cameracomparison · 2-way
ZWO ASI120MC-S vs ZWO ASI294MC Air
ZWO
ASI120MC-S
A strong fit for photographers stepping into astro pairing with longer focal lengths where framing is tight.
ZWO
ASI294MC Air
A strong fit for dedicated deep-sky imagers pairing with a broad range of focal lengths.
Key differences
-74% larger sensor
Finer pixels (3.75µm vs 4.63µm)
-89% more resolution
Uncooled
Specifications
| Specification | ZWO ASI120MC-S | ZWO ASI294MC Air |
|---|---|---|
| Sensor | ||
| Type | guide-camera | dedicated |
| Sensor | AR0130CS | Sony IMX294 |
| Sensor tech | CMOS | CMOS |
| Format | 1/3" | 4/3" |
| Sensor size | 4.8×3.6mm | 19.1×13.0mm |
| Diagonal | 6.0mm | 23.2mm |
| Pixel size | 3.75µm | 4.63µm |
| Resolution | 1280×960 | 4144×2822 |
| Megapixels | 1.2MP | 11.7MP |
| Color | Yes | Yes |
| Cooling | ||
| Cooled | No | Yes |
| Performance | ||
| Full well | 13000e⁻ | 66000e⁻ |
| Peak QE | 50% | 75% |
Advantages of ZWO ASI120MC-S
- Finer sampling at 3.75µm pixels
Advantages of ZWO ASI294MC Air
- Larger sensor (23.2mm 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
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
Best for — ZWO ASI294MC Air
- 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
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
ZWO ASI294MC Air — typical FOV & scale
- On 250mm refractor (wide)FOV: 4.38° × 2.98°Scale: 3.82"/px
- On 800mm SCT reducerFOV: 1.37° × 0.93°Scale: 1.19"/px
- On 2000mm SCT nativeFOV: 0.55° × 0.37°Scale: 0.48"/px
ZWO ASI120MC-S — recommended user
A strong fit for photographers stepping into astro pairing with longer focal lengths where framing is tight.
ZWO ASI294MC Air — recommended user
A strong fit for dedicated deep-sky imagers pairing with a broad range of focal lengths.