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IMPORTANT: Our store is located in Canada. All orders that include products manufactured outside of Canada or USA will be subject to tariffs and duties, regardless of the order value. US customers are responsible for all applicable duties and tariffs, and those will be billed by the carrier, except for the Lacerta upgrade kit, for which we collect them at checkout.
QHYCCD QHY5III174M Mono

QHYCCD QHY5III174M Mono

by QHYCCD
SKU QHY-100063
$629.00 - $629.00
$629.00
$629.00 - $629.00
$629.00
Price Match Policy!
  • 1/1.2-inch Sony IMX174 monochrome sensor
  • Electronic Global Shutter eliminates motion artifacts
  • 2.3 Megapixel resolution (1920x1200) with 5.86μm pixels
  • Captures up to 138 FPS at full resolution
  • Standard ST-4 guide port and USB 3.0 interface
  • Lightweight 85g body with a 1.25-inch form factor
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  • Description
  • FAQ
  • Specifications
  • In the Box
  • Downloads
  • Warranty

  • QHYCCD QHY5III174M Monochrome CMOS Camera

    The QHYCCD QHY5III174M Mono combines the artifact-free imaging of a global shutter with a large 1/1.2-inch Sony IMX174 sensor, creating a definitive tool for high-resolution solar, lunar, and planetary imaging. Its 2.3 Megapixel sensor with large 5.86μm pixels captures data at a blistering 138 FPS over USB 3.0, freezing moments of atmospheric stability. With a deep 32ke- full well capacity and read noise as low as 2.2e-, the QHY5III174M pulls fine detail from both bright planetary disks and faint solar prominences.

    Global Shutter Imaging: The 1/1.2-inch Sony IMX174

    The core of the QHY5III174M is its Sony IMX174 sensor, which features an electronic global shutter. Unlike rolling shutters that can distort fast-moving targets or warp images under turbulent seeing, a global shutter exposes all 2.3 million pixels simultaneously. This completely eliminates motion artifacts, ensuring that planetary features and delicate solar granulation are captured without skew, even at high frame rates.

    The sensor's large 1/1.2-inch format provides a generous field of view for framing the entire solar or lunar disk with shorter focal length telescopes. The 5.86μm pixels offer a good balance of resolution and sensitivity, making them an excellent match for common f/7 to f/10 systems like SCTs and Maksutov-Cassegrains without requiring aggressive barlows.

    138 FPS Planetary and Solar Performance

    To capture moments of perfect seeing, speed is essential. The QHY5III174M delivers a full-resolution frame rate of 138 FPS at 8-bit, enabled by its high-speed USB 3.0 interface. This allows you to acquire thousands of frames in a short period, maximizing your chances of catching sharp data for stacking and processing.

    For even higher speeds when targeting specific features like Jupiter's Great Red Spot or a solar flare, Region of Interest (ROI) can be used. At a 960x600 resolution, the frame rate increases to 262 FPS, and at 480x300, it reaches an incredible 490 FPS. This extreme speed is critical for lucky imaging, effectively freezing atmospheric distortion to resolve the finest details.

    Dual-Role Guiding with an 85g Body

    Beyond planetary imaging, the QHY5III174M is a highly capable guide camera. The large 1/1.2-inch sensor makes it easy to find suitable guide stars, even in star-poor regions of the sky or when using an off-axis guider. A standard ST-4 port provides a direct connection to your mount for autoguiding corrections.

    Weighing only 85g and designed with a 1.25-inch eyepiece form factor, the camera adds minimal weight and complexity to your setup. This is particularly advantageous for off-axis guiding on large SCTs, where minimizing load on the focuser is critical. The camera also includes C and CS-mount threads, allowing for direct attachment of C-mount lenses for wide-field applications like meteor detection.

    QHY5III174M vs. ZWO ASI174MM: A 1/1.2-inch Sensor Showdown

    Both the QHY5III174M and ZWO ASI174MM are built around the same excellent Sony IMX174 global shutter sensor and share nearly identical imaging specifications. The decision between them often comes down to physical design and ecosystem preference. The ZWO camera has a large, established user base and broad software compatibility.

    The primary differentiator for the QHY5III174M is its unique 1.25-inch eyepiece-style body. This slim, lightweight (85g) form factor is often easier to insert and balance in off-axis guiders and finder-scopes compared to the wider, puck-shaped body of the ZWO. For imagers prioritizing a compact, low-profile guider or planetary camera, the QHY's physical design is a significant advantage.

  • Why is the QHY5III174M's global shutter important for solar imaging?

    Solar features, like granulation and prominences, change rapidly and are viewed through significant atmospheric turbulence (daytime seeing). A global shutter exposes the entire 1920x1200 sensor at once, preventing the wave-like distortion ("jello effect") that rolling shutters can introduce. This results in sharper, more stable video frames, which is critical for producing high-quality stacked images of the Sun.

    How does the QHY5III174M perform for guiding with a long focal length SCT?

    The QHY5III174M is an excellent choice for guiding long focal length telescopes like an 8" or 11" SCT. Its large 1/1.2-inch sensor provides a wide field of view, making it much easier to find a suitable guide star within the small pick-off prism of an off-axis guider (OAG). Its high sensitivity and 5.86μm pixels are well-suited for detecting faint stars.

    Can I use the QHY5III174M for deep-sky imaging?

    While primarily designed for high-frame-rate planetary and solar work, the QHY5III174M can be used for electronically-assisted astronomy (EAA) on brighter deep-sky objects like the Orion Nebula (M42) or the Hercules Cluster (M13). However, as an uncooled camera, it will exhibit more thermal noise on long exposures compared to dedicated deep-sky cameras. It is best suited for live-stacking many short exposures rather than single long-duration shots.

    What's the benefit of the QHY5III174M's large 1/1.2-inch sensor?

    A large sensor provides a wider True Field of View at a given focal length. For imagers, this means you can:

    • Capture the entire Sun or Moon with telescopes up to around 1000mm focal length.
    • Create large mosaics of the lunar surface or solar disk with fewer panels.
    • Easily find guide stars when using the camera with an off-axis guider.

    What do the C-mount and CS-mount threads on the QHY5III174M let me do?

    The C and CS-mount threads allow you to attach a wide variety of industrial, security, or specialized C-mount lenses directly to the camera without a telescope. This is useful for all-sky imaging, meteor monitoring, or wide-field surveillance. The camera's 12mm back focus is compatible with standard C-mount lenses.

    What is the difference between the QHY5III174M and the ZWO ASI174MM?

    Both cameras use the same Sony IMX174 monochrome sensor and offer very similar performance in terms of frame rate, resolution, and noise. The main difference is physical design. The QHY5III174M has a slim 1.25" eyepiece-style body that is lightweight (85g) and easy to fit in tight spaces like an off-axis guider. The ZWO ASI174MM has a wider, round "puck" shape. Your choice may depend on which form factor best fits your specific telescope and imaging train.

  • Image Sensor Sony IMX174
    Sensor Type Monochrome FSI CMOS
    Sensor Size 1/1.2-inch
    Pixel Size 5.86μm x 5.86μm
    Effective Resolution 1920 x 1200 (2.3 Megapixels)
    Full Well Capacity 32ke-
    Read Noise 2.2e- to 5.5e-
    ADC 12-bit (output as 16-bit and 8-bit)
    Shutter Type Electronic Global Shutter
    Max Frame Rate (Full) 138 FPS @ 8-bit
    Max Frame Rate (ROI) 262 FPS @ 960x600 | 490 FPS @ 480x300
    Built-in Buffer –
    Exposure Time Range –
    Computer Interface USB 3.0 Type-B
    Guide Port ST-4 Compatible
    Telescope Interface 1.25-inch, CS-Mount, C-Mount
    Optical Window AR Coated Glass
    Back Focal Length 12mm
    Weight 85g
  • QHYCCD Warranty