Hey what's up everyone, Rafal here with OPT and in this video we are going to be
talking about one of the best multi-purpose cameras on the market - the ZWO ASI 183.
The ASI 183 has a few different options to pick from that will give it strength in certain areas,
but as an overview this camera is very well rounded
which makes it great for deep space planetary lunar and solar photography.
But first before we get into the nitty-gritty juicy information, do us a small favor and smash
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Alright let's get to the good stuff. So this is the ASI 183.
This camera comes in four different versions the standard version both in monochrome,
and color. And then the pro cooled version which also comes in both monochrome and color.
Now you can tell whether it's a monochrome camera or a color camera by looking at the tag.
MM means it's a monochrome camera and MC means it's color.
Now if you choose to go with the monochrome version then you'll have to get yourself a
filter wheel and some filters to go along with it. If you want color in your final
images if you're unsure of the differences between mono and color we highly recommend
checking out our video which covers all that by clicking on the link right up here.
What makes the ASI 183 an amazing camera and very unique is that it's great for all sorts
of astrophotography. For deep space photography you have the option of getting the pro model,
giving it cooling and reducing the noise over those long exposures.
You also have a pretty decently sized 21 megapixel one inch sensor. Now it's smaller than a micro
four thirds sensor, but it really packs a punch when it comes to getting the fine details.
You have a really small 2.4 micron pixel size allowing you to get really deep with the finer
details in your image and with a 5496 by 3672 resolution that is a great amount of
data. At that resolution you can hit a top frame rate of 19 frames per second.
If you're looking to do solar or lunar photography that's faster than most pro cooled cameras,
especially at that resolution. But it doesn't even stop there.
Now let's say you want to capture a specific crater on the moon or a flare on the sun or you're
just doing planetary photography, you can increase the frame rate by using only a fraction of your
sensor to capture it. This is called selecting your region of interest. You could do this in some
programs and on almost all cameras but the 183 especially will give you some really good results.
For example, at a resolution of 3840x2160 you get 36 frames per second. At 1920x1080 you get
70 frames per second. And at 1280 by 720 you get 103 frames per second. Which even at its lowest
resolution is giving you a decent image. With an incredibly high frame rate you can get even more
than double that at 270 frames per second by dropping the region of interest even further.
And all these examples are at a 12 bit depth. You can squeeze more frames out per second by
dropping the bit depth down to 10, but if you want our opinion it's not worth the sacrifice.
If you want to learn why bit depth and frame rates are so important we made a full video
going over all the camera specs and why they matter which you can check out right over here.
That being said it is a good option to have in case you do want those extra frames per second.
All versions of the 183 have a quantum efficiency of 84% which means that 84% of the light hitting
the sensor is getting recorded. Now I'd say and this is totally subjective but anything over 60%
is good anything over 75% is great and anything over 85% is
excellent. But again this is subjective, so take it easy in the comments section.
And of course, this will all change as technology grows and we get better quantum efficiency on
all cameras. All four versions come with a USB 3.0 port for fast data transfer.
And if you're going to be getting the pro version don't forget to pick yourself up
a 12 volt 3a power adapter to power that cooling feature.
One thing to note is that the pro version cameras are bigger and therefore heavier.
It's not something to be worried about, but it is important to know as you edge
your way closer to the weight capacity of your mount. The pro version is about five
times heavier than the standard version at one pound while the standard version
is one-fifth of a pound. But again that shouldn't make that much of a difference.
And the good news is that this camera can be used on the ASI Air Pro
and can be used on all your favorite imaging programs.
Anyway that about wraps it up for this overview of the ZWO ASI 183. If you guys found this video
helpful go ahead smash that like button, subscribe to the channel and hit the bell for notifications.
Last but not least if you have any questions about this camera or any astro related topics,
go ahead and leave them in the comments section below.
Thanks again for watching everyone.
My name is Rafal with OPT and we'll see you in the next video. Clear skies!