Introducing the new ZWO ASI482MC USB3.0 Colour CMOS Camera with Autoguider Port 

with 1.25" CH4 Filter and 1.25" IR-CUT Filter

Which one to choose? ASI485MC or ASI482MC?

If your main objective is deep sky imaging combined with some planetary imaging, but you cannot afford a cooled camera that was specifically designed for deep sky, go for one of these depending on the size of your telescope...

For small, compact telescopes we would recommend the ASI485MC and for larger telescopes with longer focal length (lets say over 2m or so) the ASI482MC would be a better choice for both deep sky and planets.

The ASI482MC - A Powerful OSC Planetary Camera

The ASI482MC is one of the latest OSC planetary cameras released by ZWO in 2021. Packed with the Sony sensor IMX482, this camera boasts some remarkable highlights:

• 1/1.2” format 2-megapixel sensor with a large pixel size of 5.8um.
• SNR1s=0.08lx - The "King of the Night" with unprecedented low signal-to-noise ratio at low illumination.
• Full well capacity of 51.5ke- for rich star details and efficient data acquisition.
• HCG Mode - Effective noise reduction at high gain while maintaining wide dynamic range.
• USB 3.0 Port & ST4 Port for convenient power and control as well as autoguiding compatibility.
• Assumed QE peak value of 85% at 530nm.

Technical Details of ASI482MC:

• Sensor: 1/1.2” CMOS (IMX482)
• Resolution: 2-megapixel (approximately 11.13mm*6.26mm)
• Pixel Size: 5.8µm
• SNR1s: 0.08lx
• Full Well Capacity: 51.5ke-
• USB Interface: USB 3.0
• ST4 Port: For autoguiding
• QE Peak: Assumed 85% at 530nm

Unlock the Potential of ASI482MC

Experience the incredible power of the ASI482MC with its large pixel size, low SNR1s, and impressive full well capacity. Whether you're into solar, lunar, planetary, or DSO imaging, this camera is a perfect fit. Embrace the versatility and high-performance imaging capabilities for your astronomical pursuits.

What’s in the box?

ASI482MC USB3.0 Colour CMOS Camera with Autoguider Port

The ASI482MC is one of the latest OSC planetary cameras released by ZWO in 2021. Packed with Sony sensor IMX482, this camera has some very great highlights, including a large pixel size of 5.8um, compatible with USB 3.0 interface, large full-well depth of 51.5ke-, extremely high sensitivity and super low read out noise, etc. It is considered as one powerful iteration of ZWO after years of developing process in the field of planetary cameras.

1/1.2” format 2 megapixel sensor

The IMX482 sensor adopts back-illuminated CMOS structure. In resolution it is approximately the same as IMX462, but with 4 times the sensor size, it accordingly has a larger pixel size of 5.8*5.8um.

The sensor length and width are 11.13mm*6.26mm. The diagonal is 12.86mm.

SNR1s=0.08lx

Sony is introducing SNR1s [lx] as an index used to quantitatively evaluate picture quality at low illumination. SNR1s [lx] is an acronym consisting of “SNR” (Signal-to-Noise Ratio), “1” (represents that the signal level when noise = 1 is 1), and “s” (for Security). The lower this value is, the greater the image quality will be at low illumination.

The 5.8um large pixel size allows unprecedentedly low SNR1s value of 0.08lx for ASI482MC. While ASI385MC is 0.13lx, you may see it is almost 2 times better, which brings the camera a fantastic nickname – “The King of the Night”.

51.5ke- full well capacity

With the full well capacity of 51.5ke-, ASI482MC displays rich star details when taking astrophotos. Coupled with the ultimately low SNR1s, the efficiency of date acquisition can be really high. This is particularly helpful for solar, lunar and planetary imaging, also makes the camera perfect for DSO lucky imaging (taking multiple photos in short exposure times and stack them to improve SNR.)

Moreover, thanks to the features above, ASI482MC can also be an ideal EAA camera or all-sky camera.

HCG Mode

ASI482MC has a built-in HCG mode which can effectively reduce the readout noise at high gain and keep the same wide dynamic range as you would expect at low gain. When the gain is 80, the HCG mode will automatically turn on. The read out noise fall off a cliff while the dynamic range still can reach close to 12 stops. The minimum read noise is 1.5 e.

QE curve

We assume the QE peak value of ASI482MC is 85% at 530nm.

USB 3.0 Port & ST4 Port

USB 3.0 Port: Like other ASI cameras, the ASI482MC is powered and controlled via USB 3.0. It provides 5Gb bandwidth to let the camera run at 82.5fps (10bit, high speed mode) or 57.5fps (12bit, normal mode) at full resolution (2Mega).

ST4 Port: Can be used to connect with auto guide port of mount for guiding.

Mechanical Diagram

What’s in the box?