QHY 5-III 290M [MONOCHROME]

The QHY 5-III 290M uses the SONY STARVIS Exmor R back-illuminated IMX290 CMOS sensor that has an extremely low read noise (0.75e- at high gain) and a quantum efficiency above 80%. This camera is mainly used for planetary imaging as it is highly sensitive in the visible and infrared spectrum. The pixels have a size of only 2.9 µm, a perfect fit for imaging planets with regular Barlow lenses and low-medium focal length telescopes. For example, a 2X Barlow combined with an f/10 Schmidt Cassegrain and a 4X Barlow in a f/5 Newtonian allows to reach the ideal pixel scale. Cameras with large pixels require more powerful Barlow lenses.

As for all QHY III cameras, the backfocus is only 11mm which is advantageous for instruments where the focusing travel is limited such as in off axis guiders. All QHY III cameras can reach a data transfer speed of up to 350 MByte/s via USB3.0 port, ideal for high speed imaging of fast-rotating planets. For the 290M it translates to an output speed of 135 FPS at full resolution and up to 460 FPS at selected ROI. 

The metal body and the advanced thermal design aim to dissipate the heat generated by the sensor and electronics and therefore to reduce the noise. The QHY5-III cameras include a heavy duty 5-pin socket for a solid connection between the camera and other devices. The package includes a 5-pin-LEMO-to-RJ11 adapter for autoguiding with the ST4 cable. 

• QHY 5-III 290M
• Metal box
• 5mm extender with a 1.25" external diameter and female thread M28 x 0.6 for filters
• 20mm extender with a 1.25" external diameter and female thread M28 x 0.6 for filters
• USB 3.0 cable (2 meters)
• ST4 cable (1.5 meter)
• Focus locking ring
• Plastic shims to adjust the CS lens distance (lens not included)
• Camera dust cap

Guide to installing QHY and ASCOM drivers for QHYCCD cameras.

QHY camera drivers

QHY 5-III 290M manual