ZWO ASI533MC Pro Cooled Color Astronomy Camera # ASI533MC-P

ZWO ASI533MC Pro Review Video

Agena Astro affiliate AstroBackyard created this helpful review video of the ZWO ASI533MC Pro:

Compact Cooled Astronomy Camera for Deep-Sky and Solar-System Imaging

The ZWO ASI533MC-Pro cooled color astronomy camera is equipped with Sony’s CMOS IMX533 1”-format sensor with a square aspect ratio. With a resolution of 9.0 megapixels, this one-shot color camera has large pixels for high signal-to-noise ratio for imaging deep-sky objects. It’s also ideal for fast, high-resolution lunar, solar, and planetary imaging. A small telescope with 400mm focal length, for example, gives a field of view of with this camera of 1.6 degrees square. A telescope with 1500mm focal length gives a field of 0.43 degrees square.

State-of-the-Art Sony Backlit IMX533 Sensor

ZWO engineered the ASI533MC camera around Sony’s IMX533 9-megapixel CMOS sensor with 16mm diagonal (11.31mmx11.31mm) with a 3008x3008 pixel array. Each pixel measures 3.76 micron on each edge. The sensor’s square format is ideal for framing many symmetric deep-sky objects such as globular and open clusters, planetary nebula, and many emission nebulae.

Sony’s back-illuminated CMOS image sensor improves sensitivity and noise reduction – the key factors to enhancing image quality, while radically realigning their fundamental pixel structure from front-illumination to back-illumination. It has retained 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 increases the amount of light that enters each pixel due to the lack of obstacles such as metal wiring and transistors that have been moved to the reverse of the silicon substrate.The pixels have a 50000e well capacity to help you capture sharp images of bright stars without saturation. This back-illuminated sensor has a high estimated QE of 80%. Read noise is as low as 1.0e.

Zero Amp Glow Control Circuitry

Traditional CMOS sensors produce a weak infrared light source during operation quite often seen in the corner of uncalibrated images as the tell tale signs of ‘amp glow’. As the ASI533MC-Pro  uses zero amp glow circuitry, you won’t have to worry about amp glow even when using high gain, long exposure imaging.

DDR3 Memory Buffer and Fast Data Transfer

The ‘Pro’ designation of the camera comes from its internal 256MB DDR3 buffer for quick and stable data transfer and reduced amp glow. The USB3.0 port offers a fast 20 fps capture rate at full resolution with 14-bit ADC.

TEC Sensor Cooling and Anti-Dew Heater

The two-stage TEC cooling system brings the sensor temperature down to 35^oC below ambient to keep sensor noise as low as possible, even on warm nights. The heat generated by the TEC is used to counteract the formation of dew on the front window of the camera. The camera’s TEC cooler requires 12V@3A provided with an external power supply (not included). If the camera is powered with a USB2.0 host, the external 12V power supply is also required. Note also that the ZWO ASIAir-Plus or Pro cannot power the cooling function properly for this camera.

Superb Low-Noise Performance

The ASI533MC camera has a dynamic range of 8 to nearly 14 stops depending on the camera gain settings. At a camera gain of 100, you get 13 stops of dynamic range with a read noise of just 1.5e. At higher gain, read noise can be as low as 1.0e which makes this an ideal camera for electronically-assisted astronomy (EAA).

USB3.0 Data Ports and USB2.0 Hub

The camera’s electronics, other than the cooler, are fully powered through the USB3.0 port. The TEC cooler requires 12V@3A provided with an external power supply (not included).

The ASI533MC-Pro incorporates a USB2.0 hub for powering accessories such as a guide camera and electronic focuser.

The camera has a diameter of 78mm and weighs 470 grams (16.8 oz). It comes with a padded carrying bag, M42-M48 adapter, M54-M48 21mm extender and M48-M48 16.5mm extender, 2” cover, USB3.0 and USB2.0 cables, and a quick-start guide.

This camera can be configured with the following connections for attachment to telescopes and imaging accessories:

• 1.25” nosepiece
• 2” nosepiece (composed of 2 or 3 included adapters)
• Female T/T2 thread (M42x0.75)
• Male T/T2 thread (M42x0.75)
• Female M28.5x0.6 thread via 1.25" nosepiece 

ZWO has phased out software CDs, but the camera comes with instructions to help you download the required control software and drivers directly from the ZWO website.

ASI533MC Pro – ASI183MC Pro Comparision

The ASI533MC PRO features SONY’s latest back illuminated IMX533 sensor, with a 1-inch square, 9.07MP sensor that is ideal for astronomical photography needs and can be considered as the latest iteration of the venerable ASI183MC Pro.

As you would expect this latest generation camera not only retains key features of the ASI183 series such as an attractive QE figure, high frame rate and along with other excellent characteristics of the ASI183 cameras, but also now includes new and improved features such as zero amp glow, extreme low read out noise (as low as 1.0e), 3.76 microns pixel size and an improved 2 stage TEC cooler giving enhanced cooling capabilities.

What's in the Box

• Camera Bag
• Camera Body
• 1.25" T-Mount
• 2x USB 2.0 Cable (0.5m) 
• USB 3.0 Cable (2m)
• T2-M48 16.5mm Extender
• T2 21mm Extender
• M42-M48 Adapter
• T2-1.25" Adapter
• 3x Spacer

ZWO ASI533MC Pro Specifications

• Sensor: IMX533 Square Back-illuminated CMOS
• Resolution: 3008x3008
• Pixel Size: 3.76μm
• Sensor Size: 11.31mm*11.31mm
• Max FPS at full resolution: 20FPS
• Read Noise: 1.0e-3.8e
• QE peak: ＞80%
• Full well: 50ke
• Exposure Range: 32μs-2000s
• ADC:14bit
• USB: 3.0