asi 6200MC Pro (IMX 455)

[Hemi]

ive had the 294 MC pro for many years and its nearing the end of its legs (its been back to ZWO once already for an electrical fault)

My main use of a camera is almost entirely EAA and Planetary. And always OSC.

The scopes I would use it on are a C11 (f10,F2, F6.3), Tak FS60Q (F10, F6, F4.4), ES102 (f7)

While there are cheaper options with smaller sensors, I figured if money was no object, this would make a good all round camera. I will outline my rationale below.

1. Large sensor, widest possible FoV
2. Can Bin to lower sampling
3. Can Select ROI for planetary and faster frame rates
4. 3.76 pixel size not too bad for planetary
5. Zero amp glow and much more sensitive compared with my 294

I live in the tropics so cooled is always an advantage, despite the short exposures.
I can't see myself ever going mono.

your thoughts would be appreciated, might have missed Santas express post already!

Cheers

[floyd_2 (Dean)]

Wouldn't that camera be nice to have! Do you think you would have any vignetting issues with your gear with a chip that big?

[Kuz]

Hemi

I looked into getting 6200 mc myself. But I seen several complaints in regards to them leaking oil onto the sensor. Seems to be very common with this camera.

[AnakChan (Sean)]

I've not heard of any oil leaks in the ASI6200MM nor MC. I believe you're thinking of the ASI2600MC/MM instead.

[gregbradley]

One issue with the 6200 is that its a full frame sensor and your scopes may not have a corrected field wide enough to do an aberration free image.

Full frame is pretty demanding and usually requires a flattener on the scope that can give a 44mm round corrected circle of light.

The number of scopes that can deliver that is limited.

It will also require at least a 3 inch focuser, larger is better.

Greg.

[AdamJL]

6200 can leak oil as well but it’s mainly the 2600 series that’s suffering from it
Even after ZWO said they’ve ”fixed” it

[Hemi]

Thanks everyone.

I think there are options with the c11 and the Fs60q to get a 44mm image circle. And also with the es102 if I change the focuser.

It would mainly be used on the c11, possibly with the large format reducer from starizona.

…I have a full frame DSLR to test the optics.
…a crop sensor maybe the way to go.

[The_bluester (Paul)]

While the camera field of view will be bigger than your well corrected field of view I can see one advantage to the full frame, if you decide to do some traditional imaging anyway. Camera rotation angle becomes more or less irrelevant, you can crop a centered field of whatever well corrected and illuminated field your optics can provide, in any orientation you like. For EAA it would depend on your tolerance for abberations. Trading off aberrations for whatever FOV your optics will provide before it becomes vignetted to nothing. I have never had a proper crack at planetary so I can't comment there.

It is a lot of money though to get that capability compared to the APS-C format cameras like the ASI2600.

[Zuts]

Originally Posted by gregbradley

One issue with the 6200 is that its a full frame sensor and your scopes may not have a corrected field wide enough to do an aberration free image.

Full frame is pretty demanding and usually requires a flattener on the scope that can give a 44mm round corrected circle of light.

The number of scopes that can deliver that is limited.

It will also require at least a 3 inch focuser, larger is better.

Greg.

Hi,

I have an Esprit 120 (3.4 inch focuser), with the supplied flattener it claims it can produce a 43mm round corrected circle of light.

Is this 1mm difference going to present any issues for a full frame camera on the Esprit 120?

[gregbradley]

Originally Posted by Hemi

Thanks everyone.

I think there are options with the c11 and the Fs60q to get a 44mm image circle. And also with the es102 if I change the focuser.

It would mainly be used on the c11, possibly with the large format reducer from starizona.

…I have a full frame DSLR to test the optics.
…a crop sensor maybe the way to go.

Yes I think so. APSc is more scope friendly. You don't want to be putting pressure on getting perfect flats because of excessive vignetting. Nor chasing exact spacing to get round corner stars with a 6200 camera.

The 6200 sensor is showing corner defects in even high end scopes like FSQ106ED.

The small pixels are great in one way (resolution) and bad in another (shows up even slight defects quite clearly).

APSc owners seem to be getting an easier time with their gear.

As far as ZWO versus QHY I am happy I chose QHY. Extra read modes, more orthogonal sensor (lots of reports of poorly aligned ZWO sensors).
Software has overall been good with the QHY for me.


Greg.

[Hemi]

Thanks Greg,

I have a ZWO 294 and a qhy 462. They have been my only 2 dedicated Astro cams. Both brands have been fine for me in my limited experience.

It’s been very cloudy since my 13mm Nagler arrived (after a very long wait), that I’ve been tinkering. I have a little scope side nuc. But have been playing with a raspberry pi and StellarMate. I’m now waiting for a asiair plus to arrive which is ZWO only! Clouds can be very expensive.

I hope it clears otherwise I fear the Mrs will be on the war path if a 6200 should arrive!

[gregmc (Greg)]

Originally Posted by Zuts

Hi,

I have an Esprit 120 (3.4 inch focuser), with the supplied flattener it claims it can produce a 43mm round corrected circle of light.

Is this 1mm difference going to present any issues for a full frame camera on the Esprit 120?

I also have the ESPRIT 120ED but with a moonlite focuser.
I now doubt claims by manufacturers unless it’s someone like astro-physics, tak etc.

I have a QHY600M PH with QHY filter wheel & 50mm chroma filters

I two issues. I don’t think it’s that flat but I don’t know how the skywatcher claims compare with others but if I was to buy another OTA today, I’d err on the quality end of the market (which is almost impossible to get with someone like a stro-physics )
2nd issue is a strange reflection I never saw with a 4/3 sensor (ie ASI1600MM)

also, I needed a special fitting made to give me the 75mm spacing from the back of the flattener to the sensor (ie. the correct backfocus)

[AnakChan (Sean)]

Originally Posted by Zuts

Hi,

I have an Esprit 120 (3.4 inch focuser), with the supplied flattener it claims it can produce a 43mm round corrected circle of light.

Is this 1mm difference going to present any issues for a full frame camera on the Esprit 120?

In addition to Greg's comment, the 43mm image circle doesn't mean that it's evenly lit throughout the entire circle. There is a gradual taper off. So the actual evenly lit portion is even smaller than that. However nothing that flats can't "fix".

FYI I shoot the ASI6200 on my Tak µ250CRS who's native FL gives an image circle of 40mm. I kinda "don't care". I still get decent pix out of it.

[Hemi]

Hi Team,

Thought I would resurrect this thread for some follow up questions… I still haven’t bought the camera.

1. Is the 2600/6200 mc pro oil leak still a problem?
2. Is there any disadvantage (not monetary) in going with the 6200mc pro and using ROI. Effectively using it as FF, crop sensor/4 thirds/1in sensor as the optics demand?
3. Buy local or overseas/direct? Price differential is $300 for 2600 and $600 for 6200 if lucky with gst/customs.

Cheers

[gregbradley]

Originally Posted by Hemi

Hi Team,

Thought I would resurrect this thread for some follow up questions… I still haven’t bought the camera.

1. Is the 2600/6200 mc pro oil leak still a problem?
2. Is there any disadvantage (not monetary) in going with the 6200mc pro and using ROI. Effectively using it as FF, crop sensor/4 thirds/1in sensor as the optics demand?
3. Buy local or overseas/direct? Price differential is $300 for 2600 and $600 for 6200 if lucky with gst/customs.

Cheers

Question 2. Yes you can do that. As to disadvantages - not that I aware of beyond you are getting s smaller FOV, its a digital zoom. But that may suit the target if its a galaxy.

Question 3 I would buy QHY over ASI for a 6200. QHY has much better senor orthogonal procedures and tolerances whereas from what I have read ZWO do not with considerable tilt being a major issue. My QHY requires the same tilt correction as my CCDs which I see as some minor tilt in my imaging train not the camera and I take that as a test of its sensor squareness. There are lots of posts about ZWO ASI 6200 sensors being tilted over at Cloudy Nights.

QHY also has various read modes, has a higher grade sensor on the photographic model compared to ZWO. It costs a bit more but I think its worth it. The various read modes are very handy and quite noticeable in their effect.

Build quality is more robust with QHY as well.

Greg.

[gregbradley]

Originally Posted by Hemi

Hi Team,

Thought I would resurrect this thread for some follow up questions… I still haven’t bought the camera.

1. Is the 2600/6200 mc pro oil leak still a problem?
2. Is there any disadvantage (not monetary) in going with the 6200mc pro and using ROI. Effectively using it as FF, crop sensor/4 thirds/1in sensor as the optics demand?
3. Buy local or overseas/direct? Price differential is $300 for 2600 and $600 for 6200 if lucky with gst/customs.

Cheers

Originally Posted by AnakChan

In addition to Greg's comment, the 43mm image circle doesn't mean that it's evenly lit throughout the entire circle. There is a gradual taper off. So the actual evenly lit portion is even smaller than that. However nothing that flats can't "fix".

FYI I shoot the ASI6200 on my Tak µ250CRS who's native FL gives an image circle of 40mm. I kinda "don't care". I still get decent pix out of it.

In my experience there has never been a scope that had vignetted images that flats would not correct. Some flats are quite extreme though.

Most scopes with a 43mm or larger corrected circle have vignetting to some degree. The least is from AP scopes or an FSQ both of which have a very large corrected circle (AP for example is huge -around 80mm or so(. Yet another reason to use AP scopes if you can snag one.

Greg.

[Startrek (Martin)]

Q1. I purchased my 2600MC in August of 2020 and eventually had the dreaded oil leak in April 2021 where it was cleaned and returned to me under warranty in 10 days. This was April 2021 , it’s been fine ever since
Sometimes I browse on the ZWO forum ( member ) and CN ( member ) etc..... and I haven’t seen an oil leak post since June / July 2021
I’m sure the issue has been resolved internally and their assembly QA process has been revised to mitigate and eliminate the problem from occurring again
Cheers
Martin

[Zuts]

Hi,

ZWO claims to have solved this issue, this thread has alarming photos of oil streaks but read all the history and the problem seems to have been solved.

https://bbs.astronomy-imaging-camera...-asi-2600mc/35

Disclaimer I have a ASI2600 MC, and touch wood have not yet experienced the leak.

Here is a quote from a ZWO tech detailing a lifetime warranty if this issue arises.


tech@zwo24 Feb
We are so sorry for the problem.
The oil leak issue comes from the thermal pads some ASI cameras used. Some of them have higher oil content so after long-time use, the oil infiltrates into the gaps of sensor and board, and even the sensor surfaces. It needs us to do deep cleaning work and replace the pads to thoroughly avoid the issue occurring again in the future.

For all the ZWO customers suffering from the problem, we offer the "Replacement or Free repair" service.

1) You can contact us and directly send the camera to ZWO or the dealer where you bought the camera to get a new one. All the expenses incurred in transit will be met by ZWO (Just remember to keep your invoices) Also, we offer free home access service if you live in the USA and have the need of sending your camera back to ZWO.

Please notice that replacement requires your old camera to still be under 2-year warranty.

2) You can also send your camera with oil leak issue to the ZWO official maintenance points to get free repair service. We now have 3 such points in the USA, Germany and Japan. The repair service includes deep oil cleaning, thermal pads replacing, and sensor tilt resetting.

We provide lifetime warranty if your camera happens to have this issue.

3) The "Replacement or Free repair" service not only applies to the ASI2600 camera, also to other modules with the problem.

Please let us know if there is anything else we can help!

Cheers
Paul

[Hemi]

Thank you Greg, Martin and Paul,

That’s really helpful and clears things up significantly.
2600 will definitely be the sensible option, but I truly think that the 6200 would be a fantastically versatile camera for EAA, and even for planetary imaging.

Cheers

[gregbradley]

Originally Posted by Hemi

Thank you Greg, Martin and Paul,

That’s really helpful and clears things up significantly.
2600 will definitely be the sensible option, but I truly think that the 6200 would be a fantastically versatile camera for EAA, and even for planetary imaging.

Cheers

The big chip is amazing and you have that flexibility of running half or quarter (that is in SkyX and I presume other control software allows you to do that).

Tilt is the big issue. The different read out modes are also valuable.

I have/had 2 ZWO cameras and they are very good also.

Greg.