Product Description

ASI174MM Mini camera integrates Sony IMX174LLJ / IMX174LQJ 1/1.2″ sensor (11.3 mm x 7.1 mm). It is ZWO first mini camera. This camera has 1936 x 1216 pixels. The pixel size is 5.86 μm x 5.86 μm.  This camera provides 12bit ADC and its QE peak is 77%.

Astrophotography Performance

ASI174 mini camera offers you very good performance for planetary imaging and guiding. Low read noise, high dynamic range, QE peak 77%, AR protective window and much more.

High QE

Absolute QE Curve, we estimate the Peak Value is about 77%.

174Mini vs. 174MM

Compared with ASI174MM camera, 174mini has smaller outlook, lighter weight, and it can reach focus with eyepiece at the same position.

USB2.0Port & ST4 Port

USB 2.0 Port: Mini cameras have one USB2.0 type C port. Type C port is very popular among mobile phones, it doens’t matter with the  positive side and negetive side of the adapter.

ST4 Port: Can connect mini camera directly to the auto guide port of mount.

Connecting Drawing

1. M28.5-CS adapter
2. CS-C adapter
3. 1.25″ extender
4. 1.25″ filter

Mechanical Drawing

What is in the box?

ASI mini camera box includes all necessary cables, adapters, and manual.

ASI174 and ASI290 mini camera have very beautiful outlooks, small size, lighter weight, this is not a big deal.

We should consider much more…

How to  choose a good guide camera?

Many people may say : it must be small, suitable for different equipments(guide scope, OAG), stable working.

Yes, I think thoes are basic demand for a good guide camera, and ASI mini camera can do them well.

So, what else we do care in the deep of our mind?

I think there will be three potential requests: high sensitivity, precisely guiding, big FOV.

High Sensitivity

Sensitivity is the first thing we considered. it is very important to look for a guide star. So at the beginning, we were considering to use mono sensor to design our guide camera only. Because mono sensor has much higher sensitivity than color ones. After that, we carefully compared the sensitivity of our sensors. At last, we decide to use 290 and 174  mono sensor. As we know, 290 and 174 mono sensor have about 80% QE peak, can detect more stars in view. Also, we can shorten the exposure time in guiding.

Precisely Guiding

ASI290 mini is designed for precisely guiding. 2.9um pixel size can give you a higher arcsec/pixel than 224 or 120 camera. Which means in same guide scope, 290mini can detect slighter movement of stars. ASI290 mini can improve about 30% guide precision than 120mm.

Big FOV

ASI174 mini is designed for Big FOV guiding. This is very useful in OAG to looking for a guide star. When you using OAG guider to work with Ritchey-Chretien or Schmit-Cassegrain telescope, the hardest part is to looking for a guide star. ASI174 mini have 1/1.2″ big sensor which means you can have  4 times bigger Fov than 120mm.

Smiling Face

The back of ASI mini camera is like a smiling face, it’s mouth is Type C USB port, which is widely used in mobile phones. And it’s nose is ST4 port, for guiding. Every time, you use mini camera, there will always a smile face stay with you in the dark nights.

Focus like a eyepiece

ASI mini camera and eyepiece can  reach focus at same position. You can focus with an eyepiece, and put ASI mini camera into 1.25″ holder.

Work with OAG

Mini camera is very suitable for OAG, it can have much biger focus range than normal ASI cameras. Never to worry about that guide camera can not focus with main camera at same time.

Work with CS adapter and CS lens

Work with 1.25″ extender

SPECIFICATIONS

Sensor: 1/1.2″ CMOS IMX174LLJ / IMX174LQJ
Resolution: 2.3Mega Pixels 1936×1216
Pixel Size: 5.86µm
Exposure Range: 32µs-300s
ROI: Supported
Non-volatile memory/On camera storage: Build-in total 192K byte user-accessible space(image size up to 480X320)
Interface: USB3.0/USB2.0
Bit rate: 12bit output(12bit ADC)
Adaptor: 1.25″ / M28.5X0.6
Dimension: φ36mm X 61mm
Weight: 140g
Working Temperature: -5°C—45°C
Storage Temperature: -20°C—60°C
Working Relative Humidity: 20%—80%
Storage Relative Humidity: 20%—95%
12bit
1936*1216 18.4fps