Detailed information about this product's features  Microlens
 Remote Guide Head
The high resolution SBIG ST-8300M monochrome CCD camera uses Kodak's KAF-8300 imaging sensor, an 8.3 megapixel full frame CCD. This CCD sensor has an array of 3326 x 2504 pixels, each measuring 5.4 microns square. The imaging area is approximately 18 x 14mm and has a diagonal measurement of about 22 millimeters (a Four Thirds Format chip). This is about 1.6x the image area of an SBIG ST-10 and nearly the same area as the Research Series STL-4020M. With its relatively small pixels and large image area, the ST-8300M is ideal for wide field imaging with short focal length/fast focal ratio optics in its high resolution (unbinned) mode.
Binned 2x2 the pixels are 10.8 microns square and binned 3x3 they are 16.2 microns square. At 2x2 the array is still 2 megapixels and at 3x3 just under one megapixel. This feature makes it possible to match the camera’s pixel size to your seeing and scope, from a small refractor up to a large SCT. For most users, binning will not only help optimize the sensitivity of the CCD with their optics but also speed up the download rate.
The Kodak CCD in the SBIG ST-8300M has both 1000x antiblooming and microlens technology to improve the effective Quantum Efficiency of the sensor, allowing it to be used in a wide variety of optical configurations. For more details, click on the “Microlens" icon above.
The small and light ST-8300M body has a 2" nosepiece for connection to your telescope. The nosepiece can be unthreaded to reveal standard female T-threads in the front plate of the camera body for connection to T-mount camera adapters. The ST-8300M is also compatible with both C-mount and standard 35mm Nikon camera lenses. In addition to its imaging capabilities, the ST-8300M can also be used as a guider (although that would be wasting its superb imaging capabilities).
A built-in mechanical shutter is included for automatic dark frames. This is a necessity for anyone operating remotely, even if remotely means only a few feet away from the telescope.
The ST-8300M has a fast USB 2.0 interface to your computer that will download a full frame in approximately 7.7 seconds. It can focus with 1 second update rates in its focus mode when connected to a high speed USB port. The camera is also backwards compatible with USB 1.1 ports, although at a slower download rate.
The ST-8300M is a camera only. For long exposure imaging, it has to be guided during the course of an exposure. The optional SBIG Remote Guide Head (#RGH) is ideal for this, and a remote guide head port is included in the ST-8300M body for just such an application. For more details, click on the “Remote Guide Head" icon above. In addition to a remote guide head port for using an external guider, the ST-8300M has a 9-pin I2C port that allows the use of SBIG filter wheels having the same interface. The power and commands for the filter wheel all come from the camera through this port, so there are no other cables or power supplies needed to operate the filter wheel. Also, the same software that controls the camera also controls the filter wheel. Automatic RGB exposure sequences may be set or the user may control the filter wheel individually for each exposure.
Due to the large size of this imaging sensor in the ST-8300M, the typical 1.25" LRGB filters are too small to fully cover the sensor without some vignetting in the corners. This may be acceptable at f/7 or longer focal ratios, but at shorter focal ratios the effect can become an issue. For this reason SBIG will offer a new 5-position filter wheel that will hold 36mm filters. A full set of 36mm filters will be available for this camera from several filter suppliers, such as Astrodon, Baader, and Custom Scientific.
For those doing narrowband work, or for those with slower optical systems, 1.25" filters may be acceptable. In this case, both the CFW9 and CFW10 filter wheels will fit the ST-8300M.
The ST-8300M has single stage thermoelectric cooling with an active fan. In SBIG’s initial tests the ST-8300M reached a maximum of -40 degrees C below ambient in a warm room with air cooling only. Running at only 70% cooling power will maintain -36 degrees C below ambient. Because of the CCDs extraordinary low dark current, great temperature deltas are not required to achieve a dark current low enough that it becomes relatively insignificant compared to the background sky brightness. In one test, one 15 minute dark frame at -10C was subtracted from another at the same temperature. The noise remaining in this 15 minute exposure was a total of only 15 electrons, including read noise. This is an exceptionally low figure.
The SBIG ST-8300M body has rack handles that make for easier and safer handling of the camera, particularly in cold weather when wearing gloves; a high-speed USB 2.0 interface port with a 15-foot USB cable (commonly available and relatively inexpensive third party USB extenders are available for cable runs up to several hundred feet); a 9-pin I2C bi-directional accessory port; an internal shutter for automatic dark frames; a 2" nosepiece; T-threads for attaching to T-mount photo accessories; a 1/4"-20 thread side plate for tripod mounting; a universal 90-240VAC power supply with a remote on/off switch; a printed instruction manual; and a custom-designed carrying case with pre-cut foam for your camera and accessories.
A supplied CD-ROM has sample images and software for SBIG’s CCDOPS version 5 camera control software, Software Bisque’s CCDSoft Version 5 image processing/camera control software, and Software Bisque’s TheSky version 5, level II, planetarium program with telescope control for Windows. The camera is compatible with both Windows and Mac computer operating systems.
Detector specifications are as follows: Detector: Kodak KAF-8300 monochrome with microlens.
Pixel Array: 3326 x 2504 pixels.
Pixel Size: 5.4 x 5.4 microns.
Total Pixels: 8,328,304 (8.3 megapixels).
Full Well Capacity: ~25,500e-.
Dark Current: ~0.02e-/pixel/second at -10 degrees C.
Anti-blooming: 1000x.
Readout specifications are as follows: Shutter: mechanical.
Exposure: 0.12 to 3600 seconds, 10ms resolution.
Correlated Double Sampling: yes.
A/D conversion: 16 bits.
A/D gain: 0.38e-/ADU (prototype).
Read noise: ~8e- RMS.
Binning modes: 1x1, 2x2, 3x3.
Pixel digitization rate: >1 megapixel per second.
Full frame download: ~7.7 seconds.
Focus mode: ~1 second.
Optical specifications with a 4" f/6 (610mm focal length) refractor, unbinned, are as follows: Field of view: 73.94 x 98.21 arc minutes.
Pixel size: 1.77 x 1.77 arc seconds.
System specifications are as follows: Standard cooling: single stage thermoelectric, active fan, -40° C from ambient maximum, air cooling only.
Temperature regulation: +/-0.1 degree C.
Power requirements: 12VDC at 3 amps, power supply included.
Computer interface: USB 2.0.
Computer compatibility: Windows/Mac.
Physical specifications are as follows: Optical head: measures 2" x 4" x 5" (50mm x 100mm x 127mm); weighs approximately 1.8 pounds/0.8 Kg.
Supplied mounting methods: T-thread, 2" nosepiece (C-mount compatible).
Back focus needed: 0.69"/17.5mm.
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