FLI Microline 16200

[gregbradley]

I received my FLI Microline 16200 (ML16) today. I have it on my rig and imaging right now with it. It required minimal packing to square it up (my filter wheel causes some sag I suspect).

So far looking good. Specs are 6 micron pixels around 60%QE Well depth about 39,000 read noise 6 electrons or less (close Sony ICX694 there and the lowest of any Kodak/True Sense/On Semi sensor). APS sized at approximately 26 x20mm. It should suit a lot of telescopes.

http://www.flicamera.com/microline/index.html

The field of view is still large but ultrawide like it is with the Proline. It's a better match pixel size to the scope at 1.05 arc secs per pixels which is what Roland Christen recommends.

Cooling seems very powerful. At least 57C below ambient. Also temperature regulation seems superior with it sitting on exactly -35C for a long time. The fan is quiet and smooth and the shutter also sounds very smooth and quiet. Microline cameras are quite small. I am used to the big Proline.

The images are very clean and no defects of any kind, no columns, no hot pixel groupings - remarkably perfect. You can tell this sensor has been engineered with Astrophotography in mind. It seems cleaner than normal much like a 6D is cleaner than other Canons.

A first light image should turn up in a few days with a good forecast this week.

Greg.

[RickS (Rick)]

Look forward to seeing what it can do, Greg!

[gregbradley]

Originally Posted by RickS

Look forward to seeing what it can do, Greg!

Its very promising so far Rick.

Greg.

[Slawomir (Suavi)]

Great news Greg, I am also looking forward to seeing images taken with your new camera

[strongmanmike (Michael)]

Coupled to the RHA and in the sort of seeing you are likely to get on average, that's probably the closest thing to an all round camera-scope combo currently available off the shelf (well perhaps a RHA is a little harder to lay ya hands on? ) to amateurs Greg, good for all manner of objects from small things like galaxies and many PN's, to medium-large nebs like Trifid, M17, Tarantula etc, niiiice

Mike

[gregbradley]

Originally Posted by Slawomir

Great news Greg, I am also looking forward to seeing images taken with your new camera

I took some last night. Hopefully more tonight if the clouds clear so we get the "clear" forecast predicted.

Originally Posted by strongmanmike

Coupled to the RHA and in the sort of seeing you are likely to get on average, that's probably the closest thing to an all round camera-scope combo currently available off the shelf (well perhaps a RHA is a little harder to lay ya hands on? ) to amateurs Greg, good for all manner of objects from small things like galaxies and many PN's, to medium-large nebs like Trifid, M17, Tarantula etc, niiiice

Mike

That's my line of thinking on this. More FOV than an 8300 yet similar pixel size so you can always crop. 16mp is a good amount of pixels. Fuji X series cameras were 16mp APS sized for a long time and gave good sharpness.


The low read noise is similar to the clean Sony 694. The FOV suits a lot of objects and the sensor size is less hard on the imager getting everything squared up. The cooling is powerful and quiet and chip seems pretty perfect. QE is much the same as the 16803.

It doesn't replace the 16803 though as that mega wide field is great for many objects. Being able to unplug one and whack in the other with no adapter changes and simply refocus is very appealing. I have the packers for the Proline taped to the filter wheel so nothing gets disturbed.

The low weight also makes flexure problems not an issue (so far) but then I had them mostly conquered on my Proline and I would describe it as reliable now to give 20 minutes round stars. So if it will do 20minutes with round stars it'll probably do 1 hour.

Greg.

[Shiraz (Ray)]

looks like a great combination Greg - at last we seem to be getting a wide range of good new stuff to play with.

[gregbradley]

Originally Posted by Shiraz

looks like a great combination Greg - at last we seem to be getting a wide range of good new stuff to play with.

Thanks Ray. I should have something to post in a few days if these clear nights eventuate.

Greg.

[Shiraz (Ray)]

Hope the weather goes well Greg. The clouds are wall-to-wall here and it is raining sideways. Going to stay that way for a while it seems.

[Paul Haese]

As you know Greg I briefly had an order for this camera. It is an impressive looking sensor and I will be most keen to see how you travel with it.

[gregbradley]

Originally Posted by Shiraz

Hope the weather goes well Greg. The clouds are wall-to-wall here and it is raining sideways. Going to stay that way for a while it seems.

Its clear here and looks to be mostly clear all week.

Originally Posted by Paul Haese

As you know Greg I briefly had an order for this camera. It is an impressive looking sensor and I will be most keen to see how you travel with it.

It seems very good so far. It responds a bit differently to the 16803 but its very very clean and no defects. Noise is like the Sony.

Greg.