras

you don't need to bother the bayer because you cannot access it so close

they are output as one pixel instead of 4

Sam@ZWO

chipguy1us wrote:
Received camera today, but unable to use the provided mini-CD for driver install. I need ASCOM and X2 driver for Windows, and X2 driver for Mac. Cannot find these on the ZWO web site. Please provide link.

just follow our site:

https://astronomy-imaging-camera.com/software/

Sam@ZWO

olav wrote:
Any manual yet?

Trying to figure out the best way to add an ir-cut or lp filter.

Will use T2 at the scope side, hoping to use the supplied M42-1.25” adapter for 1.25” filters just above the sensor glass - IF no vignetting.

Looks like some optics may have issues.

An T2 male adapter plate with clip holders for 31 or 36mm filters could be ideal.

Had hoped to avoid M48-filters, can't fit between OAG and camera.

Thanks.

we are going to upload the manual soon

you can use the M42-1.25" adapter so it close to the sensor

Sam@ZWO

zorg wrote:
ASI 294 seems very interesting to me.

Why so big dark current ? Dark current is about 10 times ASI070. How it will affect long exposures performance ?.

for example

ASI 294 PRO 0.025 e-/s x 600s = 15 ev

ASI 071 0.003 e-/s x 600s = 1.8 ev, less than readnoise

you are correct, the dark current of 294 is higher than most sensor such like 071 and 1600

so it's more suitable for short time exposure

Sam@ZWO

olav wrote:
Not tested mine yet due to clouds, but I'm also curious about the higher dark current and how others (doing AP and not only EAA) have been dealing with it. (ok, a bit early after just recently hitting the market)

I bought the camera primarily for my C11HD w/Hyperstar (560mm f/2) to get better shots of comets and doing some NRTV/EAA, but hope I will be happy with the results at f/7 (the C11HD with reducer at 1960mm, and a refractor at 910mm) for some faint stuff.

That is, 600s exposures would be nice, but guess I have to go a lot lower.

294 is very sensitive but did has high dark current

so it's more suitable for EAA which only need short exposure

olav

Sam wrote:
294 is very sensitive but did has high dark current

so it's more suitable for EAA which only need short exposure

Thanks Sam.

The 294 most certainly have great specs otherwise.

But I realize I'd be bothered with dark current even at 120s, which is the longest I'd normally plan for with Hyperstar at f/2.0. Higher sensitivity than the ASI1600 should help a little, but I didn't really plan to go above unity gain. (though maybe I can reconsider settings)

This situation is new to me. I must figure out if this camera should be installed at all. Maybe I should have chosen differently, going all the way to the 094 and do some ROI/crop when doing Hyperstar, and even smaller ROI when occasionally doing EAA/NRTV.

Sam@ZWO

olav wrote:

Thanks Sam.

The 294 most certainly have great specs otherwise.

But I realize I'd be bothered with dark current even at 120s, which is the longest I'd normally plan for with Hyperstar at f/2.0. Higher sensitivity than the ASI1600 should help a little, but I didn't really plan to go above unity gain. (though maybe I can reconsider settings)

This situation is new to me. I must figure out if this camera should be installed at all. Maybe I should have chosen differently, going all the way to the 094 and do some ROI/crop when doing Hyperstar, and even smaller ROI when occasionally doing EAA/NRTV.

you can try, we are waiting for your test result

olav

I started a thread on CN, I think there's consensus about the camera's expected AP suitability:

https://www.cloudynights.com/topic/597106-asi294mc-pro-just-for-eaa-or-great-for-ap-and-fainter-dsos/

Why the dark current isn't tested/reported below -10°C as other ASI cameras, puzzles us though. Curve flatens completely, or a nice surprise? (at least for us in cold environments)

Sam@ZWO

olav wrote:
I started a thread on CN, I think there's consensus about the camera's expected AP suitability:

https://www.cloudynights.com/topic/597106-asi294mc-pro-just-for-eaa-or-great-for-ap-and-fainter-dsos/

Why the dark current isn't tested/reported below -10°C as other ASI cameras, puzzles us though. Curve flatens completely, or a nice surprise? (at least for us in cold environments)

this is because we tested this camera at summer and the cooler cannot reach deeper

so we just didnot show it

but you can image the value if the temperature is lower

because dark current value is linear

compare with 1600, you should compare at same degree such like 0 degree

ASI1600 0.03e/s

ASI294 0.06e/s

and notice that the pixel size difference 4.63 vs 3.75

then compare the area of one pixel: 4.63*4.63 / 3.75*3.75 = 1.5

so 0.06e/1.5=0.04e which is a little higher than 0.03e

the image quality from 1600 is better than 294

there is very faint random horizontal noise and amp-glow with 294

you can compare both darks

merlin66

Is there a ASI 294 Mono version in the future??

Could be ideal for solar imaging, good pixel size and full frame size.

Ken

Sam@ZWO

Merlin66 wrote:
Is there a ASI 294 Mono version in the future??

Could be ideal for solar imaging, good pixel size and full frame size.

Ken

there is no such news from SONY