QHY 5-III-462C CMOS Camera

Description

QHY 5-III462 M /C Planetary and Guiding camera with high sensitivity

The QHY5III462 camera uses the Sixth Generation Sony 2.1 megapixel IMX462 STARVIS CMOS sensor. The pixel size is 2.9um making it the same size and resolution as the sensor used in the QHY5III290 camera that has been so successfully used for planetary imaging by some of the best planetary imagers in the world. Like other cameras in the 5III series, the QHY5III462 is USB 3.0 powered and controlled. No additional power is required.

The IMX462 sensor is back-illuminated and incorporates new technology that gives it some significant advantage over other planetary cameras: First, the IMX462 sensor has sHCG (Super High Conversion Gain) for very low read noise at high gain. This is ideal for stacking hundreds or thousands of short planetary images. Second, it is exceptionally sensitive in the NIR.

In this latest generation of sensors, the photodiode portion of the pixel well is physically deeper than in previous Sony BSI sensors, allowing photons of longer wavelength to penetrate deeper into the substrate. This dramatically increases the sensor’s sensitivity to red and near infrared (NIR) light. The RGB filters over the pixels become transparent at NIR wavelengths, so the sensor displays almost equal peak sensitivity to NIR light as it does to light in the visible spectrum.

The peak QE in the NIR around 800nm is as high as the peak QE in the visible wavelengths. For planetary imagers using a methane filter that passes light around 880nm this is welcome news.

QHY 5-III-462 Color Camera

The QHY 5III-462C is an RGB single shot color camera with high quantum efficiency and high sensitivity in the near infrared region.

Highlights of the camera include fast frame rates (120+ frames per second), with low noise (<1e-) at high gain, and high quantum efficiency in the red and near-infrared spectral regions, including UV/IR and IR850 filters for RGB, LRGB, IR, and monochrome imaging with one camera.

Lowest Readout Noise, Fast frame rates (120+ FPS)

The IMX462 sensor is back-illuminated and has new features that give it two significant advantages over other planetary cameras:

1. the IMX462 sensor has sHGC for extremely low read noise (less than one electron) at high gain. This is ideal for stacking hundreds or thousands of short planetary images.
2. it is exceptionally sensitive in the NIR. In this generation of sensor, the photodiode portion of the pixel well is deepened, allowing photons of longer wavelength to penetrate deeper into the substrate and thereby dramatically increases the sensor’s sensitivity to red light and near infrared light (NIR). The RGB filters over the pixels become transparent at NIR wavelengths, so the sensor displays almost equal peak sensitivity to NIR light as it does to light in the visible spectrum.

The peak QE of the QHY 5-III 462 Color version in the NIR around 800nm is as high or higher as the peak QE in the visible wavelengths. For planetary imagers using a methane filter that passes light around 880nm this is welcome news.

Innovative cooling concept

By including four proprietary cooling segments with a larger diameter at the end of the camera, the cooling surface of the otherwise cylindrical camera housing is significantly increased. This results in faster and higher thermal dissipation from the inner area of the camera to the outside environment.

The QHY5III462C camera will include two 1.25″ screw-in filters, a UV/IR cut filter to isolate the visible wavelengths for normal RGB imaging and an IR850 filter that will cut the visible wavelengths but pass wavelengths above 850nm. Together, this yields a camera that can image in (a) visible light only, or (b) NIR light only, or (c) combined visible and NIR. Passing all the light, visible and NIR, will produce a very sensitive luminance frame (when shot through a reflector or other scope capable of focusing visible and NiR together) for producing LRGB color images.

Sample Images