ASI 294 MC Color Camera

The ASI 294MC is the first camera to incorporate IMX294CJK, Sony's latest sensor: the perfect astro camera for any application!

Sony's backlit CMOS sensor guarantees maximum sensitivity and, with it, short exposure times. With exposures of only 30 seconds and subsequent stacking, this camera allows you to capture faint nebulae and galaxies, all without active cooling!

Summary of the camera's main advantages:

• USB 3.0 for faster download (also compatible with USB 2.0)
• High-sensitivity CMOS sensor: quantum efficiency of over 75% (approx. 530 nm)
• Good resolution due to relatively small pixels
• AR filter of clear glass included for full light transmission, even of the infrared spectrum. To block IR rays you will need an additional blocking filter.
• HCG mode: when the gain (pre-amplification) is more than 120 (12 db), the read noise is reduced below 2e, so you will get low-noise images despite the high sensitivity.
• High Full-Well-Capacity: brighter stars will not overexpose the image and you will enjoy a better signal-to-noise ratio.
• Complete delivery volume: adapter, cable, and much more...

Camera applications:

• Lunar and planetary photography: The extremely short exposure times due to the camera's high sensitivity freeze air distortion. The high resolution of the sensor also allows for great detail even with short focal length telescopes. It is also suitable for video astronomy.
• Deep-sky captures (nebulae and galaxies): Nebulae and galaxies are captured in seconds thanks to the high sensitivity. Although the camera is not cooled, it produces very low noise photos at high resolution. By increasing the gain (parameters comparable to the ISO of digital SLR cameras) exposure times can be reduced below 30 seconds, thus avoiding accuracy problems caused by guiding.

Color or black and white? Monochrome cameras have an advantage in that they are much more sensitive and have better resolution than color cameras. Color cameras, on the other hand, require a larger investment: they need color filters and a filter wheel.

Remarks: Astronomical cameras with the IMX294 color sensor are excellent for RGB imaging of deep-sky objects. However, at H-alpha wavelengths, the Bayer mask of this color sensor generates artifacts that are very difficult to remove through image processing. Therefore, this camera is not suitable for imaging with H-alpha bandpass filters (or corresponding multiband filters, such as the Triad).

Specifications