[farlightteam]

Hi @ll,

We are planning to change our beloved KAF8300 (QSI 683wsg8) for a modern CMOS sensor: IMX455 or IMX571. It will depend on the FSQ106@f5 correction. At this pixel sizes (3,76 microns) is really easy to see coma and vignetting around the corners (maybe more) even in a FSQ105@f5. With a 9 microns pixel size we wouldn't have problems but with this micro sizes is going to happen for sure. What we want to see is the amount of frame involved.

So, at this point, and having had bad experiences with a "mid-premium" CCD like QSI because of the hosting weather condition, we are planning to get a Moravian; it seems is "almost premium" and "strong" (not a FLI / SBIG / Apogee level but near).

But I see there are several users in the hosting with ZWO ASI. ASI2600 and ASI6200. As I know, this camera, even in the PRO version, has not industrial grade sensor, only consumer one (which, theoretically, involves a limitation on the exposure hours) Also, it seems is not a premium camera. But as I say... it seems... Maybe I'm wrong.

I wanted to ask you guys your experiences with this ASI. Maybe we could consider buying one of them. I also would wanted to ask QHY users... And Moravian if there there is someone :-)

Thank you!

CL

[cedric@raguenaud]

I probably don't have useful answers, but here is what I can say:

I don't have ASI cameras. I have QHYs, but low end 183 and 163, not 600 (I'm looking for one at a reasonable price, but they're rare like gold dust).

But I have SBIG and Moravian installed as well. The Moravian (G3-16200 I think) deals ok with the heat (not as well as my SBIG STT, though, and it struggles a bit in the summer). Where it is annoying is the download speed. Smaller images than the QHYs, and soooo much slower. With our Takahashi 130 with flattener, it seems suitable and the images are ok up to close to the corners (but comas at the very edges). We have moved it to an RC 254, but we haven't finished the collimation (since end October!), so I can't judge yet (but I presume that the field won't be sharp in the corners as it's an RC without corrector).

I'm interested in other peoples experience too.

[farlightteam]

Thank you for your inputs Cedric, we take well note. We are afraid of having the camera damaged as it means a lot of time stopped... and money of course... So we want to have all possible clues about cameras quality. There is here also a "luck" component but if we base our decision on "probabilities of crash", we would be "getting more luck".

Good luck with the collimation of the RC. This weather is breaking all our plans... let's hope in the next weeks it becomes better... About the RC optical correction, yes it's possible you'll need some flattener.