Features:
DSO cooled camera line is the most advanced product line in Player One history. We started the project in 2021, and through a lot of modifications and rebuilds, we made this final version. It brings our newest technology and design to everyone, we are very proud to introduce this camera line.
Power Supply Not Included! - You can purchase here... https://www.microscopecameras.co.uk/player-one-12v-5a-power-supply-dc55-x-21mm
Drivers and software download: http://player-one-astronomy.com/service/software/
Manuals download: http://player-one-astronomy.com/service/manuals/
New Cutting-edge Design
Polygon-like regular hexagons are quite Player One, using the DSO-cooled cameras, we want to make it more beautiful and functional. After much experimentation, we settled on the final style, which employs a scientific and technological octagon to construct the main body line and four sides of cambered surfaces, supplemented by round chamfers to achieve both rigidity and flexibility. The front piece is round to avoid diffraction on RASA. The positive red, similar to a summer fire, is paired with the low-key and steady black, and the super-fine frosting process on the entire surface makes the camera look elegant and cool while maintaining Player One style.
ZEUS 455C Pro cooled camera is developed by Player One Astronomy, designed for advanced DSO imaging. it adopts a Sony Industrial grade IMX455AQK-K full-frame format color sensor. The 3.76um pixel size accommodates a good depth of 71.6Ke with a total of 61MP (the resolution is 9576*6388), and the diagonal is 44.3mm.
Rear Adjustment 4 Point Sensor Tilt Plate
When taking deep sky objects, using a sensor tilt plate can get a much smaller field curvature of the telescope. We adopt rear Adjustment and 4-point tilt plate, it has a lot advantages in usage.
4 Point adjustment makes it easier to know which corner is needed to adjust. The built-in high-density sponge shading pad can block the light from the side slits without any side leakage.
To understand 4 point adjustment method, we made an example for users:
Deep Cooling
Player One cooled camera series uses 2 2-stage TEC Cooling units, after improving the structure design to reject the heat back to the camera chamber, Zeus Camera Delta-T can reach about 35℃.
512MB DDR3 Cache
As an improvement, the DDR3 cache in cooled cameras is increased to 512MB. It helps stabilize and secure data transmission, effectively avoids frame dropping, and greatly reduces readout noise.
With the DDR3 cache, the camera does not have high demands on computing needs any longer, it will still have excellent performance even if it is connected to a USB 2.0 port.
STARVIS Technology
ZEUS 455C Pro cooled camera based on Sony STARVIS technology, it is back-illuminated pixel technology used in CMOS image sensors.
Full-Frame Format
ZEUS 455C Pro cooled camera has a full-frame format (36mm*24mm), and it is very suitable for professional DSO imaging.
Native 16bit ADC
IMX455 has a native 16-bit on-chip ADC. Native 16bit ADC (65536 levels) provides higher sample resolution than 12bit (4096 levels) or 14bit (16384 levels). When performing non-linear transformation, 16-bit data can endure very strong transforms and provide considerably better light and dark transitions, furthermore, 16-bit can make the colour more vivid.
Non-Amp-Glow
ZEUS 455C Pro cooled camera is a Non-Amp-Glow camera too!
300s, gain=0, offset=5, dark frame at -5℃ of ZEUS 455C Pro cooled camera: DOWNLOAD
Preview of Dark frame: Exposure=300s, gain=0, offset=5, temp=-5℃ STF auto-Stretch in Pixinsight 1.86
Non-Amp-Glow can give us a very clean background, making it much easier to get high-quality images.
Type-C Data port and Power port
The back piece of the cooled camera has 2 Type-C data ports and a 12V DC 5.5×2.1mm power port.
The main data port supports USB3.0 protocol, the camera can run 6.5fps under RAW8 mode. Type-C port is easier to plug in when assembling the imaging equipment at night.
When recording images, since the actual writing speed will be affected by the writing speed of the hard disk itself, when the hard disk writing speed is slow, the recording may not reach the theoretical speed. It is recommended that you use a high-quality solid-state drive to record data to give full play to the performance of the camera.
The camera has a 12V DC5.5*2.1mm port to provide enough power to the TEC cooling system. If you don’t need to power up cooling, need to connect the main Type-C port, the camera will work as an uncooled camera.
Standard Cable Usage
Cooling System and Anti-Dew Heater
In ASCOM window, we provide 3 adjustable parameters: Target temperature, Fan Speed and Anti-Dew power.
Standard Delta-T: 35℃ (±2℃), when ambient temp 30℃, fan speed 100%, dew heater 10%.
Recommend Delta-T settings: 30℃ below ambient, fan speed 70%, dew heater 10%, power consumption 40- 60%.
The rotation speed of the cooling fan is also adjustable, the default value is 70% speed.
Dew problem is the biggest enemy in Astro imaging, the camera integrated anti-dew heater in front of the camera. The heat power is adjustable.
Overvoltage and overcurrent protection mechanism
Player One cameras produced by us ensures the safety of your camera and other equipment through overvoltage and overcurrent protection mechanisms.
Performance
Dual Sampling Mode
ZEUS series has a dual sampling mode. Normal mode and Low Noise mode, have different advantages in imaging.
1. Normal mode has a faster FPS, it is more suitable for planetary imaging.
2. Low Noise mode (LRN) mode has lower readout noise and higher dynamic range. it is more suitable for DSO imaging.
At gain=0, the camera has 14.2 stops dynamic range and 71.6Ke full well capacity, readout noise is 4.2e.
HCG open at gain=125, the camera has 13.5 stops dynamic range and 16.7Ke full well, readout noise drop to only 1.5e.
Frame rate
ZEUS 455C Pro cooled camera can run 6.5FPS under RAW8 mode, and 3.2FPS under RAW16 mode.
Extended Full well
ZEUS 455C Pro cooled camera has 71.6Ke full well.
Readout Noise
Regarding readout noise, we solemnly promise that all values are obtained from actual tests. And for users, you could use Sharpcap 4 for testing. SC4 has a function called Sensor Analysis, which provides a very simple way to test readout noise.
Player One wrote a tutorial on their website: https://player-one-astronomy.com/service/manuals/
If you are interested in readout noise testing, you may try it yourself, which is very simple.
Dark Current
The dark current is only 0.00014 e/s/pix at -20℃ and 0.00154e/s/pix at 0℃. In the entire curve, the dark current is almost like a straight line, which can prove that the ZEUS camera has very good quality.
QE Curve
Mechanical Drawing
BFL Solutions
Package List
Specifications
| Sensor | New SONY IMX455AQK-K full-frame CMOS (color) |
| Diagonal | 44.3mm |
| Total Pixels | 61 Mega Pixels |
| Max Resolution | 9576×6388 |
| Pixel Size | 3.76μm |
| Bayer Matrix | RGGB |
| Chip Size | 36mm×24mm |
| Frame Rate | Under USB3.0 mode
Resolution 10bit ADC 16bit ADC
9576×6388 6.5FPS 3.2FPS
3840×2160 47FPS 11FPS
1920×1080 105FPS 22FPS
800×600 184FPS 39FPS
More resolution options could be setup in capture softewares! |
| Shutter | Rolling shutter |
| Exposure Range | 32μs-2000s |
| Readout Noise | 4.2-1.27e |
| Full Well | 71.6k e |
| QE Peak | ≈80% |
| ADC | 16 bit |
| Cooling Syetem | High quality 2 stage TEC cooling Componet |
| Cooler Power Consumption | 12V – 3A Max |
| Delta T | 35℃ ± 2℃ (below ambient) |
| Working Temperature and Humidity | Working Temperature: -10°C—60°C
Working Relative Humidity: 0%—80% |
| Protective Window | D55*2MM High Quality AR Plus (Anti Reflection) Multi-Layer Coating |
| Data Port | Type-C USB3.0/USB2.0 |
| Adapter | M54X0.75, 2" |
| Back Focal Length | 17.5mm, 12.5mm( without sensor tilt plate) |
| Diameter | 90mm |
| Weight | 650g |
| ZEUS Color Purchase Options | Camera, Camera + Filter Drawer MAX + FHD-OAG MAX |
