QHY 294C Cooled Color Astronomy Camera
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Closeout - All Sales Final
- Color astronomy camera with Sony IMX294 back-illuminated 11-Megapixel CMOS sensor with 4164x2796 pixel array
- Ultra-low dark current and readout noise
- Two-stage cooling keeps sensor temperature as much as 35C below ambient for low-noise imaging, even in warm conditions
- 256MB DDRII data buffer to minimize frame loss dropouts during image transfer
- Anti-dew technology to minimize condensation on window in humid conditions
1. Back-Illuminated 4/3-Inch 11-Megapixel Sensor for High-Resolution Imaging and EAA
The QHY294C incorporates a 4/3-inch cooled color CMOS sensor with a resolution of 4164x2796 pixels. The 11-Megapixel Sony IMX294 sensor uses a back-illuminated structure, which mean the area around the photo-diodes is reduced to provide a greater full well capacity compared to a front-illuminated sensor. The QHY294C has a full well capacity of nearly 65,000 electrons with 4.63um x 4.63um pixels, almost the same as an interline CCD camera with 9um pixels. Such a capacity enables sharper images, even of bright stars, without saturation.
The QHY294C has a capture rate of 16.5 fps at full 4164x2796 resolution and 14-bit A/D. At full HD resolution of 1080 lines, the frame rate is an impressive 41 fps, ideal for rapid image capture and electronically-assisted astronomy (EAA).
2. Ultra-Low Dark Current and Readout Noise
The QHY294C uses QHYCCD's proprietary low dark current control technology. As a result, the QHY294C has super low dark current, as low as 0.005e-/pixel/s @ -20C, lower than many CCD cameras, to allow for very long exposure times. The read-out noise is 6.8e at lowest gain, while the read noise is 1.6e- near unity gain and 1e- at highest gain. The low noise performance of the QHY294C camera makes for clean, high-resolution images of faint astronomical objects.
3. Dual Gain Mode Boosts Low Light Performance
The QHY294C's CMOS sensor has a dual gain mode, HGC (high gain) and LGC (Low gain). The QHY294C will switch the two modes automatically when the gain is set to 1600 so you can get the benefits of the ultra-low read noise in HGC mode and a full well capacity of about 14.5ke- at the switch point setting.
4. Two-Stage TE Cooling and Anti-Dew Technology
The QHY294C imaging camera has two-stage TEC cooling to keep the sensor temperature as much as 35C below ambient. The optical window also has a built-in dew heater and the CMOS chamber is protected from internal humidity condensation. These features help the camera deliver spectacular low-noise images even on warm and humid nights.
5. 256MB DDR3 Image Buffer
The QHY294C has an internal 256MByte high speed DDR3 image buffer to protect against unexpected drops in data transmission. This is more than enough buffer for one frame and it significantly reduces any issue of lost frames due to a busy computer CPU or slow USB communication packet errors. The buffer also helps smooth video transfer when using a slow computer.
6. Flexible Adapters
The QHY294C has the same body design and mechanical interface and the QHY163. It has a short back focal distance allowing the use of QHYCCD's 0.5mm-27mm spacers (step size 0.5mm) for flexibility in setting up your optical train.
7. What's in the Box
- USB3.0 cable(1.5m)
- Self-locking power cable
- Car power adapter
- Desiccant Drying Tube
- M42 nosepiece
- Camera
Optional accessories:12V power adapter + power cable, C-adapter lens mount
If you wish to supply your own 12V power adapter, its output current must be at least 3.5A and the polarity must be center positive.
Useful Resources
Other Information
- Country of Manufacture: China
1. Back-Illuminated 4/3-Inch 11-Megapixel Sensor for High-Resolution Imaging and EAA
The QHY294C incorporates a 4/3-inch cooled color CMOS sensor with a resolution of 4164x2796 pixels. The 11-Megapixel Sony IMX294 sensor uses a back-illuminated structure, which mean the area around the photo-diodes is reduced to provide a greater full well capacity compared to a front-illuminated sensor. The QHY294C has a full well capacity of nearly 65,000 electrons with 4.63um x 4.63um pixels, almost the same as an interline CCD camera with 9um pixels. Such a capacity enables sharper images, even of bright stars, without saturation.
The QHY294C has a capture rate of 16.5 fps at full 4164x2796 resolution and 14-bit A/D. At full HD resolution of 1080 lines, the frame rate is an impressive 41 fps, ideal for rapid image capture and electronically-assisted astronomy (EAA).
2. Ultra-Low Dark Current and Readout Noise
The QHY294C uses QHYCCD's proprietary low dark current control technology. As a result, the QHY294C has super low dark current, as low as 0.005e-/pixel/s @ -20C, lower than many CCD cameras, to allow for very long exposure times. The read-out noise is 6.8e at lowest gain, while the read noise is 1.6e- near unity gain and 1e- at highest gain. The low noise performance of the QHY294C camera makes for clean, high-resolution images of faint astronomical objects.
3. Dual Gain Mode Boosts Low Light Performance
The QHY294C's CMOS sensor has a dual gain mode, HGC (high gain) and LGC (Low gain). The QHY294C will switch the two modes automatically when the gain is set to 1600 so you can get the benefits of the ultra-low read noise in HGC mode and a full well capacity of about 14.5ke- at the switch point setting.
4. Two-Stage TE Cooling and Anti-Dew Technology
The QHY294C imaging camera has two-stage TEC cooling to keep the sensor temperature as much as 35C below ambient. The optical window also has a built-in dew heater and the CMOS chamber is protected from internal humidity condensation. These features help the camera deliver spectacular low-noise images even on warm and humid nights.
5. 256MB DDR3 Image Buffer
The QHY294C has an internal 256MByte high speed DDR3 image buffer to protect against unexpected drops in data transmission. This is more than enough buffer for one frame and it significantly reduces any issue of lost frames due to a busy computer CPU or slow USB communication packet errors. The buffer also helps smooth video transfer when using a slow computer.
6. Flexible Adapters
The QHY294C has the same body design and mechanical interface and the QHY163. It has a short back focal distance allowing the use of QHYCCD's 0.5mm-27mm spacers (step size 0.5mm) for flexibility in setting up your optical train.
7. What's in the Box
- USB3.0 cable(1.5m)
- Self-locking power cable
- Car power adapter
- Desiccant Drying Tube
- M42 nosepiece
- Camera
Optional accessories:12V power adapter + power cable, C-adapter lens mount
If you wish to supply your own 12V power adapter, its output current must be at least 3.5A and the polarity must be center positive.
| Manufacturer | QHYCCD |
|---|
- Sensor: SONY IMX294 BSI CMOS
- AR Coating On Sensor: Yes
- Pixel Size: 4.63um*4.63um
- Effective Pixel Area: 4164*2796
- Effective Pixels: 11.6 mega
- Effective Image Area: 19.28mm*12.95mm
- Fullwell: 65ke-
- AD Sample Depth: 14bit (output as 16bit and 8bit)
- Sensor Size: Typical 4/3inch
- Full Frame Rate and ROI Frame Rate
- 4164*2796 16.5FPS@14BIT
- 2160lines(eg.4164*2160,4096*2160) 21FPS
- 1080lines(eg.4164*1080,1920*1080) 41FPS
- 960lines(eg.4164*960,1280*960) 46FPS
- 768lines(eg.4164*768,1024*768) 56FPS
- 480lines(eg.4164*480,640*480) 87FPS
- 240lines(eg.4164*240,320*240) 156FPS
- 100lines(eg.4164*100,240*100) 290FPS
- *Note: QHYCCD has optimized the CMOS drive frequency and limit the max frame rate. The CMOS sensor may not work under the maximum frequency to ensure the better noise performance. If you need the customized higher frame rate version please contact QHYCCD.
- Readout Noise: 1.6e-1.0e@HGC moe 6.8-4.2e@LGC mode
- Dark Current: 0.005e/pixel/s@-20C 0.007e/pixel/s@-15C 0.009e/pixel/s@-10C
- Exposure Time Range: 60us-3600sec
- Anti-Glow Control: Yes
- Shutter Type: Electric Rolling Shutter
- Computer Interface: USB3.0
- Built-in Image Buffer: 256MByte DDR3 memory
- Cooling System: Dual Stage TEC coole（about -30 to -35C below ambient）
- Anti-Dew Heater: Yes
- Telescope Interface: M42/0.75
- Optic Window Type : AR+AR High Quality Multi-Layer Anti-Reflection Coating (For color camera user need to add a UV/IR filter in the light path)
- Back Focal Length: 17mm（±0.5）
- Weight: 650g
Closeout - All Sales Final
- Color astronomy camera with Sony IMX294 back-illuminated 11-Megapixel CMOS sensor with 4164x2796 pixel array
- Ultra-low dark current and readout noise
- Two-stage cooling keeps sensor temperature as much as 35C below ambient for low-noise imaging, even in warm conditions
- 256MB DDRII data buffer to minimize frame loss dropouts during image transfer
- Anti-dew technology to minimize condensation on window in humid conditions
1. Back-Illuminated 4/3-Inch 11-Megapixel Sensor for High-Resolution Imaging and EAA
The QHY294C incorporates a 4/3-inch cooled color CMOS sensor with a resolution of 4164x2796 pixels. The 11-Megapixel Sony IMX294 sensor uses a back-illuminated structure, which mean the area around the photo-diodes is reduced to provide a greater full well capacity compared to a front-illuminated sensor. The QHY294C has a full well capacity of nearly 65,000 electrons with 4.63um x 4.63um pixels, almost the same as an interline CCD camera with 9um pixels. Such a capacity enables sharper images, even of bright stars, without saturation.
The QHY294C has a capture rate of 16.5 fps at full 4164x2796 resolution and 14-bit A/D. At full HD resolution of 1080 lines, the frame rate is an impressive 41 fps, ideal for rapid image capture and electronically-assisted astronomy (EAA).
2. Ultra-Low Dark Current and Readout Noise
The QHY294C uses QHYCCD's proprietary low dark current control technology. As a result, the QHY294C has super low dark current, as low as 0.005e-/pixel/s @ -20C, lower than many CCD cameras, to allow for very long exposure times. The read-out noise is 6.8e at lowest gain, while the read noise is 1.6e- near unity gain and 1e- at highest gain. The low noise performance of the QHY294C camera makes for clean, high-resolution images of faint astronomical objects.
3. Dual Gain Mode Boosts Low Light Performance
The QHY294C's CMOS sensor has a dual gain mode, HGC (high gain) and LGC (Low gain). The QHY294C will switch the two modes automatically when the gain is set to 1600 so you can get the benefits of the ultra-low read noise in HGC mode and a full well capacity of about 14.5ke- at the switch point setting.
4. Two-Stage TE Cooling and Anti-Dew Technology
The QHY294C imaging camera has two-stage TEC cooling to keep the sensor temperature as much as 35C below ambient. The optical window also has a built-in dew heater and the CMOS chamber is protected from internal humidity condensation. These features help the camera deliver spectacular low-noise images even on warm and humid nights.
5. 256MB DDR3 Image Buffer
The QHY294C has an internal 256MByte high speed DDR3 image buffer to protect against unexpected drops in data transmission. This is more than enough buffer for one frame and it significantly reduces any issue of lost frames due to a busy computer CPU or slow USB communication packet errors. The buffer also helps smooth video transfer when using a slow computer.
6. Flexible Adapters
The QHY294C has the same body design and mechanical interface and the QHY163. It has a short back focal distance allowing the use of QHYCCD's 0.5mm-27mm spacers (step size 0.5mm) for flexibility in setting up your optical train.
7. What's in the Box
- USB3.0 cable(1.5m)
- Self-locking power cable
- Car power adapter
- Desiccant Drying Tube
- M42 nosepiece
- Camera
Optional accessories:12V power adapter + power cable, C-adapter lens mount
If you wish to supply your own 12V power adapter, its output current must be at least 3.5A and the polarity must be center positive.
Useful Resources
Other Information
- Country of Manufacture: China
| Manufacturer | QHYCCD |
|---|
- Sensor: SONY IMX294 BSI CMOS
- AR Coating On Sensor: Yes
- Pixel Size: 4.63um*4.63um
- Effective Pixel Area: 4164*2796
- Effective Pixels: 11.6 mega
- Effective Image Area: 19.28mm*12.95mm
- Fullwell: 65ke-
- AD Sample Depth: 14bit (output as 16bit and 8bit)
- Sensor Size: Typical 4/3inch
- Full Frame Rate and ROI Frame Rate
- 4164*2796 16.5FPS@14BIT
- 2160lines(eg.4164*2160,4096*2160) 21FPS
- 1080lines(eg.4164*1080,1920*1080) 41FPS
- 960lines(eg.4164*960,1280*960) 46FPS
- 768lines(eg.4164*768,1024*768) 56FPS
- 480lines(eg.4164*480,640*480) 87FPS
- 240lines(eg.4164*240,320*240) 156FPS
- 100lines(eg.4164*100,240*100) 290FPS
- *Note: QHYCCD has optimized the CMOS drive frequency and limit the max frame rate. The CMOS sensor may not work under the maximum frequency to ensure the better noise performance. If you need the customized higher frame rate version please contact QHYCCD.
- Readout Noise: 1.6e-1.0e@HGC moe 6.8-4.2e@LGC mode
- Dark Current: 0.005e/pixel/s@-20C 0.007e/pixel/s@-15C 0.009e/pixel/s@-10C
- Exposure Time Range: 60us-3600sec
- Anti-Glow Control: Yes
- Shutter Type: Electric Rolling Shutter
- Computer Interface: USB3.0
- Built-in Image Buffer: 256MByte DDR3 memory
- Cooling System: Dual Stage TEC coole（about -30 to -35C below ambient）
- Anti-Dew Heater: Yes
- Telescope Interface: M42/0.75
- Optic Window Type : AR+AR High Quality Multi-Layer Anti-Reflection Coating (For color camera user need to add a UV/IR filter in the light path)
- Back Focal Length: 17mm（±0.5）
- Weight: 650g