New G1 Camera with 2 MPx Resolution

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CCD cameras of G1 series are used as guiding cameras for guiding telescope mounts or as inexpensive and simple imaging CCD cameras with low noise, 16 bit digitization and very fast image download. New model G1-2000 with resolution 1600 × 1200 pixels was added to the G1 series. CCD detector with 9 mm diagonal is the biggest detector used in the whole G1 series.

Camera with only hundreds kilopixels resolution can be more suitable for telescope guiding than bigger camera with high resolution and big detector. Guiding images are typically evaluated only in a small fraction of the whole field containing selected star, so the bigger CCD may be useless. But if the camera is used as imaging device on microscope or short focal length telescope, larger CCD detector is always better.

The G1-2000 camera is mechanically identical to other cameras of the same series, but it offers resolution 1600 × 1200 pixels. Single pixel measures 4.4 m, which is the smallest pixel of the whole G1 series (model G1-0800 with resolution 1024 × 768 pixels has pixels measuring 4.65 m). CCD detector diagonal dimension is 9 mm (marked 1/2"), which is the biggest detector offered in the G1 cameras (other G1 cameras employ CCD detectors measuring 6 mm in diagonal, marked 1/3").

Remark:

Marking of the diagonal 1/2" or 1/3" does not directly equal to real CCD dimension. This marking originated in the diameter of the vidicon tubes of TV cameras, on which head was created smaller sensitive area. For instance on the tube with diameter 1/2" (12.7 mm) was sensitive area of 9 mm diagonal.

The G1-2000 CCD camera (right) offers larger CCD detector compared to other G1 series cameras (left)

The G1-2000 cameras are offered in monochrome version as well as with color CCD detector (model G1-2000C). Color CCD chip uses so-called Bayer mask—individual pixels are covered with red, green and blue filters. It is possible to reconstruct color image from single shot with proper software. These procedures are thoroughly described in the G1 camera documentation and in the SIMS software user's guide.