Camera for hi res Lunar/solar

[Stardust]

I'm about to upgrade my Mono PGR Blackfly camera. Just wondering what people are recommending these days.

For sun I have a quark in a 80 or 127mm refractor

For Moon I have a 180mak or C9.25, so long fl and I'm thinking big pixels. I have a zwo174 on loan but typically it's cloudy this week.

Any thoughts welcomed

[rcwinter]

The ASI 174MM is the one to use, or equivalent, super fast frame rate, excellent resolution,  I have one and have found it just as I have stated, not cheap but excellent at it job.
 

Rich  

[vlaiv]

I'd recommend choosing camera based on following criteria:

1. pixel size that will easily fit critical sampling rate

2. lowest read noise possible

3. highest QE possible

4. fastest download rates possible (USB 3.0)

Problem is that you'll have hard time finding one camera that will satisfy both of your needs - lunar with F/10-F/15 scopes and solar with quark that has integrated telecentric and makes your refractors operate probably around F/30.

For Ha light at F/30 - optimum pixel size is 9.84µm

While for lunar at F/15 it is 3.75µm

Those are vastly different pixel sizes - and you'll be hard pressed to find suitable camera for quark

[Vroobel]

What about a binning mode 2 or 3, if needed? I mean using the 3.75um pixel for the Quark. The effective pixel area is 4 or 9 times bigger than. What about the readout noise? 

[vlaiv]

5 hours ago, Vroobel said:

What about a binning mode 2 or 3, if needed? I mean using the 3.75um pixel for the Quark. The effective pixel area is 4 or 9 times bigger than. What about the readout noise? 

Whenever you bin - effective read noise is multiplied with bin factor.

Say your camera has 1e of read noise in full resolution at certain gain.

Bin x2 will result in 2e of effective read noise

Bin x3 will result in 3e of effective read noise and so on.

This is for CMOS sensors where binning is performed after readout. For CCD sensors where binning is performed as part of readout - read noise remains the same.

[Vroobel]

Thank you @vlaivfor your patience and another explanation. I found nearly same question in one of following threads about cameras, your answer also was there. I had to ask, if not I simply forget. 

Edit. 

I mean I found the question and answer after I asked my one. 

Edited November 9, 2022 by Vroobel