Astrophotography Cameras Under $1000
Astrophotography is for everyone. Even if you’re new to astronomy, today’s astrophotography cameras make it easy to take amazing astrophotographs with minimal expense and specialized gear. Astrophotography cameras pair with a variety of telescope types for taking sharp, detailed images of deep sky and solar system objects, including the sun. Whether you’re new to the world of astrophotography or a veteran looking for some budget-friendly gear, there’s an astrophotography camera to suit your needs. Here’s a look at some of the best astrophotography cameras under $1000.
ZWO ASI224MC Color CMOS Astrophotography Camera - $179
Designed for planetary imaging, the ZWO ASI224MC Color CMOS Astrophotography Camera features a 1.2 MP Sony IMX 224 imaging sensor with a low read noise and the potential for high frame rates. But the ZWO ASI224MC can also be used for imaging deep sky objects since it supports a maximum exposure time of up to 1000 seconds. The camera comes with Anti-amp Glow Technology for reducing the distortions that often occur in long exposures and includes a USB 3.0 port for 5GB bandwidth and an ST4 Port for easy guiding.
Celestron NexImage 10 Color Solar System Imager - $309.95
Designed for the beginner astrophotographer, the Celestron NexImage 10 Color Solar System Imager provides an easy transition from visual observation to imaging objects in the night sky. The Celestron NexImage 10 is designed specifically for planetary imaging, with over 10 million individual pixels and high-speed data transmission for clear, vivid images. The camera comes with inbuilt image processing software to make it easy to produce the best possible image of planets and moons, and the kit includes a USB 3.0 cable and a 1.25” nosepiece adapter.
Orion StarShoot Mini 2mp AutoGuider Astrophotography Camera - $349.99
The Orion StarShoot Mini 2mp AutoGuider is a highly sensitive camera with a Sony IMX 290 monochrome sensor and a quantum efficiency of around 80% so that stars are visible in any area of the sky the guidescope points to. The Orion StarShoot Mini AutoGuider also has an exposure range of 0.105ms – 1000s, so it can capture images of both bright planets and faint deep sky objects. The camera comes with a USB port to connect the camera to a laptop and an ST4 mount that connects directly to an autoguider-compatible mount.
Omegon Pro veLOX 287 Color CMOS Camera - $435.95
The Omegon Pro veLOX 287 Color CMOS Camera is a sensitive, high-speed camera that’s ideal for lunar, planetary, and solar astrophotography. Still, its modern CMOS chip makes it easy to capture images of fainter deep sky objects too. This camera is shaped like a 1.25” eyepiece so that it can fit every telescope. The Omegon Pro veLOX 207 includes Omegon AstroPhotoCapture software and an inbuilt ST4 guideport for easy auto-guiding.
If you have any questions about choosing the right astrophotography camera, please contact us. The OPTeam is happy to guide you toward the best possible camera for your journey into the world of astrophotography.
