The QHY10 is an APS-C size cooled single shot CCD camera using SONY's ICX493AQA sensor. It has 10 Megapixels with a pixel size of 6.05 x 6.05um.
The QHY10 has two-stage thermoelectric cooling that reduces the temperature of the CCD to -40C below ambient. The combination of QHYCCD cooling technology and SONY SuperHAD low dark current technology results in an exceptionally clean, low noise image, even in a very long exposure.
In addition to the very low thermal noise of Sony's SuperHAD technology, this sensor has a high full well capacity. Even with high resolution 6.05um square pixels, it has a 45ke- full well. This is almost double that of the ICX413 with 7.8um square pixels, and almost double that of the KAF-8300 color sensor with 5.4um square pixels. The high full well capacity yields a higher dynamic range allowing a longer exposure time without signal saturation. This yields better colors and smaller star points.
The QHY10 comes with a clip for USB and power cables to help keep solid connections and avoid conditions that result in loss of contact.
QHYCCD adjusted the price of the QHY10 at the beginning of 2014. Compared to other cameras using the KAF-8300C, the QHY10 has a larger sensor, larger pixel size, more pixels, greater full well capacity (dynamic range), lower thermal noise, lower read noise, and smaller body size. It has an electronic shutter and 2-stage TE cooling. If you are considering an 8300 color camera, don't hesitate get an affordably priced QHY10 right now.
