ASI294MM Pro gain/offset - Forums

Topic starter

Oct 21, 2021 · Edited: Oct 21, 2021

Good evening all,

I've just acquired an ASI294MM-Pro to pair with my Takahashi FSQ-85EDX Baby Q with and without the 0.73x reducer. What gains and offsets are you using for bin1x1 and bin2x2. I've run some quick tests this evening on bin1x1 with Gain 108 Offset 30 (this is shown as unity on the ZWO graphs). For bin2x2 I will try Gain 120 Offset 30.

I look forward to hearing what you're using or if anyone has run a sensor analysis in Sharpcap?

Clear skies,

Andy

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John Richards

Oct 21, 2021

I have had the ASI294MM pro for about 6 months now. I have only used Bin 2x2 and use gain 120 with an offset of 30, only based on recommendations I have seen in Cloudy Nights. I have not run any tests on Sharpcap. I did have some problems with flats when I first got the camera. With previous cameras, ASI183MC Pro and ASI 294MC Pro, I used the t shirt method using an Android tablet and whitescreen app as a light source. That did not work well on the ASI294MM pro. I ordered an inexpensive LED tracing pad from Amazon and now use that as the light source for flats, and that seems to work very well.

Hope that helps,

John

Helpful

Andy Brown

Topic starter

Oct 21, 2021

John Richards:
I have had the ASI294MM pro for about 6 months now. I have only used Bin 2x2 and use gain 120 with an offset of 30, only based on recommendations I have seen in Cloudy Nights. I have not run any tests on Sharpcap. I did have some problems with flats when I first got the camera. With previous cameras, ASI183MC Pro and ASI 294MC Pro, I used the t shirt method using an Android tablet and whitescreen app as a light source. That did not work well on the ASI294MM pro. I ordered an inexpensive LED tracing pad from Amazon and now use that as the light source for flats, and that seems to work very well.

Hope that helps,

John

Hi John,

Thanks for that, very helpful, it looks like 120 gain is where the high gain mode switches in so gives the least read noise without sacrificing too much dynamic range. From the graph there isn't a high gain mode at bin1x1 so it's not clear to me if 108 is unity gain!?

I've heard that flats have to be done well to calibrate out the sensor pattern. I've been looking at various flat panels so it's good to hear the tracing pad works. Which model did you get as a matter of interest?

CS,

Andy

John Richards

Oct 21, 2021

This is the pad I ordered from Amazon: Diamond Painting A5 LED Light Pad... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07H6YMRWD?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

CS,

John

Larry S

Oct 21, 2021

I'm using gain 108, offset 30 for bin 1. Gain 121, offset 30 for bin 2. Gain 120 for bin 2 is right at the HCG switch point, I am using 121 to stay safely above it. 125-130 may be better.

I also use a lighted sketch pad for flats with success, however, I try to stay well above 1 sec exposure for NB filters, and well below 1 sec for LRGB. I have read that exposures around 1 sec (within 0.05 sec, it appears) have some large variations in sensor response.

CS Larry

Helpful

Andy Brown

Topic starter

Oct 21, 2021

John Richards:
This is the pad I ordered from Amazon: Diamond Painting A5 LED Light Pad... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07H6YMRWD?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

CS,

John

Brilliant thanks, John, I'll try and get hold of one.

Andy Brown

Topic starter

Oct 21, 2021

Larry S:
I'm using gain 108, offset 30 for bin 1. Gain 121, offset 30 for bin 2. Gain 120 for bin 2 is right at the HCG switch point, I am using 121 to stay safely above it. 125-130 may be better.

I also use a lighted sketch pad for flats with success, however, I try to stay well above 1 sec exposure for NB filters, and well below 1 sec for LRGB. I have read that exposures around 1 sec (within 0.05 sec, it appears) have some large variations in sensor response.

CS Larry

Hi Larry,

I've always wondered if the HCG gain value should be used or to go slightly above to be safe, I'll have to do some tests to check this.

I'll take your advice on flats too. With my 533MC Pro I've tried to stay between 5 and 10 secs for RGB and narrowband which work fine but that sensor is very clean.

CS,

Andy