ZWO ASI385MC USB3.0 Colour CMOS Camera

The ZWO ASI385MC comes with an exciting, comparatively large, 1/2″ (8.35mm diagonal size) 2.13M pixels IMX385 Colour CMOS sensor that features SONY Exmor and DOL (Digital Overlap)-HDR technology. The result is a stunningly low read noise (0.7e), very high sensitivity (0.13Lx) and 12bit ADC (analogue-to-digital converter: the higher the better...).

The comparatively large sensor, extremely low read noise, very high sensitivity and comparatively high framerates make this new camera a very good choice for various astro photography and microscopy applications, including other industrial applications as well (i.e. machine vision).

The ASI385MC camera comes with USB3.0 connection that gives you the opportunity to use it with newer laptops and is backward compatible with USB2.0. High framerates are not a guarantee for excellent images, but certainly helpful if other circumstances are given. There is no USB 2.0 version of this camera as that simply won't be enough to use the camera's possible high framerate, plus, for the same reason, we would really recommend to use it with USB3.0 compatible hardware as that's the only way to achieve very high frame rates...

It comes with an AUTOGUIDER PORT just as many other ZWO cameras, so you may use it for both imaging or guiding!

Astrophotography Performance

This camera will mostly be used for high magnification planetary, Lunar, Solar imaging, microscopic imaging and even industrial machine vision applications, but it can also be used for deep sky imaging up to a certain level as it supports up to 2000 seconds exposure time. This colour camera provides you with a simple imaging process, no need to worry about filters and filter wheel, so if you cannot spend much time then this camera will prove to be a very valuable tool for you astro and microscopic imaging needs.

CMOS Image Sensor for Industrial Applications that Realizes High Sensitivity Approximately Twice That of the Existing Product

Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation has developed the CMOS image sensor “IMX385LQR” for industrial applications. This new image sensor realizes high sensitivity approximately twice that of the existing product (IMX185LQJ)*1.
The IMX385LQR pursues picture quality at low illuminance most needed by cameras for industrial applications and mounts pixels with a sensitivity of 2350 mV, which is the highest sensitivity among Sony image sensors for industrial applications*2. In addition, SNR1s of 0.13 lx*3, which is the highest performance among Sony Full HD-compatible image sensors for industrial applications, is achieved by mounting an internal programmable gain amplifier and high conversion gain pixels. Superior performance as an image sensor for industrial applications is further achieved by combining HDR (High Dynamic Range) technology with technology that improves sensitivity in the near-infrared light region.

Features of the ZWO ASI385MC Camera

• Recommended for high-magnification planetary, Lunar and Solar imaging, microscopic imaging, machine vision and to image some deep sky objects
• Resolution: 1936X1096
• Long time exposure up to 2000s!
• Autoguider Port
• Very low read noise (0.7e)
• Very High Sensitivity (0.13 Lx)
• Full aluminum housing with standard 2" interface (although that is rather short as you can see from the picture, so we'd remommend using the T-thread connection)
• M42X0.75 internal thread (T-thread)
• T-thread to C-mount adapter included