Player One Neptune 664C Color Planetary Camera

Sony IMX664 Sensor: 4.2 MP Resolution and 2.9µm Pixels

At the core of the Neptune 664C is the Sony IMX664, a colour sensor based on Sony's STARVIS 2 back-illuminated pixel technology. It has 2704x1540 pixels of 2.9µm on a 7.8mm x 4.5mm chip with a 9mm diagonal, and an RGGB Bayer matrix.

Player One names its planetary cameras after planets, with the planet's size standing for the sensor size; the name is engraved on the housing. User images include the Sun and the Moon taken with the Neptune 664C.

0.67e Read Noise and 38.5k e- Full Well with HCG at Gain 180

The full well is 38.5k e-. After many rigorous tests the readout noise reaches 0.75e at gain 350 and around 0.67e at gain 450, and all values come from actual tests; SharpCap 4's Sensor Analysis function lets you check them yourself.

The High Conversion Gain (HCG) mode turns on automatically at gain 180 and above. It greatly reduces readout noise and keeps the same high dynamic range as the low gain.

Non-Amp-Glow and Dead Pixel Suppression

The dark frame is the biggest surprise of the Neptune 664C: it is totally dark, with no amp glow however much the curve is stretched, as a 60s dark frame shows.

The camera also has DPS (Dead Pixel Suppression): it stores a map of fixed abnormal pixels found from many dark frames and gives each one the median of the pixels around it in every frame.

Up to 398 FPS Capture with a 256MB DDR3 Cache

Over USB 3.0 with a full-resolution preview, the Neptune 664C reaches 93 FPS in RAW8 (10-bit ADC) and 46.5 FPS in RAW16 (12-bit ADC).

For even higher speeds on individual planets, you can select a smaller Region of Interest (ROI). It reaches 187 FPS at 1920x1080 and 398 FPS at 640x480 in RAW8. The 256MB DDR3 cache stabilizes data transmission, effectively avoids frame dropping and greatly reduces readout noise, and the camera still performs very well on a USB 2.0 port. Recording speed also depends on your disk; a good solid state drive is recommended.

12-bit ADC, 91% QE, and a 310-1100nm Optical Window

The camera's 12-bit Analog-to-Digital Converter (ADC) captures over 4,000 levels of brightness, (4,096). The absolute QE peak is about 91%, and the QE curve shows an NIR-enhanced sensor.

In front of the sensor is a Super AR Plus window with super high transmittance from 310nm to 1100nm, which gives the camera much better performance in both ultraviolet and near-infrared. Behind this window the camera keeps a very high QE in the infrared.

12.5mm Back Focus and Integrated Sensor Tilt Plate

The Neptune 664C has a female M42x0.75 thread, comes with a 1.25-inch T-mount nosepiece and has a 12.5mm back focal distance. Three M2.5 screw holes on R27 let it bolt directly to Player One filter wheels and OAGs.

It has Player One's 2nd generation sensor tilt plate. Adjusting it gives smoother solar images without Newton rings when shooting with a prominence telescope, and a much smaller field curvature of the telescope. A built-in high-density sponge pad blocks light from the side slits. Player One's Passive Cooling System conducts heat from the sensor out of the camera, which is uncooled.

Third Generation Neptune

The Neptune 664C is the successor of the Neptune-C II (IMX464) and gathers Player One's best technology into the third generation, including the Super AR Plus window and the Passive Cooling System.

• Window: Super AR Plus, 310nm to 1100nm.
• Full Well: 38.5k e-.
• HCG: on automatically at gain 180 and above.

One-Shot Color Imaging and ST4 Guiding

The Neptune 664C is a one-shot color camera, using an RGGB Bayer matrix to capture full-color images in a single frame. It needs no filter wheel or LRGB filters.

To guide, connect the supplied ST4 cable from the camera to the AUTO GUIDE port of the equatorial mount. Player One provides drivers and software on its software download page, and builds in overvoltage and overcurrent protection.