QHY163C Cooled CMOS Astronomy Imaging Camera

The QHY163C is a high quality cooled color camera that will produce amazing images of the Moon, the planets, and deep sky objects! It is capable of creating 4K Ultra High Definition video at 30 FPS, and will perform at 22.5 frames per second at full resolution. The QHY 163C sports a back-illuminated 16 megapixel, 4656 x 3522 CMOS sensor housed in a sealed chamber that is heated to prevent dew from building up on the sensor or window. This 4/3 high resolution sensor uses 3.8um pixels and has extremely low read noise of 1.2e.

The ability to cool your camera will reduce dark noise in your images. Cooling is especially helpful when imaging on warm summer nights! The QHY163C imaging camera has two-stage TEC cooling and temperature regulation that allows temperatures to reach a maximum of -40C below ambient. QHY has also tackled the problem of dew that can form on your sensor or sensor window, especially on damp nights. The QHY163 sensor chamber is fully sealed to keep air out, and includes a silicon gel tube socket as well as a window heater to keep everything nice and dry.

A built-in 128MB DDRII image buffer provides a safeguard against unexpected drops in data transmission. A frame buffer avoids lost frames during USB transfer by storing image data in the camera itself until it can be safely transmitted. Buffering will also make sure your video runs more smoothly when using a slower computer.

All semiconductors produce a small amount of light when powered up, causing brighter spots in the corners of the sensor where the high gain amplifiers are housed. Amplifier glow is most noticeable during long exposures. The QHY163C camera has an anti-amp light control circuit to reduce amplifier glow significantly.

QHY163C USB3.0 Camera Specifications

• CMOS Sensor: 4/3 inch 16 megapixel CMOS Sensor

• Color or Monochrome: Color

• Effective Pixels: 4656 x 3522

• Pixel Size: 3.8um x 3.8um

• Effective Area: 17.7mm x 13.4mm

• Shutter: Electric Rolling Shutter

• Full Well Capacity: Typical 18-20ke

• Readout Noise: 2.4e@low gain, 1e@high gain

• Frame Rate 8 bit:
• 22.5 FPS @ 16 mega full resolution
• 30 FPS @ 4K HD Video
• 57 FPS @ 1920 x 1080
• 60 FPS @ 1280 x 1024
• 80 FPS @ 1024 x 768
• 100 fps @ 800 x 600

• ROI Support: Yes. Any Area ROI

• Exposure Time: 50us-1800sec

• AD Sample Depth: 10bit/12bit (8bit/12bit output)

• On Camera Image Buffer: Yes, 128MB DDRII Buffer

• Cooling: 2-stage TEC, Typical -40 below Ambient, Temperature Regulated

• Power: USB Powered for camera and +12V powered for TEC

• Anti Dew Control: Air Connector for removable silicon gel tube. Heat board for optic window of sealed CCD chamber

• Computer Interface: USB3.0 Super Speed

• Telescope Interface: M42/0.75 & 2inch adapter. Optional C-mount adapter

• Color Wheel Port: 4PIN QHYCFW2 socket

• Guide Port: 6PIN RJ11 Guide Port

• Optic Window: IR

• Weight: 442g/15.59 ounces

• Electric Interface: 12V input with lock, USB3.0 socket, 4PIN QHYCFW, 6PIN RJ11

Model	QHY163M (Monochrome)  QHY163C(Color)
CMOS Sensor	16mega pixel 4/3inch sensor
AR Coating On Sensor	No.Clear Glass
Pixel Size	3.8um*3.8um
Effective Pixel Area	4656*3522
Effective Pixels	16 mega
Effective Image Area	17.7mm*13.4mm
Fullwell	18ke- to 20ke-
AD Sample Depth	12bit/10bit (output as 16bit and 8bit)
Sensor Size	Typical 4/3inch
Full Frame Rate and ROI Frame Rate	22.5FPS@16mega Full Resolution 30FPS@4K HD Video    57FPS@1920*1080 60FPS@1280*1024 80FPS@1024*768 100fps@800*600
Readout Noise	2.4e@low gain 1.0e@high gain
Dark Current	0.006e/pixel/sec @ -20C
Exposure Time Range	60us-1800sec
Anti-Glow Control	Yes
Shutter Type	Electric Rolling Shutter
Computer Interface	USB3.0
Built-in Image Buffer	128MByte DDR2 memory
Non-volatile memory / On camera storage	Build-in total 512Kbytes Flash Memory. 100Kbytes user-accessible space for stellar ROI frames for analysis of exoplanet investigation, occultations, atmospheric seeing messurement, focus , optic analysis etc. Support 100*100 image x 10rames   50*50 image x40frames. 25*25 image x160frames 10*10 image * 1000 frames （total frame numbers is based on 8bit image）
Cooling System	Dual Stage TEC cooler（about -40C below ambient）
Anti-Dew Heater	Yes
Air-proof Chamber	Yes,with silicon gel tube socket
Telescope Interface	M42/0.75
Optic Window Type	QHY163M: AR+AR High Quality Multi-Layer Anti-Reflection Coating  QHY163C: IR cut filter
Back Focal Length	Different value with different setup. See the camera connection table on bottom of this page
Weight	442g
Other Port	6PIN RJ11 Guide Port,  4PIN QHYCFW Port.
Power Supply	Camera Powered by USB.  The TEC need 12V DC input.