You can benefit from the high sensitivity sensor to view more detail in a deep sky object in a “live” looping video feed. This is a great feature to consider if you plan on diving into this type of visual astronomy.
Focal pro review pro#
This camera is well suited for color EAA astronomy ( Electronically-Assisted Astronomy), as the ASI294MC Pro includes a 256MB DDR3 memory buffer to help improve data transfer reliability. The Bayer pattern of this color sensor is RGGB, which you’ll need to remember when selecting the camera in your image control software, and before stacking. I generally bin my images 2×2, so that just means that my photos are half of that size, in greater resolution. It’s a SONY 10.7 MP sensor that produces high-resolution 4144 x 2822 pixel images at its native resolution. This dedicated astronomy camera houses a high-sensitivity type 4/3 CMOS image sensor that supports 4K output at 120 frames per second. It showcases both Ha and OIII gases of this Emission Nebula (Messier 16) for some astonishingly detailed results from the city. The photo above was captured in a Bortle Scale Class 8 light-polluted area (my backyard) using the ASI294 MC Pro. The Eagle Nebula in Ha + OIII ( STC Astro Duo-Narrowband Filter) This has the power to build gorgeous deep sky images like the Eagle Nebula example below in a single shot. The cheat code, however, is to use a color camera like the ASI294 MC Pro with a duo-narrowband filter like the STC Astro Duo-Narrowband filter. This is because a color sensor will essentially record about one-quarter of the detail a mono camera would. The idea of capturing narrowband images with a color camera is something that is generally advised against in the astrophotography community. This OSC (One-shot-color) camera performs exceptionally well in both situations. I’ve used this camera for both full-color images with light pollution filters, an IR cut filter and narrowband filters that separate certain wavelengths of light such as Ha and OIII. I can safely say that I now know exactly what the ASI294MC Pro is capable of, and some recommended settings that you can use for a successful image. ZWO ASI294MC Pro Astrophotography Camera Review You can also see exquisite example images with this camera on Astrobin. If you want to see what others are doing with the ASI294MC Pro, have a look at the #ASI294MCPro hashtag on Instagram, and you’ll see that it’s not just me. Many people will advise you not to use a color camera with narrow bandpass filters such as H-alpha or OIII, but I have found the 294MC Pro to perform extremely when used with a duo-narrowband filter. This camera works exceptionally well with broadband light pollution filters and narrowband filters. At under $1K (US), you’ll be hard-pressed to find a more versatile, reliable, and easy-to-use color astronomy camera. It is the best camera I have ever personally used for astrophotography, and I continue to use it to this day. This camera is responsible for my best deep-sky images to date, including the photos shown below. The ASI294MC Pro has proven to be an incredible 4/3 sensor CMOS astronomy camera in the astrophotography community. The photo was captured under the dark skies of the Cherry Springs Star Party in 2018. This photo of the Trifid Nebula was captured using the ZWO ASI294MC Pro with a Luminance filter (IR Cut) in front of the sensor. The Trifid Nebula using a Luminance Filter with the ASI294 MC Pro Here is a taste of what the ASI294MC Pro can do: Over the past year, I have used this camera extensively through a number of telescopes in the backyard and beyond. This is easily one of the best color cameras I have ever used for astrophotography and my go-to choice for a night of deep-sky imaging. Whether you use it for broadband true-color images on a moonless night or ultra-long-exposure images using your favorite narrowband filter – this camera can produce insanely beautiful images. The ZWO ASI294 MC Pro is a remarkably capable one-shot-color CMOS camera for deep sky astrophotography.