
QSI 690 9.2mp Monochrome
Cooled CCD Camera
Next Generation Sony 9.19mp sensor with Peak QE of 77%
- 9.19 megapixel Sony ICX814 sensor
- 3.69µm pixel provides high resolution
- High Speed USB 2.0 and read rates up to 8 MHz
- 2-Stage TEC w/ cooling to 40°C below ambient
- Electronic shutter w/ exposures to 100µsec
- Available mechanical shutter
- Available 5 or 8-position color filter wheel
- Available Integrated Guide Port
- Broad Software support
- ASCOM-compatible Windows COM API
- Linux drivers and API
The QSI 690 model camera employs an 9.19mp Sony CCD image sensor. This new generation of Sony sensor offers remarkable sensitivity with peak QE of over 75%. The high senstivity, wide dynamic range, dual read rates, low noise performance and internal 5 or 8-position color filter wheels make the QSI 690 ideally suited to a broad range of demanding scientific, medical, astronomical, and industrial imaging applications.
The QSI 690wsg is available with an Integrated Guider Port (IGP) allowing astronomers to guide using the light from the main telescope while picking off the light from the guide star in front of the filters.
The 690 camera system is supported by industry leading astronomy and microscopy image acquisition software plus a full camera control API is available for creating custom Windows or Linux applications.
Electronic Shutter
The QSI 690 utilizes the electronic shutter built into the Sony ICX814 CCD image sensor to control exposures. Shutter timing is very precise and can range from as short as 100 microseconds up to 240 minutes. The very fast acting shutter is possible due to two key features of the interline transfer architecture.
Mechanical Shutter
The Model 690s model incorporates the optional internal, even-illumination mechanical shutter in the 'mid-size' camera body configuration. When operating with an interline transfer CCD, the mechanical shutter is not used to actually make the exposure. This is still the responsibility of the electronic shutter. The mechanical shutter is employed to cover the CCD and simplify the creation of Dark and Bias frames for subsequent image processing.
Filter Wheel
The Model 690ws adds an internal five position filter wheel to the camera in a 'full-size' camera body. The 690ws-8 incorporates a larger 8-position filter wheel. Even with the large 4mp sensor, the short backfocus and close spacing provided by the internal color filter wheel allows the 690ws or ws-8 to work even with optics faster than f/2.8 with no vignetting. The filter wheel accepts any standard threaded 1.25" or unmounted 31mm filters.
The filter wheel can be easily removed and replaced to change or clean the glass filters. Additional filter wheels can be purchased allowing quick interchange of different filter set configurations.
CCD Cooler Subsystem
Key in the compact design of the 600 Series cameras is a very efficient custom 2-stage thermoelectric cooler (TEC) subsystem. Intelligent, programmable cooling fans are integrated into the rear of the camera body to remove the heat generated by the cooler. Typically, forced air cooling lowers the regulated CCD temperature by up to 45°C below ambient utilizing 85% power. Tight +/- 0.1°C temperature regulation is maintained at temperature settings of 10°C below ambient and lower. A slim liquid heat exchanger can be attached to the rear of the camera body to increase the cooling further, up to 55°C below the temperature of the circulating fluid.
Integrated Guider Port
Selecting the best guiding solution for deep sky imaging has always required a compromise. The available Integrated Guider Port (IGP) solves many of the problems associated with existing guiding solutions.
The Right Guiding Solution
Guiding with a separate guide scope provides the most flexibility, but differential flexure can be an issue, especially with long focal length scopes. With an internal guide chip, you're forced to guide with light through your filters and you can't guide at all while the shutter is closed or an image is being downloaded. This is especially problematic for narrowband imagers. To get around those issues, you could add an external off-axis guider, but a traditional OAG can add an inch or more of back focus plus more weight and two new mounting surfaces that need to be held rigidly.
Guide with Light From in Front of the Filter Wheel
The QSI 600 Series WSG models solves the problems with other guiding solutions by integrating a Precision Off-Axis Guider directly into the camera body with the pick-off prism positioned in front of the integrated color filter wheel – right where it belongs.
Never Struggle With Finding a Guide Star
One of the main challenges when using a camera with an internal guide chip is to find a star bright enough to guide by within the limited field of view of the internal guide sensor. When shooting through red, green or blue filters, ⅔ of the available light is blocked by the filter and not transmitted to the internal guider chip, guaranteeing lower signal-to-noise stars for guiding. This problem is compounded with narrowband filters where as little as 1% of the total light from a star reaches the guide chip. By positioning the pick-off prism in front of the filters, you alwayshave all the star's light available for guiding.
Integrated Guide Port Supports Fast Optical Systems
By integrating the Off-Axis Guider into the camera, we're able to position the pick-off prism very close to the internal filter wheel adding minimal backfocus and eliminating any possibility of flexure or rotation compared to a traditional OAG. The large ½" square pick-off prism is optimally positioned close to the internal filter wheel, supporting the use of guide cameras with large sensors, while preventing any vignetting of the main sensor even with very fast optical systems.
Flexible Guide Camera Options
The Integrated Guide Port (IGP) built into 600 Series WSG models is designed to support any camera with 12.5mm of back focus or less that can be attached using C-mount or T-mount threads. Many cameras are designed with 12.5mm of back focus to be compatible with CS-mount lenses. CS-mount lenses use the same thread as C-mount (1" x 32tpi) but with 12.5mm of back focus as opposed to 17.5mm for C-mount.
Easy, Rigid Guide Camera Focusing
The guide camera attaches to the WSG using a C-mount or T-mount threaded adapter (specified at time of order). The threaded adapter sits on top of the focus ring and allows the guide camera to be rotated to any position. The focus ring threads onto the focus base to allow 3mm of travel when focusing the guide camera. Once focus is achieved, the focus ring is locked with a set screw. The guide camera can still be rotated manually if desired without changing the focus. The end result is a rigid, easily focused guide camera that will not move or flex while your mount tracks the apparent motion of the night sky.
Model 690 CCD Image Sensor Specifications |
Feature | Standard |
CCD Manufacturer & Model | Sony ICX814 |
CCD Architecture | Interline Transfer |
Microlens | Yes |
Anti-blooming | Yes - 800x suppression |
Imager Size: (WxH) | 12.48mm x 9.98mm |
Pixel Array (WxH): | 3388 x 2712 active (9.19 megapixels) |
Pixel Size: | 3.69µm x 3.69µm |
Typical Values | |
Pixel Full Well Depth | 14,000 e- |
Absolute Quantum Efficiency | Peak: 77% at 560nm |
Pixel Dark Current | <0.002 electrons per second at -10°C |
Intrinsic Read Noise | 3 electrons RMS |
Dynamic Range | 73db |
Model 690 Camera Specifications
Feature | Model 690i | Model 690s | Model 690ws(-8) | |||
CCD Image Sensor | Sony ICX814 | |||||
Electronic Shutter | 100µsec to 240 minutes | 100µsec to 240 minutes | 100µsec to 240 minutes | |||
Mechanical Shutter | No | Yes | Yes | |||
Internal Color Filter Wheel | No | No | ws - 5-Position CFW ws-8 - 8-position CFW Holds 1.25" or opt. 31mm filters |
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Camera Body Configuration | Slim Encl. |
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Med. Encl. |
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Full Encl. |
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Dimensions | W4.45” x H4.45” x D1.68” (add 0.225" for T-Mount) |
W4.45” x H4.45” x D2.00” (add 0.225" for T-Mount) |
5-pos, W4.45” x H4.45” x D2.50” 8-pos, W5.86” x H5.56” x D2.50” (add 0.225" for T-Mount) |
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Weight, without Nosepiece | 26 oz. / 740g | 34 oz. / 950g | 5-pos, 40 oz. / 1130g 8-pos, 51 oz. / 1450g |
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Optical Back Focus (w/o Filters in path) |
0.58" w/ T-mount adapter 0.68" w/ C-mount adapter 0.35" w/ no adapter |
0.90" w/ T-mount adapter 0.68" w/ C-mount adapter 0.68" w/ no adapter |
1.40" w/ T-mount adapter 1.18" w/ C-mount adapter 1.18" w/ no adapter |
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Thermoelectric CCD Cooling | Temperature regulation +/- 0.1°C, @ 0°C to -40°C CCD temperature | |||||
In free air, Fans @ Full Speed |
Typically 40°C below ambient air with 85% cooling power | |||||
With Opt Liquid Cooling - Fans Off | Typically 45°C below circulating liquid with 85% cooling power (adds 0.75" to camera depth) |
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Cooling Fan Control | Intelligent, user configurable | |||||
Read Rate | User Selectable High Quality mode at 800KHz, High Speed mode at 8MHz | |||||
Camera Gain | User Selectable High Gain 0.16 e-/ADU (default), Low Gain 0.36 e-/ADU | |||||
Digital Resolution | 16 bits (both High Quality and High Speed mode) | |||||
Total System Read Noise | 3 electrons RMS typical in High Quality mode 7 electrons RMS typical in High Speed mode |
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Pixel Dark Current | <0.002 electrons per second at -10°C | |||||
Full Image Read and Download Time | Typically <14 second (host computer dependent) in High Quality Mode (800KHz) Typically ~1 second (host computer dependent) in High Speed Mode (8MHz) Image download times will be reduced with binning and/or subframe (ROI) |
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Binning Modes | Symmetrical and Asymmetrical binning up to 9 pixels horizonally or vertically | |||||
Status and Notification | User configurable multi-color LED status indicator and multifunction audible beeper. Over-temperature and high/low voltage alarms. |
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Power Consumption | 12v, 2A (24 watts) at max cooling, max fans and filter moving (25 AC watts max with included 90-240V AC power supply) |
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Operating Environment | Temperature: -20°C to 30°C, Humidity: 10% to 90% non-condensing | |||||
Computer Connectivity | USB 2.0 High Speed (USB 1.1 compatible) | |||||
Other Ports | Optically isolated 4 channel control port for telescope guiding or input/output shutter trigger (See API Reference Manual for details) |
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T Mounting Adapter | Standard - T-Thread, 42mm x .75mm pitch | |||||
C Mounting Adapter |
Optional, C-Mount (Type I) lens focus compatible (17.5mm backfocus) |
Optional, C-Mount (Type II) lens focus compatible (17.5mm backfocus) |
Optional, for non-lens adapters and accessories (standard C-Mount lens does not reach focus at infinity) |
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Nosepiece | Standard, T-Adapter to 2" nosepiece Optional, T-Adapter to 1.25" nosepiece |
Additional Model 690wsg(-8) Camera Specifications
Feature | QSI 600 Series wsg(-8) | |
Camera Body Configuration | Integrated Guider Port Enclosure |
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Dimensions | 5-pos wsg, W4.45” x H5.0” x D3.08” 8-pos wsg-8, W5.86” x H6.1” x D3.08” (add 0.225" for T-Mount, 0.35" for 2.156" thread mount) |
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Weight, without Nosepiece | 5-pos, 46 oz. / 1300g 8-pos, 56 oz. / 1600g |
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Optical Back Focus (without Filters in path) |
2.10" (53.3mm) with 2.156" thread adapter (optional) 1.98" (50.2mm) with T mounting adapter 1.75" (44.5mm) w/o mounting adapter |
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Guide Camera Attachment | T-mount (42mm x 0.75mm) w/built-in manual rotator C-mount (1" x 32 tpi) w/built-in manual rotator |
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Guide Camera Optical Focal Depth | 12.5mm +/- 1.5mm (0.49" +/- 0.06") | |
Face Plate Adapter | Standard adapter - T-mount (2.156" x 24tpi adapter available) | |
Nosepiece | Standard T-mount to 2" nosepiece. Optional 2" nosepiece for 2.156 adapter |

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