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Buying ZWO asi385mc

ZWO ASI385MC CMOS Buying Advice
OscarAlien_Enthusiast
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Alien_Enthusiast avatar
Alien_Enthusiast avatar
Hi AstroBinners!

Quick question for those who are familiar with ZWO cameras.

I found a used ZWO asi385mc selling for 200 usd

Its an old camera from what I understand, but do you think its worrth for 200usd?

Ive seen people using it for deep sky even.

I mean its not ideal, but come on, are there any alternatives for DSO camera at 200 usd?

Any advice would be appreciated!
andrea tasselli avatar
andrea tasselli avatar
Used? Yes, used DSLRs.
donut2099 avatar
donut2099 avatar
I have this camera and while I can't say it made me a professional astrophotographer, I've been pretty pleased with it. I bought it new maybe 3 or 4 years ago for around $350 I think… I'd pay $200 for one in good condition. It's a good all-around camera, just has a small sensor, so it works well for planetary and smaller DSO, but your moon pictures will probably be mosaics or closeups.
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Alien_Enthusiast avatar
Alien_Enthusiast avatar
andrea tasselli:
Used? Yes, used DSLRs.

Whats your opinion on the ZWO asi178mc? Is it worth buying in 2024?
Oscar avatar
Oscar avatar
Andrea is right, DSLRs will always beat a planetary camera for doing DSO stuff, especially with a $200 budget.

One time I saw a modded Canon Rebel (I think it was a Rebel), and it costed $150 or $100 on CloudyNights Classifieds, it was very cheap. I didn't buy it because I still wanted a cooled cam at the time. It quickly sold.

Take a look at these that were taken with a modded EOS 600D:
 https://www.astrobin.com/bgmtbi/ 
 https://www.astrobin.com/405038/?_ga=2.199634414.1104016158.1706143815-601482758.1706143815 
 https://www.astrobin.com/0svdl2/B/ 
 https://www.astrobin.com/270575/C/ 
 https://www.astrobin.com/qr8n46/?_ga=2.161245437.1104016158.1706143815-601482758.1706143815
andrea tasselli avatar
andrea tasselli avatar
Alien_Enthusiast:
Whats your opinion on the ZWO asi178mc? Is it worth buying in 2024?


Good for high resolution of intrinsically bright subjects (mainly PNs) but sensitivity is going to be pretty low at 2.4um. Same applies to dynamic range.
Clayton Ostler avatar
Clayton Ostler avatar
I have both the 485 and 585 which I would consider this cameras older brothers. For 200$ the 385 is a fun toy to mess around with. It will do well for planetary and you could use it for some DSO objects depending on the scope/mount you use it with. I see the comments about a DSLR but if you are leaning toward a dedicated astro camera and want to dabble Id say try it. I get DSLR is cheap and maybe more sensitive (for sure a bigger sensor), But the weight and management got old for me really fast. To each their own.
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dkamen avatar
dkamen avatar
Alien_Enthusiast:
andrea tasselli:
Used? Yes, used DSLRs.

Whats your opinion on the ZWO asi178mc? Is it worth buying in 2024?

If you don't mind the tiny sensor it is a really good all rounder camera due to the exceptionally low read noise (good for lucky imaging) and the 14 bit ADC (good for DSO). Has amp glow but it calibrates away perfectly. IMO it is no accident ZWO keeps selling it for the tenth year.
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Artem Myrgorod avatar
Artem Myrgorod avatar
Alien_Enthusiast:
Hi AstroBinners!

Quick question for those who are familiar with ZWO cameras.

I found a used ZWO asi385mc selling for 200 usd

Its an old camera from what I understand, but do you think its worrth for 200usd?

Ive seen people using it for deep sky even.

I mean its not ideal, but come on, are there any alternatives for DSO camera at 200 usd?

Any advice would be appreciated!

$200 is an adequate price for user 385mc. This is a quite good camera for planetary photography. I've got good Jupiter, Saturn results with it (under good seeing). But I wouldn't say this a good choice for deepsky. 385 has small sensor with small resolution (~2Mpx). It can be used as "training" deepsky camera paired with telescope/lens with not big focal length.
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Oscar avatar
Oscar avatar
For PNs, yeah, you could capture those with most (if not all) of ZWO's color planetary cams; there are many of those images on the AB gallery.
Michael Zinke avatar
Michael Zinke avatar
Hi there

The ZWO 385 MC was my first astro-dedicated camera. And I'm still using it. In the beginning I also used it for deep-sky projects. I really love this camera because it's really affordable and (in certain limits) an allrounder I woud say...,at least for a beginner. Of course it's made for planetary in the first place but with this cam it's also possible to make some really nice looking images of DSOs. Personally, for the price I would purchase it. If you have some more money to spend: I also heard only good things about the newer version, the 585. But maybe new only if you also consider to do planetary stuff as well. (Otherwise there are most probably better ways to spend your money to do purely deep-sky.)
If you want you can take a look at my Astrobin page where you can find many images created by the 385 camera. https://www.astrobin.com/users/Tully_Fisher/ In the profile you can also find my YouTube channel where I show some projects using this camera. Whatever you decide for I wish you clear skies.
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Alien_Enthusiast avatar
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andrea tasselli:
Alien_Enthusiast:
Whats your opinion on the ZWO asi178mc? Is it worth buying in 2024?


Good for high resolution of intrinsically bright subjects (mainly PNs) but sensitivity is going to be pretty low at 2.4um. Same applies to dynamic range.

What do you think of ZWO asi290mm mono camera? Is it good for DSOs around 200usd?
Oscar avatar
Oscar avatar
Alien_Enthusiast:
andrea tasselli:
Alien_Enthusiast:
Whats your opinion on the ZWO asi178mc? Is it worth buying in 2024?


Good for high resolution of intrinsically bright subjects (mainly PNs) but sensitivity is going to be pretty low at 2.4um. Same applies to dynamic range.

What do you think of ZWO asi290mm mono camera? Is it good for DSOs around 200usd?

The ASI290MM Mini? Yeah, it's possible for PN imaging, with enough integration, but don't forget the 1.25 inch slot filter wheel and your RGB/LRGB filters if you don't want your final image to be in black and white.

But I think if you go this route though, unless you want to consider this as a small experiment or just a cam for EAA, this, in the end, will waste a lot of time that you could have saved by going for a better camera.
Alien_Enthusiast avatar
Alien_Enthusiast avatar
Alien_Enthusiast:
andrea tasselli:
Alien_Enthusiast:
Whats your opinion on the ZWO asi178mc? Is it worth buying in 2024?


Good for high resolution of intrinsically bright subjects (mainly PNs) but sensitivity is going to be pretty low at 2.4um. Same applies to dynamic range.

What do you think of ZWO asi290mm mono camera? Is it good for DSOs around 200usd?

The ASI290MM Mini? Yeah, it's possible for PN imaging, with enough integration, but don't forget the 1.25 inch slot filter wheel and your RGB/LRGB filters if you don't want your final image to be in black and white.

But I think if you go this route though, unless you want to consider this as a small experiment or just a cam for EAA, this, in the end, will waste a lot of time that you could have saved by going for a better camera.

Ok if you were to reccomend an astrocamera that I could use on a portable setup which would work from my laptop, so I dont have to have a power supply in the field, which one would you go for?
Oscar avatar
Oscar avatar
A cam that doesn't need a power supply… Hmmm

Well, I think I would get an ASI585MC since it requires only a USB connection and is the best planetary camera for DSO imaging.

But why not get a small power station so that you can use a power supply with a cooled cam? Since you don't have an ASIair, you could buy something like a Player One Uranus-C Pro, which costs $570 right now and is basically a cooled version of the ASI585MC.
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Alien_Enthusiast avatar
Alien_Enthusiast avatar
A cam that doesn't need a power supply... Hmmm

Well, I think I would get an ASI585MC since it requires only a USB connection.

But why not get a small power station so that you can use a power supply with a cooled cam? Since you don't have an ASIair, you could buy something like a Player One Uranus-C Pro, which costs $570 right now and is basically a cooled version of the ASI585MC.

I mean cooled camera sounds appealing, but I travel a lot, and often each kg matters. Im trying to assemble a setup which would be as compact as possible without costing too much. As I anyways have to take my laptop anywhere I go, It seems to me that having a camera powered from it is an effective solution to portability problem. + Carrying large battery can be a problem on some airlines.
Oscar avatar
Oscar avatar
But how you gonna power your mount?
Alien_Enthusiast avatar
Alien_Enthusiast avatar
But how you gonna power your mount?

4AA batteries - I use StarAdventurer 2i
Oscar avatar
Oscar avatar
Ohhh, ok. smile

Then why not get a DSLR?
Alien_Enthusiast avatar
Alien_Enthusiast avatar
Ohhh, ok. 

Then why not get a DSLR?

Idk DSLR is big and bulky - it needs its own batteries etc. Lenses of DSLRs are comparable in size to something like a redcat51 or some small MAK. DSLR are just not so good in their -  size/efficiency ratio
Oscar avatar
Oscar avatar
What telescope are you gonna use?

It looks like you are stuck with an ASI585MC, and make sure your mount can handle the focal length of the scope.


EDIT:

I found this online:

"For star trackers, I'd recommend you keep your focal length to a maximum of about 300mm for your lens or a small telescope."

And that's from "Wido's AstroForum"

But further searching reveals that many people say 400mm is the limit without autoguiding, and also that with a 400mm lens/scope, one guy was able to take 90 second exposures.

However, I think it would be safer to go with 300mm max.
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Clayton Ostler avatar
Clayton Ostler avatar
I mentioned it earlier but I have an asi585. It is an amazing camera. No amp glow, decent read noise and QE. It might be the best kept secret in astro cameras. I try to keep my subs around 90 seconds or less, but I couldn't someone getting a lot of value for the 585 considering the price. 

ive never used it planetary only used it for dso. Don't get me wrong there are better cameras but for 400 bones the 585 is worth every cent.
Rafael Amarins avatar
Rafael Amarins avatar
If you could stretch to 400ish maybe you could buy a ASI585
Much better deal specially if you live in cold climate
dkamen avatar
dkamen avatar
Alien_Enthusiast:
Ohhh, ok. 

Then why not get a DSLR?

Idk DSLR is big and bulky - it needs its own batteries etc. Lenses of DSLRs are comparable in size to something like a redcat51 or some small MAK. DSLR are just not so good in their -  size/efficiency ratio

They are, because you don't need a computer.
Alien_Enthusiast avatar
Alien_Enthusiast avatar
What telescope are you gonna use?

It looks like you are stuck with an ASI585MC, and make sure your mount can handle the focal length of the scope.


EDIT:

I found this online:

"For star trackers, I'd recommend you keep your focal length to a maximum of about 300mm for your lens or a small telescope."

And that's from "Wido's AstroForum"

But further searching reveals that many people say 400mm is the limit without autoguiding, and also that with a 400mm lens/scope, one guy was able to take 90 second exposures.

However, I think it would be safer to go with 300mm max.

Hi again!

I managed to find a used ASI 585MC for 330usd. Du you think its a good price for it?