Ditch Your Colour Astro Camera - QHY miniCAM8 ! ⚙️
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 10 ก.พ. 2025
- Once you go black and white you'll never go back, right? Right. For 2025 this is the camera I'll gladly recommend to any beginner in astrophotography who wants to switch to mono. If this was available ten years ago, I'd be thousands of dollars richer.
High Point Scientific:
bit.ly/3oW0PMx
THE WHOLE SETUP !
The QHY miniCAM8: bit.ly/3W8If4i
Star Adventurer GTI Mount (No Tripod): bit.ly/3sUFOXZ
SkyWatcher EVOLUX: bit.ly/36henwd
ZWO 30F Mini Guide Scope: bit.ly/425z6NQ
QHY200M: bit.ly/4152EbY
Support the channel by buying Dylan's Telescopes, Cameras & Equipment using the links below!
EQUIPMENT LIST
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Celestron 14" Edge HD Telescope
bit.ly/3BGKuEL
Esatto Robotic Focuser:
bit.ly/3CB8sBY
Celestron 11" Edge HD Telescope
bit.ly/3JB95JE
Baader 2" high Speed Filters
bit.ly/4gnBqVa
QHY CFW Filter Wheel
bit.ly/4e2phDs
Apertura All Night Imaging Power Supply - 518Wh Lithium
bit.ly/4ctkzhF
QHY200M Planetary Camera:
bit.ly/4152EbY
QHY678M Planetary Camera:
bit.ly/474mCGG
Celestron RASA F2 11" Telescope
bit.ly/3Jy4Ezl
QHY268M Mono CMOS Camera
bit.ly/33u4k5w
Skywatcher EQ8Rh Pro Mount
bit.ly/3gTdWJX
bit.ly/3dxdRv1
Move Shoot Move Rotator for Milky Way Widefield
bit.ly/3WlIOqL
Sky-Watcher Star Adventurer GTI Tracking Mount
bit.ly/3sUFOXZ
SkyWatcher EVOLUX Telescopes :
bit.ly/36henwd
NexDome Observatory by Sidereal Trading (Australia)
www.siderealtr...
Celestron RASA 8" F2 Telescope
bit.ly/3GTUwiU
amzn.to/3G4nlbP
Celestron NexYZ 3-Axis Smartphone Adapter
bit.ly/351K2ki
amzn.to/3g20wLd
Lunt40mm Solar Telescope
bit.ly/3sP8KMX
Celestron 0.7x reducer for 11" Edge HD
bit.ly/3gTDJSy
Celestron 0.7x reducer for 9.25” Edge HD
bit.ly/3sNyY2o
Celestron 9.25” Edge HD
bit.ly/3LISupw
Canon 6D mkII DSLR
amzn.to/2CbiVER
Tokina 16-28mm Lens
amzn.to/3fdFJCo
Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L III USM Ultra Wide Angle Zoom Full Frame
amzn.to/3G9kjmP
Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM Lens
amzn.to/3H9yPfA
Dylan’s links
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TH-cam: / dylanodonnell
PATREON : / dylanodonnell
WEB : byronbayobserv...
FACEBOOK : / dylanodonnell
TWITTER : / erfmufn
INSTAGRAM : / dylan_odonnell_
APPLE MUSIC : apple.co/3Ya2cHM
SPOTIFY : spoti.fi/3Ye8G8w
Intro Music - "Moving the Ocean (Aerologic Edit)" by Blastculture.
Outro Music - "The It Factor: Happy Lofi Jazz by The Turquoise" via StoryBlocks
Beyond Galaxies by we20fifty via storyblocks
This is one of the best products ever released for the hobby. Mono imaging is now affordable. The end. That is all. That's the PSA.
I just managed to snag a sky watcher 72 ed with 0.8 reducer. And a zwo 1600m zwo mini filter wheel and all astronomik 6nm filters for £800
I'm so happy. Asiair makes it much easier.
That's it. That's the tweet.
Yup. This is the kinda thing that changes the hobby forever. Pair it with the new svbony and the $800 (can't remember the name) Chinese mount and you have a damn fine setup for under $2500 usd
Hands down The best entertainer astrophotographer on TH-cam. You Deserve 1 millions subscribers. 😂😂😂
Haha thanks .. would be nice 😆
2:20 "i really am a begginer in all those peasant troubles" you my dear Dylan are the humblest of all 😅
I spent all this money for nothing haha
@@DylanODonnell better than frustration.
Ah mate what an excellent video, as always!! Really wonderful production man 👍👍 clear skies!
(Also huge thanks for the shout out!! I was very surprised to see me appear haha! - I'll be sure to link back to your video from mine too!! ❤)
Hey thanks Luke! I watched you and Cuiv and thought "damn ... they said everything cool and important already" haha I really appreciated the deep dive, thanks! Keep up the good work :)
Laughed at the AUD$1.8M for the USD$2800 price. Same for CAD.
Yeh it’s crazy !
Dang even a random Office Space reference?! Bruh! Awesome video!!
Haha classic. I may quote that movie until my dying breath. Thanks for watching (and for your video also) Cuiv!
@@DylanODonnell I need to watch this again!!
You underestimated the Australian conversion by a factor of 10 Great video mate.
hah my bad.. happens all the time.
For a while I thought he had converted to ARS. Finally some relatable numbers!
What a great way to start the day, a video from Dylan
Good morning :)
This setup looks perfect for as a roki 135 setup if you want to do something a bit wider. That camera is amazing and nice job on Orion.
Whoa! A new intro without butt crack 🥲
I unzipped my fly tho :)
@@DylanODonnell I genuinely loled at that moment!
@@DylanODonnell Which is where the reveal was coming from...
Lol, that line-up of scientists with Joe Rogan. Man that cracked me up, thanks Dylan! 😂
I worked with very small image sensors for so long , That when I finally got to four thirds , I felt like it was giant. I think people under estimate what small sensors can do. No matter how many pixels you have , Your not going to magnify Jupiter enough to fit on about (often said - 600x600 pixels or less) I have often got Jupiter to cover 1000x1000. So on a 5 mp sensor , Your wasting a lot of pixels and getting the heat n noise from them and increasing the file size w unused pixels etc.. Love the show!
I just had this idea last night watching another Aussie, Donstronomy. And then BAM, your video hits the next day. Thanks Dyl' Do, you put out great vibes!
Hah thx mate
Learning / relearning like a noob. Thanks for helping me realize I'm not alone!
After a couple months of rain I forget everything :)
Great video!
It would be interesting to see ZWO release one for astrophotographers that are locked into their ecosystem.
Hah yes
Entertaining and informational as always Dylan.
I'm (still) in the OSC-camp, but something like this is what could probably make me want to dip my toes into mono. Since I'm not locked into the ZWO-world, I can get started right away too. I've watched both Luke and Cuivs videos on it as well and combined with yours, it's really difficult not to press that "add to cart and checkout" button.
4:38 laughed so hard at this you just rebroke my broken rip
hah we're 62c on the USD .. I'm pretty sure those figures are accurate
Damn, didn't realise there will be more filter sets available. It makes my xmas-special-price impulse pre-order wven better decision :-)
For a BEGINNER you did damn well. And that weather, I got an hour on Saturday night before the clouds moved back in and stuffed it up. QHY have made a gamechanger, it will encourage, a bit like Dwarf and ZWO with their products to get people interested.
you are my favourite TH-camr and you have really inspired me to do planetary imaging I have a Celestron nexstar 8se and a QHY camera.
Ahh thanks dude! I know people who do amazing work with the same setup :)
@@DylanODonnell what planetary camera do you suggest for my kind of setup
Yes this video means a lot to me since my ZWO 533 just turned up TODAY! Please do this kind of video.... LAST WEEK DYLAN. LOL
Hehe sorry my dude
This is brilliant. Great presentation style, easy to listen to. Subbed here for sure.
Seems like a great option for just getting started. My next cam will be mono but id hate to lose my sensor size of the aps-c. Much cheaper than what im planning to move up to though. This price alone will get you just the 2” filters.
Or about 1/3 of a single Chroma NB filter...
I think this is a really cool product from QHY it's about time something interesting come onto the market, I've always shot OSC as I'm not a real astronomer but seeing this has definitely peaked my interest.
Hey! Short refractors are dope! It's nice to see you rediscover that it's not all about equipment size.
Certainly fun .. something to get around with. Lord knows I don't get around with the C14 hah
This new QHY gadget looks amazing, and for the money it's kinds a no brainer IMPO! Also loved your M42 despite it's issue with CA from the doublet! A nice little Redcat 51 paired with this camera/wheel setup would be brilliant Dylan!
You never fail to educate me and make me laugh at the same time Dylan! Thanks!
Wes, Liverpool, England.
Hey thx Wes !
0:21 Joe Rogan as a famous scientist 🤣🤣
hehehe
Ha 😂
I'm super excited about this camera. IMO, It's priced so well it makes recommending it to customers a no-brainer.
We shouuld be gettting a demo at work I'll be playing with in a month or two and I can't wait to run it on a whole range of different scopes and setups.
Throw in QUARKS and it looks like it might be a good year for QHY.
Right? It *is* a no brainer. I'm going to enjoy swapping this bad boy in and out of all kinds of stuff.
Pretty cool. Im looking forward to the planetary version.
Love your video’s mate! Definitely 100% on my list this camera , keep the 2600MC for color
This is the third video I’ve seen about the Minicam and it looks excellent. I’m thinking about it for my Redcat 71 Petxval rig. I’d bank on the blue channel looking decent with a Petxval. I could then switch my 394 over permanently to my Newt. I wish the filters were a little narrower than 7nm. But, for the price, it’s a steal.
Will be pairing this with my Rokinon 135 very soon!
Nice video Dylan! It's a cool camera, now I want to go check out the other two reviews. I've only used OSC, but I'm sure I'll jump up to mono at some point!
Yeh perfect starter! And even for advanced users to be honest.
Number 5 alive!!! LOL. Daaang, you haven't jumped on the Green Swamp Server train yet?! Ordered my MiniCAM 8! Super excited...can't wait for its arrival, and the clouds it will no doubt bring. 😞
I tried GSS and it didn’t work so I went back to eqmod which did hah.
Thanks Dylan.
Great video Dylan. Yes it’s always funny to get out of your comfort zone 😅
Already preordered it :D I'm really looking forward to it
🥈
Hi Dylan, If this had of come out a couple of months ago I would have bought one, but ended up with an ASI533MM Pro instead. I actually like the 585 sensor. I've been using a colour one (ASI585MC Pro) with my Red Cat51 for almost a year and have been really happy with the results. I know some people think its a bit small but It suits me fine. Pity about the blue channel but that was still a pretty decent image considering the conditions etc.
Yeh it doesn’t compete with my big 16 bit cam at all but for little portable stuff.. neat :)
zwo dropped the ball here. I would of definitely gone this route in the beginning.A great idea.
not sure I'd say they dropped the ball.. I mean.. you can get a cheap mono zwo camera, they have filter wheels, they have cheap filters.. pretty much anything you need is available through zwo... granted..in bits..
And you can (and should) wonder how sensible it is to have this all in one package, in a hobby where upgrading parts of a rig is very common. People love moaning towards ZWO for having a locked ecosystem.. so how is this any different.
Especially when this one requiring very specific and "custom" size filters that no other company makes. Sure you can brag about cost-reduction because the filters are perfectly matched.. but.. You have no way of upgrading the filters with this custom size, except if they parter up with astrodon, antlia, explore scientific, etc.. but I kinda doubt that they would do that for just the one camera and one specific sensor.
sure, ZWO could have perhaps done more with the GT line, the one with filterwheel+camera in one which currently only offers a 183 cooled version.. planetary non-cooled versions might be interesting. But again, there are benefits to keeping bits separate..
Great video Dylan! What's the app at 00:28 that shows the different wave lengths? That looks like a banger feature :)
+1
@@mvannetti heya! It’s skyguide for iOS. If you hold your finger the sky you can change wavelengths right in the planetarium !
@@DylanODonnell Thanks you so much! I'll have to try it out
Hey Dylan, awesome video as always. Could you perhaps post the data for image-processing training? That would be awesome! Of course I‘d understand if thats not possible.
The only time I shared data was once on Patreon, but I might do something different next and get someone better than me to help me out :)
This setup looks perfect for as a roki 135 setup if you want to do something a bit wider. That camera is amazing and nice job on Orion.
I also really hope that 4.5-3nm filters sets come out.
Yeh I’d like to try with a lens :)
J.R. Experience is definitely one of the scientists of all time
By that standard, I'm definitely one of the astrophotographers of all time! Cheers!
i have yet to do mono cam imaging-will do it at some point🤞. now that someone has done rectangle cut filters, hopefully this starts a new trend and filters become small and limited. hopefully lowering down price..maybe.
Awesome Dylan, it’s a shame the didn’t go 3nm on the narrowband filters but otherwise what a great product. I might have been tempted to use the 533 sensor. I just think the square format makes the most of the imaging circle.
I can't wait to watch this video 😅
🥇
Welcome back to REAL astroimaging! Feel the pain like the rest of us small refractor mob!
Haha I certainly felt the pain as every wasted minute rolled by lol.
I’ve wanted to try mono but I’ve been worried the leap and setup was too much work. This seems like a great beginner product for getting started. Nice video
Thanks! I highly recommend it for anyone looking to switch.
Astrophotographer's patron saint - Roseanne Rosanna Danna - You know, it's always something!
I have the Evolux 82ED and my blue channel is exactly the same - worse with an OSC with a compromise focus. I sometimes end up dumping the blue channel and replacing it with a 50:50 green:blue mix.
Yeh it's pretty brutal huh!
“That’s why all those old photos of scientists are in black and white.” Hahahaha!!! 😂
I used to have an older QSI583WSG. Fantastic all in one but very expensive!
Very nice video Dylan, I wonder how many people paused the video at 4:20 ...
Hehe
cool idea for using the photometry filter set: exoplanet photometry. You can do it with a small refractor! I've done 2 WASP-33b transits with the skywatcher evostar 72
wow that's amazing
799 is not cheap Dylan! I am also furiously entering a comment for Dylan!
Haha for a filter wheel, hdr camera, and 7 filters it really is !
@@DylanODonnell indeed normally looking at a couple of k for this and thats why I'm an OSC guy.
Hey mate, I’m a beginner and then some… please do consider doing a video on how to set up a tracking mount + refractor for astrophotography of DSOs! 🙏🏼
Would love to learn from the best!
I just might :)
damn asiair not supporting QHY cameras stopping me buying this camera, zwo you win this time..
Now I finally know why the old photos of scientists are all in black and white 🤣😂
Educational :)
You should have used SHO instead of RGB to avoid that terrible blue tint of the doublet :)
Totally, considering hitting rosette as it's a better target for SHO than Orion :)
As soon as they release Indi drivers I’m ordering one. Currently can’t be used with Kstars Ekos
Hey Dylan, what did you mean by ‘It’s the fault of the doublet I’m using’? Did you mean the 82ED or the field flattener? I’m assuming you mean the telescope. I have the 62ED and this setup is definitely my path forward to making a fool of myself in astrophotography.
I have been told I need the flattener no matter what but I have seen some pretty impressive images shot without it. It would be great if you could expand on this. Cheers from Melbourne.
Could you put this on your SCT for Planetary imaging?
I was shooting M42 last night with a redcat 51 and all the ZWO automated stuff. I got the focusing, the PA done but the autoguiding just couldn't calibrate. So I spat the dummy, packed up and went to bed.
What mount and software?
Sky-Watcher Star Adventurer GTi and ASIAir Plus. I have my bigger refractor on the EQ6-R Pro going just fine but I have yet to get the redcat working.
I love imaging in Mono but with session times restricted strongly by cloud cover in the UK I tend to use my OSC. However when the skies do permit the images I produce make me wish i could do it all the time.
I laughed too hard at AUD conversion! Australian here, its true!
Joe is definitely a scientist 🤣(Sorry Einstein, Hubble, Cannon)
Hehe nice work picking the others!
Damn it, I haven't stopped paying off the last thing I bought.
Ditch EQMOD for "Green Swamp server"! ,I made the switch for my EQ6rPro and i will never go Back. Now I need to ditch my ASI294C Pro!
@@flightdeckstudios1668 I tried to once but it didn’t work!
as you said, I also see a potential for this camera to do photometry if they offered a version replacing the RGBL-Ha-OIII-SII filters with, for example, some Sloan u-g-r-i + Ha SII OIII filters. Actually, I think that would make a hell lot of an interesting product!.
They are, it’s coming!
With a 17mm backfocus, might this be a game changer for the RASA8? Imagine an automated mono for this beast! Not sure how the offset would affect the light cone though...
Bit to much obstruction for 8 maybe but 11 and 14 definitely maybe !
Well done... your pic 0:07 is my screen saver and I'm not gay! LOL
hahaha
It has been sold out everywhere for quite some time. I don't understand the business strategy for promoting a product everywhere and not having enough inventory to meet the demand. QHY, take my million Canadian bucks.
Hahaha
Cool review Dylan! But somehow the mount tracks in the wrong direction. 😂 The direction it tracks on the northern hemisphere is the rigth one. 🤪
Monochrome is always the way forward. Since I have my monochrome IMX571 camera I am looking for someone to hand over some money for my 2600MC Pro and my my ATR2600C cameras, 😂
The miniCam8 is definately on my list, yes its ar.e is mine once there is more than just half a dealer who offers it.😆
hehe it is YOU how are tracking the wrong way ;)
@@DylanODonnell 😳I think someone needs to adjust the earth's inner gears that you finally also rotate the right way. This wrong way rotation seems to have spun your mind quite a lot already. 😂
Anyone know where to buy one in the UK?
hi, what is the name of the tool used in second 30??? which reveals the type of filters i can use best. need to get an x-ray filter, still :D
As one of the users relying on a QHY OSC with a mini PC due to ZWO's closed ecosystem, holding back from pressing the payment button for the MiniCam is truly a struggle.
Moved to Mono a year or so ago, man, in the UK it's frustrating, lack of clear nights means I have 3 or 4 half finished images, this would have been the ideal stepping stone for me to run alongside colour imaging too while I found my feet with it
Yeh I hear you, it took me 3 nights of fucking around in bad weather and ignorance to get 1 usable hour of data for this video hah.
Yeah, it can be very frustrating here in the UK, even trying to capture enough data with a OSC Camera, if you are using multiple filters, can take forever. That's why I'm considering getting an SCT with Hyperstar or a fast (f2.8) Newtonian. (Can't afford a RASA)
The only color camera I own is a all sky planetary camera used for planetary and aurora. As enticing as the minicam 8 is the problem i have still remains no m42 adapter same issue with my medium qhy filter wheel and a custom m42 to m48 adapter to make it work is over $100 because the m42 to m48 ring adapter will just thread straight through the m48 spacer on the filter wheel allowing the camera to free spin during slewing.. "Not a chance i am willing to take on a falling camera"
Yeh it’s a 1.25 barrel but m42 would’ve been more useful for me. I believe they’re working on an adapter.
Should refocusing on the blue filter reduce CA? Having an Evostar 72ed + DSLR this camera would be a good improvement.
Oh yeh I refocussed for B .. that was as good as it got that night!
Spat my f'ing coffee out when I saw Rogan. What was the issue with the blue filter? Was it just focus or something else? This is super tempting to do like you and set up a little portable rig next to me pier..
Pretty sure it's a symptom of high cloud which messes up my blue channel on the big rig too, but also the doublet I was using which is known for its trashy blue also. They combined to produce the worst blue channel I'd ever seen haha.
@@DylanODonnell shouldn't that "trasiness" be lost when you go to mono and only focusing a single wavelength and not trying to compromise a focus for RGB? I can se this camera being on back order for quite a while at the price point.
@@anthonyexmouth yeh red, ha and green were fine, so the result is ok I just processed blue a little harder before combining it in. :)
How would this camera perform for planetary?
Oh, now that I think of it, Dylan, can you add this camera to your online calc tool on the website please? Would love to see how it stacks up with my telescope.
@@wodclerc yep already added :)
@@DylanODonnell cool, thanks!
Considering the size of this camera, do you think it would work with something like a RASA?
Not 8 no.. but a bigger rasa like 11 or 14/36 yes. They have bigger obstruction areas.
If it weren’t for sucker holes, we’d have no sky at all here in Maryland. 🤔 I’ll wait for the planetary filter set.
0:21 😂 ❤
Nice !
Bruh, for the longest time, i though id be "ok" with shooting color with Asi533mc pro... now i need this, i need to see how this is with a coronado pst.
How does a multi bandpass filter dual, tri, quad) obviate this or does it?
You still won’t get the QE and detail that you get with mono, with multiband filters and a colour cam, however there is a qhy minicam8 with a colour sensor and a quad filter, for those that prefer the convenience.
It's easy for me to suggest the best camera or equipment. However, they don't like the answer is JWST and it'll cost em a few billions
those peasants
Johnny Five!
Stephanieeeee!
I need this🤓
🥉
If it worked it feels like a good pairing with the C14 Hyperstar. The band pass is quite wide and the sensor quite small so wavelength shift may not be too bad. The entire unit is smaller than the C14 secondary mirror obstruction, although a bit off axis.
Automated narrow band at f2 with a pretty tight FoV (small sensor). I'd love to know if anyone has tried this.
Yep I think this is totally possible actually.
Once you go monochrome, you don't want to go home.
You're always wanting to capture the night skies.
or
Once you go black and white, you know you're right.
IMHO, monochrome looks better than color after post processing.
The Evolux 82 afaik is not a good doublet. Lots of purple fringe. I don't know what skywatcher thought they were doing. I think even the Evostar 72ED is much better. Now, If you have an Evoguide with flattener, it could be cool to try it out with this tiny mini camera+filter wheel.
Yeh I have to agree
Best place in the house for less dust is a bathroom that has extractor fan.
"Once you go mono, you'll never bemoan-because black and white knows how to get the colours right!" or "Once you go mono, you’ll never feel alone-because black and white makes the true colours your own!" or "Once you go mono, you'll never forego-because black and white brings the colours that glow!" Special thanks to Chat GPT
Including JR in the scientists is just diabolical ... 😅😅😅😅😅😅
heheh
brb giving all my filters funny names in NINA
hehehe
Have you hooked it up to your planetary rig yet?you know we are all waiting for our mono planetary 585s
Initially that’s why I wanted it but tested this way first. I’m not sure it pairs as well as the 678m already does with my c14 (just a hair smaller at native) but I’ll probably give it a spin at some point :)
Does zwo asi air work with this camera/filter wheel
I wouldn’t imagine so, no