Assessing the ZWO ASI120MM Mini: Mixed Recommendations Ahead
Revised Article:
Get ready to dive into the cosmos with the ZWO ASI120MM Mini, the newest offering from CMOS camera innovators ZWO. This bad boy is derived from their famed ASI1 20MM camera—an economical, super-popular choice in the astrophotography world known for delivering high-quality guiding and planetary results.
The ASI 120mm Mini, while lacking some features of the original 120MM, sports a lower price tag, making it an ideal pick for deep sky or guiding work. Auto-guiding enthusiasts will especially appreciate its unique body shape, engineered to excel in autoguiding applications.
Laying Down the Specs: ASI120MM Mini
The ASI120MM Mini incorporates the same sensor as its 120MM forebear, but with a few noteworthy tweaks. Let's go over the specs both shares:
- A CMOS sensor: Pivotal for cameras like these and planetary cameras alike, thanks to their high efficiency (sensitivity) and incredible read-out speeds, crucial for rapid video recording and guiding.
- Size: With a 1⁄3" sensor size along the diagonal, it's on the smaller side for deep-sky cameras, but it's roughly average for guiding cameras today, catering to the intended application. A smaller sensor means a narrower field of view than larger sensors, but it's perfect for capturing images of small subjects like planets.
- Resolution: Sporting a resolution of 1280×960 pixels, the image quality isn't mind-blowing, but it's typical of such small sensors. You might not be able to display the images take on a huge screen.
- Quantum Efficiency: An impressive 80%! Quantum efficiency, you ask? It's similar to sensitivity, dictating how many photons are converted into electrons during capture. Even cameras like the ASI1600 Pro only boast a 60% efficiency, and CCD cameras are even lower at around 40%, so you'll be able to snap images with shorter exposure times and still pick up ample light.
What's New With the Mini?
The ASI120mm Mini may share the same sensor as the 120, but the rest of the camera couldn't be more different:
- The Mini boasts a sleek, compact design, measuring just 1.25 inches in diameter at its widest point. This means the entire camera can fit into a 1.25" focuser, where other cameras would cut off before the sensor.
- USB 2.0 support instead of USB 3.0. This makes the camera more affordable, although it comes with some trade-offs (read about them later).
- USB-C interface, a more modern and future-proof choice compared to USB-B, which is found in almost every other astronomy camera out there, and harder to find cables for.
- The Mini tips the scales at 60 grams, making it a featherweight option. Balancing the weight of your guide camera won't be an issue with this lightweight stunner, especially for sensitive equatorial mounts.
So, Why Pick a Crippled Camera?
One may wonder, "Why sell a camera with half the functions?" The answer is simple: autoguiding. You'd be hard-pressed to find a reason to use this camera for deep-sky imaging, while planetary work would be better tackled with the non-mini version, offering faster FPS for capturing more frames.
For deep-sky and autoguiding purposes, the frame rate is not a primary concern. Your download times will be shorter than your exposures, allowing you to make do with USB 2.0's limited transfer speeds. In planetary imaging, where download times become longer than the frame rate, USB 3.0 becomes a necessity to maintain maximum FPS. Since guide and deep-sky exposures tend to be a second or longer, the Mini does the job just fine.
The sensor's position, close to the camera's face, and the camera's body extending far down make it a dream for off-axis guider setups. This means you'll enjoy a wider focusing range compared to cameras with sensors placed deep in the camera, making focusing a breeze.
Additionally, the Mini's incredibly sensitive sensor ensures that you'll snag even dimmer stars in the small area provided by the sensor, thanks to CMOS technology. Traditionally, smaller areas result in dimmer stars, a problem for insensitive cameras, but the Mini turns that challenge into a non-issue.
In a Nutshell
All in all, the ZWO ASI120MM Mini is a solid choice for astrophotography enthusiasts, especially those focusing on autoguiding. Its sensitive sensor ensures you'll catch even the faintest celestial bodies, and its compact, lightweight design allows for easy maneuvering in tight settings.
If you're planning on using the camera for planetary work, steer clear of the Mini; opt for the non-mini version instead. Its superior features make it the perfect tool for your cosmic wonders.
- The unique body shape of the ASI 120mm Mini, designed for autoguiding, makes it an ideal gadget for deep sky work, showcasing its prowess in this field of view.
- The ZWO ASI120MM Mini, with its deep sky capabilities and impressive quantum efficiency of 80%, makes it a great tool for astronomy, allowing for shorter exposure times to capture ample light.
- This compact and lightweight camera, suitable for autoguiding and deep sky imaging, features a sleek design employing modern technology with USB-C interface, making it an attractive addition to any astronomer's arsenal of gadgets.
