This uncooled CMOS camera offers very high resolution and is suitable for moon and planet photography, as well as for limited deep sky photography.
The ZWO ASI 678MC is the successor to the ASI 178MC. It stands out thanks to significantly lower noise, smaller pixels, higher sensitivity and improved resolution. In contrast, however, it has a slightly lower frame rate, which is still sufficient for planetary photography and can be increased again by using a smaller image section (ROI). The maximum full well capacity is also slightly lower than its predecessor, the ASI 178MC, but this is less important for planetary photography. The amplifier glow (Amp Glow) is no longer present in the ASI 678MC. In addition, the sensitivity in the near infrared has been significantly increased, allowing planets to be photographed even better in this spectrum – you will notice fewer negative seeing influences.
The ASI 678MC has a High Gain Mode, which is activated at a gain value of 182, significantly reducing readout noise and increasing the dynamic range by one stop.
The uncooled camera can also be used for deep sky photography to a limited extent, but the small chip size must be taken into account. It is therefore more suitable for compact planetary nebulae, double stars or globular clusters. The resolution of 8.3 megapixels is sufficient for deep sky photography.
