ZWO ASI 294MC PRO

The ZWO ASI 294MC PRO is a colour cooled camera with a large sensor which is ideal for wide field astrophotography. Considering the large 4.63 µm pixels, this camera works well with long focal length telescopes like Schmidt Cassegrains. The ASI 294MC is offered for a very competitive price and it is the ideal camera for anyone wanting to take the first step to become a professional astrophotographer. 

The ZWO ASI 294MC contains the Sony IMX294CJK CMOS colour sensor that offers 14bit, allowing it to achieve 13 stops of dynamic range which is even higher than the ASI 1600.The ZWO PRO cameras incorporates a 256MB DDR3 memory buffer that improves data transfer reliability and it minimizes the amp-glow caused by slow data transfer speeds..
The exceptional low-illumination performance of 0.14 lx (SNR 0.1s) is possible due to the large 4.63 µm pixels. This makes the IMX294CJK sensor ideal for subjects with low superficial brightness.The HCG (high conversion gain) mode reduces the read noise at high gain levels without any loss of dynamic range. This function is automatically enabled when the gain setting is 120 or higher. The IMX294 sensor is a BSI (backside illuminated type) sensor, which has a very high QE that is estimated to reach 75%.

The USB 3.0 Port provides 5Gbps bandwidth and lets the camera run at 19fps (12 bit, normal mode) or 19fps (10 bit, high speed mode) at full resolution (20.18 Mega). The USB 2.0 Hub allows to connect 2 USB controlled accessories such as a filter wheel, a guiding camera or an electronic focuser, reducing the amount of cables that run directly from your computer.The 2 stages TEC cooling system allows a ΔT of 40°C-45°C below air temperature.

Note: All cooled ZWO cameras require an external power supply of 12V at 3-5A with a 2.1×5.5 mm connector (positive tip).

The full well capacity is 63700e, which is 3 times the capacity of the ASI1600. Even bright stars won’t saturate under long exposure. This camera can achieve higher SNR (signal to noise ratio) with just one single exposure.The dark current of the ASI294MC is a bit lower than the ASI1600 at the same temperature, based on our test results.