JavaScript seems to be disabled in your browser.
You must have JavaScript enabled in your browser to utilize the functionality of this website.

CCD & Photographic

A CCD camera is essentially an electronic version of a 35mm camera for astrophotography that saves the images in your computer, rather than on a roll of film. A CCD camera can take snapshots of the Moon and planets and long exposure photos of deep sky nebulas, galaxies, and star clusters. Because the CCD camera has to store up the faint light of deep space objects before it can display an image, just as a 35mm film camera does, a CCD can't give you real-time or instant images of deep space objects.

Because a CCD camera is more sensitive than 35mm film or your eye, it can store up more information during an exposure. Software supplied with the camera, or available separately, allows you to manipulate the image later to bring out details that would be washed out or invisible in a 35mm negative or while observing visually. CCD cameras are surprisingly unaffected by city light pollution, allowing deep sky photography from even heavily light polluted sites.

CCD cameras typically vary in price according to their image size, with large cameras running into the multiple thousands of dollars. Even at their largest, however, their image covers less of the sky than a 35mm film camera on the same scope. CCDs are best at recording small and very faint objects rather than large and bright objects, although excellent images of large objects can be recorded by taking multiple overlapping images and combining them in the computer.

It has been said that CCD cameras on amateur-size telescopes can record fainter objects than the 200" scope at Mt. Palomar could record only 10 or 15 years ago with conventional film cameras. By some measures, CCD cameras can be said to have an effective film speed (ASA or ISO rating) of 20,000, making them ideal for recording very faint objects.

Some CCD cameras can act as autoguiders to take the tedium out of guiding long exposure 35mm photos. Some CCD cameras have their own autoguider built in for recording images automatically and untended; others come with separate guiders or have them available as an option.

Shop By Category

Quick view

ZWO ASI6200MC PRO USB 3.0 COOLED Color ASTRONOMY IMAGING CAMERA

$3,799.00

The ZWO ASI6200MC Pro is designed for the astro-photographer that is looking for a high-end camera using a full-frame format sensor.
Quick view

ZWO ASI6200MM PRO USB 3.0 COOLED Monochrome ASTRONOMY IMAGING CAMERA

$3,799.00

The ZWO ASI6200MM Pro is designed for the astro-photographer that is looking for a high-end camera using a full-frame format sensor.
Quick view

ZWO ASI2600MC DUO USB 3.0 COOLED COLOR ASTRONOMY IMAGING CAMERA WITH BUILT IN GUIDER

$1,999.00

The ZWO ASI2600MC Duo is the next generation of ZWO cameras. This new generation includes a built in guider chip making your rig more compact and user friendly.
Quick view

ZWO ASI183MM PRO COOLED Mono CMOS ASTROPHOTOGRAPHY CAMERA

$999.00

The ZWO ASI183MM Pro is a great camera to get you headed down your imaging path.
Quick view

ZWO OAG-L 68 Off-Axis Guider for Astrophotography

$249.00

This Off Axis Guider is for the ZWO ASI461MM Pro Camera only.
Quick view

ZWO Filter Drawer M54

$79.00

Looking for a filter drawer for your large ZWO cameras? This might be the one for you.
Quick view

ZWO EFW 7x36 Version II

$299.00

This low profile ZWO filter wheel is just what your monochrome camera ordered.
Quick view

ZWO ASI174MM Mini Monochrome CMOS Camera and Guide Camera

$399.00

What a fantastic mini guider that will work well in Off Axis Guider, especially SCTs and RCs. Great performance and focuses at the same distance as an eyepiece. It also makes a heck of an intro planetary imager.
Quick view

ZWO ASI533MC PRO COOLED COLOR CMOS ASTROPHOTOGRAPHY CAMERA

$799.00

The ZWO ASI533MC Pro is a great 1" Square format camera to get you headed down your imaging path.
Quick view

Tele Vue FoneMate Smart Phone Adapter

$113.00

The FoneMate™ smart phone adapter is a convenient way to enter the world of Digiscoping.