CCD DSLR seem hard to find

[LenGazer]

Okay so I got the bug.. BIG TIME...  Took this photo last night with my Fujifilm Finepix S1000fd.. 8 second exposures, ISO 3200.  After seeing what I can capture with a garbage camera.. Am wanting to upgrade to something with A lot more control over the exposure times and such.
 

Anyhoo, was trying to find some CCD DSLR's so I can get better photos. (been told CCD DSLR have a lot higher image quality and less noise then CMOS )   yet when looking for Cameras. it seems that 90% of them are CMOS...   Have the CMOS censors evolved enough that the difference is marginal these days?  

Considering buying a EOS Rebel T3 Black EF-S.  But am hesitant due to it having a CMOS censor.  Anyhoo thanx in advance all.




 

[JamesF]

If you look at images that pretty much anyone has posted here using a DSLR I'd imagine it will have a CMOS sensor.

Some of the Canon cameras have much better noise characteristics than others however.  I know that Gary Honis compared a number and found that the 450D (T3i, perhaps?) was much lower than some of the later models.  The 1100D is also quite low noise compared to others in the range, but perhaps not quite as low as the 450D.  It's possible that increased sensitivity makes up for that though.

James

[JamesF]

Ah, no, the 450D is the XSi.  The 1100D is the T3.  So the latter would probably not be a bad choice.  I don't recall seeing any measurement of the noise levels for the 600D/650D/700D (T3i/T4i/T5i) though, so I don't know how they'd compare.

James

[ghonis]

I have done comparison testing including dark frame tests for the T4i (650D), T3i (600D), T3 (1100D), T2i (550D), T1i (500D), XSi (450D) and XS (1000D) in my review of the T4i (650D) model here:

http://GaryHonis.com/T4iReview/T4iReview.html

I've also tested the T5i (700D) but haven't posted test results yet.  The T5i model tests nearly identical to the T4i model.  The T4i and T5i models have better signal to noise than earlier models from my indoor long exposure testing.

Gary

[wxsatuser]

Great set of test results Gary.

[stoffe]

Hello!

I agree that Gary have made a great test! But none of those cameras have a CCD sensor. If you want a DSLR with high QE, check out this site. http://sensorgen.info/

I have a DSLR with a CCD sensor and a DSLR with CMOS sensor, both have 6 micron pixels size. And the CCD DSLR is far more noisy with a lot of hot pixels and the sensitivity is very similar for both cameras. The two cameras that I speak of is a D80 and a D600, both Nikons. The CCD DLSR that I have is not suited for astronomy due to the huge amp glow from the shutter confirmation diode but the D600 is very suitable for astronomy with 53% peak QE, no amp glow and no Nikon star eater either. The famous Nikon star eater with older Nikons was there because the noisy CCD sensors that was very noisy and Nikon made an algorithm to remove hot pixels, it didn't work so well. A cooled CCD is a big diffrence. If you look at the planetary cameras, the CMOS sensors are leading there.

Btw you already have a camera with a CCD sensor, you have in your finepix camera.

[Thalestris24]

The old Nikon d70 uses the same ccd (icx413) as the QHY8L. But the d70 only extracts 12-bits verses 16 with the qhy - big difference in dynamic range! Not to mention the big advantages of the qhy8l cooling, of course.

Louise

[stoffe]

Yes indeed, I fill in with the D80, it has a CCD ICX493AQA with only 12 bit output, here is the 16 bit version without amp glow (QHY10). https://www.astrofactors.com/one-shot-color/qhy10.html Impressive 60% peak QE

[Thalestris24]

Yes indeed, I fill in with the D80, it has a CCD ICX493AQA with only 12 bit output, here is the 16 bit version without amp glow (QHY10). https://www.astrofactors.com/one-shot-color/qhy10.html Impressive 60% peak QE

Huge difference in price though!

Louise

[bogdog]

LenGazer

8 second exposures, ISO 3200.  After seeing what I can capture with a garbage camera..

8 seconds is ok for widefield,just take plenty and stack them...don't let stars trail

also you are using a ccd camera? (not sure if you realise this)

you should try to get a tracking mount and see what results you can pull with it

also lower iso settings..copied some info and gave link to review of your camera

In addition, the S1000fd features a 1/2.3" CCD imager, a 2.7-inch TFT LCD screen, an electronic viewfinder, 30 fps VGA movie mode, sensitivity that goes as high as ISO 1600 at full resolution, high-speed shooting, a combined xD/SD/SDHC memory card slot, and a panoramic shooting mode.

http://www.digitalcamerareview.com/default.asp?newsID=3514&review=fuji+finepix+s1000

[ollypenrice]

If you have the bug big time than bypass DSLR altogether and go into cooled astro CCD!

Olly

http://ollypenrice.smugmug.com/Other/Best-of-Les-Granges/22435624_WLMPTM#!i=2266922474&k=Sc3kgzc

[stoffe]

Huge difference in price though!

Louise

Yes, you can only find used D80 but that QHY10 camera is new. But when the D80 was newly introduced, the price didn't have that big difference. But that was back in 2006.

Olly, you take great pictures! And you have absolutely right, the image quality is a big step up! But a cooled CCD is quite expensive and could not be used daytime that is the only bad thing about it. I have to wait a year or two when I got enough money to buy one. I have to solve the problems with my astrographs optical issues first...

[NickK]

Yes indeed, I fill in with the D80, it has a CCD ICX493AQA with only 12 bit output, here is the 16 bit version without amp glow (QHY10). https://www.astrofactors.com/one-shot-color/qhy10.html Impressive 60% peak QE

I don't want to get picky - careful with the sony QE as it's relative. Ie 60% of 100%… so you can't compare easily unless you calibrate etc.. (I don't want to get into a CN level of discussion on this other than just to say it's not directly comparable to Kodak's etc or other sensors).

On the other hand - it's pretty much a given from experience Sony CCDs are very quiet..

[wxsatuser]

Hello!

I agree that Gary have made a great test! But none of those cameras have a CCD sensor. If you want a DSLR with high QE, check out this site. http://sensorgen.info/

I have a DSLR with a CCD sensor and a DSLR with CMOS sensor, both have 6 micron pixels size. And the CCD DSLR is far more noisy with a lot of hot pixels and the sensitivity is very similar for both cameras. The two cameras that I speak of is a D80 and a D600, both Nikons. The CCD DLSR that I have is not suited for astronomy due to the huge amp glow from the shutter confirmation diode but the D600 is very suitable for astronomy with 53% peak QE, no amp glow and no Nikon star eater either. The famous Nikon star eater with older Nikons was there because the noisy CCD sensors that was very noisy and Nikon made an algorithm to remove hot pixels, it didn't work so well. A cooled CCD is a big diffrence. If you look at the planetary cameras, the CMOS sensors are leading there.

Btw you already have a camera with a CCD sensor, you have in your finepix camera.

That imo is the point, why bother looking for a DSLR CCD when CMOS is perfectly ok.

Todays DSLR CMOS sensors are quite low noise, yes they won't beat a cooled CCD, they were never meant to.

But it is possible to get good data with them.