Best ZWO camera: Planetary and DSO (Deep Sky Objects) | Astrophotography

In this video, I'll review the best ZWO cameras for planetary and Deep Sky Objects (DSO) for Astrophotography. This is not a sponsored video. Hope this information is useful, clear skies!
Link to my dynamic ZWO comparison table:
astroforumspace.com/zwo/
Link to my blog:
bit.ly/37JlR9l
Affiliate links to planetary color cameras:
OPT (USA/WorldWide):
below $300
ASI120MC-S:bit.ly/2HSX2tz
ASI224MC: bit.ly/3nMqt46
$301 - $400
ASI178MC:bit.ly/37jwy2e
ASI290MC: N/A
ASI385MC: bit.ly/2IkXYdC
over $500
ASI183MC: bit.ly/3doK2L3
Astroshop (EU/WordWide):
below €300
ASI120MC-S: bit.ly/3jcB5WD
ASI224MC: bit.ly/3dIUHka
€300-450
ASI178MC: bit.ly/31lINHQ
ASI290MC: bit.ly/31mh61C
ASI385MC: bit.ly/2TlaAUB
over €500
ASI183MC: bit.ly/3ogk9SW
Affiliate links to Deep-Sky (DSO) color cameras:
OPT (USA/WordWide):
below $1000
ASI183MC Pro: bit.ly/31qkWrk
ASI533MC Pro: bit.ly/37kj2eL
ASI294MC Pro: bit.ly/3j7QIia
$1000-2000
ASI071MC Pro: bit.ly/2T3yNyq
ASI2600MC Pro: bit.ly/3j4vzW5
$3000-4000
ASI2400MC Pro: bit.ly/37EWi9n
ASI6200MC Pro: bit.ly/3kbyLAk
Astroshop (EU/WordWide):
below €1200
ASI183MC Pro:bit.ly/2Hdc2pr
ASI533MC Pro: bit.ly/3dM7UIP
ASI294MC Pro:bit.ly/3jeaZ5o
€1200-2400
ASI071MC Pro: bit.ly/35h2bqN
ASI2600MC Pro: bit.ly/3kql0y9
€4000-5000
ASI2400MC Pro: bit.ly/2FFu0Qy
ASI6200MC Pro: bit.ly/3dDwqM4
The video contains the following sections:
0:00 - intro
1:01 - Explanation of planetary imaging
4:37 - Explanation of imaging deep-sky objects
7:05 - Criteria for selecting good planetary and deep-sky cameras
13:25 - Comparison ZWO planetary cameras
19:45 - Comparison ZWO deep-sky (DSO) cameras
link to video on color vs. mono imaging:
• Mono or Colour Camera ...
I'm producing FREE content about astrophotography and space. Any SUPPORT is greatly appreciated! You can support me as follows:
1) Donate (PayPal): bit.ly/3LTXhTS
2) SUBSCRIBE to my KZbin channel: / astroforumspace
3) Visit my website: astroforumspace.com/
4) Buy some of my merchandise on my website: astroforumspace.com/shop/
5) Use one of my affiliate links below to buy your Astrogear at your preferred shop. I get a small percentage to keep my YT channel and website going, and you pay the same price.
- Astroshop (EU): bit.ly/3ijbZVZ
- OPT (USA): bit.ly/3ikp9Sz
- Amazon (worldwide): amzn.to/3gGLWaK
Any support you can give is highly appreciated, thanks!
You can also find me here:
www.astroforumspace.com/
/ astroforum
Music:
Eine kleine nachtmusik - Mozart
An der schönen, blauen Donau - Johan Strauss
The lounge - bensound.com

[@balacv02]

Excellent review. A real treat hearing you buddy. Thanks a ton

[@Intheskyes1]

I’m weighing all the choices for a beginner in astrophotography and came across this video. Thank you so much for putting together such a professional presentation. You have equipped me with a great deal of information to consider. Thanks again.

[@AstroForumSpace]

Thanks! 😆

[@marcelrahellucerneastrophoto]

As always your videos are very helpful, as for me as a beginner. Just ordered me a christmas gift for myself, went for color... thanks your video, got an zwo/asi 2600 mc pro, and for guiding a zwo/asi 120. have a great day and look forward for new videos from you, great work!

[@AstroForumSpace]

Wonderful! I'm actually a little jealous Marcel...the ASI2600MC pro should give you wonderful images of the night sky. If you want, I'd be thrilled to hear what your experiences are with this camera. Clear skies!

[@bent334]

Your knowledge of Astronomical Cameras and how to choose the right one is awesome!.. and comparison chart is the best I've seen. Thanks for your help!

[@AstroForumSpace]

Glad I could help and thanks for the positive feedback!

[@MADHIKER777]

Fantastic video. Obviously very knowledgeable.... Subscribed!

[@markram4444]

Really good explanations for a beginner like me! I had no idea about planetary vs deep sky specific cameras, so I'm glad I watched your video

[@AstroForumSpace]

Thanks!

[@phila8226]

A good addition to the ZWO selection chart would be an additional column where you could enter the focal length of the OTA and the spreadsheet would calculate arcsec/pix for each camera. Then you would get a good feel for the suitability of each camera choice for your particular set up. Pairing a camera and a telescope, as you touched on, is more involved than looking at camera specs.

[@AstroForumSpace]

That's an excellent idea, I'll look into it. Probably involves some coding. Cheers

[@OliverBerresford]

Very interesting so many options out there. I am still waiting for my 480mm refractor to arrive so I am binge watching your vids. I think Astrophotography there is so much to learn and so much can be spent 🤯

[@AstroForumSpace]

Hope you enjoy the videos! Thanks for watching and yes, astrophotography is basically a never ending process of upgrades, learning new skills upgrades, learning new skills...etc.

[@AcButeo]

One thing that I ended up doing was getting ASI294MM for deep sky and an ASI290MM. The 290MM works very well for planetary and it works double duty as a guide camera.

[@opticat2410]

very informative videos you make. thank you.

[@noahshrktr]

Great video! I'm soon upgrading from a DSLR to the 2600mc which im really exited for.

[@AstroForumSpace]

Nice!

[@jameswebb8162]

Sweet video dude! Loved the info, started astrophotography last year with little to no images to show for it. Wow, I really was lost!! Ur video will help a lot!,! I have the ZWOASI120MC. Seems to work great but I probably not using it to its full potential. I would like to do both planetary and deep sky imaging. From what I gathered this camera will do both with planets being its primary function.

[@AstroForumSpace]

Hi James, thanks for watching. Yes, the 120mc is mainly for planetary but you can also try it out for deepsky Astrophotography. Clear skies!

[@skycopters]

Much appreciated video 👍 Thanks Wido

[@AstroForumSpace]

My pleasure! Glad you enjoyed it!

[@szecsiattila]

wooow 1st comment :) thanks for the video mate!

[@AstroForumSpace]

Thanks for watching :-)!

[@Farathus]

Just getting into the hobby and I tried to find a camera that can be used for both. I believe I succeeded. I'm using the 183MC pro. High res., high QE and cooled for Deep Sky and I can crop in to get really high FPS for planets, still at decent resolution (720p @100FPS). Only drawback is the relatively small sensor.

[@YM-qb6gh]

very helpful video thank you!

[@Tzebra29]

I finaly got my ZWO 1600MM PRO with 36mm Baader Filters last monday. Looking forward to use it. For the moment i only can build up my Darks library

[@AstroForumSpace]

Great! hopefully you'll be able to test it soon. I love my asi1600mm Pro, especially with narrowband filters.

[@captgbakos1291]

Love the 2001 Space Odyssey reference with the cameras rolling by...... Also a very helpful video !

[@AstroForumSpace]

Thanks!

[@astronomynotebook]

I use the ZWO 224 for planetary and ZWO 1600....very happy with both.

[@cliveroberts415]

QHY 5l-IIc for planetary (also for guiding), modified Canon 1000D for DSO

[@LeeeB0]

Hi Wido,. What camera would you recommend for doing EAA with a 1200mm / f/4.7 GOTO dob for planetary and DSO's? thank you

[@stefanschneider3681]

Thank you very much for all the work you put into this yet another very helpful video! I will get back to it when I finally manage taking long exposure pictures with my Celestron NexStar 6SE including StarSense and a polarwedge ... until then I will stick to my Canon 90D, a marvel of engineering also for daytime photography and still allowing me to capture unbelievably far objects! Well done! Sincerely, Stefan from the Swiss border of lake constance in the center of europe

[@AstroForumSpace]

Thanks so much Stefan for the positive feedback. Hope you'll get some clear skies in die Schweiz :-)

[@stefanschneider3681]

@@AstroForumSpace Clears skies? March and April were great, but since then strong winds almost constantly brought a lot of humidity to us, coming from the west - maybe from the netherlands 😡🤷🏻‍♂️😂 ... it‘s a bit frustrating, but I am very sure that neither the planets nor the nebulae or the far galaxies will disappear in the next few years 😅-. But I am very thankful I had the opportunity to take pictures with my camera and my telescope of comet Neowise, since this is obviously a chance you don’t get that often! Loved it!

[@AstroForumSpace]

@@stefanschneider3681 definitely from the Netherlands. We have stormy weather for about a month now. Let's pray to the weathergods, or maybe move to Spain.

[@stefanschneider3681]

@@AstroForumSpace or Chile ... oder fly up to the ISS ... 😂

[@douweodh4146]

Leuke video! De ZWO 1600 mm pro bevalt je blijkbaar erg goed. Ik ben zelf van plan over te stappen van DSLR naar mono + LRGB en HOS. Denk dat ik ook voor de 1600 ga. Keep up the good work! groeten uit Weesp

[@AstroForumSpace]

Bedankt Douwe! De zwo 1600mm bevalt inderdaad uitstekend. Vooral goed icm smalband filters

[@thefourgrapples2810]

Very helpful Wido, thank you.

[@thefourgrapples2810]

I'm hoping You'll do one on the mono cameras as well.

[@antandshell]

Great stuff. Well done. Thank you. Subed

[@AstroForumSpace]

Awesome, thank you!

[@pamelawhitfield4570]

I use an old-school mono CCD for DSO, the QHY9. A true 16-bit analogue to digital converter is a very useful feature for very faint objects. Only the more expensive CMOS cameras have this so far, 12 or 14 bit are more common. I personally found processing mono images easier than from a DSLR but mileage may vary.

[@AstroForumSpace]

Interesting option! I'm planning to extend my videos to CCD cameras and other brands in the future. This does seem like a good option for mono imaging at that price range. Thanks for watching.

[@frackcenturion]

just casually rolls an astro camera across the table 🤣👍👍 love your work, great advice on what type of camera to go for 👍

[@AstroForumSpace]

It was quite a challenge to roll them in the right direction and speed, LOL. Thanks for watching

[@jameswebb8162]

I am really into studying text books and lectures on the images for Spectrograph analysis. My celestron 8”AVX has been working great till this winter when I was loading a software update. When I turned the scope on it doesn’t recognize any of my accessories only my touchpad with a fault code of no response 16 and no response 17. Have you stumbled across any of those. Faults? Thank you for any info you can provide. James

[@AstroForumSpace]

Hi James, I found this on the Celestron website, hope this helps: www.celestron.com/blogs/knowledgebase/what-does-the-hand-control-message-no-response-16-and-or-no-response-17-mean

[@gunnarjensen5910]

I have a Sky-Watcher HEQ5 Pro mount and a William Optics Z81. And a 10" Goto Flextube. I want to image the planets. Have a Neximage 5 webcam (Zwo 120 mini) and a Canon 5D II and Canon 7D and a Canon M50. Should I get a 9,25 inch or an 8 inch SCT to get the best results or an imaging Dob or a dedicated astro camera ??

[@AstroForumSpace]

Hi Gunnar, I've another video about telescopes that - in my opinion - are excellent for planetary imaging: kzbin.info/www/bejne/raKqlq2ar5J5eLs Clear skies!

[@AntharikshamTV]

very helpful video. Thank you sir

[@AstroForumSpace]

You're most welcome.

[@richparkes6620]

Been using a canon 550d that I modified myself for the last 8 months for deep sky and lunar. Last week switched to my ZWO ASI120mm guide scope for lunar. Ordered a T7c camera of Ali Express which has the same sensor as the ZWO AS1120mm mc-s and waiting for tax back to buy a ZWO ASI533mc Pro. Looking forward to making the switch to a dedicated astro cam

[@sketch6995]

I have a zwo asi120mm for guiding. I assume it would do well enough for planets and the moon......but I don't know anything about color filter wheels or processing images.......so I'm leaning to a color ZWO to learn with. Maybe the 2600......if I can find one.

[@anmic3590]

Hi! Great video! I just bought a Skymax 102 on a az3-pronto mount and I was wondering, if I decide to buy a camera, which one would you recommend? Also, is the software working on macbook? Are there any other accessories necessary? Thank you!

[@AstroForumSpace]

Hi Andrei, hope you'll have a great time with your skymax. As it is a maksutov telescope, I'm assuming you want to get into planetary and lunar imaging. Don't know your budget...but the asi224mc is a good camera to start with. bit.ly/3dIUHka. If you want a larger sensor and higher resolution camera, the 178mc is a good option: bit.ly/31lINHQ. Both firecapture and sharpcap are excellent free software tools to capture videos and pictures. Not sure if they are also available for MacBooks. Good luck, clear skies!

[@andyroo3022]

Thanks good guide and information.

[@AstroForumSpace]

Thanks Andy!

[@rossfoulkes8856]

Many thanks for this.

[@FreeRealEstatepage]

Hi Wido! Quick question; I am getting my zwo183mc pro today and there is one setting I cannot seem to find anywhere. What temp do I set my camera at for cooling? I am currently at 35 degrees f, while imaging. Thank you and Clear Skies!

[@AstroForumSpace]

For long exposure pictures I usually cool it down to -20c, that's about -4 Fahrenheit. For moon and planetary it's not important as you're taking videos with high FPS (short exposures). Good luck!

[@JethroXP]

ZWO ASI224MC for planetary. Nikon Z6 for DSO. Have my eye on the ZWO ASI2600MC Pro for DSOs as a future purchase.

[@AstroForumSpace]

I would be very interested in your experiences with the asi2600 Jason. Thanks for watching!

[@Noncenx]

I may have missed it, but have you done a video on imaging software. Ease of use for beginners, Best results, that kind of thing. Found a few of you videos and they're helpful in getting started as I am. BTW, loved how you fit the music into the introduction of each camera. It seemed fitting. Wonder how many people picked up on your selection.

[@AstroForumSpace]

Thanks! I have a playlist with videos on how to setup and use sequence generator Pro: kzbin.info/aero/PLrfMN3RZZNHf8D6LtEn6kulNl2c6M1omo., Also made a video about firecapture and backyard eos. Clear skies and thanks for watching.

[@Butzemann123]

i recommend Siril for absolute beginners. Gives you first results with a view clicks. Look up this tutorial kzbin.info/www/bejne/qqbdgn-VZt2YbcU

[@michaeljarvis4612]

Great Video! As a beginner, I need guidance. Can you recommend a OSC CMOS for a short focal length (250-400 mm) wide-field scope such as the Redcat 51? I live under Bortle 9 skies and still trying to decide if its a mistake to buy a color CMOS or go Mono with a filter wheel. HELP!!

[@AstroForumSpace]

Hi Michael, thanks for watching. With such a small, widefield scope, and assuming you want a cooled camera, I would aim for a camera that has a small pixel size such as the asi183MC Pro bit.ly/31qkWrk. This prevents your stars from becoming too blocky. If you live in a city like me, you have the option to get dual or triband filters for a color camera which are able to capture specific parts of the light spectrum while blocking light pollution - I have a separate video on light pollution filters: kzbin.info/www/bejne/j3-7gYSmYq6Ajrs. You can also go "all the way" like me and get a mono camera, perhaps the 183mm Pro, with narrowbandfilters and a filterwheel. This really helped me to get higher quality pictures, but capturing and processing are more complex and take more time. Hope this helps, clear skies!

[@michaeljarvis4612]

@@AstroForumSpace Hi Wido, Thanks so much for your advice. I just got the Optolong L-Pro Enhance so I am leaning towards the ASI 183MC Pro. That said, I may go with the mono version and filter wheel. I think I will put some additional sessions with my mod, Canon EOS T4i and work on my guiding and NINA skills over the Holidays and see where I am in Jan. Best. Mike

[@kevinquincy4589]

I use a ZWO 120mc. For Planetary and deep sky lol! I’m new to Astro photography so I bought the 120mc just to get my rig working and try to figure everything out. I have a Nextstar 5se with a AVX Mount with a focal corrector and reducer for deep sky and I remove it for planetary . My plan is to get a zwo 294 to use for deep sky and turn my zwo120mc into a guide scope camera. Do you think that is a good plan?

[@AstroForumSpace]

Yes, good plan! And also smart to start with the 120mc and practice a bit before switching to a deepsky camera and guiding. Thanks!

[@Steve_The_Ignorant_Astronomer]

Maybe you can help me out... I have the ZWO 294mc pro and use a 1 1/4 nose piece. I Use a Meade LX-200 10in. f6.3 scope not the F10 scope. I want to go to a 2in nose piece. How can I do this? I bought the wrong stuff to do it with. Thanks .. Like your vids

[@AstroForumSpace]

I think you can take off the nosepiece and also the "ring" on your camera. You'll then be able to attach the camera directly to a m48 extender.

[@gunnarjensen5910]

Usually the outside temperature is well below freezing - 5 to - 17 degrees celsius, when imaging. Do I need a cooled camera ? Dew heaters seem more essential.. I live in Iceland.. Close to Greenland. Tried to image the moon with Neximage5 and the 10" Goto Flextube. Could only fit 1/4 into the frame. Focal reducer killed the focus abilities..

[@AstroForumSpace]

Hi Gunnar, that's interesting. Do you have dark skies as well? One thing about cooling is that I'm matching the temperature of my dark frames with my light frames. If temperature fluctuates then you'll probably need to capture darks on the same night you're capturing Deep-sky objects. For moon and planetary you'll be fine using an uncooled camera. I'm using the asi178mc. Cheers.

[@janzemlicka5117]

Right now I'm using ASI 178 MC, but I'm thinking about ASI 183 MC-Pro for DSO. I'll be very thankful for any advice or suggestion. Great video, big thumb up :)

[@AstroForumSpace]

Looking at the specs, you may want to save up for the ASI 294MC pro, it has a wider field of view and a higher dynamic range. See my dynamic table for detailed specs: astroforumspace.com/zwo/ Thanks for watching Jan!

[@alancampbell1008]

Thank you for this. I am considering one of these for my Nexstar6 rather than my DSLR, cleared a few things up in my mind. I might get a basic planetary camera and persevere with the DSLR for deep sky which means I don't have to spend so much and can buy an equatorial wedge as well 🙂

[@AstroForumSpace]

The asi224mc might be a good, affordable option for planetary. DSLRs are great for deepsky. They only lack cooling, but are more affordable. Dithering helps!

[@alancampbell1008]

@@AstroForumSpace thanks, I've been playing around with my Nikon but have considered a secondhand Canon that can be modified, they are quite cheap on Ebay for body only but seem to give good results. Looking forward to long clear cold nights here in Northern Scotland and I'm lucky I live away from town so nice dark skies all I've got to do is get on the steep learning curve

[@AstroForumSpace]

@@alancampbell1008 sounds wonderful. I hope you'll get some clear Scottish skies soon.

[@FreeRealEstatepage]

Hi Wido! Just bought my first dedicated zwo camera. Thanks for your reviews! Got the 224mc to finish out the planetary season. I have a question. If I am in a cold environment when I do most of my DSO imaging, do I really need a cooling camera? I definitely want the 183 but can save a lot of $$ in the non cooled version. Thanks!

[@AstroForumSpace]

Congrats! The camera (especially CMOS sensors) tends to heat up because of the electronics, so I would prefer a cooled camera for deep-sky imaging. For planetary and lunar imaging it's not necessary.

[@jerry3790]

It is possible to mod your 224mc with a peltier cooler very cheaply.

[@diamondspectrum]

I have an Altair 224 and it is awesome.

[@astrodad-simonb277]

I used to use my ToYou webcam pre 2005 but looking to upgrade now. I have an LX10 so what would you recommend for upgrade ? New scope - considering TS Photo line FL53 and then what Camera or defork LX10 and then a new camera? thanks! Simon

[@AstroForumSpace]

Well, like I said in the video, planetary or deep-sky? LX 10 would be great for planetary I think. The refractor is great for widefield deepsky...

[@astrodad-simonb277]

@@AstroForumSpace thanks :-) I really want to do both but one of your very first videos I watched convinced to go for a APO so I need to look into that more of a "rig" / set up. Any advice would be great!

[@spikkyboy]

I have a new problem. I use a 925 cpc for visual and planetary. I then bought a sky watcher esprit 80ed for the deep space. Vastly differing focal lengths. I think 2000mm vs 480mm? Is there a camera with a 1000 gbp price limit that will return good results on both scopes with planets and deep space? Love the videos by the way and danke wel.

[@AstroForumSpace]

Hi there. Tricky (but good) question. I'll try to answer it while keeping it short. The ED80 is proabably an f/6 or f/7, so you'll have about 500mm focal length. At that focal length, a camera with a pixel size of about 2.8um to 4um would fit nicely in terms of preventing your stars from being undersampled (blocky) or oversampled (bloated). With the 2000mm focal length, you'd ideally find a camera that has a large pixel size, e.g. 8um or higher - to prevent oversampling...But...it may be that you'll use the 925 specifically for planetary, and the ed80 for deepsky - if that is the case, you can buy a camera with a smaller pixel size, as oversampling is not that much of in issue when engaging in planetary imaging. Note that this is just one of the considerations...If I had the time, I would write a whole book on that topic :-).

[@Atlantian_official]

What’s the best colour camera for both planetary and deep field Astro photography if say one was utilising the Celestron VX 8 Schmidt Cassegrain?

[@AstroForumSpace]

Depends on your budget Malek. As explained in the video, you don't need cooling for solar system objects so that will save you a lot of money. For deep-sky, cooling is very much preferred to avoid 'noise' (hot and cold pixels) in your pictures when using long exposure times. I have some favorites which i discuss in the video and my blog here: astroforumspace.com/best-zwo-cameras-for-planetary-imaging-and-deep-sky-dso-astrophotography/ For the C8, you may want to consider a camera with a large(r) pixel size, to avoid oversampling. Clear skies!

[@Pipe-organ-recordings]

Your website is excellent

[@joeshmoe7967]

I use a DSLR and 300mm Lens. Have bought a evostar 72 to replece the telephoto but haven't used it yet. Also have a classic Celestron C-8, but no luck focusing the DSLR, so I am looking at a 'planetary' camera to start. The ZWO ASI224 I am considering looks like it can create great planetary images, and I have seen some decent DSO as well. When the budget allows for it, a higher end dedicated camera that could work on either (or a new!!) scope.

[@AstroForumSpace]

Yes, the asi224 is a very good choice as an affordable camera! Clear skies.

[@rodneyhendrickson5094]

Hello I'm new at this and I'm wanting to buy myself a good camera for my scope it's a 152/900-f5.9 what is a good all-around good camera to start out with Thanks Do you have a clue to wich one to buy for galaxies

[@AstroForumSpace]

For galaxies you'll do best with a cooled camera. If this is too expensive, you can also start out with a color camera or DSLR without cooling. For galaxies, you can opt for a color camera, that makes it easier to start. Good luck!

[@karcoms]

Hi, thanks for the video. I was wondering if planetary imaging using the ZWO mono cameras is worth the hassle with the filter wheels as against using the color camera. What are your thoughts? Since planets rotate and do the images line up nicely to get proper channel merging?

[@AstroForumSpace]

Hi Karthik, I've mostly used color cameras for planetary imaging. I think you would get better results shooting mono, but as you said, you'd have to take into account the rotation speed of the planet as well. I know there are some 'derotation' programs that you can use to align the RGB pictures with different capturing times. One of them is called winjupos. Clear skies!

[@karcoms]

@@AstroForumSpace Thank you. I really like your videos. They are so well thought off and informative. Its amazing the dedication and the time you are investing. Keep it up.

[@joeshmoe7967]

Shooting mono with filters pretty much always give a better result, but there is a lot more effort involved. I think going for a one shot color camera is a good way to start. Too many steps and details in the beginning of astro imaging could prove frustrating. I am looking for a dedicated camera and definitely will choose color to start. Some of the 'better' between the mono and color is subjective. I have seen results from even lesser color cameras than the ASI183 and would be happy. I shoot with a DSLR right now and my images are not stunning, but good and I am happy with them. It comes down to what you need to make you happy. - Cheers

[@AndyKong51]

I have a ETX-80, For the lowest cost camera, can I still see Andromeda or just a bright spot? Is there a picture? Thx

[@AstroForumSpace]

Hi Andy, the ETX-80 comes with an AZ mount, those mounts are nice for beginners and visual observations, but not good for high quality, long exposure pictures with an astrophotography camera. Visually, you'll be able to see a fuzzy spot in the sky that is the core of the Andromeda galaxy. If you're planning to get an astrocamera, I would recommend a planetary camera with which you can engage in what is called lucky imaging. This means you'll be taking many (hundreds or thousands) of short exposure pictures (e.g. 1 or 2 second exposures) of andromeda and you could use stacking software like deep sky stacker to construct one picture of andromeda which would probably be decent. For high quality astrophotography, you'll need a better telescope (ED or APO) and a good quality EQ mount. I have some other videos on my channel about choosing mounts and telescopes, you can also look at my website www.astroforumspace.com. Hope this helps!

[@MobilMobil-kv5ke]

I’m a visual astronomy guy. I’ve already invested in a telescope - a Meade 12 inch (304.8 millimeter) aperture at f10 (3048 millimeter focal length). My problem is that the size of the pixels is too small and images with these cameras get oversampled. I’m thinking about purchasing an Orion Starshoot G3 because the LARGER pixel size works with my 3048 focal length. Thoughts anyone???

[@AstroForumSpace]

4*4 binning :-)? Alternatively, buy a widefield refractor? Thanks for watching.

[@strat1960s]

What would you recommend for a 12 inch Dobsonian? I was looking at the ASI178. Would that be beyond the capabilities of the Dobsonian mount?

[@AstroForumSpace]

Not at all. If your dob is an f/5 focal ratio, you probably want a camera with around 2,5 to 3 micrometer pixel size, so you'll get an image scale between. 2 to .4 arc seconds per pixel. The asi178 falls within that range. I just got an asi678mc and I don't need a Barlow lens anymore to Watcg the planets. Good luck!

[@strat1960s]

@@AstroForumSpace I found a ASI462MC for 249 USD. I may go that route if its not beyond the limits of a Dob mount.

[@breedj1]

Hoi Wido, Do you make all of your pictures from your balcony in Utrecht? I just bought a second hand Meade etx-105 and was wondering if I can get into astrophotography from my garden where I live in Heerhugowaard. I am thinking of buying a ZWO asi385mc for planetary images. Would it also be possible to make photos of galaxys from your balkony with the light polition?

[@AstroForumSpace]

Yes, all my pictures are from Utrecht city center 😉. So yes, definitely possible from Heerhugowaard! If you want to discuss it more, check out my website (www.astroforspace.com) or send me a message on instagram (@astroforum), always happy to help!

[@breedj1]

@@AstroForumSpace bedankt, was jij nu net op het journaal? Of leek dat maar zo?

[@AstroForumSpace]

@@breedj1 ik onthoud me van ieder commentaar maar... Uhm yes 😉

[@jesuspineiro1622]

Planetary: ZWO ASI 462MC, RGB color + the best QE (+80%) in IR over 800nm (mono) Mono and Color, all in one.

[@stephengill2951]

One of the first things I imaged with my new ZWO2600mc was Mars! It did manage a decent frame rate with a 1280x1024 ROI. It certainly felt like overkill but after three months of waiting for a decent clear moonless night, I was desperate to image anything with it.

[@AstroForumSpace]

Lol, didn't expect that to be your first target with such a nice widefield sensor :-). But I know the feeling Stephen, autumn hit and we've been without clear skies for four solid weeks in the Netherlands. Thanks for watching, have fun with the ASI 2600mc Pro!

[@astrodad656]

You left out the new ZWO ASI462MC Planetary Color Camera which uses the IMX462 sensor. It has a 2.1MP sensor with a pixel size of 2.9um, and can accommodate a well depth of 11.2ke. With a resolution of 1936x1096, the sensor measures 1/2.8" with a length of 5.6mm and width of 3.2mm. This camera has the ability to capture infrared lights and has a super high sensitivity and ultra low readout noise with excellent performance for planetary, solar, and lunar imaging. Be sure to get a UV/IR cut filter or 850nm IR filter.

[@AstroForumSpace]

I've added this camera to my blog and zwo overview table. Thanks!

[@rodneyhendrickson5094]

Hello my Scope is 152/900f5.9 and i just bought myself the ZWO ASI294MC Pro Do you think that will be a good camera for my scope I'm new at this by the way And I have an EQ6-R pro mount Thanks man I love your Videos There a big help for me

[@AstroForumSpace]

Interesting combination. Yes, i think that combination works well. What's the brand of the scope? Clear skies.

[@RoyalRajput108]

Great video. I am a beginner in astronomy. Hoping to get a Dobs or Nexstar 6 se sometime soon. Quick question for you. Are these universal cameras that could fit with any telescope or selected ones? Are these compatible with Dobsonian or Nexstar telescope? Thanks in advance.

[@AstroForumSpace]

Hi Hari, dslr and zwo cameras can all be used with your telescopes. Sometimes you need an adapter (e.g. a T2 adapter when using a DSLR) to mount te camera.

[@RoyalRajput108]

@@AstroForumSpace that helps, thank you .

[@hinkelstein4six]

As nikon fan I use my D7200. Sometimes I use my Samsung NX300, but that thing isn't not really suitable for me.

[@jamesw5713]

Nice video, very helpful. I have been using DSLR (Canon 1000D unmodified) for the last year but have been thinking about getting a dedicated astrocam, so so many, even from a single brand such as ZWO, makes things complicated, then you have to consider planetary camera or deep sky?!? Is there a camera that can do both? Such as a deep sky camera that you can reduce the resolution for increased frame rate? Thanks

[@AstroForumSpace]

Hi James, I'm working on 2 videos about astrocameras right now. I'll release the first one this Thursday where I'll discuss the many specifications to take into account for deep-sky as well as planetary imaging. I'll try to release a second video in about one or two weeks where I'll try to check all the cameras on the market, you're right there are many astrocams, easy to get lost. Hope my new videos will help you. Clear skies 😉

[@jamesw5713]

@@AstroForumSpace Hi Wido, thanks, I look forward to those video's to help me make a choice in which to buy. Keep up the great work you do on the channel :D

[@ak13three]

Thanks for posting,, this is a lot of information to digest...Would a planetary camera work for the sun on a PST? If not what would be the differentiators.

[@AstroForumSpace]

Yes, I have seen people using planetary cameras in a dedicated solar scope.

[@cryptojihadi265]

ASI 174mm is best for solar.

[@mreazuddin]

Very informative. Few questions btw - 1. What is the meaning of 'MM'/'MC' suffix? Whats the difference? 2. 290MC has way more FPS than 178MC. Why prefer 178MC for planetary? For the resolution? 3. What minimum sensor size is needed for photographing moon?

[@AstroForumSpace]

Mm= mono, MC=color. Yes, I use the 178mc because of the larger sensor, but the 290mc is also very good for planetary imaging. Minimum sensor size depends on your focal length and sensor size, the larger your sensor and the lower your focal length, the larger your field of view. Note that planets are tiny objects in the sky, you can get by with the 290mc.

[@alcyonemusica]

I have a : Celestron C11-A XLT 11" f/10 SCT Optical Tube with CGE. Which cámara would you recommend. ASÍ 2400MN pro or 6200MC pro ?

[@AstroForumSpace]

Hi there. Do you want to use the camera for deepsky or moon/planets?

[@alcyonemusica]

@@AstroForumSpace deep sky

[@alcyonemusica]

@@AstroForumSpace Deepsky

[@komr323]

how about 183mc pro? It should be good for both planetary and dee sky object?

[@AstroForumSpace]

Hi there. I'm a bit on the fence on this one as stated in the video, because the asi533 Pro and the asi294 pro offer higher dynamic range and the asi294 has a wider field of view as compared to the asi183mc pro for about the same price (a bit more expensive, but below $1000). See also: astroforumspace.com/best-zwo-cameras-for-planetary-imaging-and-deep-sky-dso-astrophotography/

[@siegfriednoet]

Interessant Wido deze uiteenzetting tussen planetary en DSO camera's, doch even een vraag daarover, als je zulke kleine sensors gebruikt zoals je schrijft 1/2Mpx, schiet er dan nog veel foto over om bvb een print van te maken ?

[@AstroForumSpace]

Dag Siegfried, voor DSO's gebruiken we toch vaak camera's van 16mp om een mooie print te maken. Voor planeten...tsja... Ze zijn zo klein hé... Je zou dan een Schmidt cassegrain kunnen nemen met een focale lengte van 2000mm. Dan nog wil je dat verlengen tot pak m beet 5000mm met een 2* Barlow lens. En dan nog heb je maar een klein fototje van Mars, Jupiter en Saturnus zijn iets groter... Kortom, als je op zoek bent naar mooie poster prints, dan is deepsky met een mooie DSLR of een 16mp astrocamera the way to go.

[@anthonydiubaldi6475]

Great channel!!! Might be obvious but with the 150 f/s rate of the 224 , the max exposure time would be 6.67 ms. In other words, once your exposure time hits above 18 ms, you are in the frame rate of the 124. Interested to know what actual rates people can get out of the 224 when looking at planets- i assume it depends on your scope, barlows, conditions, etc. thanks!!!

[@AstroForumSpace]

Yes, real life experiences are always different. Shorter USB 3.0 cable helps, and higher gain setting :-). Thanks for watching, clear skies.

[@starwatcher]

Would it work as well to use a planetary camera with added cooling fan to do dso?

[@AstroForumSpace]

I never tried that, but I've seen some people adding coolers to planetary and DSLR cameras. Thanks for watching.

[@milllworks]

Love the 2001 reference

[@AndySupraTT]

Planetary: ASI 224 MC. Only just started experimenting with DSO so got an Astro modified Cannon 450D

[@AstroForumSpace]

Great, the asi224MC is a good bargain. I also started with a canon DSLR, did you astromodify your camera? Thanks for watching.

[@AndySupraTT]

@@AstroForumSpace I didn't want to risk it :D so I just bought one already modified.

[@AstroForumSpace]

Good choice, I paid some money to an expert haha. Clear skies!

[@christopherwilson5671]

Can you explain why you need a tracking camera if you already have a computer goto tracking mount?

[@AstroForumSpace]

The tracking mount is often not accurate enough to take long exposure pictures, resulting in elongated stars and a blurry DSO. Reasons are many; the RA/DEC motors are not perfect, polar alignment may not be perfect, your telescope is slightly out of balance, weather conditions may be less then optimal, etc. The guidescope with camera will track a star and send corrections to your mount to keep that star centered, resulting in lower periodic error and sharper images.

[@marianunez2767]

Nice sweater!

[@AstroForumSpace]

Thanks, lol.

[@jaydee3730]

I use a QHY5III462c on a Celestron 8SE for planetary imaging

[@jeroenvisser1683]

Could you maybe do a video on how you store all your pictures and which pictures you store? Do you store all the raw pictures or do you only keep the stacked image? I'd love to hear from you! ~Jeroen

[@AstroForumSpace]

I have 3*4 terabyte harddrives... Maybe good to develop such a strategy and talk about it :-). Clear skies.

[@peterdmatthews7427]

The ASI294MM Pro has a QE value of 90% as published by ZWO. The ASI183MC Pro captured Andromeda perfectly with a 480mm telescope, even better with a redcat 71 (350mm).

[@Greg-jw2dp]

I use an ASI224 MC for both types of photography, but mostly DSO.

[@keithmayes4358]

Are you saying that you find the 224 takes as good DSO images as a DSLR? If so I find that very surprising. I use my Canon 1100D for DSO imaging but use the ZWO ASI 224 mc for capturing planets and find each best for that function. I could be misunderstanding you, maybe you don’t have a DSLR?

[@drkumarharaprasadmisra5562]

With which scope you have done dso?

[@deckardbr]

Brand new mono ZWO ASI294MM Pro was released recently. Maybe a good reason to do a ZWO mono comparison video soon! :-)

[@amirs1998]

Concerning the field of view when u mentioned the first 3 cameras dedicated for deep sky .... Is it actually so important ...I mean does it depend on the focal length also ?? ... We all know with not too long focal length we can obtain a nice large field of view so in that case does it depend on the ccd sensor size ..??

[@AstroForumSpace]

yes, you're right. If you have a shorter focal length you'll be able to capture a bigger part of the night sky. Still, there will be differences based on sensor + pixel size. E.g., with the asi294 you'll always be able to get a larger field of view as compared to the asi183 Pro or the asi533 Pro at any given focal length.

[@amirs1998]

@@AstroForumSpace thank u sir I appreciate your help

[@aleszmtz]

que camara es mejor? ZWO ASI533MC Pro vs zwo asi183mc pro?

[@AstroForumSpace]

Hola, en el video me gusta mas el asi294MC Pro, mira aqui si te gusta leer mi explication :-): astroforumspace.com/best-zwo-cameras-for-planetary-imaging-and-deep-sky-dso-astrophotography/

[@fredfonebone5108]

Great info! But, um, what did you spill on your hoodie? :D

[@AstroForumSpace]

Hi Fred, Yes, I'm not a fashion king, lol. I'll try to avoid spiling cappuccino over my shirts, hehe.

[@JohnMcGFrance]

Asi120mm mini for lunar/guiding. Asi1600mm cool for deep sky with Filterwheel LRGB and narrowband filters. I dont do planetary.

[@okeania]

Zwo 224 for guiding and planetary, Canon 550D moded for DSO.

[@AstroForumSpace]

Great combination!

[@pyrolife23]

I have the asi533 c pro and asi183mm mono and asi120mm love all three

[@AstroForumSpace]

Great to hear, thanks!

[@Jam_66]

Which one should I get if I have a low focal length telescope? (360mm) should I go for smaller pixel size or larger pixel size?

[@pyrolife23]

@@Jam_66 I have a sharpstar 61 II and you can fit both small sensors and large sensors same docs length

[@Jam_66]

Richy Astro Imaging & Pyro Thanks! I’ve been debating between the 183, 533, and the 294 for quite some time now. I like the high MP of the 183 but there’s hardly any well depth to capture a lot of light

[@satkalemom4208]

Dslr vs astro cam ,I to much confused, I can't decide which is best and i need long exposure image like over 10mins .

[@AstroForumSpace]

Depends on your budget. My advise would be to either buy a dedicated cooled astrocamera for about 1000 or stick with your DSLR.

[@satkalemom4208]

@@AstroForumSpace wow thx for replying me ❤️

[@Tim_the_Astronurd]

I use 2 Nikon D5300. one modded, one normal and am currently tring to figure out how to get my new Altair 183m running

[@AstroForumSpace]

Thanks Demitri, what are you using as capturing software? Never had an Altair...but I think you can use them with most popular capturing software like sharpcap and firecapture, astrophotography tool etc. Clear skies.

[@Tim_the_Astronurd]

@@AstroForumSpace It came with a sharpcap pro license and I also have tried APT and altair capture. I think Ill stick with sharpcap though as altair cap is not very straight forward and have not gotten APT to work right. The main problem is I shoot about 65km from home so I really only have my rig set up in the field which is the worst time to try and figure out whats going on!

[@alialkindi465]

I use also full spectrum nikon d5300 Can you share your instagram account I'm interested to see your results ☺️

[@AstroForumSpace]

@@alialkindi465 just look for astroforum on instagram. You'll find it.

[@Tim_the_Astronurd]

@@alialkindi465 Dimitri_Grimm

[@markholtz5538]

This man knows how to keep his hobby going…keep the wife happy!

[@1AngryDpg]

It would be interesting to talk about oversampling and undersampling for focal lengths of the telescope. I did an Excel chart to match the cameras with the telescopes Focal Length. ASI 183 workers best from 250mm - 480mm; DSLR APS-C/CMOS is better for 480mm - 750MM; ASI294 is best between 480mm - 910mm; and a full-frame DSLR/CMOS works best at 910mm - 1200mm. These combinations give you the perfect 1 - 2 image scale to keep your stars sharp and not bloated or blocky. This is 1 evaluation I would add to your analysis. This is not to say that you can't get great results from using any camera, just 1 more factor to consider.

[@1AngryDpg]

Forgot to add Image Scale = (Pixal Size / Focal Length) * 206 is the formula I used

[@AstroForumSpace]

thanks!

[@gunnarjensen5910]

Does the ZWO 294 suffer from bad ampglow ?

[@AstroForumSpace]

Hi Gunnar, I think most people are able to manage the amp glow with dark frames.

[@ryansproviero]

I just picked up a Celestron 8SE and I'm totally new to this. Any advice for a good camera to start with for video? My plan is to mirror the image to a TV. Any advice would really be appreciated!

[@rashidi_nn]

I use a neximage 10 camera (planetary)

[@Tim_the_Astronurd]

Ha! thats a daily conversation and post in my astrophotography group on facebook.

[@derekfucinaro2528]

Anyone know what the qe for the 294 is?

[@AstroForumSpace]

quantum efficiency. It shows a percentage which you can interpret as how effective a chip is in registering (catching) photons (light). Higher is usually better, altough a higher QE can also lead to overexposed bright objects (like stars) in combination with a small full well depth.

[@AstroForumSpace]

It's estimated to be >75%

[@arthurwiegman5512]

For planets I use 174 MM (also Lunar) and 462 MC. Deepsky 183 MM Pro and 533 MC Pro.

[@LaibaStarXX]

This was was helpful. Now the only thing I need is money to buy lmaoo. Thanks😂

[@AstroForumSpace]

Thanks, and yes. Astrophotography is a money pit. Clear skies!

[@LM-ek2hb]

Research Thoroughness: A+ Web/Dev, Dynamic Table creation: B+ (Maybe freeze the leftmost table column) Wallpaper Selection F- ;-)

[@satkalemom4208]

Please make a video Astronomy camera vs DSLR

[@AstroForumSpace]

Hi there, check: kzbin.info/www/bejne/f2XWmnpmrLB2fM0

[@jimpoop]

Just ordered a 2600mc pro to replace my 533 !

[@AstroForumSpace]

Congrats! I've ordered the 2600mm 😉

[@jimpoop]

@@AstroForumSpace awesome! I'm sure you'll love it, I'll go mono in the near future but sticking OSC for now,. Maybe you could do a review on the 2600mm sometime!

[@deepdiver0101]

Thorlabs Zelux 1.6 MP compact mono. there are so many CCD and CMOS developed for microscopy and scientific research that also double for astroimaging too. Hamamatsu makes some lovely kit...But ZWO and others tend to be better value, and scientific camera companies, aside from ultra high end, tend to be overpriced and have limited exposure times