Player One Uranus-C Pro Color IMX585 Cooled Astrophotography Camera

Sony's IMX585 Sensor: 8.3MP Resolution on a 12.85mm Diagonal

At the core of the Uranus-C Pro is Sony's STARVIS 2-based IMX585 sensor, a 1/1.2" format chip that provides a generous 12.85mm diagonal image area. The resolution is 3856x2180 with 2.9μm pixels and an RGGB Bayer matrix; the 1/1.2" size is quite big for imaging. It can easily capture the full disk of the Sun and Moon with short focal length refractors, and it makes mosaic work more efficient.

STARVIS 2 is Sony's back-illuminated pixel technology for CMOS sensors.

47k e- Full Well, 91% QE, and 0.7e Read Noise

The Uranus-C Pro has a 47k e- full well, which is almost 3.6 times the 13k e- of the previous-generation IMX485. The ADC is 12-bit (4,096 levels).

Readout noise goes down to 0.7e and peak QE is about 91%. HCG (High Conversion Gain) switches on at gain 210; there are no dynamic range figures for this camera. All readout noise values come from actual tests, and SharpCap 4's Sensor Analysis function lets you test them yourself.

2-Stage TEC Cooling, Anti-Dew Heater and Non-Amp-Glow

The Uranus-C Pro has a 2-stage thermoelectric cooler (TEC) with a standard delta T of 35°C to 40°C below ambient at 30°C ambient with the fan at 100%. The recommended settings are 30-35°C below ambient, fan 50-70% and dew heater 10%, for a power consumption of 40 to 60%; the fan defaults to 50%. Dark current is 0.0004 e/s/pix at -20°C and 0.005 e/s/pix at 0°C. In the ASCOM window you set the target temperature, fan speed and anti-dew power.

The Uranus-C Pro's dark frame is totally dark: it is a Non-Amp-Glow camera, shown by a 300s dark frame (gain 0, offset 10, -10°C); this gives a very clean background. An adjustable anti-dew heater is integrated at the front of the camera, in front of the D32x2mm AR Plus multi-coated window; dew is the biggest enemy in astro imaging.

46 FPS at Full Resolution with a 512MB DDR3 Buffer

Over USB 3.0, the camera reaches 46 FPS at the full 3856x2180 resolution in RAW8 (23 FPS in RAW16), 187 FPS at 1920x1080 and 418 FPS at 640x480.

To ensure stable data transfer without dropped frames at these high speeds, the camera incorporates a 512MB DDR3 buffer. It stabilizes data transmission, effectively avoids frame dropping and greatly reduces readout noise, and with it the camera no longer needs a powerful computer and still performs very well on a USB 2.0 port. Recording speed also depends on your disk; a good solid state drive is recommended.

420g Carbon Fiber Body with Dual Sensor Tilt Adjusters

The Uranus-C Pro shares the round red and black design of Player One's Ares cooled series. Carbon fiber is used in the housing and the structure is optimized for weight: the camera weighs 420 g. The tilt plate and the anti-dew PCB are integrated.

A sensor tilt plate adjusts the sensor angle so the stars in the corners are rounder. The front 3-point tilt plate is fitted by default and works well in a lot of basic scenarios. The rear 4-point tilt plate is included as an alternate part; it is necessary with a filter wheel, filter drawer or OAG at a fixed angle, and convenient for RASA users. A built-in high-density sponge pad blocks light from the side slits. The back focus is 17.5mm, the front thread is M42x0.75 with a 1.25" adapter, and the front has 6 M2.5 screw holes on R27.

12V DC Power for Cooling and Uncooled USB-C Operation

The Uranus-C Pro offers flexible power options. To engage the 2-stage TEC cooling system for deep-sky imaging, you connect an external 12V DC 5A power supply (not included) to the 5.5x2.1mm port. The cooler draws up to 3A. Player One builds in overvoltage and overcurrent protection.

If you connect only the main Type-C port, the camera works as an uncooled camera. The back has two Type-C data ports; the main one is USB 3.0.

One-Shot Color Imaging: Simplicity and Rich Detail

As a one-shot color (OSC) camera, the Uranus-C Pro uses a Bayer matrix (RGGB) over its sensor to capture full-color images in a single exposure. This approach simplifies the imaging process significantly compared to monochrome imaging, as you do not need a filter wheel or the time required to capture separate red, green, and blue frames.

Compared with the IMX485

Player One compares the IMX585 with the previous-generation IMX485.

• Full Well Capacity: The Uranus-C Pro's 47k e- full well is approximately 3.6 times deeper than the 13k e- of the IMX485.
• Frame Rate: The camera is much faster than IMX485 cameras: 46 FPS (RAW8) at the full 8.3MP resolution.