cameracomparison · 2-way
ZWO ASI294MC Air vs ZWO ASI183MM Pro
ZWO
ASI294MC Air
A strong fit for dedicated deep-sky imagers pairing with a broad range of focal lengths.
ZWO
ASI183MM Pro
A strong fit for dedicated deep-sky imagers pairing with longer focal lengths where framing is tight.
Key differences
46% larger sensor
Larger pixels (4.63µm vs 2.4µm)
-42% more resolution
Color vs mono
Specifications
| Specification | ZWO ASI294MC Air | ZWO ASI183MM Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Sensor | ||
| Type | dedicated | dedicated |
| Sensor | Sony IMX294 | Sony IMX183 |
| Sensor tech | CMOS | CMOS |
| Format | 4/3" | 1" |
| Sensor size | 19.1×13.0mm | 13.2×8.8mm |
| Diagonal | 23.2mm | 15.9mm |
| Pixel size | 4.63µm | 2.40µm |
| Resolution | 4144×2822 | 5496×3672 |
| Megapixels | 11.7MP | 20.2MP |
| Color | Yes | No |
| Cooling | ||
| Cooled | Yes | Yes |
| Performance | ||
| Full well | 66000e⁻ | 15000e⁻ |
| Peak QE | 75% | 84% |
Advantages of ZWO ASI294MC Air
- Larger sensor (23.2mm vs 15.9mm diagonal) — wider field
- Larger pixels — better low-light per-pixel sensitivity
- One-shot color — simpler workflow
Advantages of ZWO ASI183MM Pro
- Finer sampling at 2.4µm pixels
- Higher resolution (20.2MP vs 11.7MP)
- Mono sensor — ideal for narrowband and LRGB
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
Best for — ZWO ASI183MM Pro
- Longer focal lengths — tighter framing on small targets
- Planetary and lunar high-resolution imaging
- Long-exposure deep-sky under any sky
- Narrowband and LRGB workflows
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 ASI183MM Pro — typical FOV & scale
- On 250mm refractor (wide)FOV: 3.03° × 2.02°Scale: 1.98"/px
- On 800mm SCT reducerFOV: 0.95° × 0.63°Scale: 0.62"/px
- On 2000mm SCT nativeFOV: 0.38° × 0.25°Scale: 0.25"/px
ZWO ASI294MC Air — recommended user
A strong fit for dedicated deep-sky imagers pairing with a broad range of focal lengths.
ZWO ASI183MM Pro — recommended user
A strong fit for dedicated deep-sky imagers pairing with longer focal lengths where framing is tight.