cameracomparison · 2-way
ZWO ASI294MC Pro vs ZWO ASI2600MC Air

ZWO
ASI294MC Pro
A strong fit for dedicated deep-sky imagers pairing with a broad range of focal lengths.

ZWO
ASI2600MC Air
A strong fit for dedicated deep-sky imagers pairing with a broad range of focal lengths.
Key differences
-18% larger sensor
Larger pixels (4.63µm vs 3.76µm)
-55% more resolution
Specifications
| Specification | ZWO ASI294MC Pro | ZWO ASI2600MC Air |
|---|---|---|
| Sensor | ||
| Type | Dedicated Cooled | dedicated |
| Sensor | Sony IMX294 | Sony IMX571 |
| Sensor tech | CMOS | CMOS |
| Format | 4/3" | APS-C |
| Sensor size | 19.1×13.0mm | 23.5×15.7mm |
| Diagonal | 23.1mm | 28.3mm |
| Pixel size | 4.63µm | 3.76µm |
| Resolution | 4144×2822 | 6248×4176 |
| Megapixels | 11.7MP | 26.1MP |
| Color | Yes | Yes |
| Cooling | ||
| Cooled | Yes | Yes |
| Performance | ||
| Full well | 63700e⁻ | 50000e⁻ |
| Peak QE | 75% | 80% |
Advantages of ZWO ASI294MC Pro
- Larger pixels — better low-light per-pixel sensitivity
Advantages of ZWO ASI2600MC Air
- Larger sensor (28.3mm vs 23.1mm diagonal) — wider field
- Finer sampling at 3.76µm pixels
- Higher resolution (26.1MP vs 11.7MP)
Best for — ZWO ASI294MC 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 — ZWO ASI2600MC Air
- Balanced field for most refractors
- Well-sampled deep-sky at medium focal lengths
- Long-exposure deep-sky under any sky
- One-shot color — quick results, less processing
ZWO ASI294MC Pro — 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 ASI2600MC Air — typical FOV & scale
- On 250mm refractor (wide)FOV: 5.39° × 3.60°Scale: 3.10"/px
- On 800mm SCT reducerFOV: 1.68° × 1.12°Scale: 0.97"/px
- On 2000mm SCT nativeFOV: 0.67° × 0.45°Scale: 0.39"/px
ZWO ASI294MC Pro — recommended user
A strong fit for dedicated deep-sky imagers pairing with a broad range of focal lengths.
ZWO ASI2600MC Air — recommended user
A strong fit for dedicated deep-sky imagers pairing with a broad range of focal lengths.