cameracomparison · 2-way
Player One Apollo-M Max vs ZWO ASI385MC
Player One
Apollo-M Max
A strong fit for photographers stepping into astro pairing with longer focal lengths where framing is tight.
ZWO
ASI385MC
A strong fit for photographers stepping into astro pairing with longer focal lengths where framing is tight.
Key differences
110% larger sensor
Larger pixels (9µm vs 3.75µm)
-16% more resolution
Mono vs color
Specifications
| Specification | Player One Apollo-M Max | ZWO ASI385MC |
|---|---|---|
| Sensor | ||
| Type | planetary | dedicated |
| Sensor | Sony IMX432 | Sony IMX385 |
| Sensor tech | CMOS | CMOS |
| Format | 1.1" | 1/2" |
| Sensor size | 14.1×10.6mm | 7.3×4.1mm |
| Diagonal | 17.6mm | 8.4mm |
| Pixel size | 9.00µm | 3.75µm |
| Resolution | 1608×1104 | 1936×1096 |
| Megapixels | 1.8MP | 2.1MP |
| Color | No | Yes |
| Cooling | ||
| Cooled | No | No |
| Performance | ||
| Full well | 90000e⁻ | 25000e⁻ |
| Peak QE | 80% | 80% |
Advantages of Player One Apollo-M Max
- Larger sensor (17.6mm vs 8.4mm diagonal) — wider field
- Larger pixels — better low-light per-pixel sensitivity
- Mono sensor — ideal for narrowband and LRGB
Advantages of ZWO ASI385MC
- Finer sampling at 3.75µm pixels
- Higher resolution (2.12MP vs 1.78MP)
- One-shot color — simpler workflow
Best for — Player One Apollo-M Max
- Longer focal lengths — tighter framing on small targets
- Fast, low-noise deep-sky at short focal lengths
- Narrowband and LRGB workflows
Best for — ZWO ASI385MC
- Longer focal lengths — tighter framing on small targets
- Well-sampled deep-sky at medium focal lengths
- One-shot color — quick results, less processing
Player One Apollo-M Max — typical FOV & scale
- On 250mm refractor (wide)FOV: 3.23° × 2.42°Scale: 7.43"/px
- On 800mm SCT reducerFOV: 1.01° × 0.76°Scale: 2.32"/px
- On 2000mm SCT nativeFOV: 0.40° × 0.30°Scale: 0.93"/px
ZWO ASI385MC — typical FOV & scale
- On 250mm refractor (wide)FOV: 1.67° × 0.94°Scale: 3.09"/px
- On 800mm SCT reducerFOV: 0.52° × 0.29°Scale: 0.97"/px
- On 2000mm SCT nativeFOV: 0.21° × 0.12°Scale: 0.39"/px
Player One Apollo-M Max — recommended user
A strong fit for photographers stepping into astro pairing with longer focal lengths where framing is tight.
ZWO ASI385MC — recommended user
A strong fit for photographers stepping into astro pairing with longer focal lengths where framing is tight.