cameracomparison · 2-way
Player One Ceres-C vs Player One Xena-M

Player One
Ceres-C
A strong fit for photographers stepping into astro pairing with longer focal lengths where framing is tight.

Player One
Xena-M
A strong fit for photographers stepping into astro pairing with longer focal lengths where framing is tight.
Key differences
-24% larger sensor
Larger pixels (3.75µm vs 3.45µm)
-20% more resolution
Color vs mono
Specifications
| Specification | Player One Ceres-C | Player One Xena-M |
|---|---|---|
| Sensor | ||
| Type | guide-camera | guide-camera |
| Sensor | Sony IMX224 | Sony IMX296 |
| Sensor tech | CMOS | CMOS |
| Format | 1/3" | 1/2.9" |
| Sensor size | 4.9×3.7mm | 6.3×4.9mm |
| Diagonal | 6.1mm | 8.0mm |
| Pixel size | 3.75µm | 3.45µm |
| Resolution | 1304×976 | 1456×1088 |
| Megapixels | 1.3MP | 1.6MP |
| Color | Yes | No |
| Cooling | ||
| Cooled | No | No |
| Performance | ||
| Full well | 19000e⁻ | 10000e⁻ |
| Peak QE | 75% | 72% |
Advantages of Player One Ceres-C
- One-shot color — simpler workflow
Advantages of Player One Xena-M
- Larger sensor (8mm vs 6.09mm diagonal) — wider field
- Higher resolution (1.58MP vs 1.27MP)
- Mono sensor — ideal for narrowband and LRGB
Best for — Player One Ceres-C
- Longer focal lengths — tighter framing on small targets
- Well-sampled deep-sky at medium focal lengths
- One-shot color — quick results, less processing
Best for — Player One Xena-M
- Longer focal lengths — tighter framing on small targets
- Well-sampled deep-sky at medium focal lengths
- Narrowband and LRGB workflows
Player One Ceres-C — typical FOV & scale
- On 250mm refractor (wide)FOV: 1.12° × 0.85°Scale: 3.09"/px
- On 800mm SCT reducerFOV: 0.35° × 0.27°Scale: 0.97"/px
- On 2000mm SCT nativeFOV: 0.14° × 0.11°Scale: 0.39"/px
Player One Xena-M — typical FOV & scale
- On 250mm refractor (wide)FOV: 1.44° × 1.12°Scale: 2.85"/px
- On 800mm SCT reducerFOV: 0.45° × 0.35°Scale: 0.89"/px
- On 2000mm SCT nativeFOV: 0.18° × 0.14°Scale: 0.36"/px
Player One Ceres-C — recommended user
A strong fit for photographers stepping into astro pairing with longer focal lengths where framing is tight.
Player One Xena-M — recommended user
A strong fit for photographers stepping into astro pairing with longer focal lengths where framing is tight.