cameracomparison · 2-way
Player One Xena-M vs ZWO ASI120MC-S
Player One
Xena-M
A strong fit for photographers stepping into astro pairing with longer focal lengths where framing is tight.
ZWO
ASI120MC-S
A strong fit for photographers stepping into astro pairing with longer focal lengths where framing is tight.
Key differences
33% larger sensor
Finer pixels (3.45µm vs 3.75µm)
28% more resolution
Mono vs color
Specifications
| Specification | Player One Xena-M | ZWO ASI120MC-S |
|---|---|---|
| Sensor | ||
| Type | guide-camera | guide-camera |
| Sensor | Sony IMX296 | AR0130CS |
| Sensor tech | CMOS | CMOS |
| Format | 1/2.9" | 1/3" |
| Sensor size | 6.3×4.9mm | 4.8×3.6mm |
| Diagonal | 8.0mm | 6.0mm |
| Pixel size | 3.45µm | 3.75µm |
| Resolution | 1456×1088 | 1280×960 |
| Megapixels | 1.6MP | 1.2MP |
| Color | No | Yes |
| Cooling | ||
| Cooled | No | No |
| Performance | ||
| Full well | 10000e⁻ | 13000e⁻ |
| Peak QE | 72% | 50% |
Advantages of Player One Xena-M
- Larger sensor (8mm vs 6mm diagonal) — wider field
- Higher resolution (1.58MP vs 1.23MP)
- Mono sensor — ideal for narrowband and LRGB
Advantages of ZWO ASI120MC-S
- One-shot color — simpler workflow
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
Best for — ZWO ASI120MC-S
- 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 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
ZWO ASI120MC-S — typical FOV & scale
- On 250mm refractor (wide)FOV: 1.10° × 0.83°Scale: 3.09"/px
- On 800mm SCT reducerFOV: 0.34° × 0.26°Scale: 0.97"/px
- On 2000mm SCT nativeFOV: 0.14° × 0.10°Scale: 0.39"/px
Player One Xena-M — recommended user
A strong fit for photographers stepping into astro pairing with longer focal lengths where framing is tight.
ZWO ASI120MC-S — recommended user
A strong fit for photographers stepping into astro pairing with longer focal lengths where framing is tight.