The New ASI676MC - Tested, Reviewed, ..Impressed?

[@lukomatico]

If you feel like treating yourself to one of these then please consider to support my channel at the same time at no extra cost with these links! 😀Thank you all! Buy from FLO! - (affiliate link) www.firstlightoptics.com/zwo-cameras/zwo-asi676mc-all-sky-usb-30-colour-camera/ref/lukomatico 365Astronomy - (affiliate link) www.365astronomy.com/zwo-asi676mc-usb3.0-colour-cmos-all-sky-camera?af=1QX4YtdeY2MtqDxnOC4qQqcnJ5XJSerudLv2zfcKrHcr01pAjcWcFxcgtg9CrOsR HighPointScientific! : www.highpointscientific.com/?rfsn=6336274.c7cd64 or bit.ly/3uzB4FJ

[@rudebuddha4895]

Thanks for the review, just picked one up and waiting for it to come off backorder.

[@lukomatico]

Hope you enjoy it my friend!!

[@deep_space_dave]

I have the ASI678MC and it is an excellent all sky camera so I am not surprised with the performance of the ASI676MC. The dark current is much less on the ASI676MC so I look forward to any DSO tests. Thanks Luke!

[@TheVillageIdiotUk]

Hi Luke, you really are quite gifted. You have a wonderfully relaxed presentation style and a great voice to match. Your subject matter expertise is to be envied and yet you remain humble and understated. It’s a joy and a pleasure to watch and listen to you fella. Wishing you and your family all my very best wishes. Yours, a Yorkshireman down south.

[@lukomatico]

Blimey mate, thank you so much for your kind message!! That's a lovely thing to hear, haha! Thanks for your support my friend 👍👍 All the very best, Luke

[@skye7690]

I’ve been anticipating the release of this camera and want to try it on deep sky (just because I’m a rebel) and like the square sensor, etc. Thx for the review.

[@travelswiththebeast5252]

I bought one the day it became an available and I have been doing some DSO on an Askar V. I am getting very good results. Got nice results on Helix nebula, Iris nebula and heart of Eagle.

[@HeavenlyBackyardAstronomy]

WOW, Luke, That would be an amazing planetary camera with that 2.0-micron pixel size. I might need to look into that. Once the planets get a bit higher in the sky, you should get some amazing results. I usually won't even fuss with a planet until it is at least 30 degrees in the sky. Clear Skies Luke.

[@lukomatico]

Thanks so much Pat my friend!! :-) I think that's good advice, hold off until 30+ degrees if possible! Cheers! I gave your channel a little shout out on my live stream the other night by the way! Thanks for all your great content :-D

[@Sams_Cosmic_Captures]

I love mine! I've had it for a few months now, I have some allsky videos on my channel. I haven't used it much for planetary yet. It was nice that it fits the full moon disc on my 80mm refractor vs the 678 that would crop the top and bottom.

[@mikegore7669]

I just bought one . I previously used an asi678mc which was very good. However the dark current specs of the newer asi676mc are awesome.

[@SDNoel73]

Can't wait to see what a night with good seeing conditions can produce!

[@KingLoopie1]

Interesting cam! Thanks! 👍👍

[@TerryMcKnight1]

I bought mine in late June. I only use it as a allsky camera on a Pi4 while I'm out imaging. It is great for allsky and not bothered about the IR cut filter being fitted as I have no intention of using it for any other form of imaging. Great video Luke. BTW the audio and video appear to be out of sync (tried on various browsers, YT app and TV)

[@lukomatico]

Sorry to hear about the sync issue mate!! I see some folk report that too on other videos, - it seems to happen KZbin side for some reason, when I check before upload it looks good to me - I need to look into it! 👍👍

[@KevinRudd-w8s]

Be interesting to see how it does with planetery nebula Luke. I look forward to seeing the results.

[@alanjs1]

I've just had 1 delivered yesterday fir an all sky camera. Well timed review because I may get another for planets.

[@alanjs1]

I've tried connecting my 676 to my raspberry pi 5 and Allsky it will not recognise my camera. Guess it's not supported yet by GitHub.

[@IronMan-2024]

Looks like an excellent laundry monitor as well!

[@dumpydalekobservatory]

Looks a good bit of kit mate I need an upgrade for my old QHY 5 II lol, hope you're all well?

[@lukomatico]

All good here mate! - thanks so much for asking, hope you are well too!! :-) Clear skies!

[@craiglowery4427]

Thank you Luke. Two questions: Would this camera be a good fit for my C14 operating at F20? Secondly, Should I remove my UV/IR cut filter since this camera already filters IR?

[@lukomatico]

Hey Craig! - I'd say it will indeed work well with the c14 at f20, I was very happy with the results from my c11 at f20 at least! :-) RE: Uv/ir cut filter, unless it's preventing you doing something or causing reflections etc I'd not worry about it! I've doubled up on uv/ir filters many times in the past without any perceivable ill-effects :-) (maybe even benefits if the filter bandpass' are more accurate than the camera coverglass!) Clear skies!

[@petesastrophotography]

Excellent stuff Luke, that lunar image looks great! I recently bought the ASI678MM & MC which are similar, but I like the look of this camera as well (especially with the square sensor) so will be picking one up. Can't wait for Mars/Jupiter to get higher in the sky! BTW, do you have an affiliate link with FLO for this camera, if so I'll use it when I order?

[@lukomatico]

Thanks ever so much Pete mate!! I hope you've been doing well, the weather here has made getting this review together a massive waiting game haha, never known a summer so bad for astro! RE: aff links, that's so kind of you, thank you! - I've added some updated direct links as a pinned comment! 🙂 Clear skies to you mate!

[@GrahamWhite-p7r]

Luke move that kettle is palying havock with Jupiter.

[@lukomatico]

Lmao!! I really ought to stop making tea in front of the telescope 😂

[@curtisroos7890]

How do you think this camera would work as a "ride along" all-sky camera on my Askar 120. How would you suggest mounting it on that OTA.

[@lukomatico]

Good question!! I think a small photographic ball mount would do a great job in a piggyback situation, you could allow it to point wherever you feel best then :-)

[@DrunkferretKG]

They should make a cooled one too!

[@dersupra]

I had ended up getting a 678MM with my setup for a guide scope , also hoping I could use that for lunar and planetary. I wonder if it is any good for nebulae?

[@0815mkl]

The framerates are insteresting. I've got about 30 fps in full resolution at RAW16 and about 60 fps in RAW8 using ASI Capture on an M1 Pro Macbook capturing an solar ISS transit. Not sure if it is the software, the OS or the hardware as I need to test with other hardware and other imaging tools as well.

[@DavesAstrophotography]

Nice Luke, I maybe missed it but what was the FOV with that fisheye? 120/150/160/180' etc?

[@lukomatico]

Good question mate!! I believe it's a 180, I'm having fun with it! 👍👍

[@DavesAstrophotography]

@@lukomatico Thinking it would make a good allsky camera.

[@lukomatico]

@@DavesAstrophotography I reckon it'd be a mega fit for that, the square sensor makes the most of the lens! 👍

[@realmcerono]

Got the cheaper 678mc that has no IR cut window. I am not able to see a real advantage of the 676mc? Anyone?

[@lukomatico]

Hey mate! The extra sensor real estate, the higher IR sensitivity (if used with a clear window anyway!) and lower thermal noise are three things that stand out to me 👍 Hope that helps! The 678 still looks like a great camera 👍

[@AmatureAstronomer]

Nice.

[@lukomatico]

Thanks for your support mate! 🙏

[@CDigata]

Its in ma cart

[@lukomatico]

Fantastic mate!! I think you'll really enjoy it! :-D

[@astronomerathome]

Can we please stop saying these uncooled cameras have no amp glow? Yes, they might not be as bad as before. But if the sensor is above 10C, the sides WILL be brighter than the rest of the image! So yeah, if DSO imaging, and if your sensor reads 10+ C, you better take darks folks. Or buy a cooled camera.

[@lukomatico]

Not true in all cases mate! - I was imaging most of last summer with an uncooled 585, sensor temps up to 35-40c - no darks used, no amp glow

[@astronomerathome]

@@lukomatico lol You must have got a great camera then! I have three IMX585's, two ZWO's and one Player one. All of them show the exact same glow.