Astrophotoguru · Compare

cameracomparison · 2-way

QHYCCD QHY294C Pro vs QHYCCD QHY5L-II-C

QHYCCD QHY294C Pro
QHYCCD

QHY294C Pro

A strong fit for dedicated deep-sky imagers pairing with a broad range of focal lengths.

QHYCCD QHY5L-II-C
QHYCCD

QHY5L-II-C

A strong fit for photographers stepping into astro pairing with longer focal lengths where framing is tight.

Key differences

285% larger sensor
Larger pixels (4.63µm vs 3.75µm)
851% more resolution
Cooled sensor

Specifications

SpecificationQHYCCD QHY294C ProQHYCCD QHY5L-II-C
Sensor
TypeDedicated Cooledguide-camera
SensorSony IMX294Aptina AR0130
Sensor techCMOSCMOS
Format4/3"1/3"
Sensor size19.1×13.0mm4.8×3.6mm
Diagonal23.1mm6.0mm
Pixel size4.63µm3.75µm
Resolution4164×27961280×960
Megapixels11.7MP1.2MP
ColorYesYes
Cooling
CooledYesNo
Performance
Full well63700e⁻13000e⁻
Peak QE75%50%
Advantages of QHYCCD QHY294C Pro
  • Larger sensor (23.1mm vs 6mm diagonal) — wider field
  • Larger pixels — better low-light per-pixel sensitivity
  • Higher resolution (11.7MP vs 1.23MP)
  • Regulated cooling for long exposures
Advantages of QHYCCD QHY5L-II-C
  • Finer sampling at 3.75µm pixels
Best for — QHYCCD QHY294C Pro
  • Balanced field for most refractors
  • Fast, low-noise deep-sky at short focal lengths
  • Long-exposure deep-sky under any sky
  • One-shot color — quick results, less processing
Best for — QHYCCD QHY5L-II-C
  • Longer focal lengths — tighter framing on small targets
  • Well-sampled deep-sky at medium focal lengths
  • One-shot color — quick results, less processing
QHYCCD QHY294C Pro — typical FOV & scale
  • On 250mm refractor (wide)
    FOV: 4.38° × 2.98°Scale: 3.82"/px
  • On 800mm SCT reducer
    FOV: 1.37° × 0.93°Scale: 1.19"/px
  • On 2000mm SCT native
    FOV: 0.55° × 0.37°Scale: 0.48"/px
QHYCCD QHY5L-II-C — typical FOV & scale
  • On 250mm refractor (wide)
    FOV: 1.10° × 0.83°Scale: 3.09"/px
  • On 800mm SCT reducer
    FOV: 0.34° × 0.26°Scale: 0.97"/px
  • On 2000mm SCT native
    FOV: 0.14° × 0.10°Scale: 0.39"/px
QHYCCD QHY294C Pro — recommended user

A strong fit for dedicated deep-sky imagers pairing with a broad range of focal lengths.

QHYCCD QHY5L-II-C — recommended user

A strong fit for photographers stepping into astro pairing with longer focal lengths where framing is tight.

Recommended alternatives