Unfortunately, noise = SQRT(detected photons) regardless of amplification. We can make some limited improvements in QE and read noise, and it is possible to integrate over longer time periods, but there's no magic bullet.
The CMOS sensor in this camera has quite large pixels- 19 microns, thus high sensitivity. But large pixels mean relatively low resolution of just over 2 mp. But more importantly, Canon provides specs for effective bit depth of 8 bits only...
The CMOS sensor in this camera has quite large pixels- 19 microns, thus high sensitivity. But large pixels mean relatively low resolution of just over 2 mp. But more importantly, Canon provides specs for effective bit depth of 8 bits only...
I think I will stick to my trusty CCD
At 4 million ISO I seriously doubt it'll come even close to 8-bit
it is encouraging that the mainstream manufacturers are finally putting some large pixels into their products - eventually someone will produce a low cost mono version of one of them and that will be the one to get for astro. 19 microns would suit a scope of about 5m fl, so it would be well matched to a 20+ inch catadioptric - or maybe even a 1m Newtonian (a 19 micron mono cam on a 1m f5 m would be able to image an average galaxy in about half an hour - maybe something to start saving for!).
At 4 million ISO I seriously doubt it'll come even close to 8-bit
That's what Canon provides in the spec sheet...but I agree with Ray, it is nice to see a CMOS sensor with larger pixels, since recently in appeared to me that we were being offered smaller and smaller pixels...
