cameracomparison · 2-way
Player One Ares-C Pro vs Player One Neptune-C II
Player One
Ares-C Pro
A strong fit for dedicated deep-sky imagers pairing with longer focal lengths where framing is tight.
Player One
Neptune-C II
A strong fit for photographers stepping into astro pairing with longer focal lengths where framing is tight.
Key differences
81% larger sensor
Larger pixels (3.76µm vs 2.9µm)
114% more resolution
Cooled sensor
Specifications
| Specification | Player One Ares-C Pro | Player One Neptune-C II |
|---|---|---|
| Sensor | ||
| Type | dedicated | planetary |
| Sensor | Sony IMX533 | Sony IMX464 |
| Sensor tech | CMOS | CMOS |
| Format | 1" | 1/1.8" |
| Sensor size | 11.3×11.3mm | 7.7×4.3mm |
| Diagonal | 16.0mm | 8.9mm |
| Pixel size | 3.76µm | 2.90µm |
| Resolution | 3008×3008 | 2712×1538 |
| Megapixels | 9.0MP | 4.2MP |
| Color | Yes | Yes |
| Cooling | ||
| Cooled | Yes | No |
| Performance | ||
| Full well | 50000e⁻ | 12000e⁻ |
| Peak QE | 80% | 84% |
Advantages of Player One Ares-C Pro
- Larger sensor (16mm vs 8.86mm diagonal) — wider field
- Larger pixels — better low-light per-pixel sensitivity
- Higher resolution (9MP vs 4.2MP)
- Regulated cooling for long exposures
Advantages of Player One Neptune-C II
- Finer sampling at 2.9µm pixels
Best for — Player One Ares-C Pro
- Longer focal lengths — tighter framing on small targets
- Well-sampled deep-sky at medium focal lengths
- Long-exposure deep-sky under any sky
- One-shot color — quick results, less processing
Best for — Player One Neptune-C II
- 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 Ares-C Pro — typical FOV & scale
- On 250mm refractor (wide)FOV: 2.59° × 2.59°Scale: 3.10"/px
- On 800mm SCT reducerFOV: 0.81° × 0.81°Scale: 0.97"/px
- On 2000mm SCT nativeFOV: 0.32° × 0.32°Scale: 0.39"/px
Player One Neptune-C II — typical FOV & scale
- On 250mm refractor (wide)FOV: 1.77° × 1.00°Scale: 2.39"/px
- On 800mm SCT reducerFOV: 0.55° × 0.31°Scale: 0.75"/px
- On 2000mm SCT nativeFOV: 0.22° × 0.12°Scale: 0.30"/px
Player One Ares-C Pro — recommended user
A strong fit for dedicated deep-sky imagers pairing with longer focal lengths where framing is tight.
Player One Neptune-C II — recommended user
A strong fit for photographers stepping into astro pairing with longer focal lengths where framing is tight.