ZWO ASI 294 MM Mono Astro Camera – uncooled astrophotography
The ZWO ASI 294 MM Mono Astro Camera is a versatile monochrome camera with a large sensor and switchable pixel size. It is a good choice whenever high frame rates, a steady image and straightforward operation are more important than active cooling.
What is this camera suited for?
With its Sony IMX492 / ASI 294 MM, it is designed for solar, lunar and planetary imaging as well as deep-sky imaging with filters. The uncooled design keeps the camera compact and quick to set up. For long deep-sky exposures, a cooled camera is usually preferable; for the Moon, planets, guiding and many EAA applications, this model is especially practical.
Key features
| Series / sensor | Sony IMX492 / ASI 294 MM |
|---|---|
| Camera type | Mono |
| Cooling | uncooled, passive heat dissipation |
| Typical applications | solar, lunar and planetary imaging as well as deep-sky imaging with filters |
| Connection | USB camera with autoguider/ST4 support depending on model |
The camera works with the relevant ZWO software and common capture applications. For solar imaging, use it only with a suitable solar filter mounted in front of the telescope.
CMOS sensor in detail
The ASI 294 MM is a versatile monochrome camera with a large 4/3-inch sensor. One of its special features is the selectable readout mode: Bin2 provides 4.63 µm pixels, high full-well capacity and wide dynamic range. In Bin1 mode, resolution increases to 8288 × 5644 pixels with 2.3 µm pixels – useful when the telescope sampling supports it.
Sensor specifications
| Sensor | Sony IMX492 monochrome, back-illuminated |
|---|---|
| Sensor format | 4/3 inch; 19.1 × 13,0 mm |
| Bin2 resolution / pixels | 4144 × 2822 pixels / 4.63 µm |
| Bin1 resolution / pixels | 8288 × 5644 pixels / 2,3 µm |
| ADC | 14 bit in Bin2, 12 bit in Bin1 |
| Quantum efficiency | approx. 90 % |
| Read noise | from approx. 1.2 e⁻ |
| Full-well capacity | approx. 66 ke⁻ in Bin2; approx. 14 ke⁻ in Bin1 |
| Features | HCG mode und ST4-Guiding |
| Connection | USB 3.0 |
These figures help when choosing the right focal length and imaging method. Especially with small pixels, the actual level of detail depends on the combination of telescope, seeing and image scale. For solar imaging, always use a suitable solar filter mounted in front of the telescope.
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