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An Incredibly Compact 3-in-1 Imaging Solution!
Simplify your path to astroimages with this compact 3-in-1 high sensitivitysensor titan! Taking ZWO’s incredible Air camera line to a more spaceefficient form-factor is the ZWO ASI585MC-Air Wireless Smart Camera andGuider: an on-axis guide camera, cooled IMX585 imaging sensor equipped, and ASIAirintegrated system, packed in a housing roughly the same diameter and onlyabout one inch longer than its main image sensor only ASI585MC Pro foundation.Read on to find out just how this incredibly feature dense system is theperfect companion for small sensor streamline imaging!
ZWO’s innovative Air camera line brings you guiding, imaging, and control inone package to simplify your imaging system. The ZWO ASI585MC-Air WirelessSmart Camera and Guider takes things a step further than its ASP-C sensorsized roots, bringing you the incredible Air camera experience in a smallsensor format. This miniaturization has combined the ASIAir system, IMX585sensor, and an integrated guide camera in a package requiring just 36 mm ofimage circle and packed into a housing that is only about one inch longer thanthe popular small imaging option ZWO ASI585MC Pro! This integrated designallows you to consolidate your connections into one USB cable and one dataconnection for the whole device, making cable management easier and givingyour system a more streamlined and modern look—which with the inclusionof Bluetooth can be streamlined even further when paired with one of ZWO’sBluetooth compatible AM series mounts that eliminate the need for a hard-wiredmount connection. Camera integration into the device itself additionallyprevents signal issues that can arise with USB cables, giving you anexperience that isn’t just easier to integrate, but more reliable as well! Theonboard ASIAir control system brings you ZWO’s premier WiFi control systemexperience—allowing you to image, guide, polar aligning, browse animmersive digital planetarium for target selection, post process, and morewith just one device. Connecting to this wireless powerhouse is as simple asdownloading an app and connecting to the 2.4 Ghz or 5Ghz WiFi hotspot providedby the ZWO ASI585MC Air. For hard-wired control of ZWO’s excellent ecosystemof accessories and mounts outside the wireless ZWO ecosystem, this device alsofeatures a four port powered USB hub that allows you to complete yourexperience with superb supporting accessories and the mechanical muscle ofyour choice. When it comes to creating images with a big impact, thisincredible compact 3-in-1 image system is hard to beat!
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A High Performance, Professional Camera for Astrophotography
Let’s Dig into the Data!
The ZWO ASI585MC-Air Wireless Smart Camera and Guider is capable of producing some incredible images with its IMX585 sensor!This sensor has cemented itself as a great performing small chip; but can youtell this camera will be a stellar performer even without this wide-spreadsuccess? You can—it’s all in the graphs! Quantum efficiency, read noise,dark current, full well graphs and more all tell a part of the story of asensor’s performance, and you can learn how to decode these charts and whatthey represent in our articleabout camera charts and how to read them!
Please Note: ZWO has adjusted the ASI585 line of cameras’ HCG point from 252 gain to 200 gain. In order to take advantage of this you will need to update to the newest version of ASIStudio (1.61.1 or later) or the ASIAIR app (2.4.2 or later).
Click to Enlarge ImageClick to Enlarge ImageClick to Enlarge ImageWhat Does Our Team Think?
- “Easily the best priced solution for imaging and the automation of my gear! Don’t let the size of this camera’s sensor fool you, it really packs a punch! I found that operating it at 252 gain for unity was more than optimal for both filtered and unfiltered deep sky imaging. The ASI220m guide camera does a great job at picking up stars to guide on and works well with high gain around 500 to pick up stars in 6-7 nm filters. I find the 2.9 um pixel size great for telescopes ranging 300 mm to 800 mm focal length which offers much versatility when swapping telescopes in average seeing conditions. With less standalone pieces, the setup is friendly, portable, and automation is simplified. Just plug in your mount and accessories and then connect your smartphone to the ASIAIR app and the device’s WIFI to get your night started. This camera also serves well for planetary imaging with a speed of 30fps at a ROI of 480×360. The ASI585MC Air is great for newcomers learning the hobby and experienced users looking to keep things simple so they can enjoy more time under the stars!”
– Kurt K., High Point Scientific Gear Expert
A Complete 3-in-1 Package
While the ZWO ASI585MC-Air Wireless Smart Camera and Guider stands out bypacking an excellent main sensor, a guide camera, and wireless control intoone package, there’s more than these headliners that make up this system. Readon for more information on all of the excellence ZWO has packed into thisstellar offering!
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The Full ASIAir Experience
The ZWO ASIAir devices have been some of the premier options when it comes to wireless camera control, and remote camera control has never been more streamlined than this fully-integrated system! This is an accomplishment all of its own, but incredibly, this has been done without sacrificing software performance—with all of the excellent features that make the ASIAir a standout wireless control system fully present and accounted for. Locating targets with the intuitive Sky Atlas, polar aligning assistance, on-device image processing and Live stacking, auto-focus, and control of mounts and ZWO’s ecosystem of supporting accessories are all here in this integrated wireless control system. This is supported by 256GB of storage and 2GB of RAM, providing plenty of room for your data and high-performance.
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High Sensitivity Main Image Sensor
Featuring the popular IMX585 color image sensor, this camera is capable of producing some truly incredible images for its size! This sensor is the same small sensor powerhouse driving the stellar ZWO ASI585MC Pro camera, bring you that standout camera’s excellent 40Ke full-well depth, impressive 91% Peak QE, low 0.7-6.67e read noise, and 12 bit dynamic range. This performance is packed into a 1/1.2″ type sensor sporting 8.29 megapixels, for a small sensor that packs a solid resolution and performance punch that will have you creating detailed and dynamic astro-vistas with ease! Incredible image quality is further enhanced with two-stage TEC cooling, which can cool the chip to -30°C below the ambient temperature for lower image noise. ZWO has also builtthe ASI585MC Air with amp glow fighting technology, which leaves you with an imagevirtually free of sensor hotspots! This incredible sensor has been paired with an IR cut filter, making the ZWO ASI585MC Air ready for incredible imaging right out of the box!
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Integrated Guide Sensor
Built-in to the front of this camera is a second sensor for a streamlined guiding solution. Say goodbye to separate guide scopes and OAGs with this simple, yet effective, solution! By integrating the guide sensor into the same system as your main sensor, ZWO has eliminated the issues of misalignment or backfocus headaches that can arise with more traditional solutions. When your main camera is at focus, simply use the adjustment knob on the top of the device to fine tune your guide sensor, and you’re ready to guide! They’ve managed to squeeze this second sensor into a 36 mm image circle, meaning that so long as your optics can support the common 44 mm image circle size, you can use this system. Better yet, this sensor is the same great SC2210 used in the popular ZWO ASI220MM Mini guide camera, meaning you’re getting full size guiding solution performance in a compact guide package.
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A Wide Variety of Wireless Control
The ZWO ASI585-Air Wireless Smart Camera and Guider supports both popular wireless protocols, WiFi and Bluetooth, for sleeker setup! Able to use both 2.4 and 5 Ghz WiFi bands, this camera can be setup up for either maximum range and compatibility or increased throughput to tailor your wireless control experience to your goals and gear. Controlling the system itself is supported via the ZWO ASIAir app (available for Android and iOS), while wireless communication with the camera only is available via connected device with ZWO’s ASIStudio suite or an ASCOM Alpaca compatible software suite of your choice! The integration of Bluetooth simplifies control of compatible accessories, such as the Bluetooth compatible models of ZWO’s AM series mounts or ZWO Standard Electronic Automatic Focuser (EAF) Pro! When paired through this protocol you can control this excellent equipment without adding an extra USB cable to your system, simplifying your cable management and setup.
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Power and Ports
The ZWO ASI585MC-Air Wireless Smart Camera and Guider incorporates three of the most essential astrophotography components in one simple device, however if you’re looking to simplify your system even further with autofocus, enhance it with filters, or find your perfect frame remotely, then this camera has you covered! With a powered USB hub on the back sporting four USB-A connections, you can connect some of your favorite ZWO supporting accessories to streamline and upgrade your experience. Offloading your files from the device is simple, with a USB-C port that can provide speedy file transfers to your dedicated processing computer for post-processing through your preferred workflow. Finally, to power the ZWO ASI585MC Air and one additional accessory, this device features two 12V DC 10A Input/3A Output ports. These are interchangeable, allowing you to place the power input and output on whichever 5.5×2.1 mm port best suits your cable management needs!
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Complete Package
The ZWO ASI585MC Air comes with all the essential components you need to create an essential imaging system! A 1 meter Male-to-Male 5.5×2.1 mm 12V DC power cords allow you to power the device from saddle mounted or housing mounted power outputs on your mount, or a telescope/ imaging train mounted device; with a 1.5 meter 5.5×2.1 mm Male-to-Female extension cable to extend your power connection when necessary. For establishing a connection to your USB-B accessories like ZWO’s line of electronic filter wheels, the ZWO ASI585MC Air comes with two half meter USB-A to USB-B cables. A 1 meter long cable strap is included to help keep your cables neat and out of the way. For establishing the industry standard 55 mm of backfocus, this camera includes a 16.5 mm M48 to M42 spacer and a 21 mm M42 to M42 spacer; with an M42 to M48 step-up ring to help get you connected if you have an M42 threaded scope/ corrective element. In event you need to calibrate your camera for tilt ZWO has included a 2 mm M2.5 hex wrench to adjust the front tilt plate. Finally, to help you get up and running with this hardware and the camera out-of-the-box the ZWO ASI585MC Air includes a Quick Start Guide!
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Image Circle Insight
With two sensors included, it’s important to utilize optics with an image circle large enough to support both. The imaging and guide sensors of this ZWO ASI585MC-Air fit inside an image circle of 36 mm. While telescopes with an APS-C sized image circle can work, the guide star shapes may become distorted resulting in subpar results. This is why it’s highly recommended to utilize optics supporting at least 36 mm, with a full-frame image circle or larger yielding the best performance!
Astronomy Hub: Your one-stop-shop for Astrophotography Knowledge!
Our Gear Experts have compiled a wealth of information to help expand your astrophotography knowledge! Below you’ll find links to articles, videos and “how-to” guides. Just one more reason that our Astronomy Hub is a one-stop-shop for all your astronomy and astrophotography needs!
| Choosing the Best Deep Sky Camera |
| Undersampling and Oversampling in Astrophotography |
| Why Exposure Time Matters |
| ZWO ASIAir Ultimate Guide |
