QHY9 8,6mb cooled astro camera

My new B&W astro camera is now under testing.

So far it looks like a winner!

Information about the camera:
http://www.qhyccd.com/QHY9.html

The KAF8300 sensor is not known for low noise,

I was litle worried about it.

After first tests I can say, the noise is not a problem.

Cooling in this camera is very good.

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I tested the cooling with ambient temperature of -10C.

It took about 60s. to reach maximum cooling, -60C,

and I was uning about 95% of the maximum cooling power.

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Here is the QE of the camera (The Green line):

Main Features
Total pixel : 3448*2574 (8.9mega pixel)
Active pixels: 3358*2536 (8.6mega pixel)
Pixel Size: 5.4um*5.4um
FullWell: 25.5Ke-
Imager Size : 19.7*15.04mm 4/3inch
Readout noise: TBD(Appox 10e maybe)
Preview Speed: 3Mpixel/s (3sec download time)
Download Speed: 1Mpixel/s (9sec download time)
Peak QE: 56% @540nm 48%@Ha
Microlensing on chip
ABG: 1000X
16bit ADC with CDS and Preamp
USB2.0 High Speed interface
Build in 32MBytes SDRAM buffer
Support Binning: No Bin, 2*2,3*3,4*4
Communication port to QHY color wheel
Improved 2-Stage TEC cooling -50 from ambinet
Improved Heat Sink For KODAK CCD
Build in Temp sensor and 16bit high presion ADC
DC103 DC adapter & TEC Controller, Regulated
Build in Mechanical shutter for Full Frame CCD
Fully Airproof with Two 4.0mm Air Socket
Weight: 510g
Deep Cooling
DC103 DC adapter & TEC controller
Single voltage Input: +12V
Output +-15V +5V to CCD
PWM TEC controller: 0V-12V to TEC
Single Cable connection with QHY2PRO
Accquire Temp sensor information

For more informations please visit discuss forum
http://qhyccd.com/ccdbbs/index.php?topic=989.0

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Some quick and dirty first test images.

Note! NO DARKS are used, only flats and BIAS, 7nm Baader H-alpha filter.

Images are scaled down 50%.

Rosette Nebula. 2 x 10 min with Canon 200mm EF f1.8L lens and QHY9. NO Darks

Extremely dim supernova remnant in Taurus.
Only 5 x 10min Canon 200mm EF f1.8L lens and QHY9, NO Darks

California Nebula, 2 x 10min Canon 200mm EF f1.8L lens and QHY9. No Darks

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Please Note!

Images here are just a very quick test.

The lens was manually focused, and at f1.8 it's not possible to do accuratetly,

all the images are somehow soft for that reason.

No sharpening or noise reduction was used, just stretching.

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The camera has a small pixel size, 5,4 microns.

That gives me resolution of 5"/pixel with 200mm Canon lens.

With 300mm Tokina it will give about 3"/pixel.

Under sampled? yes a litle, but with my seeing conditions not actually at all.

With those lenses I can have both, high resolution and wide field!

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With longer focal lenght, like my LX200 GPS 12", the camera can be binned down 2x2.

It will give resolution of about 1"/pixel. Doe the fact, that the camera has 8,6mb,

image has enough resolution after binning.