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Greg,
The electronics in the QHY-9 is as good as any other design and vise versa.
As long as you understand how the CCD camera works, and how you obtain the data from it, your naughty to make suggestive answers.
The ADC controllers, and main comms, are virtually the same. Designers go for low noise ADC chips, as well as fast sampling speeds. You will be suprised to know that they will most likely have the same chips inside.
Noise is the only added drawback you get from different camera manufacturers.
This is introduced by not taking proper precautions, or skimping on, as you say, the electronics. Assumption is never an asnwer, but detailed specifications are. What you should grasp is just how little circuitry is required to provide an image. Of course if you add a power supply, and guider circuitry in the same box, then of course the whole thing looks more complex. This is why the SBIG cameras are so big. They do pack quite a lot of electronics in it. US ROBOTICS on the other hand use much less, as also does Starlight Xpress, etc. But this is still irelavent, as its the specifications and displayable performance that counts.
Cooling is extremely important, i agree here. But these days, nearly every camera will do -50 Deg Delta off ambient. The QHY-9 will do it in 5 minutes, the newer Sbigs should be right there too, but that doesnt mean everything. How low is the readout noise, what is the thermal noise within the camera, download speed, etc.
Paul,
StarlightXpress, QSI, ATIK, QHY make absolutely great products, as does many more manufacturers.
I really recommend you look at your budget, and then look at the quality of images produced by the model you want. Just make sure you compare the imagers behind the work as well. Ive seen some really good shots from some cameras, but then seen really bad ones with different imagers processing them, so take experience in processing into account.
Software and drivers is another thing to look at. Does it have all the drivers you want, like Maxim, Ascom etc.
You wont go wrong with the 8300 sensor, but just be warned, it really does have a low full well depth.
Personally, i prefer the 9000 sensor, as it has 110,000 well depth, 64% QE, and 12 micron pixels. But thats me..
Theo
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