ZWO ASI533 MC PRO Reviewed

I have been looking for the right camera to set up a second imaging rig with my Celestron 6SCT and AVX mount. In this video, I will share with you the factors that led me to choose the ZWO ASI 533 MC PRO over the ZWO 294 MC Pro. I will also share some of the very first images that I've captured with this setup. This is a long video, but I encourage you to take the time to watch it all the way through.
If you enjoyed this video please help me by clicking on SUBSCRIBE, LIKE, AND SHARE.

[@lusiaa_]

Thanks for the helpful review on this camera (with good quality pics and explanations too!). No clickbait, no life stories, just some good content, that's what I like to see

[@thedigitalastronomer6442]

Thanks. Glad it helped.

[@davidaylsworth8964]

I’m using the ASI533 as well and it’s interesting to see your rationale matching nearly exactly the process I used to select this camera. I’m impressed with your work. Good video.

[@thedigitalastronomer6442]

Thanks.

[@drstuartporter8248]

Thankyou Joe vey useful. You've convinced me to upgrade!

[@Neanderthal75]

I beleive, this has to be the perfect newbie camera, especially to those who transitioned over from DSLR cameras. It's just very forgiving for mistakes and the large well depth helps not to over saturate those bright stars. For EAA imaging..it's unbeatable. Especially for people who change their exposure and gain, depending on the target, just take the flats in sharpcap and good to go!

[@freddylq67]

This is the best review I've seen. With examples and using Astronomy Tools to give your reasons why this camera for your set up. Excellent 👍

[@thedigitalastronomer6442]

Thanks. Glad it was helpful

[@Westlake]

Nice review Joe! I’m looking at this one too rather than the 294/183 just to get a bit more reach and no amp glow! Thanks for sharing your results!

[@moemode]

Hi Joe. What an amazing review and insight into this camera. I literally sat down and went through the astrometry tools app with your video. I'm sold on this camera now. Thanks for your enthusiasm and informative videos 👍. Its so helpful to us newbie.

[@thedigitalastronomer6442]

Glad it was helpful!

[@jesuspineiro1622]

Hello Joe. It has been a pleasure to discover your channel. Your review of the 533MC is magnificent and detailed. Coincidentally, this week I bought my new 533MC at Agena for exactly the same reasons that you explain in your video. My train is something different but the field is very similar. I have an old 1998 Meade SC 10" OTA f/6.3 1600mm (native focal length) and I shoot at f/4 (1054mm) with the 0.63X focal reducer. These old Meade SC f/6.3 rich field telescopes have a problem that at the edges of the field (in APS-C format) at f / 4 the coma and spherical aberration are noticeable. With the 533MC crop, this part of the field is eliminated and the stars are punctual and very well defined. This is another plus for this great camera in my case. Huges.

[@tomwall8403]

I have the f10 M10" sct. It's a BIG scope for an old man. :-) I like it a lot, but I get more use out of my c*8.

[@thedigitalastronomer6442]

Thanks Jesus glad you enjoyed it.

[@jesuspineiro1622]

@@tomwall8403 I am 57 years old and already the 10" OTA is something heavy for me too :)

[@tomwall8403]

@@jesuspineiro1622 I always have my wife help me, just in case it slips.

[@ghostofrecon1]

Oh nice im originally from Kentucky. I’ve moved to Texas though. It’s nice to meet you

[@philippefossier7178]

Excellent review. Could not find the subsequent video about what you don't like about the ZWO ASI533MC Pro

[@DSOImager]

Good review. I agree.. the 533 is a great camera. Ive been using mine for the past year.

[@thedigitalastronomer6442]

Would love to see some of the pics you've gotten with it. Feel free to post them here in the replies.

[@DSOImager]

@@thedigitalastronomer6442 I actually have a bunch on my YT channel. I have several in my 533 review and other videos.

[@jinx0192]

Nice review!

[@davidd_9300]

Great review! I just got myself a second hand one, based on specs, but couldn't find many really good pictures on the net and got a bit worried. Now I'm more confident it was a good choice. Oh by the way, the propellor in M13 is not the bright X you were showing, but it is the 3 darker lanes visible just left and below where you were pointing ;)

[@JoesAstrophoto]

Great video Joe! I don't even shoot with OSC's and I still watched the whole thing lol I do the same things for choosing a mono camera as well.

[@thedigitalastronomer6442]

Thanks. Glad you enjoyed it.

[@GalileoUAS]

Hey there thank you for all the great content. Congrats on the new camera? Quick question sir I have the same exac scope that you do however I suffer from alot of oblong stars especially toward the edges of my images. My question is what kind of spaccing do you use on yoir setup. Do you use all the extensions that came with the camera including the T adapter for the sct? Which supposedly runs at about 105 mm any advise I would be extremely grateful clear skies :)

[@tomwall8403]

Great video!

[@thedigitalastronomer6442]

Tom, I'd love for you to share a few of the pics you've gotten with this camera here on the comments section.

[@tomwall8403]

@@thedigitalastronomer6442 Thank you for the offer. I'll work on the logistics. I keep all of my finished projects on the public areas of my FB page. I think we're on some of the same AP groups.

[@smatruk]

Cool video, are you using a corrector with the C6?

[@alfontheroad3790]

Great video! I want to buy a deep sky camera with a newton f5 what do you recommend between the 294 and this 533?

[@thedigitalastronomer6442]

Both are great choices and it really comes down to two issues. First, will you be comfortable with the smaller and square resolution of the 533. Second, how big an issue is amp glow for you? The 533 has none, which makes it nice for electronically assisted viewing. But the 294's amp ow is easily removed with calibration frames.

[@anata5127]

It is superb sensor. I use mm version. QHY version is better than ZWO one. 294mc beats 533mc in every respect except one most important one - stability of sensor. Extremely tough to calibrate 294mc pictures. I eventually rid of my. It was really lottery, I couldn’t predict calibration outcomes. If you are only looking pixel size, then you should have got Omegon Tec 432 or ASI2400MC.

[@alvarofigueiro1606]

Hi buddy, nice video. Question. I have a simple Celestron 130 SLT and I would like to get into astrophotography but I dont want to use DSR cameras because I want to avoid mirror mod my scope. Do you think the ASI533 would work well on my simple scope?

[@Spaceman972]

Yes this would work. You would be limited to a few second long photos of deep sky objects due to your mount, but this camera is so sensitive you could take many short photos and stack them. It would be a great camera on your telescope for planets and the moon too.

[@rpg350]

Hi , great video I purchased recently same camera still traying settings , what gain and offset can you recommend for this camera ?

[@thedigitalastronomer6442]

I use 100 for gain and 40 for the offset. I believe this is unity gain for this camera.

[@timothysheridan5602]

Hi joe A job well done my friend. My 533 just arrived today...whoa!!!. My question is i have the sct 8. Could you tell me how much back focus are you using. I am very new to the astro photography world and i am a bit confused about this back focusing stuff. I have an oag and i just got a svbony 60mm guide scope. Not sure which will be best suited for my scope....

[@thedigitalastronomer6442]

It depends on what focal reducer/flattner you are using. With the Starizonia nightowl it's 38.5 mm which is easy if you have a zwo camera because they come with all the adapters you will need. If you are using the Celestron . 63 focal reducer the background is 105mm and required purchase of additional spacers. My best advice is to give HighPoint Scientific a call, they have an excellent service staff that can help you get exactly what you need for your setup.

[@thedigitalastronomer6442]

BTW I use the 60mm Orion guidescope and it works fine. I've never attempted to set up an OAG. Most guys will tell you that OAG is better because with guidescope you can get differential flexure. Since you have the OAG it would definitely be worth figuring out how to get it set up because I think it will do a better job in the long run. However, you need to take time to get it working from what I understand they are a bit fiddly but better in the long-run.

[@timothysheridan5602]

@@thedigitalastronomer6442 Thanks joe for the fast reply. I am using a 6.3 reducer and a zwo 120 for guiding. I do have a bunch of spacers so getting to 105 mm should not be an issue. I got the guide scope because i have not had much luck with the celestron oag but i will keep trying. The guide scope is incase all else fails. I also am using the celestron eq wedge and my whole rig is frickin heavy. Are u using sharpcap for your guiding software or phd? I have been trying gimp to post process and regi stax. Do you have any other recommendations for post processing software?

[@LeeeB0]

How is this camera with planets?

[@astrogerard2022]

The 533 is a nice camera but I get just as good images with my uncooled astro modified canon 6D and it is a full frame to boot.

[@christopheguigot841]

Avec quel filtre..?..merci beaucoup..

[@douglasestrada26]

Hello Sir, I'm wondering what exposure time was on the dumbell nebula?, great lights Sir.

[@thedigitalastronomer6442]

Im not sure exactly what they were but generally I shoot either 3 min or 5 min subs.

[@douglasestrada26]

Great thanks, do you remember what filter you used?, the reason I am asking is because in my collection I have the same camera and telescope but never thought about using this scope for astrophotography, and now I'm going to give it a try! Thanks in advance.

[@thedigitalastronomer6442]

That's awesome. I'm sure that I used the Optolong L- extreme filter on it. Good luck and I hope you'll share some of your pics with me.

[@douglasestrada26]

Awesome! I also have the L-extreme, I will try it asap, when I do I'll let you know my results. Thanks again.

[@avipatil8400]

Isn’t it because of sensor size and shape of pixel in 294 the amp glow is present and for the same reason it is absent in 533. Essentially the sensor is cropping the amp glow in 533. Given that amp glow can be taken out with darks and if the price is similar for both camera wouldn’t you prefer larger sensor size in 294 v 533. I guess everyone can have their reasons for selecting the particular camera.

[@thedigitalastronomer6442]

I guess it comes down to preference. Darks will remove the amp glow in the 294.

[@ghostofrecon1]

The 294 is meant to be run in bin 2

[@Psychlist1972]

You ended the video by saying "let's talk very quickly about what I like about this camera, and what I don't like about this camera", but then ... nothing.

[@thomasbardenwerper9365]

Why is your summary cut completely off? Renders your otherwise excellent video pointless - there's no actual review! Let's hear the pros and cons please.