QHY183C The QHY183C is a cooled one-shot colour astronomy camera using SONY IMX183. The back-illuminated IMX183 sensor provides 20-megapixel capture with 2.4 µm pixels. QHY specifies 15.5 ke full well, read noise of 2.7 electrons at low gain and 1.0 electron at high gain. Its amplifier-glow reduction still requires appropriate calibration for long exposures.
Manufacturer model: QHY183C · Specifications checked against manufacturer data on 2026-11-03
The QHY183C is a cooled one-shot colour astronomy camera using SONY IMX183. The back-illuminated IMX183 sensor provides 20-megapixel capture with 2.4 µm pixels. QHY specifies 15.5 ke full well, read noise of 2.7 electrons at low gain and 1.0 electron at high gain. Its amplifier-glow reduction still requires appropriate calibration for long exposures.
Sensor readout and image transfer
QHY’s published ADC specification is 12bit (output as 16bit and 8bit). A 128MB DDR2 Buffer image buffer supports downloads through USB3.0. The colour sensor records colour in the same exposure sequence without separate RGB filter passes. Full-frame and region-of-interest rates depend on readout mode and output format; the table below preserves those conditions.
Cooling and dew control
Manufacturer cooling specification: Dual Stage TEC cooler (-40℃ below ambient, test temperature +20℃）. Cooling reduces thermal signal during long exposures, and performance depends on ambient conditions and capture rate. The camera has the manufacturer-listed dew-control provisions shown in the table.
Optical connections
The listed interface is M42/0.75, with backfocus of 17.5mm（±0.2）. Add the optical contribution of the selected adapters, filter wheel and guider when planning the telescope connection.
Power and software
Use an external 12 V supply before connecting the USB data cable. QHY’s operating guide specifies 11–13.8 V at the camera; cable voltage drop must be included in the power budget. Use the manufacturer-specified power adapter. Install the matching QHY All-in-One driver/SDK and compatible capture software.
Use the named-model manufacturer connection diagram and the backfocus reference for the selected adapter. Readout mode and output format affect frame rate, noise and full-well capacity.
Additional specifications
Effective pixel array
5544*3684
Full well
15.5ke-
54778
Data sheet
ADC and output
12bit (output as 16bit and 8bit)
Amplifier glow
Amplifier Glow Can be reduced during long exposure
Anti dew heater
Available
Backfocus
17.5mm（±0.2）
Colour mode
Colour
Computer interface
USB3.0
Control software
QHY All-in-One drivers/SDK; compatible ASCOM and capture software such as NINA, SharpCap and EZCAP_QT
Cooling
Dual Stage TEC cooler (-40℃ below ambient, test temperature +20℃）
Dark current
0.0024e-/pixel/sec @ -15℃
Effective pixels
20 Megapixels
Exposure time range
50us-3600sec
Frame rates
Full Resolution: 19FPS@8BIT 7.5FPS@12BIT ROI:; 4096*2160 4K HD Video 31FPS@8BIT 12FPS@12BIT; 1920*1080 HD Video 60FPS@8BIT 24FPS@12BIT; 800*600 SVGA 106FPS@8BIT 42FPS@12BIT; 640*480 VGA 130FPS@8BIT 53FPS@12BIT
Image buffer
128MB DDR2 Buffer
Model
QHY183C
Optical connection
M42/0.75
Pixel size
2.4μm*2.4μm
Power input
12 V DC external supply; manufacturer guide specifies 11–13.8 V at the camera
Power sequence
Connect 12 V power before USB; use a short, low-resistance power cable
Protective window
IR-cut filter
Read noise
2.7e-@lowest gain; 1.0e-@high gain
Sensor
SONY IMX183
Sensor illumination
BSI
Sensor size
Typical 1 inch (13.3mm*8.87mm)
Shutter
Electric Rolling Shutter
Unity gain
10
Weight
650g
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QHY183C The QHY183C is a cooled one-shot colour astronomy camera using SONY IMX183. The back-illuminated IMX183 sensor provides 20-megapixel capture with 2.4 µm pixels. QHY specifies 15.5 ke full well, read noise of 2.7 electrons at low gain and 1.0 electron at high gain. Its amplifier-glow reduction still requires appropriate calibration for long exposures.
Manufacturer model: QHY183C · Specifications checked against manufacturer data on 2026-11-03
