Product Description
ASI174MM Mini camera integrates Sony IMX174LLJ / IMX174LQJ 1/1.2″ sensor (11.3 mm x 7.1 mm). It is ZWO first mini camera. This camera has 1936 x 1216 pixels. The pixel size is 5.86 μm x 5.86 μm. This camera provides 12bit ADC and its QE peak is 77%.
Astrophotography Performance
ASI174 mini camera offers you very good performance for planetary imaging and guiding. Low read noise, high dynamic range, QE peak 77%, AR protective window and much more.
High QE
Absolute QE Curve, we estimate the Peak Value is about 77%.
174Mini vs. 174MM
Compared with ASI174MM camera, 174mini has smaller outlook, lighter weight, and it can reach focus with eyepiece at the same position.
USB2.0Port & ST4 Port
USB 2.0 Port: Mini cameras have one USB2.0 type C port. Type C port is very popular among mobile phones, it doens’t matter with the positive side and negetive side of the adapter.
ST4 Port: Can connect mini camera directly to the auto guide port of mount.
Connecting Drawing
- M28.5-CS adapter
- CS-C adapter
- 1.25″ extender
- 1.25″ filter
Mechanical Drawing
What is in the box?
ASI mini camera box includes all necessary cables, adapters, and manual.
Drivers and Softwares:
Our website has newest camera drivers and many DSO and Planetary capture softwares. Please make sure the newest driver and software has been installed before you start shooting:
https://astronomy-imaging-camera.com/software/
ASI120, ASI174 and ASI290 mini camera have very beautiful outlooks, small size, lighter weight, this is not a big deal.
We should consider much more…
How to choose a good guide camera?
Many people may say : must be small, suitable for different equipments(guide scope, OAG), stable working.
Yes, I think thoes are basic demands for a good guide camera, and ASI mini camera can do them well.
So, what else we do care in the deep of our mind?
I think there will be three potential requests: high sensitivity, precisely guiding, big FOV.
High Sensitivity
Sensitivity is the first thing we considered. It is very important to look for a guide star. So, at beginning, we were considering to use mono sensor to design our guide camera only. Because mono sensors have much higher sensitivity than color ones. Luckily the ASI120MM Mini, ASI290MM Mini and ASI174MM Mini all have very high QE peak value – about 80%, which can detect more stars in view and shorten the exposure time in guiding.
Entry Level
ASI120MM Mini is designed for newcomers, which is more affordable than ASI290MM Mini and ASI174MM Mini. You can easily get the well-sampled stars with the help of ASI120MM Mini. It’s light, compact and robust. If you are still wondering which one you should choose as your first guide camera, the ASI120MM Mini can always be a good choice.
Precisely Guiding
ASI290MM Mini is designed for precisely guiding. The 2.9um pixel size can give you a higher arcsec/pixel than 224 or 120 camera. Which means in same guide scope, 290mini can detective slighter movement of stars. ASI290 mini can improve about 30% guide precision than 120mm.
Big FOV
ASI174MM mini is designed for Big FOV guiding. This is very useful in OAG to looking for a guide star. When you use OAG guider working with Ritchey-Chretien or Schmit-Cassegrain telescope, the hardest part is to looking for a guide star. ASI174 mini have 1/1.2″ big sensor which means you can have a 4 times bigger Fov than 120mm.
Smiling Face
The back of ASI mini camera is like a smiling face, its mouth is Type C USB port, which is widely used in mobile phones. And its nose is the ST4 port, for guiding. Every time, you use mini camera, there always will be a smiley face stay with you in the dark nights.
Focus like a eyepiece
ASI mini camera and eyepiece can reach focus at same position. You can focus with an eyepiece, and put ASI mini camera into 1.25″ holder.
Work with OAG
Mini camera is very suitable for OAG, it can have much biger focus range than normal ASI cameras. Never to worry about that guide camera can not focus with main camera at same time.
Work with CS adapter and CS lens
Work with 1.25″ extender
ASI mini camera is available now! You can buy it form us or our dealers! Wish you all have clear skies!
Review:
https://www.cloudynights.com/topic/589232-zwo-290mm-mini-guidecam-beta-test-thread/
Bob Desoto – :
Does the mini version have the “global shutter” and will this allow “autodark subtraction” without having to cover the telescope tube?
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ZWO.Moson – :
The ASI174MM Mini has the “global shutter”, but it can not allow “autodark subtraction”.
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Matt (verified owner) – :
The sensor back focus is noted for the 290 but not the 174, please provide this distance. ty
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Moson – :
The distance is 8.5mm. And it also has been mentioned on the “Mechanical Drawing”, you could refer to this.
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Jason – :
Do you sell the 1.25” extender separately? I must have misplaced the one that came with my camera, and without it I can’t get the backfocus right for my guidescope.
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Katherine Tsai – :
Yes we do, please send an email to support@zwoptical.com and we will help you with the purchase.
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Lamar McLouth – :
I’m trying to decide between your ASI174MM MIni or QHY’s QHY5III-174M.
They both use the same sensor but there’s has a USB 3.0 interface and they have an anti-amp glow function. I know your ASI174MM Mini uses USB 2.0, but does it have an anti-amp glow function?
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Kevin J Ware – :
Will this 174mm mini’s sensor still cause vignetting in your 8*8 ZWO OAG prism during guiding? I’m using a 1600mm attached to an AT115 refractor.
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Katherine Tsai – :
Yes it will but you can use it to guiding.
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Wayne T – :
Hi Sam. How suitable is the ASI174MM Mini for use with a C6 and hyperstar for DSO? The form factor looks good and should not encroach into the light path. I know it’s mono, but I can always get the appropriate sliding filter wheel. Given how short the exposures can be with hyperstar I’m not sure if a cooled camera offers much advantage over uncooled. Your thoughts?
Cheers,
Wayne
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Sean Wang – :
Hi, 174mini have M28.5 threads and 1.25″ diameter, I think there are some adapters required between camera and hyper star system to get best back focus.
Cooled camera has lower noise than uncooled camera, but, uncooled camera still can do some DSO imaging under short exposure time.
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borish – :
Does USB 2.0 of mini cameras means lower speed of FPS compared with classic USB 3.0 cameras?
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Sean Wang – :
Yes, it is.
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Diego Gomez – :
Does the ASI 174MM Mini support 2×2 binning? I am looking for a guide camera for my Celestron 9.25 Edge HD using an OAG. At F7 (reducer), the 1×1 binning will provide a good imaging scale however at F10 (2350mm focal length), I would have to binning at 2×2.
Thanks in advance,
Diego
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Sean Wang – :
Yes, it does.
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Shawn – :
I am looking for a guide camera that has a good deal of sensitivity for the fainter stars. Would the 174MM Mini work well in such a situation? Basically, I am looking for something that surpasses the Loadstar X2.
Thanks
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Sean Wang – :
Yes, 174mm and 290mm mini camera are have high sensitivity.
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Martin – :
Besides the new form factor and USB 2.0 is there any other difference to the “old” ASI174 ??
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Sean Wang – :
No, there is no difference.
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minoskritikos – :
Hi guys, do the ASI mini cameras work with your Android Asicap app? I know you state on that only USB 3.0 works with Asicap, but I thought I’d ask anyway because of the USB type-C standard used for the mini cams. Many thanks
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Sean Wang – :
Yes, android asicap support mini cameras.
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Glenn – :
Hi Sam. Will this camera work with a standard USB C cable in case the one that comes with the camera fails?
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Sean Wang – :
It support USB type-c cable. Some mobile phone use that cable too.
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Oleksii – :
Is there is a way to connect M42 lens to this camera?
Thanks!
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Sean Wang – :
174mini only have 1.25″ adapter, we don’t have correct adapter for M42 lens.
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Jason Smith – :
Does the D25 IR blocking window fit this camera?
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Sam Wen – :
yes, but we suggest you use one external 1.25″filter IR-CUT filter
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