iOptron iCam 178M Monochrome Planetary Camera

iOptron iCam 178M Monochrome Planetary Camera

The iOptron iCam 178M camera is a monochrome CMOS camera that utilizes the Sony IMX178 sensor. This sensor, with a diagonal of 9 mm, provides an imaging area of 1/1.8" with a 2.4 µm pixel size and a 6.4 MP resolution. Implementing this sensor gives the 178M iCam camera high sensitivity, making it ideal for planetary imaging.

This camera has a very low readout noise, as low as 1.34e at a gain of 350 according to test results. The HCG mode will automatically turn on when the camera gain setting is >30. This mode greatly reduces the readout noise and retains the same dynamic range since it is at low gain. With the unique DPS (Dead Pixel Suppression) technology that is integrated into all iCam cameras, the 178M camera can eliminate any abnormal/dead pixels by analyzing the camera's dark frames.

iOptron has designed the 178M monochrome camera with a USB3.0 computer interface. When connected and the full-resolution preview in use, the camera can reach 60 FPS in Raw8 mode (10bit ADC). During sessions of image recording, the recording speed is affected by the hard drive writing speed, so it is recommended that the user utilizes a high-quality solid state drive to record data in order to benefit fully from the USB3.0 data speed.

iCam cameras are ST-4 compatible and have an ST-4 guiding port on the body of the camera so users can connect it to a mount for ST-4 autoguiding.

iCam 178M Camera Technical Features

• Color or Monochrome: Monochrome

• Sensor: Sony IMX178 CMOS

• Sensor Size: 1/1.8" (7.4 x 5 mm)

• Max. Resolution: 3096 x 2078 (6.4 MP)

• Pixel Size: 2.4 µm

• Frame Rate: 60fps (@10bit, max. resolution)

• Shutter: Rolling

• Exposure Range: 32 µs ~ 2000s

• Readout Noise: 2.2e ~ 1.3e

• QE: ~80%

• Full Well: 15Ke

• ADC: 14 bit

• HCG Mode: Supported

• Optical Window: AR Coated Glass

• Data Port: USB3.0

• Guide Port: ST-4 Compatible

• Telescope Adapter: 1.25"