QHY5III568M/C
QHY5III568M/C
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QHY5III568M/C
The QHY5III568 is an impressive planetary and guiding camera designed for astrophotography enthusiasts. Let’s explore its features:
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Sensor and Resolution:
- The QHY5III568M/C is part of the latest 5III V2 series.
- It features a back-illuminated Sony IMX568 CMOS sensor with a global shutter.
- The sensor has a resolution of 5.1 megapixels, providing adequate detail for efficient guiding and capturing splendid images of planets12.
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High-Speed Performance:
- The QHY5III568M/C can achieve a super-high frame rate of approximately 304 frames per second with nearly 1080p resolution.
- This rapid speed makes it ideal for capturing planetary details and minimizing motion blur during atmospheric turbulence1.
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Back-Illuminated Sensor (BSI):
- The BSI structure enhances sensitivity by allowing light to enter the photosensitive surface from the reverse side.
- Unlike front-illuminated sensors, where photons must pass through metal wiring before reaching the photosensitive layer, the back-illuminated sensor reduces this efficiency loss.
- Higher quantum efficiency results in better performance when capturing dim objects in the night sky1.
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Global Shutter:
- Unlike rolling shutter technology used in most CMOS cameras, the QHY5III568M/C employs a global shutter.
- A global shutter ensures that the exposure time for the entire image area is uniform, beginning and ending simultaneously.
- This feature is crucial for high-precision applications, especially when imaging fast-moving objects or dealing with atmospheric agitation1.
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True Hardware Binning (FD Binning):
- The camera supports charge-domain binning, which is true hardware pixel binning similar to CCD cameras.
- Unlike digital binning (used in most CMOS cameras), hardware binning does not introduce additional noise.
- It directly improves the signal-to-noise ratio by a factor of four without compromising frame rate.
- Even without using the ROI function, the QHY5III568M/C can achieve impressive results1.
The QHY5III568M/C inherits all of the updates and improvements of the QHY5III Series Ver. 2 line of cameras.
One benefit of the back-illuminated CMOS structure is improved sensitivity. In a typical front-illuminated sensor, photons from the target entering the photosensitive layer of the sensor must first pass through the metal wiring that is embedded just above the photosensitive layer. The wiring structure reflects some of the photons and reduces the efficiency of the sensor.
In the back- illuminated sensor the light is allowed to enter the photosensitive surface from the reverse side. In this case the sensor’s embedded wiring structure is below the photosensitive layer. As a result, more incoming photons strike the photosensitive layer and more electrons are generated and captured in the pixel well. This ratio of photon to electron production is called quantum efficiency. The higher the quantum efficiency the more efficient the sensor is at converting photons to electrons and hence the more sensitive the sensor is to capturing an image of something dim.
Unlike the rolling shutter technology used in most CMOS cameras, a global shutter guarantees that the exposure time for the whole image area is uniform, beginning and ending at exactly the same time. This type of shutter is ideal for high precision applications. For high-speed moving object and the atmospheric agitation, the global shutter can generate undistorted imaging and realizes high picture quality.
Unlike Most CMOS cameras, the camera supports charge-domain binning (FD Binning), which is the true hardware pixel binning similar to CCD cameras.
In the past, only CCD sensors were capable of hardware binning. Most CMOS cameras used digital binning, which relied on algorithms for binning. The disadvantage of this binning method (using 2*2 binning as an example) is that while the signal is amplified by 4 times, it also introduces twice the amount of noise, resulting in only a doubling of the signal-to-noise ratio, and then frame rate cannot be improved. In contrast, hardware binning does not amplify additional noise, resulting in a direct 4-fold improvement in the signal-to-noise ratio. What’s more, the frame rate can increase a lot even the ROI function is not activated.
The QHY5III (Ver. 2) series planetary and guiding cameras are all equipped with a 512MB DDR3 image buffer which can effectively reduce the pressure on computer transmission, a great help for planetary photography which often requires writing a large amount of data in a short period of time. Some deep-sky astrophotography cameras on the market today only have 256MB, for example.
In comparison, the 512MB DDR3 memory of the new 5III (Ver. 2) series cameras represent a significant upgrade.
QHY5III (Ver. 2) series cameras have adopted a new front-end design with better compatibility. Here we only take QHY5III200M as example, however, ALL V2 cams in the future share these features.
The BFL of V2 cam is only 8mm, which means you can easily compat a V2 cam with your OAG. The basic top adapter includes 1.25 inch threads and you can still use your 1.25 inch filter.
The top adapter glass of V2 can be easily swiched. One of the adavantage of changable top glasses is you can use one filter even you’re using Lens! You can add a 1.25inch-cs adapter to connect CS lens, or add a second CS-C lens for C-mount lens. The two adapters are all standard accessories of V2 cams.
By the way, there’s a 1.25-inch filter wheel adapter to connect your mono planetary cam with the QHYCFW3-S filter wheel.
The new QHY5III (Ver.2) series cameras all use the USB3.2 Gen1 Type-C interface. Compared to the USB3.0 Type-B interface used in the previous generation, the Type-C interface has a longer life and is more flexible.
Tips: It is recommended to use the official standard Type-C data cable of QHYCCD. As the market is flooded with a large number of poor-quality Type-C cables, casual use may lead to the camera malfunctioning. If you use your own spare cable, please make sure it is a high-quality cable.
The custom interfaces of the previous generation of planetary cameras and guiders has been replaced in the QHY5III (Ver.2) cameras with a more universal ST-4 compatible guiding interface. Now, even if the guiding cable is lost or damaged, you will be able to easily get a replacement on the market at a low cost.
The new QHY5III (Ver.2) series of cameras is equipped with a status indicator at the back of the camera. If the camera experiences an abnormal status, the multi-colored indicator light will help to determine the situation with different colors signifying different conditions. During normal operation this indicator light is off, so there is no worry about light contaminating the image.
http://astro.christone.net/hsolar/s20240307b_cgo.jpg
http://astro.christone.net/hsolar/s20240310b_cgo.jpg
By Christopher Go
QHY5III568M + Stellarvue SV70 + Coronado SM60
| Model | QHY5III568M/C |
| Image Sensor | Sony IMX568 |
| Mono/Color | Both Available |
| FSI/BSI | BSI |
| Sensor Size | 6.7mm*5.6mm（Type1/1.8） |
| Pixel Size | 2.74um*2.74um |
| Effective Pixel Area | 2472*2064 |
| Effective Pixels | 5.1 Megapixels |
| Full Well Capacity | Full Resolution: 8.8ke- 2X2 FD Binning: 9.7ke- |
| Read Noise | Full Resolution: 1.5-2.3e- 2X2 FD Binning: 1.6-2.7e- |
| A/D | 12-bit (output as 16-bit and 8-bit) |
| Built-in Image Buffer | 512MB DDR3 Memory |
| Full Frame Rates | 2472X2064 @8Bit 64.9FPS @16Bit 34.5Fps |
| ROI Frame Rates | 1920X1080 @8Bit 115.6Fps @16Bit 62.1Fps 800X600 @8Bit 187.2Fps @16Bit 100.5Fps 480X480 @8Bit 221.2Fps @16Bit 118.5Fps
2X2 FD Binning |
| Exposure Time Range | 11us-900sec |
| Shutter Type | Electric Global Shutter |
| Computer Interface | USB3.0 Type-C |
| Guide Port | Standard ST-4 Style |
| Telescope Interface | 1.25-inch, with CS and C-Mount |
| Optical Window | AR Anti-reflection Glass (5III568M） IR-Cut filter (5III568C) |
| Extra Filter | – |
| Back Focal Length | 17mm (with adapter); 8mm（without adapter） |
| Weigth | 80g |
Spectral Sensitivity
