ZWO ASI678MC Color

Sony IMX678 Sensor with 2.0µm Pixels

At the core of the ASI678MC is a 1/1.8" format Sony IMX678 sensor, which provides a 3840x2160 resolution ideal for capturing fine surface details on Jupiter, Saturn's rings, and lunar craters. The small 2.0µm pixel size is a critical factor for achieving optimal sampling on long focal length telescopes, allowing you to resolve intricate features without excessive use of Barlow lenses. This back-illuminated sensor architecture also provides outstanding sensitivity, especially in the near-infrared, giving you a distinct advantage when imaging planets with methane band or IR-pass filters.

Zero Amp Glow & 47.5 FPS Capture Rate

A standout feature implemented at the hardware level, the ASI678MC exhibits absolutely zero amplifier glow, regardless of exposure length or gain settings. This guarantees clean calibration and removes a major source of noise from your final images, a significant upgrade over previous generation sensors. The camera sustains a maximum frame rate of 47.5 FPS at its full 8.29 MP resolution, enabled by a high-speed USB 3.0 interface and a 256MB DDR3 buffer that prevents dropped frames during critical moments of steady seeing.

• No Amp Glow: Cleaner dark frames and less post-processing complexity, even with higher gain settings.
• 256MB DDR3 Buffer: Ensures stable, high-speed data transmission to your computer, eliminating frame drops during capture sessions.
• High Conversion Gain (HCG) Mode: Automatically activates at higher gain settings to drastically reduce read noise while preserving the full 11.27ke well depth, maintaining a wide dynamic range.

ZWO ASI678MC vs. ASI585MC

While both cameras share the same 4K resolution, the ASI678MC and ASI585MC are optimized for different primary use cases. The choice depends on your telescope and primary imaging targets.

• ASI585MC Advantage: The ASI585MC has a larger sensor and bigger 2.9µm pixels, giving it a significantly larger field of view and a deeper full well capacity (47ke vs 11.27ke). This makes it more versatile for capturing not just planets, but also brighter deep-sky objects like the Orion Nebula (M42).
• ASI678MC Advantage: The ASI678MC's smaller sensor and 2.0µm pixels provide a more magnified image scale, which is ideal for framing planets without needing aggressive barlowing. This makes it a more specialized and efficient tool for high-resolution planetary, lunar, and solar imaging.

Connectivity and Build

The ASI678MC is housed in a compact, lightweight body weighing only 126g. It features a standard M42x0.75 female thread for connection to your telescope, with a 1.25" nosepiece included for use with standard focusers. The camera provides both a high-speed USB 3.0 port for data transfer and an ST-4 guide port, allowing it to double as a highly sensitive autoguider when not being used for primary imaging.