Hi, I have the Altair Astro equivalent of the 294C (AA294CPROTEC) and I'm very happy with it. It's worth a look as it has some additional features over the ZWO version (larger memory buffer, unlocked high gain conversion setting), and is currently around 100GBP less. Build quality is excellent, and it works with all the usual software. I have a number of other ZWO cameras btw, it's just that the pricing was good for this particular specification from Altair.
NB The camera is purple however, so it does clash with all my other gear.
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@sebastiensanz I was split for a long time between the two cameras and I've finally decided to go with the 533. To answer your questions : - I still use darks with my 533. Sure it produces very clean frames and have no amp glow but it still has hot pixels. Along with dithering, it's a good way to eliminate those. On the amp glow issue, sure its easy to calibrate out but as Cuiv pointed out in one of his videos, it is only a cosmetic correction. There's still a loss of signal to noise ratio in the area with the glow.
- As far as I know, only the 294 version has native pixel binning enabled. As far as my understanding goes, it would be quite complicated with the Bayer matrix
- If I refer to the CCD suitability calculator on astronomy.tools your newt would be a good pairing with good to ok seeing. Below that, it would be oversampled
All in all, very pleased with this camera and can recommend it 
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just to clarify the binning issue with the ASI294MC Pro, I have both the ASI294MC Pro and the ASI 294MM Pro cameras. The bin 1 mode of the ASI 294 MC Pro has an IMX294 sensor. its native (bin 1x1) pixel size is 4.63 microns with a resolution of 4144 x 2822. The ASI 294MM Pro is the camera that has caused all the binning confusion. Its sensor is an IMX492 sensor(, i.e. not the same one as the ASI294MC Pro). When ZWO originally released this camera its bin 1x1 mode was the same as the ASI294MC Pro. However, this was not its actual native resolution and ZWO ultimately modified the ASCOM drivers for this camera to reflect its true Bin 1x1 mode which is a pixel size of 2.315 microns and a resolution of 8188 x 5644. Now the bin 2x2 mode of the ASI294MM Pro matches the original ASI294MC Pro Bin 1x1 mode.
Hope that helps.
John
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Hi. I use 533. In pixinsight drizzle fixes sampling so I don't have any issues with scale. I love the 533
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Thank you all for the very useful information.
I have one more question, which gain setting you use with 533MC? Seem like on unity gain the FWC drops quite significantly to around 16k e.
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Hi Again Sabastian
Use a gain of 100 as the HCG-mode is turned on which gives a very low read noise and still high dynamic range. Your offset/brightness can be any value where the histogram peak is just off the the y-axis- say anywhere from 20-50, usually. Check it out on the software you use just and just make sure your signal is off the the y-axis so no clipping occurs. A larger value is fine but if you make it too big, you could potentially lose some dynamic. I think I usually used 50 but can't remember exactly.
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The 533MC is a solid camera and it is what I started out on before switching to its bigger brother, the 2600MC. I used 105 gain. Don't forget that the dynamic range actually goes down before shooting back up again at 100 gain. Yes, you lose FWD but that is what shorter exposure times are for. These new sensors have some insane QE, relativity speaking. When it comes to not saturating the pixels don't be afraid of lower exposure times assuming you can acquire enough integration time for a decent SNR. There are many Top Picks and IOTD's out there with exposure times of 60 seconds or less per sub! Personally my only award on this website came from such a picture with low sub exposure times. https://astronomy-imaging-camera.com/wp-content/uploads/ASI533-Performance1.pngSo, when you look at the charts for the 533MC you will see there is really not much of a reason to be below or above 100 gain, unless you want the minimum gain for max dynamic range. Once you start moving past 100 gain your dynamic range starts dropping again. With 100 gain (or a little above it) you get a nice low read noise so you can take shorter subs (and less can go wrong) and you get great dynamic range, near the max that the camera can do. Can't wait to see what you do with the 533 and your 135ED! Here is a video for ya: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ub1HjvlCJ5Y |
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Hi
In my experience with 294MC pro, I would recommend it over 533 if you are planning to image from a place that is cold most of the nights. Higher the environment temp, more differential between the sensor cooled parts so more difficult to calibrate. My darks never match well unless I do it the same night that I usually don’t. For example, summer nights are bad for this camera. Winter, fall and spring are ok
Rodrigo
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Thanks @Bruce Donzanti and @SemiPro for the great tips about the gain. I've read and watched some explanations about the gain setting and more or less seems like the value just above unity gain is safe one to take advantage of the best dynamic range and low read noise. What about the ADU for flats? From the chart (1.0 ADU at 100 gain) and the calculator seems like the 20k ADU is good value to start?   @Rodrigo you mean the the 294MC has some problems with effective cooling on summer night?
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Hi Sebastian
I don't have that data anymore but I believe I used around 30k but not sure. However, here is the best way to get good flats. Regardless if you use a flat screen or the white t-shirt method with the sun (I have used both with no problems), set your gain to 100 and your offset/brightness to 50 (or whatever you find works best as I explained before) and then increase the exposure time until the white histogram peak is in the range of 45-60% on the x-axis. You can use SharpCap or whatever software program you have which provides the histogram. Ignore the red, green, and blue graphs as you are only interested in the white channel. Then you can capture it as a fits file and read the ADU value. I simply go by the white channel being approximately in the 50% range on the histogram as it will consistently produce perfect flats for your image.
Good luck!
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Thanks @Bruce Donzanti and @SemiPro for the great tips about the gain. I've read and watched some explanations about the gain setting and more or less seems like the value just above unity gain is safe one to take advantage of the best dynamic range and low read noise.
What about the ADU for flats? From the chart (1.0 ADU at 100 gain) and the calculator seems like the 20k ADU is good value to start?
@Rodrigo you mean the the 294MC has some problems with effective cooling on summer night? What I mean is due to the way this particular sensor is packed, the cooling is not homogeneous, so larger the temperature differential between the camera set temperature and outside temperature more difficult will be to calibrate unless you get your darks under the same conditions. Here in CN there is a lot of treads discussing that. In my case, summer is a problem for me. Here gets pretty cold at night the rest of the seasons so not an issue
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294mc was a nightmare to calibrate, I am glad to have switched to 533MC. The sensor size is not an issue for me, for small objects I use RC 1200mm and for large TS61 at 275mm.
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I own and have used both of these cameras. I also have the Focal Lengths that your are trying to match up with. Hands down the 533 is a better camera. You can fix pixel size in processing. the 294 is a great camera but is really tough to stack because of all of the amp glow. Since I have received the 533 the 294 has not seen a single photon. Great results can be gotten with both cameras but I most likely wont use the 294 again unless i decide to run a 3 or 4th rig...
Cheers and CS
TIm
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I bought new camera, which is my latest buy so far, it is based on IMX571 sensor which is the same one in ASI2600MC or QHY268C, new sensor, i bought it cheap, cheaper than ZWO and QHY and Altair or Omegon or Orion makers, if you want that then let me know and i will guide you, there is one winner image here on Astrobin [IOTD] done by that camera, so it means it is capable, and it is not twice the price of 533 or 294, but it is over $1000 anyway.
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i just posted an image of M27 using an 8 " newtonian 2x2 binned 3.5 hrs dithered ,flats bias and darks used very happy with this camera .
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Noël Donnard:
Hello I would wait for a asi 2600 mc which offers a big enough sensor size and no amp glow. So which choose : neither. It s true there is a gap for price but the gaps of advantages are greater offered by asi 2600 mc.
I use now a eos 6d defiltred and I decide now to wait to buy a asi 2600 directly for these reasons.
Clear skies
Noël I've tested the 2600MC and it is really nice and the FOV is better than the 294 and MUCH better than the 533. The pixelsize are similar for the 2600 and 533 (3,76um) but a bit larger on the 294 (4,63um). The 2600 is one of the best OSC at the intermediate level as well as 294 and 533 are good OSC at entry/low level. One thing to keep in mind is that there always be new cameras. The entry levels at 1000-1500 euro will be better than the intermediate at 3000-4000 euros in around 3,14 years or so. So it is always time to wait for the next release Keep in mind: We all know someone that bought everything advanced and expensive and got problems with learning curves and/or CFO. We also know people who are experimenting with different equipment and are always buying and selling stuff.
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thank you for this thread.
I was in between 294 and 533 too but now I think I go for the 533 Player One.
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294MC Pro. Larger well depth plus you can dither and drizzle for shorter focal lengths and it just right for longer focal lengths. I use it with my 458mm f/3 Newtonian and my 900mm f/3.5 Newtonian.
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Noël Donnard:
Hello I would wait for a asi 2600 mc which offers a big enough sensor size and no amp glow. So which choose : neither. It s true there is a gap for price but the gaps of advantages are greater offered by asi 2600 mc.
I use now a eos 6d defiltred and I decide now to wait to buy a asi 2600 directly for these reasons.
Clear skies
Noël i have 294mc pro and had issues with calibration so bad-just couldn't get decent images and had to do lot of cropping. got tired of it and bough 2600mc. it's been wonderful ever since. but due to bigger sensor size i had to start acquiring 2" filters..couldn't use 1.25" filters which worked for 294mc pro's sensor size.
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Niraj:
Noël Donnard:
Hello I would wait for a asi 2600 mc which offers a big enough sensor size and no amp glow. So which choose : neither. It s true there is a gap for price but the gaps of advantages are greater offered by asi 2600 mc.
I use now a eos 6d defiltred and I decide now to wait to buy a asi 2600 directly for these reasons.
Clear skies
Noël
i have 294mc pro and had issues with calibration so bad-just couldn't get decent images and had to do lot of cropping.
got tired of it and bough 2600mc. it's been wonderful ever since.
but due to bigger sensor size i had to start acquiring 2" filters..couldn't use 1.25" filters which worked for 294mc pro's sensor size. 6200MC is better
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Aris Pope:
Niraj:
Noël Donnard:
Hello I would wait for a asi 2600 mc which offers a big enough sensor size and no amp glow. So which choose : neither. It s true there is a gap for price but the gaps of advantages are greater offered by asi 2600 mc.
I use now a eos 6d defiltred and I decide now to wait to buy a asi 2600 directly for these reasons.
Clear skies
Noël
i have 294mc pro and had issues with calibration so bad-just couldn't get decent images and had to do lot of cropping.
got tired of it and bough 2600mc. it's been wonderful ever since.
but due to bigger sensor size i had to start acquiring 2" filters..couldn't use 1.25" filters which worked for 294mc pro's sensor size.
6200MC is better yes but that exceeded my budget |
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I already bought 533MC and use for some time already, it's great. You can check out some photos on my profile. Calibration is so easy. I just use the same bias frames all the time and sometimes updates flats. Dithering on top of that.
Is 294MC better in some aspects? Of course (as mentioned in summary post) both are great depends on the needs.
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Noël Donnard:
Hello I would wait for a asi 2600 mc which offers a big enough sensor size and no amp glow. So which choose : neither. It s true there is a gap for price but the gaps of advantages are greater offered by asi 2600 mc.
I use now a eos 6d defiltred and I decide now to wait to buy a asi 2600 directly for these reasons.
Clear skies
Noël The 6200MC is better.
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Astrophoto Seba:
I already bought 533MC and use for some time already, it's great. You can check out some photos on my profile. Calibration is so easy. I just use the same bias frames all the time and sometimes updates flats. Dithering on top of that.
Is 294MC better in some aspects? Of course (as mentioned in summary post) both are great depends on the needs.
Exactly what I do as well, unless I'm changing scopes. Despite all the talk about the small sensor size the 533 certainly isn't a slouch. Excellent camera.
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