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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.

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ZWO ASI482MC Color Astrophotography Camera

$299.00

Packed with Sony sensor IMX482, this camera has some incredible specs, including a large pixel size of 5.8um, USB 3.0 interface, large full-well depth of 51.5ke-, extremely high sensitivity, and super low read out noise.
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ZWO ASI432MM Monochrome Astrophotography Camera

$599.00

The ASI432MM uses a Sony-IMX432 global shutter CMOS sensor. Its frame size is 1.1″, with large 9.0µm pixels, 1.77 million pixels (1608x1104). In ADC 12-bit mode, it can output 120 frames per second at full resolution and has a read out noise level as low as 2.9e.
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ZWO ASI662MC Color Astrophotography Camera

$199.00

The ASI662MC adopts the Sony IMX662 sensor, has a rolling shutter, a frame size of 1/2.8", a pixel size of 2.9um, and has 2.07 million pixels (1920x1080). In high speed mode the CMOS sensor can output 102.6 frames/second at full resolution and provide a low read noise level.
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ZWO ASI678MC Color CMOS Astronomy Imaging Camera

$299.00

The ZWO ASI678MC is geared toward planetary photography, but is capable of so much more.
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ZWO ASI585MC USB3.0 Color Astronomy Imaging Camera

$399.00

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The ZWO ASI585MC has a large format sensor, great well depth, and so much more at such a great price.
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ZWO ASI533MM PRO COOLED MONO CMOS ASTROPHOTOGRAPHY CAMERA

$999.00

The ZWO ASI533MM Pro is a great 1" Square format mono camera to get you headed down your imaging path.
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ZWO ASIAIR MINI WIRELESS IMAGING CONTROLLER

$199.00

The smallest version of the ASIAir is out. Say hello to the ASIAir Mini.
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ZWO ASI224MC USB3.0 Color Astronomy Imaging Camera

$149.00

The ZWO ASI224MC will get you into the world of color imaging at a reasonable cost.
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ZWO OAG-L Off-Axis Guider for Astrophotography

$199.00

Don't have room for a guidescope on your rig? Well, the ZWO Off-Axis Large Guider is here to save the day.
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ZWO OAG-L 68 Off-Axis Guider for Astrophotography

$249.00

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