QHY miniCAM8-M [MONO]

The QHY miniCAM8-M is a new compact, high performance all-in-one cooled camera using the the Sony IMX585 back-illuminated monochrome sensor. Complete with a full set of LRGB & SHO narrowband filters, the miniCAM8 is a highly capable yet affordable camera for deep sky and planetary imaging. 

The Sony IMX585 STARVIS 2 sensor is highly sensitive in the near-infrared range with a QE peak of around 80% at the H-alpha wavelength of 656.2nm and 40% at the CH4 line at 890nm.

The native ADC of the IMX585 sensor is 12-bit. Compared to 16-bit, the 12-bit depth offers fewer bits, resulting in a relatively narrower dynamic range. To combat this, QHYCCD have introduced "Linear HDR" mode, which merges both high and low gain channels to extend the data to 16-bit without a sudden shift in linearity.

The miniCAM8-M features a full set of LRGB + 7nm H-alpha, OIII and SII filters, as well as a dark filter which allows you to automate capturing of dark frames. To avoid halos around bright stars, the miniCAM8 has an AR coated optical window on both sides rather than the common IR/UV cut coating. The glass of the sensor is AR coated to maximize light transmission and minimize internal reflections.

The camera has a two-stage TEC cooling system that brings the temperature of the sensor 45C° below ambient for low noise imaging, even in warm climates. In addition, QHYCCD employs unique thermal noise control technology to reduce CMOS sensor noise to a very low value without affecting the integrity of the raw image. This proprietary technology produces much better noise reduction than any other astronomy camera on the market. The QHY miniCAM8 employs a full anti-dew technology for both CMOS sensor cover glass and the optical window to avoid condensation or ice crystals. 

The 512MB DDR3 memory buffer facilitates the download of images to the computer, especially when USB traffic is high, the writing speed of your computer is slow or occupied with other processes. 

Like other modern QHY cameras, the miniCAM8 has zero amplifier glow no matter how long the exposure is.

Specifications

Items included

• QHY miniCAM8
• USB 3.0 cable (1.3m)
• Power cable (5.5-2.1mm male jack with locking nut to 5.5-2.1mm female jack)
• Power supply 240 to 12V 5A with 5.5-2.1 power jack
• Desiccant Drying Tube (desiccant not included)
  
• CS to M48 x 0.75 adapter
  
• 1.25" extension ring
• Lens mounting clamp
• Screwdriver
• Camera bag
• Set of LRGB, Dark & 7nm SHO 19 x 21 x 1.1mm filters

Downloads

Guide to installing QHY and ASCOM drivers for QHYCCD cameras.

QHY camera drivers

QHY miniCAM8 manual