DISCOVER NEW HORIZONS
Telescope: Celestron EdgeHD 9.25″
Camera: QHY268M
Mount: iOptron CEM70
Frames: Ha: 71×600″, SII: 33×600″, OIII: 21×600″
| Model | QHY1253M/P |
| Image Sensor | Sony IMX253 |
| Sensor Type | Mono/Polarize |
| Pixel Size | 3.45μm*3.45μm |
| Effective Pixels | 12 Megapixels |
| Effective Image Area | 13.91mm*10.34mm |
| Effective Pixel Area | 4032*2998 |
| Polarization direction | 90° ，45°
135°，0° |
*Please contact QHYCCD about the price.
QHY1253 has IMX253 Global shutter CMOS sensor with the special Polarize version. Monochrome and color version are also available. Compared with QHY550P, 1253P has a bigger sensor. It has important applications in gemstone, geology and material science, biology science.
QHY1253 has build-in two stage TEC cooler. It can cooled the sensor to -35C below ambient and reduce the dark current, which greatly improving the dark signal detect performance. Especially for detect the tiny difference of the polarize light. This is necessary for the astronomy, life science and optical lab.
With the on-pixel four direction polarize filter, A ploarize sensor can capture the polarize image at only one exposure. No need change the polarize filter for three times. Polarize detector can be used in industry image to detect the scratch, transmissible object and getting the no-reflection pictures.
Since the polarizer is formed during the semiconductor process, form and formulation of polarizer, uniformity, mass productivity and durability are excellent compared to conventional polarization sensors. Furthermore, The Polarization sensor is covered with an anti-reflection layer which helps to reduce reflectance and avoids poor flare and ghost characteristics.
Unlike the rolling shutter technology used in most CMOS cameras, a global shutter guarantees that the exposure time for the whole image area is uniform, beginning and ending at exactly the same time. This type of shutter is ideal for high precision applications. For high speed moving object and the atmospheric agitation the global shutter can generate undistorted imaging and realizes high picture quality.
| Model | QHY1253M/P |
| Image Sensor | Sony IMX253 |
| Sensor Type | Mono/Polarize |
| Pixel Size | 3.45μm*3.45μm |
| Effective Pixels | 12 Megapixels |
| Effective Image Area | 13.91mm*10.34mm |
| Effective Pixel Area | 4032*2998 |
| Total Pixel Area | 4032*2998 |
| A/D | 12-bit A/D (output as 16bit and 8bit) |
| Full Well Capacity (1×1, 2×2, 3×3) | 9.8ke- |
| Read Noise | 1.17e- to 1.8e- |
| Dark Current | 0.017e-/pixel/sec @ -20℃ |
| Exposure Time Range | 20μs-300sec |
| Shutter Type | Electronic Global Shutter |
| Computer Interface | USB3.0 |
| Filter Wheel Interface | 4PIN QHYCCD CFW Port |
| Trigger Port | One Hardware Trig-In Socket (RCA type).Opto-isolated |
| Full Frame Rates | USB3.0:
27.2fps @8bit 13.1fps@16bit |
| ROI Frame Rates
|
USB3.0:
1080lines, 70.5FPS@8bit, 37.8FPS@16bit 768lines, 95.1FPS@8bit, 50.8FPS@16bit 480lines, 139.5FPS@8bit, 77.1FPS@16bit |
| Built-in Image Buffer | 128MB DDR2 Memory Buffer |
| Air Cooling System | Dual Stage TEC cooler:
-35℃ below ambient, test temperature +20℃, exposure >1s) |
| Liquid Cooling | |
| Recommended Flow Rates | |
| Anti-Dew Heater | Available |
| Humidity Sensor | |
| Firmware/FPGA remote Upgrade | |
| Optic Window Type | AR+AR High Quality Multi-Layer Anti-Reflection Coating |
| Back Focal Length | 17.5mm |
| Adapters | Support M42/0.75/2inch. Optional C-mount adapter |
| Weight | 450g |
| Power | 27W/100%
12W/50% 2W/0% |
| Polarization direction | 90° ，45°
135°，0° |
The camera requires an input voltage between 11V and 13.8V. If the input voltage is too low the camera will stop functioning or it may reboot when the TEC power percent is high, causing a drain on the power. Therefore, please make sure the input voltage arrived to the camera is adequate. 12V is the best but please note that a 12V cable that is very long or a cable with small conductor wire may exhibit enough resistance to cause a voltage drop between the power supply and the camera. The formular is: V(drop) = I * R (cable). It is advised that a very long 12V power cable not be used. It is better to place the 12V AC adapter closer to the camera.
First connect the 12V power supply, then connect the camera to your computer via the USB3.0 cable. Make sure the camera is plugged in before connecting the camera to the computer, otherwise the camera will not be recognized. When you connect the camera for the first time, the system discovers the new device and looks for drivers for it. You can skip the online search step by clicking “Skip obtaining the driver software from Windows Update” and the computer will automatically find the driver locally and install it. If we take the 5IIISeries driver as an example (shown below), after the driver software is successfully installed, you will see QHY5IIISeries_IO in the device manager.
Please note that the input voltage cannot be lower than 11.5v, otherwise the device will be unable to work normally.
All-in-one Pack supports most QHYCCD models only except PoleMaster and several discontinued CCD cameras.
Download Page: https://www.qhyccd.com/download/
Video Tutorial: https://www.youtube.com/embed/mZDxIK0GZRc?start=1
Before using software, make sure you have connected the cooling camera to the 12V power supply and connected it to the computer with a USB3.0 data cable. If it’s an uncooled camera, 12V power is not needed. We recommend 64-bit Software, like SharpCAP x64 , N.I.N.A x64. etc., especially when you’re using 16bit cameras.
NINA supports direct connection via the QHY plugin as well as connection through the ASCOM driver. The following instructions assume a direct connection using the QHY plugin.
Set the Target temperature.
Set exposure time and start the shooting.
The instructions below are based on SharpCap 3.1
Click Camera in the menu bar and select your camera.
If the software and drivers mentioned above have been installed correctly, the image will appear automatically. And the frame rate can also be seen in the lower-left corner of the software window, as shown below.
Capture Profiles
Preset management.
After SharpCap is restarted, the default settings are restored. If you frequently use one or more specific parameter configurations, you can adjust the parameters as needed and then click Save to store them as a preset. The preset can be directly recalled the next time you open the software.
Exposure
Sets the exposure duration. When LX Mode is enabled, the single-frame exposure time can be extended to longer values.
Gain
Equivalent to the ISO setting on a standard digital camera. Higher gain values result in higher sensitivity.
Frame Rate Limit
Limits the maximum frame rate. By default, no limit is applied. Users can set the limit manually if needed.
Offset
Adjusts the bias level. Even when the camera is completely covered, the image may not appear perfectly black. By adjusting the offset value, a more optimal dark frame can be achieved. The Histogram can be used to verify the adjustment.
USB Traffic
Controls the data transfer speed (frame rate). When set to 0, the camera operates at its maximum frame rate.
Enable Broadcast Mode
Enables the broadcast driver. For detailed usage instructions, please refer to the documentation available on the download page.
Read Mode
Some camera models support high-gain and low-gain readout modes.
Color Space
Select the output format.
Raw8 / Raw16 are 8-bit or 16-bit formats. Images and videos saved in Raw8 or Raw16 format will be monochrome, even when using a color sensor. Color information must be restored through debayering during post-processing.
RGB24 is a non-RAW format that outputs color images directly, but requires more storage space.
Capture Area
Select the resolution used for image capture.
Binning
Enable pixel binning for image capture.
Output Format
Select the output file format.
Debayer Preview
When this function is enabled, the live preview will be displayed in color even if a RAW format is selected. Please note that the saved images will still be monochrome.
Gamma, Brightness, Contrast
Under normal operating conditions, we recommend leaving these settings unchanged.
White Balance (R/G/B)
This function is used for white balance calibration on color cameras. For detailed calibration instructions, please refer to the corresponding section on the color camera page.
This function is not required for monochrome cameras.
Histogram
The histogram is an important image reference tool. It can be used to check whether the white balance is set correctly, whether the offset value is appropriate, and whether the image is overexposed.
Its operating principle is the same as that of the histogram used in standard DSLR cameras.
Thermal Controls
After the cooled camera is connected to a 12 V power supply, the temperature control circuit will be activated. You can control the CMOS sensor temperature by adjusting the settings shown below.
There are two main methods for temperature control:
Adjusting the cooler power
Setting a target temperature
If you wish to control the CMOS temperature by setting a target temperature, first click “Auto”, and then use the slider to set the desired target temperature.
Scope Control: for filter wheel control
Select the corresponding filter wheel slot to control the rotation.
Note: The software must be started after the filter wheel has completed its rotation and returned to the home position; otherwise, the position will not be displayed correctly.
QHY devices can operate with many software applications that support the ASCOM platform. MAXIM DL is used as an example below.
First, make sure that both the ASCOM platform and the QHY ASCOM driver have been successfully installed. Launch MAXIM DL and follow the instructions shown in the figure below to complete the setup.
Click “Connect”
Set the cooling temperature.
EZCAP_QT is software developed by QHYCCD. For QHYCCD cameras, it provides basic image capture functions.
Install the EZCAP_QT software and connect the camera to your computer using a USB 3.0 cable. Launch EZCAP_QT, then click “Connect” under Menu → Camera.
If the camera is successfully connected, the EZCAP_QT title bar will display the camera firmware version and camera ID, as shown in the figure below.
In Camera Setup, click Temp Control to set the CMOS sensor temperature.
You can enable Auto to define a target temperature. For example, here we set the target temperature to –10 °C. The CMOS sensor temperature will quickly drop to the target value, typically within 2–3 minutes.
To disable cooling, select Stop. If you prefer to control the cooling power without setting a target temperature, you can manually set the cooling power as a percentage.
In EZCAP_QT, there is an Image Task Planner for sequence imaging.
Check Use to enable the task.
Set the following parameters:
Bin
ExpTime – exposure time
Repeat – number of frames
CFW – filter wheel position
Gain – gain value for the sequence
Click Folder to set the save path. (It is recommended to avoid special characters in the path and use English letters.)
Click Start to begin the sequence capture, and Force Stop to close the current task.
Please note that you may need to prepare desiccants yourself, because for most countries and regions desiccants are prohibited by air transport. Since QHY always deliver your goods by air, sorry that we can’t provide desiccants for you directly.
Under the vacuum pump, the gas inside the sensor chamber is drawn out through one drying interface, enters the drying tube, and then undergoes filtration. It is then reintroduced into the camera through the other drying interface, circulating back and forth for drying.
Note:1.Do not reverse the order of the intake and exhaust ports
2.Before circulating drying, it is necessary to turn off the refrigerator, and then turn on circulating drying after the temperature returns to normal temperature. Only by following this step can the water vapor in the sealed chamber be effectively removed. If the cooler is turned on, the cooler inside the camera will absorb water vapor, causing more water vapor to condense inside the camera instead of being absorbed by the desiccant.
If you find dust on the CMOS sensor, you can first unscrew the front plate of the cam and then clean the CMOS sensor with a cleaning kit for SLR camera sensors. Because the CMOS sensor has an AR (or AR/IR) coating, you need to be careful when cleaning. This coating can scratch easily so you should not use excessive force when cleaning dust from its surface.
All QHY cooling cameras have built-in heating plates to prevent fogging. However, If the ambient humidity is very high, the optical window of the CMOS chamber may have condensation issues. Then try the following:
1. Avoid directing the camera towards the ground. The density of cold air is greater than of hot air. If the camera is facing down, cold air will be more accessible to the glass, causing it to cool down and fog.
2. Slightly increase the temperature of the CMOS sensor .
3. Check if the heating plate is normally working. If the heating plate is not working, the glass will be very easy to fog, the temperature of the heating plate can reach 65-70 °C in the environment of 25 °C. If it does not reach this, the heating plate may be damaged. Please contact us for maintenance.
Please avoid thermal shock during use. Thermal shock refers to the internal stress that the TE cooler has to withstand due to the thermal expansion and contraction when the temperature of the TEC suddenly rises or falls. Thermal shock may shorten the life of the TEC or even damage it.
Therefore, when you start using the TEC to adjust the CMOS temperature, you should gradually increase the TEC power rather than turning the TEC to maximum power. If the power of the TEC is high before disconnecting the power supply, you should also gradually reduce the power of the TEC and then disconnect the power supply.
Press the TRIG MODE ON button. You will find that the video image in sharpCAP software stops. The camera has entered a waiting outside trigger state. Trigger the input port via the photoelectric isolation and enter a high level. You’ll find that the image takes a frame, and the longer the duration of the high level, the longer the image will be exposed. In this mode, the exposure time is equal to the duration of the high level.
