ZWO ASI533MM Pro Astronomy Camera Review (Sony IMX533 Sensor)

The ASI533MM Pro is a high performance CMOS astronomy camera manufactured by ZWO. The camera features the Sony IMX533 sensor which provides 3.76 micron pixel sizes and 50,000 electron well capacities. This camera has no amp-glow and the dark frames show only moderate amounts of dark current. Statistically, the ASI533 camera series is a heavy upgrade to the popular ASI183 series, and is capable of taking amazing deep sky images! In this review I discuss the specifications of this camera, compare it to the ZWO ASI183 series, and look at some of the frames I've taken.
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[@petequintanilla4237]

Cody, straight up, I’m a huge fan of your work and I’m loving Astrophotography. Largely because of your work. I actually understand what you’re saying. And I don’t have to Google every other thing you say. Congratulations on your degree and please keep sharing.

[@AstroBlender]

Thanks, I'm glad you're learning as you go! Thanks, I appreciate it!

[@marvinwhisman3333]

Another great video Cody. Your video content just keeps getting better. Appreciate your candid reviews. Just ordered my 533MM.

[@AstroBlender]

Thanks, I’m glad you enjoyed it. Enjoy the new camera! 🔭

[@darenputman6447]

Great video! Thanks for your input and information. I just received my 533mm last week and am awaiting my filters!

[@AstroBlender]

Thanks, enjoy the new camera!

[@mwales2112]

The 533MC Pro was my first and only camera and I have enjoyed using it for the past couple of years and have thought about picking up a monochrome camera. Thanks Cody..

[@divye.ruhela]

Thanks for updating the graphs 😊

[@AstroBlender]

Of course, I'm glad it was pointed out to me!

[@louboom5711]

Thanks for the review! I also own the ASI183MC Pro and get amazing images with my GSO150 so this video helped immensely with my decision. I’m getting this camera asap! lol

[@deep_space_dave]

Thanks for the review. I am redoing my setup with all new kit from the mount up and I ordered the color version of this camera. Dark frames suck as they can add a lot of time to you capture process so this is very good news about NO amp glow and super low noise. I cant believe such good performance for the price! I am super excited to get this!

[@AstroBlender]

Yeah, great performance!...probably one of the best performing cameras spec-wise at its price range. My only disagreement here is with dark frames. I'd always recommend taking calibration frames! Although noise is well controlled in the camera, dark current will still always contribute to noise. Maybe that is just the researcher in me though, but I'd still suggest taking them. :)

[@taraswertelecki9586]

@@AstroBlender I'm currently awaiting the delivery of one of these ZWO 533MM cameras, and I have a question about dark frames. If I am taking a number of sub-frames, is a dark frame for each one required, or is one for each color channel needed? Or is one needed for every series of light frames of any given exposure time? All I know is they should be of the same exposure time as the light frames.

[@Astrokhels]

Thanks for another good review Cody.

[@AstroBlender]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@geldingmakr]

Great video, thanks for the review and educational content 👏👍

[@AstroBlender]

Thanks for watching!

[@jasonrichuitti8587]

Thank you for this review I think you just made up my mind

[@AstroBlender]

I’m glad it was helpful!

[@TheNarrowbandChannel]

An excellent video. This camera seams like the perfect start camera for narrowband.

[@AstroBlender]

I'm glad you liked it!

[@taraswertelecki3786]

This is a very useful review for me, as I am preparing to purchase my first monochrome, cooled camera for use with both an Astro-Tech 80mm EDT refractor and a Celestron 8-inch Edge HD SCT. The ZWO 183MM and 533MM models were the ones I was considering, and for now I plan to image deep sky objects with the refractor to start with. I am interested in narrow band imaging since I live in a badly light polluted area and hydrogen alpha monochrome imagine is of great interest to me since I can do this from a city or when the moon is up. Alabama weather makes doing any sort of astronomy challenging, especially during the hotter months of the year. Eventually though, once I learn the basics and get a heavier duty mount, I plan to image deep sky objects with the 8-inch SCT and the matching .7X reducer which I already possess. I also have the reducer and field flattener for the refractor. Given the seeing is usually at best, okay where I am, a 533MM should be a good match for the Astro-Tech. I have had a life long interest in photography and monochrome photography in particular. I am opting for the 533MM because of the absence of amp glow, the square format of the sensor, and the very low level of noise.

[@AstroBlender]

I’m glad you found the review useful! Sounds like a good camera for your setups. Enjoy it!

[@AstroOnbudget]

This is awesome 👍 thanks mate

[@AstroBlender]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@silvanojs5148]

Top demais show de bola 👏👏👏eu quero huma dessas câmeras. Vc quando quiseres pode enviar para o Brasil.

[@clearskiesastro1028]

Not sure about the background music starting at 10:53 or so.....I think the idea is good, just the choice of music of maybe volume level was too high. I thought I had a 2nd video playing in background somwehere lol. Great review though, keep up the awesome work.

[@AstroBlender]

Thanks for the tips! I'll make sure to drop that down in the next video.

[@craiglowery4427]

Great review Cody. Is there a formula or chart that matches camera pixel size to the size of primary objective. I use the Celestron 14” Edge HD

[@AstroBlender]

Have you used CCD Calculator? (astronomy.tools). They have many calculators, not sure if it would be what you're looking for though.

[@itzvsat5013]

Cool video! Since you are using the redcat 51, what are your thoughts on 2x drizzle for the 533mm + redcat? I also own a 183mm and want to upgrade to the 533mm. For my 6" Newt it will be an upgrade for sure but I was wondering about potential loss in sharpness due to the worse sampling with the 533mm and redact (vs 183mm + redcat). Do you think 2x drizzle while stacking would end in a sharper image? Did you try this? Thx :)

[@AstroBlender]

A 2x drizzle would certainly help if your computer can handle it. I tend to not buy cameras with the intent of drizzling each time, but it certainly is an option. The reality is there are very few cameras that have small pixel sizes for short focal length lenses like the RedCat. That’s the challenge. The 183MM Pro is great, but it also limits the potential of the RC51 because the sensor is very small.

[@ocelotMartinez]

Can you do a video about digital telescope like stellina? pros and cons?

[@crosswire]

Hi love your vids. Can you use these on their own with no scope on hand? Like on a tripod maybe just to take long exposure shots or does it need a scope to work.

[@AstroBlender]

Yeah, you can couple them with a camera lens with the ZWO lens adapter and the ZWO camera ring.

[@faithfullee100]

I've watching your video for a while, I'm a amateur astronomy guy, bought celestron telescope for beginner, some additional lens as well. But, I do not know which lens can be use for best viewing, still struggling. What can you recommend for good beginners telescope and lens and easy to travel. Thank you so much for your information. Cheers! Toronto, Canada.

[@Astronurd]

Where’s your back focus 101 for refractors?

[@wmclt5588]

Do you have your whole set up listed as to components and prices.

[@Astro_Chroma]

Cody, have you imaged the 533mc pro with your rasa? any tilt issues?

[@kurtmiller976]

Loved the detailed comparison. How does the 533mm compare to the ZWO ASI2600MM Pro?

[@AstroBlender]

Both great cameras! Main difference between the two is the 2600 has APS-C size sensor and a 16-bit ADC. It’s a superb camera!

[@jfalcon1977]

Hi! Very interesting. Which one would you say you prefer for your Redcat 51? I have one and I am saving for a camera, and I am leaning towards the 183mm pro due to, in my view, a way better matching pixel scale and resolution, despite amp glow. I would say that is much more important but would like to know your experience. P.d: I am aware of the dithering and drizzling option.

[@davidletz9123]

Hello Cody (or anyone watching this video) is this camera a good match for the Red Cat 51?

[@juanm.capurro6309]

Hello Cody, I would like to know if it is possible to assemble an optical train for a 72ED skywatcher with an Orion flattener with the following, ASI533mm + EWF 36mm + OAG. Thank you so much!

[@donb7113]

Will this work on a Meade 8" f/4 LX85 Astrograph Reflector Telescope?

[@scericat]

I am totally new to using a telescope and learning about using a ccd camera. Question is, mono vs color & why?

[@AstroBlender]

Color is convenient, but monochrome you pick up much more data per channel. It’s a big trade off between the convenience of getting a color image right away, or the patience of getting a better image with monochrome.

[@jplorge]

hello, very good technical review, thanks for your work on your channel. And thanks for the answer to my question about the SHO filters you used. (OPTOLONG)

[@AstroBlender]

You’re welcome! I’m glad you enjoyed it.

[@shutterstock2015]

Greetings from Kaliningrad!!! She came to me 533mm pro ... I want to ask you how long it takes to defrost it after cooling? After all, if you cut it down sharply, it will flow and can flood the sensor or short it out. Raise a degree per minute or 5 degrees per minute or something else ????How is it right? Lower the temperature, too, after all, gradually, so as not to shock it?

[@crypto-radio8186]

Cody, you look different did you leave the Farm?

[@bored9260]

I looked at the 2600 pro color with filter I’m just math out a hobby… went back to think about the 9 1/4, my backyard is a bortle 4 sqm 20.77 im confused about alot of stuff like the asiair plus with the cpc deluxe… the dithering feature only works if you polar align through ascom… doing the plate solving feature which offset the picture by a few pixel to help get a clear picture. I cannot find any tutorial on that 🤷‍♂️

[@bored9260]

I’m not planning to load the scope up with to much weight so the periodic programmable error correction shouldn’t be off right? 🤷‍♂️

[@bored9260]

Cpwi works independently from ascom right? No one said it imports the information into ascom… 🤷‍♂️ My first telescope was a unistellar evscope 2.0 for what it was and back by the seti institute i could not complain.

[@AstroBlender]

Thank you to Oleg Pestovsky for letting me know in the first version of this video that one of my graphs was actually showing relative response instead of QE! Oops! This version of the video fixes this issue, and I bolster that section with more information/interpretation.

[@trevorworrall1226]

re ADU it's a lot lower at normal or unity gain , it's only 50K well below unity gain.

[@anata5127]

North America nebulae looks like shouting blue-green head in this orientation. What do you think about ASI294MM?

[@kevinburke8608]

Just wanted to mention that the full well capacity chart is deceptive (in my eyes) the y axis is logarithmic. 50K @ 0 GAIN, BUT IT LOOKS LIKE AROUND 18K @ 100 gain (unity gain). Still ok, but the graph sucks...

[@AstroBlender]

That’s a good point, but at 100 gain, 18k we’ll capacity is still excellent. I think we most use zero gain when discussing camera specs because we don’t really know what gain people will shoot at? “Unity gain” I think is most common now, so maybe it’s a good idea to make that distinction in the future.

[@kevinburke8608]

@@AstroBlender Your review was great. I noticed that while looking it up on their site and think their y axis should be linear. I'm actually thinking of getting it to replace my 1600mm p because I have the 533mc P. Doing lum with the 1600, I'm cropping anyway and narrow band would be better. 1600 I get weird diffraction spikes with bright objects. I think I would get a better camera (for even money but a little less field of view). You're right 18000 FW still is very good and if anyone needs more just image at lower gain. Thanks!

[@astronomicalsahak607]

I want to review new cameras Zwo asi 432mm Zwo asi 662mc zwo asi 678mc zwo asi 585mc