Best ZWO cameras for planetary imaging and deep-sky (DSO) astrophotography

Finding the perfect astrophotography camera can be challenging. Over the years, I regularly used and evaluated different ZWO cameras, considering crucial factors like read noise, quantum efficiency, dynamic range, and specific requirements for planetary or deep-sky astrophotography. In this blog, I’ll explain crucial factors to consider and present best buying options at various prices for both planetary and deep sky astrophotography. For example, I found that the ZWO ASI662MC camera (USA, EU), currently priced at $249, and the ZWO ASI678MC (USA, EU) at $299, offer great value for planetary imaging in 2023. Both cameras feature low read noise, a high camera speed needed to video-capture the planets, and the latest Sony STARVIS technology which increases sensitivity in low light conditions. For those interested in a hybrid camera, the ASI585MC Pro (USA, EU) may be your preferred choice. Priced at just $599, this camera is fast enough to capture the planets and the camera supports a Peltier cooler which dramatically reduces noise when taking long exposure photos of deep-sky objects. As for dedicated deep-sky astrophotography cameras within the $1000 range, I recommend the ZWO294MC Pro (USA, EU) and ZWO533MC Pro (USA, EU). The 294MC Pro provides a larger, landscape field of view and a higher 14 bit dynamic range as compared to other cameras in this price range. The 533MC Pro offers a square field of view with low read noise, high peak quantum efficiency, and no amp glow. In the $1000-$2000 range, the ASI2600MC Pro (USA, EU) stands out with its high quantum efficiency, dynamic range, and resolution of 26MP. Furthermore, the recently released ASI2600MC AIR Smart Camera (USA, EU) incorporates an internal guide sensor AND ASIAIR software, eliminating the need for a separate guidescope or laptop/pc/asiair to wirelessly control your astrorig! For those unconstrained by budget, the ASI6200MC Pro (USA, EU) and ASI6200MM Pro (USA, EU) are among the best quality, largest astrophotography cameras you can find. With an impressive 61-megapixel resolution, it will fit almost all DSO into a single image.

It can be difficult to choose an astrophotography camera with so many options available. To help you in your search, I’ll first explain the main differences between planetary and deep-sky astrophotography. Next, I’ll discuss important aspects to consider when purchasing a high-quality astrophotography camera for planetary and/or deep-sky photography. In the final  part of the blog, I will discuss all cameras offered by ZWO that are currently available from less than $200 all the way up to $4000. This blog is not sponsored by ZWO! I personally prefer ZWO cameras. My first camera was from ZWO  and I kept buying and using ZWO cameras over the years. Of course, I encourage you to do your own research. Let’s get started!

If you like comparison tables, please click here to view my dynamic comparison table for ZWO cameras that are on the market today, with links to trustworthy astrophotography shops in the USA and EU.

Introduction

As a beginner, selecting your first astrophotography camera can feel overwhelming. When you ask for advice on the best camera for your hobby, you might receive complex answers involving terms like quantum efficiency, read noise, dynamic range, resolution, and arcseconds per pixel. Moreover, people will tell you that there isn’t a single camera that can do everything well. In fact, experienced astrophotographers will ask you to choose between planetary imaging and deep-sky astrophotography. So, what are the main differences between these two? I will do my best to explain all these aspects in simple terms, without getting too technical.

Planetary imaging

Planetary imaging is a fascinating aspect of astrophotography. Although technically it’s not truly “astro” photography since we’re capturing images of planets rather than stars. When it comes to planetary imaging, it’s important to note that planets appear relatively small in size when observed from Earth. Even during the best conditions, when planets are at their closest point to us (opposition), their apparent size is only about 1/50th the size of the moon, and sometimes even smaller.

Additionally, planets are bright objects because they are illuminated by our own sun within our own solar system, similar to the moon. As such, photographers often use short videos to capture the planets. Many planetary imagers record one to three-minute videos of the planets using specialized software like SharpCap or FireCapture. These videos are later processed using specific software for planetary processing, such as AutoStakkert or Registax. During processing, high-quality frames are selected and stacked, while low-quality frames are discarded. Read my tutorials on planetary imaging to find out more.

Planetary imaging presents various exciting opportunities. Planets like Mars and Jupiter display intriguing surface details, provided you have a good planetary camera and a telescope with sufficient aperture and focal length. Moreover, these planets rotate—Mars takes about 24 hours to complete one rotation, similar to Earth, while Jupiter completes a rotation in around 10 hours. By capturing videos of a planet at different times throughout the night, you can create an animation that shows the planet’s rotation. Another thrilling activity is capturing the moment when a moon passes in front of a planet. For instance, Jupiter has four major moons—Io, Europa, Callisto, and Ganymede—which complete orbits around Jupiter ranging from 2 days (Io) to 16 days (Callisto). With careful planning, you can capture the moon and the shadow it casts on the planet’s surface, resulting in captivating images like these two timelapse videos I’ve created of Jupiter and Mars.

Deep Sky Astrophotography

Now, let’s compare planetary imaging with deep-sky astrophotography. Although there are some similarities, there are significant differences between the two. Both activities require a camera, telescope, and mount to track and capture objects in the night sky. Both involve capturing and processing images, but that’s where the similarities end. The main distinction is that deep-sky astrophotography involves capturing light from objects outside our solar system. These objects can be located tens, hundreds, thousands, or even millions of light-years away. Consequently, the light emitted by these objects is extremely faint. This presents a major challenge for deep-sky astrophotography—you need to take long exposures, sometimes lasting several minutes, to capture the faint light from these deep space objects (DSOs). Accurately tracking the object in the night sky with a high-quality equatorial mount is also crucial. Typically, multiple images, often 10, 20, or more, are captured and stacked together to create a final image. This means that deep-sky astrophotography requires hours or even days of capturing time.

The software used for deep-sky astrophotography is different from that used for planetary imaging. People often utilize software like NINA, ASIAIR, Sequence Generator Pro, Astrophotography Tool, Backyard EOS, or similar for capturing deep-sky images. When it comes to processing, popular choices include Deep Sky Stacker, PixInsight, Photoshop, or similar software. As you can see, both the capturing and processing aspects are quite distinct for planetary and deep-sky astrophotography. I mention these differences because they relate to the specific criteria to consider when searching for a camera suitable for either planetary or deep-sky astrophotography. Below are some examples of deep-sky astrophotography pictures I’ve taken with some of my backyard telescopes and a dedicated astrophotography camera.

Main differences between planetary and deep-sky astrophotography:

Criteria for selecting a ‘good’ planetary or deep-sky astrophotography camera

So, how do planetary imaging and deep-sky astrophotography impact the criteria for choosing a suitable camera? I’ve created a table below to explain the criteria I would consider when selecting a camera for either planetary or deep-sky astrophotography. I will focus on the main differences between the two (highlighted in red) and also mention some similarities.

Table: Requirements for selecting a planetary and a deep-sky astrophotography camera

By understanding these differences and similarities, we can better evaluate the factors that matter when choosing a camera for planetary or deep-sky astrophotography. So let’s discuss these similarities and differences in more detail.

Framerate Per Second (FPS)

When choosing a camera for planetary imaging, the framerate per second (FPS) becomes an important factor, unlike in deep-sky astrophotography. In planetary imaging, we capture short exposure videos, typically lasting one or two minutes, of the planets in our solar system, as mentioned earlier. Let’s simplify things with some basic math. Suppose you’re recording a one-minute video of Jupiter, and your camera has a 10 FPS capability. This means that your camera can take 10 pictures every second. Consequently, you would end up with 600 pictures (10 FPS x 60 seconds = 600 frames) from that one-minute video. Now, let’s compare this to a camera with a 50 FPS capability. With the same one-minute video of Jupiter, you would have 3000 pictures (50 FPS x 60 seconds = 3000 frames). Even without being a math expert, it’s clear that having 3000 frames offers a much better chance of obtaining high-quality images of Jupiter compared to having only 600 frames. For those who are unfamiliar with processing planetary videos, specific software such as AutoStakkert or Registax is often used. These programs select the highest-quality frames from the video, which are then stacked together to create a final image. Low-quality frames are discarded during this process. As a result, the FPS value becomes quite significant for planetary imaging, as it directly affects the number of frames available for selection and stacking. On the other hand, in deep-sky astrophotography, where we capture long-exposure images, often lasting several minutes, the framerate per second is not relevant at all. Deep-sky objects require these extended exposures to capture the faint light emitted from objects outside our solar system. Therefore, FPS does not play a role in deep-sky astrophotography cameras.

Cooling

When capturing long-exposure pictures of deep-sky objects, the heat generated in your CMOS camera can lead to the appearance of hot and cold pixels, which result in undesirable “noise” in your deep-sky images. While techniques like compensation frames (such as darks and flats) and dithering can help reduce this noise, it’s best to avoid dealing with it altogether. That’s why, starting in 2016, companies like ZWO, Altair, and QHY began offering cameras equipped with a dedicated Peltier cooler. This cooler allows you to lower the temperature of the camera sensor and electronics while capturing long-exposure images of deep-sky objects. By cooling your camera, often to around -30 degrees Celsius below the ambient temperature, you can significantly reduce the noise caused by heat buildup. Although cooling is not a necessity for deep-sky astrophotography (many people use DSLRs, for example), it is extremely beneficial, and I highly recommend considering a dedicated deep-sky astrophotography camera with cooling capabilities. On the other hand, for planetary cameras, cooling is not as crucial. Planetary imaging involves capturing very short videos. After each capture, the planetary camera has enough time to cool down. Therefore, planetary imaging with an “uncooled” camera is perfectly acceptable and does not pose any significant issues.

Resolution (Mega Pixels)

As mentioned earlier, planets appear very small when observed in the night sky. Therefore, you don’t necessarily need a camera with a high resolution to capture clear images of planets. In most cases, a camera with 1 or 2 megapixels is sufficient for this purpose. However, there is one exception to this rule: if you also want to photograph the moon. The moon is larger, occupying about half a degree of arc in the sky. In such cases, a higher-resolution camera may be beneficial. On the other hand, when it comes to deep-sky astrophotography, you encounter objects of various sizes, including small and large galaxies, globular clusters, nebulae, and more. It is often desirable to have larger objects fit within the field of view of your camera. The size of your field of view depends on two factors: the focal length of your telescope and the resolution of your camera (including the size of its pixels). To simplify matters, having a larger field of view allows you to capture larger deep-sky objects, such as the Andromeda galaxy, the Horsehead nebula, the Orion nebula, and so on. Therefore, selecting a high-resolution camera enables you to capture these larger celestial objects effectively.

Mono or Color

For both planetary and deep-sky imaging, selecting either a mono or a color camera is a personal choice. I’ve written this blog on the advantages and disadvantages of mono versus color imaging. In general, I would recommend starting with a color camera when you are inexperienced, as mono imaging requires more gear (filters, filter wheel). It is also more time-consuming and includes more complex capturing and processing techniques. This being said, using broadband and narrowband filters in combination with mono cameras will undeniably provide you with the best astrophotography results, both for planetary and deep-sky astrophotography. This is the case because the whole sensor is available to capture specific wavelength(s) of light, whereas a color camera has an RGGB Bayer matrix which limits the abillity to collect light at specific wavelengths.

Read noise

Read noise refers to the unwanted electronic noise present in the camera’s system. When the camera reads the value of each pixel, there may be a small random fluctuation in the signal due to the loss or gain of a few extra electrons. This variation can cause the readout value to deviate slightly from the actual signal recorded. Read noise becomes particularly significant when dealing with faint signals, such as in deep-sky astrophotography where you are capturing dim objects. In deep-sky astrophotography, the goal is to capture weak photons emitted by these objects. To ensure accurate detection, these photons must surpass the level of read noise produced by the camera’s electronics. Therefore, it is crucial to consider the level of read noise when selecting a camera for deep-sky astrophotography. However, it is also advisable to check the read noise levels of a planetary camera, even though it is not as critical as in deep-sky imaging.

Quantum Efficiency

The main purpose of a camera sensor is to accurately measure the amount of light, or photons, it receives and convert them into a digital signal. Ideally, if 20 photons reach a pixel, the sensor should register a value of 20 for that pixel. However, there is a factor called “quantum efficiency” (QE) that affects the sensor’s ability to detect photons effectively. QE measures the percentage of photons that the sensor can actually count and convert into a signal. For example, if the QE is 50%, the sensor will only register half of the photons it receives. High-end sensors can have a QE of around 95%, meaning they are very efficient at detecting photons. However, most amateur astrophotography cameras typically have a QE ranging from 50% to 85%. It’s important to check the quantum efficiency of both planetary and deep-sky cameras to ensure they can capture photons effectively.

Dynamic Range

Dynamic range refers to variations in tonal values and intensities your camera can produce in your picture. In general, a higher dynamic range is always better. The dynamic range of your camera depends on the analog to digital converter or ADC in short. Let’s start simple with the lowest number of bits: 1 bit. This simply means that your camera is able to create two variations; 0=black, 1=white. Now, an 8 bit sensor can already hold (2x2x2x2x2x2x2x2) 256 variations from black to white (0 to 255). So here are some examples:

8 bits can hold a number from 0 to 255.
12 bits: 0 to 4095
14 bits: 0 to 16,383
16 bits: 0 to 65,535

The more bits you have, the subtler variations in tonal values and intensities you can have, and the larger values the camera can store. We call the large range of values in an image its dynamic range. More dynamic range is always better when processing your images. Depending on the camera, the variations may be rescaled into a range of from 0 to 65,535. Another aspect of dynamic range is the full well capacity of the pixels of your camera sensor. The full-well capacity is the largest charge a pixel can hold before saturation which results in degradation of the signal. When the charge in a pixel exceeds the saturation level, the charge starts to fill adjacent pixels, a process known as Blooming. The camera also starts to deviate from a linear response and hence compromises the quantitative performance of the camera. I’m no camera technician, and just want to help you to select a good camera. I will simply say that higher bit ADC and a higher full-well capacity will result in a higher dynamic range. That is what we need to look for when comparing different cameras on dynamic range.

Best ZWO Cameras for Planetary Imaging and Deep-Sky Astrophotography by Price Range

Let’s first focus on ZWO’s color cameras for planetary imaging. In line with the criteria mentioned, I will focus on uncooled cameras. To simplify the comparison process and in addition to this blog, I’ve also created a dynamic table specifically for ZWO cameras. It’s designed to help you quickly find the information you need for each camera, without having to sift through extensive spreadsheets. The table offers convenient filtering options such as price range, color or mono, cooled or uncooled cameras, and the year of release, so you can easily identify the latest models or older options.

Best ZWO camera below $200

Planetary cameras available below $200 include the ASI715MC and ASI662MC. The ASI715MC is priced at $199, while the ASI662MC is $149. The ASI715MC is equipped with an 8.46MP color sensor, offering a resolution of 3864×2192 and featuring the smallest pixel size among all ZWO cameras at just 1.45 microns (0.000145 cm). This configuration provides a resolution of 0.25 arcseconds per pixel when paired with an 8″ Dobsonian Telescope at a 1200mm focal length, and 0.15 arcseconds per pixel with an 8″ Schmidt-Cassegrain at a 2000mm focal length—no Barlow lens required. For context, 0.25 arcseconds per pixel is optimal under good astronomical seeing conditions, while 0.1 arcseconds per pixel is ideal under excellent conditions. The camera can achieve a speed of 45.1 FPS at maximum resolution in RAW 8 (10 bit) mode, with higher FPS rates possible when reducing the capture area (for example; 188 FPS with a resolution of 640×480@RAW8).

The ASI662MC features a 2.1 Megapixel (1920×1080) sensor with a pixel size of 2.9 microns, exactly twice that of the ASI715MC. This results in an image scale of 0.50 arcseconds per pixel at a 1200mm focal length, 0.3 arcseconds per pixel at 2000mm, and 0.15 arcseconds per pixel at 4000mm. The camera achieves a maximum of 107.6 FPS with a resolution of 1920×1080 in RAW 8 (10 bit) mode and 227 FPS with a resolution of 640×480 in RAW8. This makes the ASI662MC slightly faster compared to the ASI715MC in terms of camera speed. It’s important to note that the actual FPS you achieve in real-world scenarios will depend on factors like the quality and length of your USB 3.0 cable, as well as the hardware you’re using (e.g., laptop vs. ASIAIR).

Both cameras feature HCG (High Control Gain) mode, which results in low read noise at high gain levels (ASI715MC = 0.72e, ASI662MC = 0.8e). Both sensors also include Sony STARVIS 2 technology, offering high sensitivity and zero amp-glow in low-light conditions. This makes these compact sensors suitable for deep-sky astrophotography, although the small field of view will limit your ability to capture larger objects, and lack of a Peltier cooler will lead to noisy images during long exposures, especially in high-temperature conditions. The ASI662MC has a higher maximum quantum efficiency (QE) at 91% compared to 80% for the ASI715MC.

If you have a telescope with a short focal length (e.g., less than 1500mm), the ASI715MC is likely the better choice for planetary imaging to achieve sufficient magnification of the planets. Although a warning is in order here. You need a sufficient aperture to capture surface details of the planet. I usually recommend telescopes with an aperture of at least 8″ (200mm) to capture surface details and avoid so called “empty magnification”. The ASI662MC is faster, has a higher peak QE, and is probably the best option in this price range if you’re using a telescope with a longer focal length (e.g., over 2000mm).

The ASI715MC is available at ZWO (WW), Agena Astro (USA/WW), High Point Scientific (USA/WW), and Astroshop (EU/WW).

The ASI662MC is available at ZWO (WW), Agena Astro (USA/WW), High Point Scientific (USA/WW), and Astroshop (EU/WW).

Best ZWO Camera between $200-$300

ZWO has released many planetary cameras in this price range over the past decade. Recent models include the ASI462MM (the color version seems to be retired, the mono version is still available), the ASI482MC, the 664MC, and the 678MC color cameras.

The ASI462MM ans ASI482MC feature the first Sony STARVIS technology as compared to the 6XX cameras which include the newer STARVIS 2 technology, which improves upon the original by offering even higher sensitivity and zero amp glow in very low-light conditions. The ASI 462MM was meant as a replacement model for the outdated but hugely popular 290MC/MM, known for its fast FPS speed. The ASI462MM also has an excellent speed at 136 FPS (ROI 1936×1096@10 bit) up to 303 FPS (640×480@10 bit). So given the right equipment, you can capture many frames of a planet in a short time frame. Be aware that each video will take multiple GB’s of storage space when capturing at high speeds! The resolution of the ASI462MM is 2.12 Mega Pixels (1936×1096) , with a pixel size of 2.9 microns – bringing your image scale to 0.5 arcseconds per pixel at 1200mm focal length, 0.3 arcseconds per pixel at 2000mm, or 0.15 arcseconds at 4000mm. The camera does include 256MB DDR memory to ensure safe transfer and avoid frame dropping caused at slow read speeds. The ASI462 also offers low read noise (0.48e) at high gain and a high QE peak of 89%.

The ASI482MC color camera has a 2 Mega Pixel (1920 x 1080) sensor with a particularly large pixel size of 5,8 microns. That puts your image scale with a telescope with a focal length of 1200mm at 1 arcsecond per pixel, at 2000mm you’re at 0.6 arcsec p/pixel, and at 4000mm focal length you’re at 0.2 arcsec p/pixel. So this is camera would fit particularly well with large aperture and focal length telescopes. It is not the fastest camera with 82.5 at 1920×1080 resolution using RAW8, and 177.5 FPS at 640 x 480 using RAW8. The QE peak lies at a decent 85%, but the read noise is somewhat higher as compared to other planetary cameras; 1.5e at high gain.

The ASI664MC offers a pixel size of 2.9 microns, resulting in the same image scales at focal lenghts mentioned above in combination with the asi462MC. The ASI664MC has a bigger 4.15 MP (2704×1536) sensor as compared to the ASI462MM – which gives you a bigger field of view for imaging larger objects, like the moon or deep-sky objects. The ASI664MC is fast at 95 FPS (ROI = 2704 x 1536, RAW8) to 301 FPS (640×480@RAW8). The read noise is very low at high gain (0.46e) and the QE peak lies at 91%.

The ASI678MC has the highest resolution in this price range at 8.2 MP (3840×2160) with the lowest pixel size of 2 microns. This brings your image scale to 0.41 arcseconds per pixel at 1000mm focal length, 0.21 arcsec p/pixel at 2000mm, and 0.1 arcseconds per pixel at 4000mm. The ASI678MC is pretty fast at 102 FPS (ROI = 1920*1080@RAW8) to 215 FPS (ROI = 640×480@RAW8). The read noise is low at high gain (0.6e) and has a QE peak of 83%. All cameras have built-in HCG (High Conversion Gain) mode, which effectively reduces read noise at higher gain settings.

All cameras in this price range are good options, but your choice may depend on your telescope and preferences. The ASI678MC offers the biggest sensor (field of view) with the lowest pixel size (2.0 microns) making this an interesting choice for owners of telescopes with a limited focal length. The ASI462MM and the ASI664MC offer a larger pixel size at 2.9 microns, and are (slightly) faster when capturing videos of planets as compared to the ASI678MC. If you have a larger focal length telescope that fits the 2.9 pixel size, you may prefer the bigger sensor size of the ASI462MM or the ASI664MC. If you prefer to shoot in Mono, go for the ASI462MM or look at a higher price range. If you prefer to shoot in color, go for the ASI664MC. Finally, if you have a very large focal length telescope in the 3000mm to 6000mm range, check out the ASI482MC.

The ASI462MM is available at ZWO (WW), Agena Astro (USA/WW), High Point Scientific (USA/WW), and Astroshop (EU/WW).

The ASI482MC is available at ZWO (WW), Agena Astro (USA/WW), High Point Scientific (USA/WW), and Astroshop (EU/WW).

The ASI664MC is available at ZWO (WW), Agena Astro (USA/WW), High Point Scientific (USA/WW), and Astroshop (EU/WW).

The ASI678MC is available at ZWO, Agena Astro (USA/WW), High Point Scientific (USA/WW), and Astroshop (EU/WW).

Best ZWO Camera between $300 – $400

At the time of writing, we find the ASI676MC color and the AS678MM mono camera at $349, and the ASI585MC at $399 in this price range. All sensors in this price range are Sony STARVIS 2 sensors, meaning that they are outfitted with 256MB DDR memory to ensure a secure transfer with less dropped frames, low read noise under low light conditions, and zero amp glow when taking longer exposures making them a bit more suitable for deep sky astrophotography on the side.

The ASI678MM is the mono version of the ASI678MC as described above. It features an 8.2 MP (3840×2160) sensor, with a tiny pixel size of 2 microns, making it particularly suitable for lower focal length telescopes. For example, your image scale will be 0.41 arcseconds per pixel at 1000mm, and 0.21 arcsec p/pixel at 2000mm focal length, which is usually associated with a good image scale under good astronomical seeing conditions. The ASI678MC is pretty fast at 102 FPS (ROI = 1920*1080@RAW8) to 215 FPS (ROI = 640×480@RAW8). The read noise is low at high gain (0.6e) and has a QE peak of 83%. All cameras have built-in HCG (High Conversion Gain) mode, which effectively reduces read noise at higher gain settings.

The ASI676MC color camera is introduced as an “all-sky” camera by ZWO. Interestingly, this camera features a square 12 Mega Pixel (3552×3552) sensor with a pixel size of 2 microns, which leads to the same image scales as mentioned above with its brother, the ASI678MM. ZWO states that the square sensor is useful for catching meteor showers – with a fish eye lens attached – and all sky surveys, creating a mosaic out of similar sized squares. Unfortunately, I couldn’t find a detailed statement about the ASI676MC’s exact FPS at different resolutions, only the general “31.2 FPS” statement which probably relates to the speed at maximum resolution under RAW8 (10 bit) using a short USB 3.0 cable. FPS will probably go up and reach similar levels as the ASI678MC. The ASI676MC is also pretty similar when it comes to the low 0.56e read noise at high gain, and the 83% quantum efficiency.

At $399, the ASI585MC is a popular sensor which ZWO (and other companies) also use in their most affordable DSO cameras, with a dedicated Peltier cooler (e.g. the ASI585MC Pro, as mentioned below). This sensor is also used by the Vaonis Vespera 2, a smart telescope, for deep-sky astrophotography using the so-called lucky imaging technique. This camera features an 8.2 MP (3840 x 2160) landscape sensor with a moderate pixel size of 2.9 microns, leading to 0.5 arcsec p/pixel at 1200mm focal length, 0.3 arcsec at 2000mm focal length, and 0.15 arcsec p/pixel at 4000mm focal length. At max resolution (3840×2160) using RAW8, the camera speed reaches 46.9 FPS, and at 640×480, using RAW8, the speed should be about 192.9 FPS under ideal circumstances, making it a pretty fast camera suitable for planetary imaging. At the same time, the Full well capacity of 47k and the high QE peak of 91% make this camera well suited for some deep-sky photography adventures, although the field of view is still limited as compared to most other dedicated DSO cameras on the market.

If you like mono planetary imaging, the ASI678MM is the best option is this price range. With its small pixel size this camera is particularly suited for telescopes with shorter focal lengths (e.g. 1200mm to 3000mm). The ASI676MC color camera is introduced as an “all sky” camera with a squared sensor. Although the exact FPS are not stated, it should be similar to the ASI678MC and thus suitable for planetary imaging. Beyond that, ZWO states that, when outfitted with a fish eye lens – the camera should also function as a great way to record meteor showers and/or do a all-sky survey. Finally, the ASI585MC color camera is a popular one, as it is fast enough to be used for a planetary camera, as well as some basic deep-sky astrophotography, although the sensor size is rather modest as compared to most dedicated DSO cameras, meaning that large objects do not fit in a single picture.

The ASI678MM is available at ZWO (WW), Agena Astro (USA/WW), High Point Scientific (USA/WW), and Astroshop (EU/WW).

The ASI676MC is available at ZWO (WW), Agena Astro (USA/WW), High Point Scientific (USA/WW), and Astroshop (EU/WW).

The ASI585MC is available at ZWO (WW), Agena Astro (USA/WW), High Point Scientific (USA/WW), and Astroshop (EU/WW).

Best ZWO Camera between $400 and $500

In this price range, we find some older ZWO camera models; the ASI174MM and the ASI183MC both priced at $499 at the time of writing. After almost a decade, the old ASI174MM is still available. Why? Because people have been getting excellent results using this mono camera, in particular when using it for solar and lunar imaging. The ASI174MM has a resolution of just 2.4 MP (1936X1216), but a large pixel size of 5.86 microns. So for planetary imaging, you’d be getting about 1 arcsec p/pixel at 1200mm focal length, 0.6 arcsec p/pixel at 2000mm, and 0.2 arcsec p/pixel at 6000mm focal length. In sum, you want to combine this camera with a large aperture, long focal length telescope. For solar and lunar imaging, however, the larger pixel size is useful as it leads to a large field of view enabling you to capture larger parts of both objects. Keep in mind that lots of folks use extra instruments such as the daystar quark with a native 4.2x barlow lens to capture sunspots, dark filaments, and solar flares the chromosphere (the lower atmosphere) at the sun. in combination with a 4.2x barlow, the image scale is 0.58 arcsec p/pixel at 500mm and about 0.2 arcsec p/pixel at 1500mm. The camera also has a global shutter (instead of a rolling shutter) which provides improved image quality by making sure images of moving objects avoid focal plane distortion. The camera speed is decent at 164.5 used under its native resolution using 10 bit and supports USB 3.0. The read noise (3.5e) is higher as compared to newer models, and the quantum efficiency peak is lower at 77%.

The ASI183MC color camera is an older model, but still popular due to its large sensor size of 20.1 Mega Pixels (5496×3672) just below the $500 price range, making this camera suitable for both planetary and (beginning) deep-sky astrophotography. Wit a pixel size of 2.4, this camera provides 0.4 arcsec p/pixel at 1200mm, 0.25 at 2000mm, and 0.12 at 4000mm focal length. The 19 FPS mentioned as a global figure is misleading in this case, as it relates to the FPS at max. 20MP resolution, which you don’t need for planetary imaging. When reducing the region of interest to 1280×720, the reported FPS is already 117.3, and 170 FPS at 640×480 at 10 bit. Read noise is a reasonable 1.6e at higher gain levels, and the QE is 84%. The Full Well capacity is 15k and the camera has a 12-bit ADC – which is common for all cameras < $500 price range. Do take into account that these older cameras do not feature a 256M MB DDR memory card to avoid dropped frames and provide a secure file transfer. Also, these cameras do not include the latest STARVIS 2 technology, and produce amp glow at longer exposures when used for deep sky astrophotography.

The ASI174MM mono camera is available at ZWO (WW), Agena Astro (USA/WW), High Point Scientific (USA/WW), and Astroshop (EU/WW).

The ASI183MC color camera is available at ZWO (WW), Agena Astro (USA/WW), High Point Scientific (USA/WW), and Astroshop (EU/WW).

Best ZWO Camera between $500 and $600

In this price range we’ll find two cameras, the ASI432MM Mono camera and the ASI585MC Pro, both at $599. The ASI432MM is a somewhat eccentric mono camera with a 1.7 Mega Pixel (1608×1104) resolution and a massive pixel size of 9 microns. Meant to replace the older ASI174MM, this camera is primarily marketed by ZWO as a solar imaging camera. The large 9 microns provide you with 1.5 arcseconds p/pixel at 1200mm, 0.93 arcsec at 2000mm, 0.46 arcsec at 4000mm and 0.31 arcsec at 6000mm focal length. So a very large focal length, or a barlow lens, would be needed to get the most out of this camera for planetary imaging under good astronomical seeing condition (0.2 arcsec).

The larger pixel size does help to increase the field of view of the Sun and Moon at lower levels of magnification, which enables you to capture larger parts of the solar (or lunar) surface at once while maintaining a high camera speed; 120 FPS at 12 bit using its native resolution. Lots of folks use a Daystar Quark to watch the chromosphere of the Sun, which comes with a 4.2 Barlow Lens. With a typical 480mm focal length refractor, this would get you to about 0.92 arcseconds per pixel, and a field of view that captures roughly 2/3rds of Suns’ surface. Other benefits of a larger pixel size are that the camera has a 97K full well capacity to avoid blooming effects and enhance its sensitivity. It also features a global shutter, and 256MB DDR memory to enhance video transfers without dropped frames. The read noise is 2.9e which is alright for this pixel size, and the QE peak lies at a decent 79%. All in all, this camera may be an interesting choice for solar imagers who are looking to upgrade from their ASI 174MM.

At $599, the ASI585MC Pro is the first camera that features a dedicated Peltier Cooler to cool the camera sensor up to -35°C below ambient temperature. Cooling the sensor greatly reduces the noise in your pictures when taking long exposures of so called Deep Sky Objects (DSO’s), which include all objects beyond our solar system. Like other pro versions, this camera also features 2 USB 2.0 outputs, which can be used to power your filter wheel or other astrophotography products requiring a USB connection. With a resolution of 3840×2160 and a pixel size of 2.9 microns, this camera is a nice hybrid option for those interested in planetary as well as deep-sky imaging. For planetary imaging, the pixel size is small enough to get a decent magnification of 0.5 arcseconds per pixel at 1200mm focal length, 0.3 arcsec p/pixel at 2000mm, and 0.15 arcsec p/pixel at 4000mm. At its native resolution of 3840×2160, the camera speed is 46.9 FPS at 10 bit, which increases to 192.9 FPS when the resolution is reduced to 640×480 at 10 bit. This camera also includes 256MB DDR memory to avoid dropped frames at high camera speeds, has a low read noise of 0.7e, and a high peak QE of 91% which all help to get good color planetary images.

For deep-sky astrophotography, the resolution of the ASI585MC Pro gets you a field of view of 2.55°X1.44° at 2.39 arcseconds p/pixel when using a telescope with a focal length of 250mm , 1.33°x0.75° at 1.25 arcsec p/pixel with a 480mm focal length telescope, and 0.8°5×0.48° at 0.8 arcsec p/pixel with a 750mm focal length telescope. As a comparison, the Orion nebula is about 1 degree in size, whereas the Andromeda galaxy, one of the largest objects in the sky, is about 3°x1°. A rough rule of thumb for deep-sky astrophotography is that the ideal image scale is somewhere in between 1 and 2 arcsec p/pixel. Lower image scales (>2 arcsec p/pixel) may lead to blocky stars, whereas lower lower image scales (<1 arcsec p/pixel) may lead to bloated stars. This camera does include STARVIS 2 technology, which effectively eliminates any amp glow concerns which used to haunt CMOS cameras when taking long exposure pictures. The full well capacity is a very decent 40k, the peak QE lies at a high 91% with a 12 bit ADC.

In sum, if you’re looking for a mono camera for solar (and lunar) imaging purposes, or when you have a a very long focal length telescope (>4000mm) consider the ASI432MM which is marketed as the upgrade for the older ASI174MM. If you are looking for an affordable, hybrid camera that can do planetary as well as deep-sky imaging, the ASI585MC Pro may be the perfect choice for you.

The ASI432MM mono camera is available at ZWO (WW), Agena Astro (USA/WW), High Point Scientific (USA/WW), and Astroshop (EU/WW).

The ASI585MC Pro color camera is available at ZWO (WW), Agena Astro (USA/WW), High Point Scientific (USA/WW), and Astroshop (EU/WW).

Best ZWO Camera between $600 and $700

At this price range we find the ASI183MM mono camera and the ASI294MC color camera. The first thing to note is that both cameras are also available as a “Pro” version with a Peltier Cooler and additional USB outputs for a $200 dollar premium. I would recommend getting a “Pro” version if you’re goal is to get into deep-sky astrophotography. In this section, I’ll get into the capabilities for both cameras when used for planetary imaging.

Similar to its color version, the ASI183MM Mono camera is an older model but still popular due to its large sensor size of 20.1 Mega Pixels (5496×3672). With a pixel size of 2.4, this camera provides 0.4 arcsec p/pixel at 1200mm, 0.25 at 2000mm, and 0.12 at 4000mm focal length. The 19 FPS mentioned as a global figure is misleading. When reducing the region of interest to 1280×720, the reported FPS of this camera goes up to 117.3, and even 170 FPS when using the camera at 640×480 resolution at 10-bit. Read noise is a reasonable 1.6e at higher gain levels, and the QE is 84% with a Full Well capacity is 15k at 12-bit. Keep in mind that older cameras like the ASI183 do NOT feature 256M MB DDR memory card to avoid dropped frames and provide a secure file transfer. Also, the ASI183 does NOT include the latest STARVIS 2 technology, and will produce amp glow at longer exposures when used for deep sky astrophotography – so you need to take dark frames to calibrate your DSO pictures.

The ASI294MC color camera has a large 11,69 Mega Pixel, 4144×2822 resolution with a pixel size of 4,63 microns. Unfortunately, the color version of this camera can only record in 2×2 bin mode! This configuration gets you to 1.6 arcsec p/pixel at 1200mm focal length, 0.96 arcsec p/pixel at 2000mm focal length, and 0.48 arcsec p/pixel at 4000mm focal length. This color camera isn’t the fastest camera for planetary imaging as it does only support a 12-bit video capture. At native resolution, the speed of the camera is 19 FPS, which increases to 100.5 FPS when used at 640×480 resolution at 12 bit. There is NO DDR buffer in the ASI294MC version to avoid dropped frames and secure safe file transfers (the Pro version does have DDR memory). The camera does support a 14 bit ADC, has a very decent 63,7k full well capacity, and a maximum QE peak of 75% which is decent, but not the highest compared to other cameras.

If you’re looking for a mono camera for planetary imaging, the 183MM does a decent job, but lacks the sophistication like DDR memory and STARVIS 2 technology found in newer models like the 678, 676, and 664. The camera sensor is decent enough for deep-sky astrophotography, but lacks a Peltier cooler. The 294MC color camera is locked in 2×2 binning mode and not really useful to get a decent image scale. Also, the camera only supports 12 bit video capture which limits the speed of the camera. If you’re into deep-sky astrophotography, look at the Pro versions of both cameras. If you’re into planetary imaging, honestly, I’d go for the newer models that do include STARVIS 2 technology and 256DDR memory to get fast and safe video file transfers.

The ASI183MM mono camera is available at ZWO (WW), Agena Astro (USA/WW), High Point Scientific (USA/WW), and Astroshop (EU/WW).

The ASI294MC color camera camera is available at ZWO (WW), Agena Astro (USA/WW), High Point Scientific (USA/WW), and Astroshop (EU/WW).

Best ZWO Camera between $700 and $800

In this price range we see the first dedicated deep-sky astrophotography cameras; the ASI183MC Pro and the ASI533MC Pro, both priced at $799. We also have the ASI533MM Mono camera – without cooling – priced at $799. In 2024, all deep-sky astrophotography cameras ZWO are sold as “Pro” cameras. Pro’ stands for the notion that these cameras are equipped with a Peltier cooler that cools to at least -30°C below ambient temperature. All Pro cameras also have 256MB DDR memory which enables a very high read-out speed, preventing readout noise or amp glow in your pictures due to low(er) USB transfer speeds. The ASI533MM mono camera mentioned lacks all the ‘Pro’ features, but is similar to the ASI533MC color camera with respect to the other specs mentioned below.

You may think that the ASI183MC Pro offers a much larger field of view at 20MP (5496×3672), as compared to the ASI533MC Pro at 9MP (3008×3008). However, due to the smaller pixel size of the ASI183MC Pro at just 2.4 vs. 3.76 microns on the ASI533MC Pro, the amount of space captured with both cameras, called the field of view or FOV in short, is pretty similar. With a typical 480mm focal length telecsope, The FOV of the ASI183MC Pro is 1.57° x 1.05° at 1.03″ per pixel,whereas the ASI533MC Pro offers a square FOV of 1.35° x 1.35° at 1.62″ per pixel. With a 1000mm focal length telescope, the FOV of the ASI183MC Pro will be 0.76° x 0.5° at 0.5″ per pixel, and 0.65° x 0.65° at 0.78″ per pixel for the ASI533MC Pro.

As a comparison, the Orion nebula is about 1 degree in size, whereas the Andromeda galaxy, one of the largest objects in the sky, is about 3°x1°. A rough rule of thumb for deep-sky astrophotography is that the ideal image scale should be somewhere between 1 and 2 arcsec p/pixel. Lower image scales (>2 arcsec p/pixel) may lead to blocky stars, whereas lower lower image scales (<1 arcsec p/pixel) may lead to bloated stars. So shorter focal length telescopes may benefit from the smaller pixel size of the ASI183MC Pro, whereas larger focal length telescopes may benefit from the larger pixel size of the ASI533MC to get to that 1″ – 2″ p/pixel range.

The newest ASI533MC Pro has a lower read noise (1.0 – 3.8e) as compared to the ASI183MC Pro (1.6 – 7.0e), and is equipped with the latest Sony STARVIS 2 technology which eliminates any potential amp glow concerns. The ASI183MC Pro does suffer from some amp glow that needs to be calibrated in post processing by including dark frames. The ASI183MC Pro has a slightly higher quantum efficiency (84%) as compared to the ASI533MC Pro (80%), but the dynamic range of the ASI533MC Pro is much higher at 50K as compared to the ASI183MC Pro at 15K, due to its larger pixel size, which avoids potential blooming issues. Also, the ASI533MC Pro has a 14-bit Analog-to-digital converter which leads to a higher dynamic as compared to the 12-bit ADC on the ASI183MC Pro. In sum, for deep-sky astrophotography at this price range, the newer ASI533MC Pro offers STARVIS 2 technology which eliminates amp glow, has a lower read noise and a higher 14-bit ADC compared to the ASI183MC Pro, which makes the ASI533MC Pro the preferred choice in this price range.

For those looking for a planetary camera, know that the ASI533MC/MM sensors aren’t the fastest cameras, due to its 14-bit ADC. With 20 FPS at native focal length and 117FPS at 640×480 resolution. Also, the large pixel size would require a large focal length telescope. The ASI183MC Pro is pretty fast at 117.3 FPS with a resolution of 1280×720, and 170 FPS when reducing the resolution to 640×480 at 10-bit, but lacks the Sony STARVIS 2 technology found on the more affordble ASI585MC Pro as discussed above.

The ASI533MC Pro is available at ZWO, Agena Astro (USA/WW), High Point Scientific (USA/WW), and Astroshop (EU/WW)

The ASI183MC Pro is available at ZWO, Agena Astro (USA/WW), High Point Scientific (USA/WW), and Astroshop (EU/WW).

The ASI533MM is available at ZWO, Agena Astro (USA/WW), High Point Scientific (USA/WW), and Astroshop (EU/WW).

Best ZWO Camera between $800 and $1000

At this price range, we find the ASI183MM Pro, the ASI533MM Pro, the ASI294MC Pro, and the ASI294MM mono cameras, all priced at $999.

The ASI294MC Pro color camera is also $200 dollars more expensive than the ASI533MC Pro and the ASI183MC Pro color cameras discussed above. For that premium, you’ll get a 11.3 MP (4144×2822) resolution sensor with a large 4.63 micron pixel size, offering a larger field of view as compared to the two more affordable options. With a typical 480mm focal length telescope, you’ll get a 2.29° x 1.56° FOV with an image scale of 1.99″ per pixel, and a 1000mm focal length telescope will get you to a FOV 1.1° x 0.75° of with an image scale of 0.96″ per pixel. As a comparison, the Orion nebula is about 1 degree in size, whereas the Andromeda galaxy, one of the largest objects in the sky, is about 3°x1°. A rough rule of thumb for deep-sky astrophotography is that the ideal image scale should be somewhere between 1 and 2 arcsec p/pixel. Lower image scales (>2 arcsec p/pixel) may lead to blocky stars, whereas lower lower image scales (<1 arcsec p/pixel) may lead to bloated stars. So if you have a telescope between 500mm and 1000mm, the ASI294MC Pro gives you a good image scale with a larger field of view as compared to the more affordable ASI533MC Pro and the ASI183MC Pro.

The ASI294 has a read noise of (1.2-7.3e) which is similar to the ASI183MC Pro (1.6-7.0e), but a bit higher than the ASI533MC pro (1.0-3.8e). Being an older CMOS sensor, the ASI294MC Pro does suffer from some amp glow which needs to be calibrated out during post processing by applying dark frames. Moreover, the ASI294MC Pro has somewhat peak quantum efficiency of 75% as compared to the ASI183MC (84%) and ASI533MC Pro (80%). The 294MC Pro, due to its larger pixel size, does offer the larger Full Well capacity (63.7K) than the ASI533MC (50K), and the ASI183MC Pro (15K) which helps to avoid potential blooming effects. The ASI294MC Pro, like the ASI533MC Pro, offers a 14-bit Analog-to-digital converter that leads to a higher dynamic range as compared to the lower, 12-bit ADC on the 183MC Pro In sum, if you prefer a larger landscape field of view that can capture bigger deep-sky objects in a single image, the ASI294MC Pro may be the preferred deep-sky astrophotography camera for you.

The ASI183MM Pro and the ASI533MM Pro are the mono versions of the ASI183MC Pro and the ASI533MC Pro at a $200 dollar premium. The specs are similar to the color version, already discussed in the section above. As for the 294MM, this expensive mono camera features the IMX292 sensor that does allow 1×1 binning, wich brings the resolution to an enormous 46MP (8288*5644). Yet, the camera is locked in 12-bit mode, making the camera too slow for planetary captures with only 41 FPS, even when reducing your capture area to 640×480. It also doesn’t feature any of the ‘Pro’ features like a peltier cooler to reduce noise in your long exposure pictuers, making this sensor inferior to other ZWO deep-sky astrophotography cameras that do have such features.

The ASI533MM Pro is available at ZWO, Agena Astro (USA/WW), High Point Scientific (USA/WW), and Astroshop (EU/WW)

The ASI183MM Pro is available at ZWO, Agena Astro (USA/WW), High Point Scientific (USA/WW), and Astroshop (EU/WW).

The ASI294MC Pro is available at ZWO, Agena Astro (USA/WW), High Point Scientific (USA/WW) and Astroshop.

The ASI294MM is available at ZWO, Agena Astro (USA/WW), High Point Scientific (USA/WW), and Astroshop (EU/WW).

Best ZWO Camera between $1000 and $1400

Interestingly, the ONLY camera available at this price range is the ASI294MM Pro mono astrophotography camera, for $1280. Older (but decent!) models like the ASI071MC Pro and the ASI1600MM Pro are phased out, as ZWO appears to put all their efforts into the development of the more expensive ASI2600MC Pro (discussed below).

Interestingly, the ASI294MM Pro features the ASI492 sensor which can be ‘unlocked’ to a 1×1 bin mode (locked to 2×2 in the color version). This leads to a 2x increase in resolution – 46MP (8288*5644), and a 2x decrease in pixel size; 2.31 microns, as compared to its (locked) ASI294MC Pro color counterpart. This does not change the field of view of the camera, but it does lower the image scale. For example, with a typical 480mm focal length telescope in 1×1 binning mode, you’ll get to an FOV of 2.29° x 1.56° and an image scale of 0.99″ per pixel, and a 1000mm focal length telescope will get you to an FOV of 1.1° x 0.75° and an image scale of 0.48″ per pixel. As the recommended image scale lies in between 1″ and 2″ p/pixel, shorter focal length telescopes may benefit from the unlocked 1×1 binning option of the ASI294MM Pro.Furthermore, the ASI294MM Pro offers a similar read noise (1.2-8e), Full Well capacity (66.4k), and 14-bit Analog-to-Digital coverter, but a much higher peak QE (90%).

Like all Pro versions, the camera comes with a Peltier cooler which at -30°C below ambient temperature, and 256MB DDR memory which prevents readout noise or amp glow in your pictures due to low(er) USB transfer speeds – and 2×2.0 USB outputs to power other devices. However, the camera does suffer from some amp glow which can be calibrated out by adding dark frames in post-processing. In sum, the ASI294MM mono astrophography camera offers a wider, landscape field of view as compared to the more affordable mono camera options, which enables you to capture a larger part of the night sky. the 1×1 binning option may be useful to get to a good image scale with lower focal length telescopes.

The ASI294MM Pro is available at ZWO, Agena Astro (USA/WW), High Point Scientific, and Astroshop.

Best ZWO Camera between $1400 and $1700

During the past years, ZWO has been investing heavily in developing the ASI2600MM/MC Pro cameras as their main high quality deep-sky astrophotography camera. This includes providing both mono and color versions of this camera; creating a so called ‘DUO’ version which includes an extra on-board guide sensor, eliminating the need for an extra guide scope; and creating a ‘smart’ camera called the ASI2600MC AIR, which includes both an extra guide sensor and built-in ASIAIR software, eliminating the need for external hardware/software to control your mount, camera, filterwheel and other astrogear.

In this price range, we first encounter the ASI2600MC Pro, available for $1499 at the time of writing. The IMX571 Sony sensor is an APS-C sized format, 26MP sensor (6248×4176) with a pixel size of 3.76 microns. Paired with a typical 480mm focal length telesocpe, the FOV is 2.8° x 1.87°, at an image scale of 1.62″ per pixel; a 1000mm focal length telescope would produce an FOV of 1.35° x 0.9° at 0.78″ per pixel; and a 1500mm focal length telescope would get you to an FOV of 0.9° x 0.6° at an image scale of 0.52″ per pixel. Given the often recommended image scale between 1 and 2 arcsec p/pixel, this camera seems to fit the typical APO refractors in the 400-800mm focal length range rather well. It is not by accident, then, that most APO refractor telescopes offered by ZWO fall within this range. The field of view you’re getting with this camera is significantly larger as compared to the more affordable DSO color cameras like the ASI294MC Pro, discussed above.

The ASI2600MC Pro offers low read noise (1 – 3.3e), a high quantum efficiency of 80%, and a large full well capacity of 50K. These figures are similar to the more affordable ASI533MC Pro and the ASI294MC Pro (see above). However, the 2600MC Pro does offer a 16-bit analog to digital coverter, which pushes its dynamic range well beyond that of the more affordable 12-bit and 14-bit models. Moreover, the camera does offer a 512MB on-board memory (vs 256MB on cheaper models) which secures file transfers from the camera to your laptop/pc/ASIAIR. The on-board Sony STARVIS technology makes the camera very sensitive in low light conditions and eliminates any amp glow issues which used to haunt older CMOS astrophotography cameras. An on-board anti-dew heater makes sure your camera windows stays clear of dew when imaging when imaging in an humid environment. As this is a ‘Pro’ version, you’ll also benifit from 2×2.0 USB output and a Peltier cooler to cool your camera sensor below -35°C ambient temperature which greatly reduces the noise in your astropictures. All these extras make the ASI2600MC Pro very attractive strophotography camera for deep-sky astrophotography and definitely worth the extra cost in comparison to the more affordable astrophotography cameras in this overview.

The ASI2600MC Pro is available at ZWO, Agena Astro (USA/WW), High Point Scientific (USA/WW) and Astroshop (EU/WW).

Best ZWO Camera between $1700 and $2000

A this price range, we’ll find three variants of the ASI2600 series, being the ASI2600MM Pro, the ASI2600MC DUO, and the recently announced ASI2600MC AIR, all priced at $1999 at the time of writing.

ASI2600MM Pro – the mono version

The ASI2600MM Pro is the mono verison of the 2600 series with similar specs as mentioned above, safe a few exceptions. The IMX571 Sony sensor is an APS-C sized format, 26MP sensor (6248×4176) with a pixel size of 3.76 microns. Paired with a typical 480mm focal length telesocpe, the FOV is 2.8° x 1.87°, at an image scale of 1.62″ per pixel; a 1000mm focal length telescope would produce an FOV of 1.35° x 0.9° at 0.78″ per pixel; and a 1500mm focal length telescope would get you to an FOV of 0.9° x 0.6° at an image scale of 0.52″ per pixel.The ASI2600MM Pro offers low read noise (1 – 3.3e), and a HIGHER quantum efficiency peak of 91% (vs. 80% on the asi2600MC Pro), a large full well capacity of 50K, and a 16-bit analog to digital coverter.

Similar to its color version, the ASI2600MM Pro includes a 512MB on-board memory (vs 256MB on cheaper models) which secures file transfers from the camera, Sony STARVIS technology which increases light sensitivity and eliminates any amp glow concerns when taking long exposures. An on-board anti-dew heater avoids dew on your camera sensor and being a ‘Pro’ camera, it includes a 2×2.0 USB output and a Peltier cooler to cool your camera sensor below -35°C ambient, greatly reducing the noise in your astropictures. Mono astrophotography imaging is more labour intensive, and you do need to invest in extra filters, filter holders, and/or filterwheels. In addition, the mono version is $400 dollars more expensive than the color version, but it will give you the highest quality astrophotography pictures. If you’re looking for a camera that delivers high quality mono images of the night sky in this price range, look no further.

The ASI2600MM Pro is available at ZWO, Agena Astro (USA/WW), High Point Scientific (USA/WW) and Astroshop (EU/WW).

The ASI2600MC DUO and ASI2600MC AIR

Let’s now discuss the ASI2600MC DUO amd the ASI2600MC AIR, both priced at $1999. Both cameras feature the same sensor as the ASI2600MC Pro discussed above, so I’m nog going to repeat it here. However, the camera sensor of the DUO and AIR versions have had a hardware upgrade, extending the Full Well Capacity from 50K in the original 2600MC Pro to 73K in both the DUO and AIR versions of this camera.

Interestingly, the ASI2600MC AIR includes the guide sensor as well as on-board ASIAIR software to control (most of) your astrogear. The DUO version only includes the Guide sensor, but NOT the on-board ASIAIR software for the same price. The guide sensors on the DUO and AIR version of the ASI2600MC are the same. It’s an SC2210 mono camera sensor (also found in the ASI220MM mini) with a 2 Mega Pixel (1920×1080) resolution at a pixel size of 4 microns. The sensor offers low read noise of 0.6e, a peak quantum efficiency of 92% and a 12 bit ADC, which is good enough to guide most telescopes.

There have been some concerns about this way of guiding, so let me mention them here. The sensor is placed directly above the main camera sensor, so you’ll be auto-guiding at the focal length of your telescope. Similar to off-axis guiding, the number of stars visible in your field of view at longer focal lengths may be limited. Another concern is that the guidcam appears to produce elongated stars as it is slightly off-center. However, most users so far have been reporting good guiding results using this new technique. In addition, it saves the investment and time to buy and install an extra off-axis guider or a guidescope and guidecamera on your astrorig.

ZWO developed the ASIAIR as a stand-alone hardware device for astrophotographers to power and control their astrogear. ZWO now incorporated all that technology into the ASI2600MC AIR, eliminating the need to buy a separate ASIAIR Mini or Plus. In particular, you can connect directly to the ASI2600MC AIR via WIFI (2.4G or 5G). The camera also features 4×2.0 USB outputs to your electronic auto-focuser, filterwheel, mount, and/or other USB devices, as well as 3DC 12V/3A outputs for external hardware such as dew heaters.

For ASIAIR users, it’s good to know that ASI2600MC AIR exactly mirrors the experience you’d have when using an external ASIAIR Mini/Plus device.This includes downloading the ASIAIR software on your smartphone or tablet. Connecting the ASI2600MC Pro via WiFi (2.4 or 5G), connecting your mount, filterwheel, dew heaters and other devices directly to the ASI2600MC AIR, and use the ASIAIR APP to control your astrorig. Another smart innovation includes the option to connect native ZWO AM3/5 mounts via bluetooth to the ASI2600MC AIR – eliminating the need for an extra cable. This means that the internal guide sensor on the ASI2600MC AIR will sent corrections via bluetooth to your AM3/5 mount while autoguiding!

The ASIAIR includes all the important features needed deep-sky astrophotography, including modules for polar alignment, focusing, a vast database and an interactive sky-chart to select your target, extensive imaging plans including exposure time, gain level, filters used to setup your astrophotography night, and more. For those who are not using ZWO’s ASIAIR’s ecosystem, it is good to mention that the ASI2600MC AIR also connects to ASCOM/Alpaca (v6.6 and upwards) related software, which will satisfy the many NINA users who control their astrorig this way. All in all, the ASI2600MC Air is a pretty innovative move from ZWO in 2024!

The ASI2600MC DUO is available at ZWO, Agena Astro (USA/WW), High Point Scientific (USA/WW) and Astroshop (EU/WW).

The ASI2600MC AIR is available at ZWO, Agena Astro (USA/WW), High Point Scientific (USA/WW) and Astroshop (EU/WW).

For an overview of all ZWO camera specifications, check this table.

Best ZWO Camera between $2000 and $3000

At this price range, we find the ASI2600MM DUO, currently priced at $2499, and the ASI2400MC Pro, priced at $2999. The ASI2600MM Pro DUO is very similar to the ASI2600MM Pro, but with the addition of a guide sensor. Both cameras feature the same Sony IMX571 camera sensor as the ASI2600MM Pro already discussed above. However, like the MC version, the the camera sensor of the ASI2600MM-DUO version has had a hardware upgrade, extending the Full Well Capacity from 50K in the original 2600MC Pro to 73K.

Moreover, DUO version includes SC2210 mono camera sensor (also found in the ASI220MM mini) with a 2 Mega Pixel (1920×1080) resolution at a pixel size of 4 microns. The sensor offers low read noise of 0.6e, a peak quantum efficiency of 92% and a 12 bit ADC, which is good enough to guide most telescopes. As said, there have been some questions raised about this way of guiding. Thefact that sensor is placed directly above the main camera sensor means you’ll be guiding at the focal length of your telescope which may limit the number of stars visible in your field of view – particulary at longer focal lengths. Another concern is that the guidcam produces elongated stars as it is slightly off-center. However, users so far have been reporting good guiding results using this new technique. In addition, it saves the investment and time to buy and install an extra off-axis guider or a guidescope and guidecamera on your astrorig.

Similar to its ASI2600MM Pro non-DUO version, the ASI2600MM DUO includes a 512MB on-board memory (vs 256MB on cheaper models) securing file transfers . Moreover, Sony STARVIS technology eliminates any amp glow concerns and the on-board anti-dew heater avoids dew on your camera sensor. The camera – like all Pro cameras – features 2×2.0 USB outputs and a Peltier cooler to cool your camera sensor below -35°C ambient temperature. If you want to go the extra mile and invest in mono astrophotography, this delivers one of the highest quality mono images of the night sky in this price range.

The ASI2600MM DUO is available at ZWO, Agena Astro (USA/WW), High Point Scientific (USA/WW) and Astroshop (EU/WW).

The ASI2400MC Pro color camera has Sony IMX410 sensor with a resolution of 24 Mega Pixels (6072×4042) and a pixel size of 5.94 microns. Paired with a 480mm focal length telescope, your field of view is an amazing 4.3° x 2.87° at an image scale of 2.55″ per pixel. When paired with a 1000mm focal length telescope, the FOV is 2.07° x 1.38° at an image scale of 1.23″ per pixel. Taking the recommended 1″ to 2″ arcseconds per pixel as a rule of thumb, telescope with a focal length of 600mm up to 1200mm would be a very good match for this camera.

The camera has a low 1.1-6.4e read noise, a peak quantum efficiency of 80%, and an impressive full well capacity of 100K. Interestingly, the camera features a 14-bit analog to digital converter, which offers slightly less dynamic range as compared to the ASI2600 series.

This camera includes 512DDR memory to ensure safe file transfer, an internal dew heater to avoid the sensor from fogging up, 2×2.0 USB outputs to power other devices and a peltier cooler to cool the camera -35 °C below ambient temperatures. Available at $2999 at the time of writing, the main reason to go for this camera is the amazing field of view which will fit almost all DSO objects into a single frame, eliminating the need to create mosaics.

The ASI2400MC Pro is available at ZWO, Agena Astro (USA/WW), High Point Scientific (USA/WW) and Astroshop (EU/WW).

Best ZWO Camera between $3000 and $4000

Before we proceed, it’s important to note that at this price range, you could also consider investing in a high-quality telescope and mount. However, if you have the budget, ZWO offers the exceptional ASI6200MC and ASI6200MM deep-sky astrophotography cameras for $3799 at the time of writing.

The ASI6200 MM (mono) and MC (color) versions of this camera feature the Sony IMX455 sensor with a 61 Mega Pixel (9576×6388) resolution at a pixel size of 3.76 microns. Paried with a typical 480mm focal length telescope, the FOV is an amazing 4.3° x 2.87° at an image scale of 1.62″ per pixel. When paired with a 1000mm focal length telescope, the FOV is 2.06° x 1.38° at an image scale of 0.78″ per pixel. Given the 1″ to 2″ rule, telescopes with a 400mm to 800mm focal length would be an excellent match for this camera.

both color and mono versions have a low 1.2-3.5e read noise, an 80% peak quantum efficiency, a 51.4K full well capacity at 16-bit analog to digital converter – which offers higher dynamic range as compared to the ASI2400MC Pro.

Both mono and color cameras include a 512DDR memory to ensure safe file transfer, an internal dew heater to avoid the sensor from fogging up, 2×2.0 USB outputs to power other devices and a peltier cooler to cool the camera -35 °C below ambient temperatures. Available at $3799 at the time of writing, if you’re looking for a widefield, 16-bit mono or color camera that will beat all other cameras in this overview, look no further.

The ASI6200MC Pro is available at ZWO, Agena Astro (USA/WW), High Point Scientific (USA/WW) and Astroshop (EU/WW).

The ASI6200MM Pro is available at ZWO, Agena Astro (USA/WW), High Point Scientific (USA/WW) and Astroshop (EU/WW).

For an overview of all ZWO camera specifications, check this table.