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Player One ZEUS 455M Pro IMX455 Mono Cooled Camera
3,590.00
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Technical Specifications
• Manufacturer: Player One Astronomy
• Model: ZEUS 455M Pro
• Type: Cooled monochrome astronomy camera
• Primary application: Deep-sky astrophotography
• Sensor: Sony IMX455ALK-K
• Technology: Back-illuminated CMOS STARVIS
• Format: Full frame
• Sensor dimensions: 36 × 24 mm
• Sensor diagonal: 43.3 mm
• Resolution: 9576 × 6388 pixels
• Total resolution: Approximately 61 MP
• Pixel size: 3.76 µm
• ADC: Native 16-bit
• ADC levels: 65,536
• Maximum full well: 71.6 Ke
• Amp Glow: No
• Cooling: Dual-stage TEC
• Standard Delta-T: 35 °C ±2 °C
• Anti-dew heater: Integrated and adjustable
• Cooling fan: Adjustable speed
• Buffer memory: 512 MB DDR3
• Sensor tilt adjustment: Rear four-point system
• Main interface: USB 3.0 Type-C
• Type-C ports: 2
• Cooling power input: 12 V DC
• Power connector: 5.5 × 2.1 mm
• Maximum RAW8 frame rate: 6.5 fps
• Maximum RAW16 frame rate: 3.2 fps
• Sampling modes: Normal and Low Noise
• Dynamic range at gain 0: 14.2 stops
• Full well at gain 0: 71.6 Ke
• Read noise at gain 0: 4.2 e-
• HCG activation: Gain 125
• Dynamic range at gain 125: 13.5 stops
• Full well at gain 125: 16.7 Ke
• Read noise at gain 125: Approximately 1.5 e-
• Dark current at -20 °C: 0.00014 e-/s/pixel
• Dark current at 0 °C: 0.00154 e-/s/pixel
• Overvoltage protection: Yes
• Overcurrent protection: Yes
The ZEUS 455M Pro cooled camera, developed by Player One Astronomy, is designed for advanced deep-sky imaging. It features a Sony IMX455ALK-K full-frame monochrome sensor.
With 3.76 µm pixels, a full well capacity of 71.6 Ke⁻, and a total resolution of 61 MP (9576 × 6388 pixels), it offers a sensor diagonal of 43.3 mm.
Advanced New Design
The polygonal shape has become a visual signature of Player One. For this new generation of cooled deep-sky cameras, the manufacturer aimed to combine aesthetics, rigidity and functionality.
Following several design iterations, the housing adopts an octagonal structure with distinctive technical lines, four slightly curved sides and rounded corners, creating a robust and balanced design.
The front section remains circular to minimise the risk of diffraction when used with optical systems such as Celestron RASA telescopes.
The bright red housing, paired with Player One’s characteristic black elements, features a sandblasted exterior finish that gives it a refined appearance while maintaining the robust construction expected of a scientific instrument.
Four-Point Rear Sensor Tilt Adjustment
In deep-sky imaging, sensor misalignment can reduce sharpness in certain areas of the image.
The ZEUS 455M Pro incorporates a sensor tilt adjustment system at the rear of the camera, with four adjustment points. This design makes it easier to adjust the sensor’s angle relative to the focal plane and allows more precise correction of alignment errors visible in the corners of the image.
The four-point adjustment system makes it easier to identify which corner of the sensor requires correction and allows more precise tilt adjustment.
An internal high-density foam gasket provides a light-tight seal around the side openings of the adjustment mechanism, preventing stray light from entering the camera.
To help explain how the four-point tilt adjustment works, Player One provides the following example:
High-Performance Cooling
Player One cooled cameras use a two-stage TEC cooling system. With an optimised thermal design that improves heat dissipation from the camera chamber, the ZEUS can achieve a temperature difference (Delta-T) of approximately 35 °C below ambient.
512 MB DDR3 Buffer Memory
The DDR3 buffer memory in Player One cooled cameras has been increased to 512 MB to improve data transfer stability and reliability. It helps prevent dropped frames and reduce read noise.
Thanks to this buffer, the camera is less dependent on the computer’s immediate performance and can maintain efficient operation even when connected to a USB 2.0 port.
STARVIS Technology
The ZEUS 455M Pro cooled camera is based on Sony STARVIS technology, a back-illuminated pixel architecture used in CMOS sensors to improve light-gathering efficiency.
Full-Frame Format
The ZEUS 455M Pro cooled camera features a 36 × 24 mm full-frame sensor, particularly well suited to professional deep-sky imaging.
Native 16-bit ADC
The IMX455 sensor incorporates a native 16-bit analogue-to-digital converter. With 65,536 quantisation levels, it offers higher conversion resolution than 12-bit systems, limited to 4,096 levels, and 14-bit systems, limited to 16,384 levels.
This conversion depth provides finer tonal transitions between highlights and shadows and greater flexibility during nonlinear image processing.
Zero Amp Glow
The ZEUS 455M Pro cooled camera is designed to produce no amp glow, resulting in a cleaner image background during long exposures.
Preview of Dark frame: Exposure=300s, gain=0, offset=5, temp=-5℃ STF auto-Stretch in Pixinsight 1.86
The amp-glow-free design delivers a particularly clean image background, making it easier to achieve high-quality images.
Type-C Data Ports and Power Supply
The rear panel of the cooled camera features two Type-C data ports and a 12 V DC power connector measuring 5.5 × 2.1 mm.
The main data port supports the USB 3.0 protocol. In RAW8 mode, the camera can achieve a frame rate of 6.5 frames per second. The Type-C connector also makes connection easier when setting up imaging equipment, particularly at night.
When saving images, the actual recording speed also depends on the drive’s write performance. If the drive is too slow, the recording frame rate may fall below the theoretical maximum. A good-quality SSD is recommended to take full advantage of the camera’s performance.
The camera features a 12 V DC power connector measuring 5.5 × 2.1 mm, which supplies power to the TEC cooling system. When cooling is not required, connecting only the main Type-C port is sufficient: the camera can then operate as an uncooled camera.
Using the Supplied Cables
Cooling System and Anti-Dew Heater
Dans l’interface ASCOM, trois paramètres peuvent être réglés : la température cible, la vitesse du ventilateur et la puissance du chauffage anti-buée.
Le Delta-T standard atteint environ 35 °C (±2 °C) avec une température ambiante de 30 °C, un ventilateur réglé à 100 % et le chauffage anti-buée à 10 %.
Player One recommande un Delta-T d’environ 30 °C sous la température ambiante, avec une vitesse de ventilateur de 70 % et un chauffage anti-buée réglé à 10 %. Dans ces conditions, la consommation électrique se situe généralement entre 40 et 60 %.
La vitesse de rotation du ventilateur de refroidissement est également réglable. Sa valeur par défaut est fixée à 70 %.
La formation de buée constitue un problème important en astrophotographie. La caméra intègre donc un chauffage anti-buée à l’avant, dont la puissance peut être ajustée selon les conditions.
Overvoltage and Overcurrent Protection Mechanisms
Player One cameras feature built-in overvoltage and overcurrent protection mechanisms to help ensure the safety of the camera and other connected equipment.
Performance
Dual Sampling Modes
The ZEUS series offers two sampling modes: Normal Mode and Low Noise Mode. Each mode provides different advantages depending on imaging conditions and requirements.
Normal Mode provides a higher frame rate, making it more suitable for planetary imaging.
Low Noise Mode (LRN) reduces readout noise and delivers a higher dynamic range, making it better suited for deep-sky imaging.
At gain 0, the camera delivers a dynamic range of 14.2 stops, a full well capacity of 71.6 Ke⁻, and a readout noise of 4.2 e⁻.
HCG mode activates at a gain setting of 125. At this setting, the camera provides a dynamic range of 13.5 stops, a full well capacity of 16.7 Ke⁻, and a readout noise reduced to just 1.5 e⁻.
Frame Rate
The ZEUS 455M Pro cooled camera can achieve a frame rate of 6.5 frames per second in RAW8 mode and 3.2 frames per second in RAW16 mode.
Large Full Well Capacity
The ZEUS 455M Pro cooled camera offers a maximum full well capacity of 71.6 Ke⁻.
Readout Noise
Regarding readout noise, Player One states that all published values are based on actual measurements. Users can also perform their own tests using SharpCap 4, which includes a Sensor Analysis feature that allows readout noise to be measured easily.
This type of test can therefore be performed directly by users to verify the camera's performance.
Dark Current
The dark current reaches just 0.00014 e⁻/s/pixel at -20 °C and 0.00154 e⁻/s/pixel at 0 °C.
Across the entire curve, its progression remains very consistent, demonstrating the quality and stability of the ZEUS camera sensor.
QE Curve
Mechanical Drawing
BFL Solutions
Note: Some optical backfocus configurations require a distance of 56 mm to compensate for the difference in optical path introduced by the filters.
Package List
ZEUS 455M Pro IMX455