ZWO ASI 174 MM mini monochrome camera

The ZWO ASI 174 MM mini monochrome camera with 1.25" housing should provide moon-planet and not least driving camera functions. Moreover, its class-leading sensor and high sensitivity make it an excellent solution for capturing more compact deep-sky objects (e.g. galaxies, planetary nebulae).

The sensitivity of monochrome cameras, surpassing that of colour cameras in the same class, can be used to guide even fainter stars.The ASI 174 MM mini's 2.3 megapixel (1936x1216) MONO CMOS sensor in the ASI 174 MM mini has 77%+ QE, making it great for deep-sky photography! Since the ZWO ASI 174 MM mini mounts in a 1.25" shutter, you can easily get focus in your guide scope where you wouldn't get along with conventional cameras, with a backfocus of just 8.5 mm.

The cameras can also be used for top-quality planetary photography. They feature a modest 5.86 micron pixel size, a respectable 1936x1216 pixel sensor, 12-bit output and a high frame rate. With a larger sensor and with the help of a guide, it is easier to choose the right guide star in the field of view.

Moderate pixel size and universal usability make the camera a good choice for deep-end photography with less noise. The 12-bit output allows for 4096 shades of colour to be recorded (compared to 8-bit, or "only" 256 shades per colour channel on most cameras). The large sensor is also useful for shooting the Sun and Moon. Built-in ST-4 autoguider port also makes these devices great for use as a guide camera.

The camera does not include a UV/IR block filter, hence its high sensitivity in this range. The use of a UV/IR block filter is highly recommended if you do not want to record in this range! The package includes a 0.5m and a 2m USB 2.0 cable, an ST4 cable, a 1.25" extension cable and a C-mount converter to use the camera with C-mount threaded lenses.

The camera has a USB 2.0 connector and ST-4 port, and the serious capability is matched by a modest 60g weight.

For image capture, there's a range of free software available for download from the internet, and for Windows we particularly recommend SharpCap and FireCapture. The cameras require Windows XP or later.