ASI294MC Pro

Description: ASI294MC Pro  The ASI294MC Pro is the first camera in the world equipped with the latest Sony sensor IMX294CJK. This is one of the top-selling cameras from ZWO. Looking at the specifications and comparing it to the relatively low price, it is easy to see why. Some of the highlights include: back-illuminated sensor – improving sensitivity and reducing noise 4/3” format with 4.63 um pixel size – ideal for many types of telescopes 14-bit ADC– giving high dynamic range of 13 stops An impressive 7ke- full well capacity- helping to reduce the issue of, for example, saturated stars. On top of this, it also has a very high QE-value with a peak of over 75%. If you are looking for a small-format OSC camera for astrophotography, you can’t go wrong with the ASI294MC Pro. ▶IMX294CJK Sony 10.71M-Effective Pixel Color CMOS Image Sensor (official description from Sony site), with a diagonal of 21.63mm (4/3 format). ZWO has refined the sensor and remolded it to increase the diagonal to 23.2mm with approximately 11.71M-Effective pixels (4/3 format). ▶High-Sensitivity Type 4/3 CMOS Image Sensor that Supports 4K for Astronomic Cameras and Industrial Applications The IMX294CJK sensor is the first in-house image sensor for astronomic cameras to adopt the 4/3 format and provides the necessary number of pixels for true 4k output at 120 frames per second (w/ ADC 10-bit output mode, the ASI294MC can run up to 25fps at 4k format when used with USB 3.0). In addition, the use of larger-sized pixels achieves SNR1s of 0.14 lx* which is very close to the value of the ASI224 (0.13 lx*). ▶Exceptional low-illumination performance Exceptional low-illumination performance of SNR1s :0.14lx is realized by use of a large-size optical system and by expanding the area per pixel to 4.63µm. This makes the IMX294CJK ideal for astronomic camera market applications that require low-illumination performance.   14-bit ADC and 13stops dynamic range ASI294 Pro has very similar parameters as its color version. Both have the 14bit ADC and a high dynamic range of 13 stops, which is even higher than that of the well-known and celebrated ASI1600MM Pro camera. The ASI294MC Pro has a 14bit ADC unit, allowing it to achieve 13 stops of dynamic range. This is an excellent characteristic for deep sky imaging, which inherently needs high dynamic range. At 13 stops, the ASI294MC has even more dynamic range than the ASI1600. Backlit Sensor Sony’s back-illuminated CMOS image sensor improves the sensitivity and noise reduction – the key factors to enhancing image quality. It does this by radically realigning the fundamental pixel structure from front-illumination to back-illumination, while still retaining the advantages of CMOS image sensors such as low power consumption and high-speed operation. With a conventional front-illumination structure, the metal wiring and transistors on the surface of the silicon substrate that form the sensor’s light-sensitive area (photo-diode), impede photon-gathering carried out by the on-chip lens. A back-illuminated structure minimizes the degradation of sensitivity to the optical angle response, while also increasing the amount of light that enters each pixel due to the lack of obstacles such as metal wiring and transistors. These components have been moved to the back-side of the silicon substrate. The ASI294MC provides a great full well capacity of 63700e-, which is 3 times higher than the capacity of the highly regarded ASI1600. Even bright stars won’t saturate under long exposures. This also means that this camera can achieve higher SNR (signal to noise ratio) with just one single exposure. HCG Mode HCG (high conversion gain) mode, which reduces read noise to even lower levels at higher gain without loss to dynamic range, is automatically enabled when the gain setting is 120 or higher. Read noise will drop under 2e-, while dynamic range will remain at 13 stops. Reliable Mechanics ASI294MC Pro has the same mechanics as ASI1600 Pro. There are four screws that seal the sensor chamber. Our camera design has been extensively tested and is very stable. Even when used in higher humidity environments, ASI294MC Pro will still work well without dew problems. Dark Current The dark current of the ASI294 is a bit lower than the ASI1600 at same temperature, based on our test results. Dark frame sample @ Highest dynamic range settings, 300s, -10°C, bin1. Please check the dark frame to make sure you fully know the performance. DDR Memory Buffer The ASI294MC Pro camera includes a 256MB DDR3 memory buffer to help improve data transfer reliability. Additionally, the use of a memory buffer minimizes amp-glow, which is caused by the slow transfer speeds when the camera is used with a USB 2.0 port. DDR memory buffer is the main difference between ASI “Cool” and “Pro” cameras. USB 3.0 Port & USB2.0 HUB USB 3.0 Port: Provide 5Gb bandwidth to make it possible for ASI294 Pro to run at 16 fps (14bit, normal mode) or 19 fps (12bit, high speed mode)  at full resolution(11.7Mega). USB 2.0 HUB: can connect with various accessories, such as filter wheel, guide camera and electronic focuser, so you can better manage your cables. The ASI294 Pro includes two short 0.5m USB 2.0 cables. The integrated USB 2.0 hub is powered by the external power source if you connect one. Cooling System Thanks to the two-stage TEC cooling, ASI294MC Pro can lower the CMOS sensor temperature to 35-40 degrees Celsius below ambient temperature, which can greatly reduce dark current generation and sensor noise even during extended exposure times. *The Delta T 35-40℃ is tested at 30℃ ambient temperature. It might get down when the cooling system is working for a long time. Also, as the ambient temperature falls, the Delta T would also decrease.  Please notice that the camera needs to be connected to an external 11-15v power supply to implement the cooling function. We recommend you use 12V@3A DC adapter (5.5*2.1mm, center pole positive) or lithium battery with 11-15V to power the camera. Connecting Diagram Mechanical Diagram What’s in the box? ASI294 Pro Series box includes all necessary cables, adapters, and manuals. Spacer thickness:0.1mm *1+0.2mm *2+0.5mm *1 The best solution of 55mm back focus length Q & A 1. I noticed an amp glow present on the corners of my dark frames,  how should I remove it? Please don’t worry about that. The amp glow is pretty normal actually. 2.  I’ve heard there might be strange patterns on some ASI294MC Pro stretched images, does this mean the camera is defective? No, it is not a defect, and it is just a characteristic of the sensor. The pattern calibrates out of the light image with proper flat frames. A proper flat frame is a capture using an evenly illuminated light source, dimmed down to achieve an average ADU value of 24,000 (this is up to the user and their setup – recommended the histogram peak at 1/3 to 1/2 from the left, as shown in the figure below), a 5-second exposure, captured with the same gain and focus point as the light frames.