by SBIG
Date first available at Amazon.com: July 8, 2011
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The new ST-8300M (monochrome) cameras are based on Kodak's KAF-8300, 8.3 megapixel, full frame CCD. This CCD array has 3326 x 2504 pixels at 5.4 microns making it ideal for both short fast optics in high resolution (unbinned) mode, and for longer focal lengths it can be binned binned 2x2 or 3x3. The CCD has both antiblooming and microlens technology to improve the effective Quantum Efficiency of the sensor. As a result it can be used in a wide variety of optical configurations. The camera electronics are USB 2.0 for fast download rates and rapid focus mode. The small light body accepts both c-mount and standard 35mm Nikon camera lenses. A built-in mechanical shutter is included for automatic dark frames. In addition to its imaging capabilities, it can also be used as a guider.
Features:
Large High Resolution Imaging CCD:
The KAF-8300 CCD is approximately 18 x 14mm and has a diagonal measurement of about 22 millimeters. This is about 1.6X the image area of an ST-10 and nearly the same area as the STL-4020M. With its relatively small pixels and large image area it is ideal for wide field imaging with short fast telescopes and camera lenses and at the same time is flexible enough to be used on long focal length Schmidt-Cassegrains.
Partial Frame and Binning Modes:
The ST-8300M monochrome camera can be used with a filter wheel in any of several binning and partial frame modes for monochrome, color or narrowband imaging. Binned 2x2 the pixels are 10.8 microns square and binned 3x3 they are 16.2 microns square. At 2x2 the array is still 2 megapixels and at 3x3 just under one megapixel. This feature makes it possible to match the pixel size to your seeing and scope, from a small refractor to a large SCT. With the ST-8300M monochrome camera binning will not only help optimize the sensitivity of the CCD with the user's optics and seeing conditions, but also speeds u