How to Choose the Best Telescope Camera

Choosing the best telescope camera can be difficult with so many options. This guide will give you a better understanding the best types of telescope cameras as well as top recommendations selected from industry experts.

Once you understand each of these cameras' specialties, you'll be able to make a better decision on which telescope camera will best suit your needs!

Types of Telescope Cameras

• Planetary & Solar Cameras.
• Deep Space Cameras.
• Guide Cameras.
• Specialty Cameras.
• CCD Cameras.
• CMOS Cameras.
• Astronomy Video Cameras.

Best Types of Planetary & Solar Telescope Cameras

There are a large number of telescope cameras that are best suited for planetary and solar imaging. These cameras excel at capturing detailed images of targets like the red spot on Jupiter or the Rings of Saturn when used with the correct telescope and accessories. Many of these cameras are also well suited to use with solar filters and can capture high-quality images of the Sun when used appropriately. Planetary imaging is a great place to start for those interested in moving from observation to imaging, and these telescopes cameras are sure to help.

Recommended:

Best Types of Deep Space Telescope Cameras

Deep space telescope cameras are exceptionally well suited for capturing images from the deepest and darkest reaches of space. These imaging cameras are great for capturing nebulae and galaxies in the immortality of astrophotography, letting you capture some of the most breathtaking sights in the night sky to enjoy forever. Designed for extremely long exposure times and with a powerful cooling system, capture the perfect image with no need to rush.

Recommended:

Best Types of Guide Telescope Cameras

There are specialized telescope cameras for guiding that can help your overall astronomy accuracy and act as a support when you are imaging with another camera. They're also called support units for your main camera and help everything else run smoothly. They help guide your mount, which helps your camera and telescope track your target.

Recommended:

Best Types of Specialty Telescope Cameras

Some telescope cameras are heavily specialized and perform specific functions. Specialty cameras can range from Astronomy Video Cameras to Polar Alignment tools to things like 'All-Sky' cameras, which show an extreme wide field of view. These cameras are great for getting the job done when you need something out of the ordinary and are some of the more interesting and unique cameras we stock.

Recommended:

Best Types of CCD Telescope Cameras

CCD telescope cameras are capable of the most outstanding possible astrophotography image quality. Unlike traditional cameras, the CCD camera uses a small, rectangular chip of silicon called aCharge-Coupled Device to gather and record incoming light instead of film. The silicon chip is a solid-state electronic component comprised of light-sensitive cells called photo-sites. Each photo-site is one pixel. Just one tiny area in a photograph can contain hundreds of thousands of pixels.

When incoming light strikes the photo-site, the photoelectric effect creates and builds an electron charge for as long as exposure occurs. The electrons are then "stored" in their cells until the analog-to-digital converter unloads the array, counts the electrons, and reassembles them into the "big picture" that gets sent to your computer. These traits make them incredible for high-resolution imaging and photography, but it also means that you will need to use a computer to process your images. Specialized software is available for processing your CCD images, and can be provided alongside your camera purchase if you are interested.

Recommended:

Best Types of CMOS Telescope Cameras

CMOS telescope cameras are very similar to CCD cameras but have certain fundamental differences in design that drastically affect them and establish firm and predictable differences between the two kinds of cameras. A CMOS sensor is the alternative to a CCD sensor when it comes to astrophotography. CMOS image sensors can incorporate other circuits on the same chip, eliminating the many separate chips required for a CCD. CMOS image sensors allow additional on-chip features, increasing the efficiency of manufacture and thus lower the sensor's cost.

Recommended:

Best Types of Astronomy Video Telescope Cameras

Consider an astronomy video telescope camera if you'd like to have even more fun with your telescope! These awesome tools can broadcast real-time images of deep space objects to a monitor and function as cameras. You could teach a class while watching globular cluster resolve on screen or share the views of Saturn during an outreach program. Perhaps you might like to make a film of a shadow transit on Jupiter or record the day's solar activity. Maybe you'd like to record motion pictures of comets or record a lunar eclipse. The possibilities are endless!

Planetary cameras and digital imagers are an excellent, low-cost way of introducing yourself to astrophotography. These fascinating tools can be as easy to use as inserting the eyepiece camera into the telescope and turning on the screen! Broadcasting live images is one of the coolest ways to share your hobby with others in an easy, accessible way and can produce truly breathtaking views that are, by their nature, preserved for others to share.

Recommended:

Contact usif you need more help selecting the best camera for your astronomy needs. We're happy to provide expert tips and answer any questions you may have!