Moravian Instruments G2-8300 MARK II Monochrome CCD Camera with KAF-8300 CCD and 5-pos Filter Wheel

Moravian Instruments G2-8300 Mark II Monochrome CCD Camera with Low Noise, High Quantum Efficiency Kodak KAF-8300 CCD Sensor

with 5-POSITION FILTER WHEEL for 31mm filters
for Narrow-Band ASTROPHOTO Imaging, this is our bestseller CCD camera in this price range; most of the published images were made with these cameras!

Designed and manufactured in Europe!

Sensor: Kodak KAF8300 Monochrome CCD
Aspect Ratio: 4:3
Resolution: 3358 x 2536 pixels
Imaging area: 18.1 mm (H) × 13.7 mm (V)
Quantum Efficiency:  55% max
Full well capacity:  ~25,000 e--
Pixel Size: 5.4 x 5.4 µm
Anti-blooming gate     1000×
Dark current:  0.2 e-/s/pixel at 0 °C
Interface:  USB 2.0 (USB 1.1 compatible)
Cooling: Two-stage Peltier up to -50°C
Available on back order. Usual delivery time: appr. 2-4 weeks

MARK II version of this great and very popular camera is now available!

Choose your colour! Now with a touch-of-colour!

Main features of the MARK II range:

• faster download (up to about 2.5x the original)
• built-in tilting mechanism
• new, modern design with precise mechanical construction
• top quality electronics

G2 Mark II Camera Models

The cooled G2 series Mark II CCD cameras were developed for imaging under extremely low-light conditions in astronomy, microscopy and similar areas. Design of this series inherits from earlier G2 Mark I cameras but brings some significant enhancements. G2 cameras employ precise electronics providing uniform frames and extremely low read noise limited only by CCD detector itself. Modular mechanical construction allows various camera variants to be combined with rich set of accessories, including telescope adapters, off-axis guider adapters, internal or external filter wheels, Ethernet adapters, guiding cameras etc.

Available models of G2 Mark II cameras:

LIMITING FOCAL RATIO

According to our calculations, the limiting focal ratio of the G2-8300 camera with an external filter wheel is f/5.83 or with a built-in filter wheel it is f/5.

So, for example, if you have an f/5 telescope, you could either go for the version with the built-in 5-position filter wheel if you don't need more than 5 filters, or you could go for the 7 or 10 position external filter wheel that accepts 36mm filters.

If you will use it with a SCT at f/10 or even f/6.3 then you can go for the 8 or 10-position external filter wheel and use them with 31mm filters with this camera without vignetting. (The version with the internal filter wheel would also serve an SCT user well when used with 31mm filters.)

The  G2-8300 is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED by the famous UK based astrophotographer, Nik Szymanek.
Read his review of the Moravian G2-8300 CCD camera here: CLICK HERE to open or download a Pdf file.
Courtesy of Astronomy Now Magazine.

Shipping and Packaging
G2 CCD cameras are supplied in a foam-filled, hard carrying case containing:
 

• Camera body with an optional telescope adapter. The standard 2" barrel adapter is included by default. If ordered, the filter wheel is already mounted inside the camera head and filters are threaded into place (if ordered).
• A 100-240 V AC input, 12 V DC output “brick” adapter with 1.8 m long power cable.
• 5 m long USB A-B cable for connecting camera to host PC.
• A CD-ROM or USB Flash Drive with camera drivers, SIPS software package with electronic documentation and PDF version of User's Manual.
• A printed copy of camera User's Manual

G2 CCD cameras are shipped in the foam-filled carrying case (left), larger case is used if camera is ordered with external filter wheel (right)
 

Camera Electronics

16-bit A/D converter with correlated double sampling ensures high dynamic range and CCD chip-limited readout noise. Fast USB interface ensures image download time within seconds.

Maximum length of single USB cable is approx. 5 m. This length can be extended to 10 m or 15 m by using single USB hub or active USB extender cable. Up to 5 hubs or active extenders can be used in one connection.

Gx Camera Ethernet Adapter device allows connection of up to four Gx cameras of any type through Ethernet interface and TCP/IP network. Because TCP/IP protocol can be routed, the distance between camera and host PC can be virtually unlimited.

Image download time depends on the CCD chip used in particular camera model. Also the read noise depends on the chip as well as on the read mode.

• Preview read mode provides system read noise approx. 1 or 2 e^- above CCD chip read noise.

• Low Noise read mode is somewhat slower, but ensures system read noise roughly equal to the manufacturer-specified chip read noise.

Model G2-8300

G2-8300 camera uses 8 MPx OnSemi KAF8300 ABG Full Frame CCD detectors with 4/3 format.

KAF8300 CCD chip and its Quantum Efficiency:

G2-8300 electronics specifications:

Gain	0.4 e-/ADU (1 × 1 binning)
	0.8 e-/ADU (other binnings)
System read noise	8 e- RMS (Low Noise mode)
	9 e- RMS (Preview mode)
Full frame download	4.95 s (Low Noise mode)
	3.48 s (Preview mode)

Cooling and power supply

Regulated thermoelectric cooling is capable to cool the CCD chip up to 50 °C below ambient temperature. The Peltier hot side is cooled by fan. The CCD chip temperature is regulated with +/-0.1 °C precision. High temperature drop and precision regulation ensure very low dark current for long exposures and allow proper image calibration.

The camera head contains two temperature sensors — the first sensor measures directly the temperature of the CCD chip package. The second one measures the temperature inside the camera shell.

The cooling performance depends on the environmental conditions and also on the power supply. If the power supply voltage drops below 12 V, the maximum temperature drop is lower.

Power supply

The 12 V DC power supply enables camera operation from arbitrary power source including batteries, wall adapters etc. Universal 100-240 V AC/50-60 Hz, 60 W “brick” adapter is supplied with the camera. Although the camera power consumption does not exceed 40 W, the 60 W power supply ensures noise-free operation.

Mechanical Specifications

Compact and robust camera head measures only 114 × 114 × 65 mm (approx. 4.5 × 4.5 × 2.6 inches). The head is CNC-machined from high-quality aluminum and black anodized. The head itself contains USB-B (device) connector and 12 V DC power plug. Integrated mechanical shutter allows streak-free image readout, as well as automatic dark frame exposures, which are necessary for unattended, robotic setups.

Camera head with integrated Internal filter wheel is 77.5 mm thick. Filter wheel offers 5 positions for standard 1.25-inch threaded filter cells. A variant of filter wheel with 6 positions for unmounted D26 mm filters is also available.

Camera with Internal Filter Wheel

 

 

G2 Mark II camera head with Internal Filter Wheel side view dimensions

Camera with “XS” External Filter Wheel

 

 

G2 Mark II camera head with External filter wheel side view dimensions

The “S” sized External filter wheel diameter is greater (viz. External Filter Wheels), but the back focal distance of all external filter wheels is identical.

Camera without filter wheel

If the camera model, intended for usage with External filter wheel, is used without filter wheel at all, two types of adjustable adapter bases can be used.

When a “thin” adapter base, intended for camera with Internal filter wheel, is used, the back focal distance is only 21 mm.

“Thick” adapter base has the same thickness like the External filter wheel. This means all adapters, attached to this thick base, keep the same back focal distance like if attached directly to External filter wheel shell or to a camera with Internal filter wheel and “thin” adapter base.

Optional accessories

Various accessories are offered with G2 Mark II cameras to enhance functionality and help camera integration into imaging setups.

External filter wheels

When there is no filter wheel inside the camera head, all electronics and firmware, intended to control it, stays idle. These components can be utilized to control external filter wheel with only little changes. Also the camera front shell can be manufactured thinner, the space for filter wheel is superfluous.

Telescope adapters

Various telescope and lens adapters for the G2 Mark II cameras are offered. Users can choose any adapter according to their needs and other adapters can be ordered separately.

• 2-inch barrel — adapter for standard 2" focusers.

• T-thread short — M42 × 0.75 inner thread adapter.

• T-thread with 55 mm BFD — M42 × 0.75 inner thread adapter, preserves 55 mm back focal distance.

• M48 × 0.75 short — adapter with inner thread M48 × 0.75.

• M48 × 0.75with 55 mm BFD — adapter with inner thread M48 × 0.75, preserves 55 mm back focal distance.

• Canon EOS bayonet — standard Canon EOS lens adapter, preserves 44 mm back focal distance.

• Nikon F bayonet — standard Nikon F lens adapter, preserves 46.5 mm back focal distance.

All telescope/lens adapters of the G2 Mark II series of cameras can be slightly tilted. This feature is introduced to compensate for possible misalignments in perpendicularity of the telescope optical axis and sensor plane.

The Mark II camera telescope adapters are attached using three “pulling” screws. As the adapter tilt is adjustable, another three “pushing” screws are intended to fix the adapter after some pulling screw is released to adjust the tilt.

 

 

Adjusting the telescope adapter tilt (left) and removing tiltable the adapter (right)

Adjustable telescope/lens adapters are attached slightly differently depending if the adapter is attached directly to the camera head (e.g. when camera is equipped with internal filter wheel) or to the External filter wheel case.

• G2 Mark II adapters are not mounted directly on the camera head. Instead a tilting adapter base, holding the circular spring, is always used.

• If the External filter wheel is used, the adapted base is not necessary, as the Mark II External filter wheel front plate is already designed to hold the spring and it also contains threads to fix respective adapters.

Off-Axis Guider Adapter (OAG)

G2 camera can be optionally equipped with Off-Axis Guider Adapter. This adapter contains flat mirror, tilted by 45° to the optical axis. This mirror reflects part of the incoming light into guider camera port. The mirror is located far enough from the optical axis not to block light coming to the main camera sensor, so the optics must be capable to create large enough field of view to illuminate the tilted mirror.

G2-OAG is manufactured in two variants, one with M42 × 0.75 thread (T-thread) and another with M48 × 0.75 thread. Both variants are designed to be compatible with external filter wheels and to preserve 55 mm distance from the sensor.

 

 

G2 OAG with M42 thread (left) and with M48 thread (right)

If the OAG has to be used on camera with internal filter wheel, the OAG is mounted to adapter base like any other adapter. Resulting Back focal distance remains the same.

OAG guider port is compatible with G0 and G1 cameras. It is necessary to replace the CS/1.25” adapter with short, 10 mm variant in the case of G1 cameras. Because G1 cameras follow CS-mount standard, (BFD 12.5 mm), any camera following this standard with 10 mm long 1.25” adapter should work properly with the G2-OAG.

Attaching camera head to telescope mount

G2 Mark II camera heads are equipped with “tripod” thread (0.25”) on the top side. This thread can be used to attach 1.75 inch “dovetail bar” (Vixen standard). It is then possible to attach the camera head, e.g. equipped with photographic lens, directly to various telescope mounts supporting this standard.

Tool-less desiccant containers

G2 Mark II cameras employ the same desiccant container like the larger G3 and G4 cameras. The whole container can be unscrewed, so it is possible to exchange silica-gel without the necessity to remove the camera from the telescope.

This design also allows usage of some optional parts:

• Threaded hermetic cap, allowing sealing of the dried container when it is not immediately attached to the camera head.

• Alternate (somewhat longer) desiccant container, modified to be able to be screw in and tightened (as well as released and screwed out) without any tool.

 

 

Comparison of the standard and tool-less container (left), optional cap, standard and tool-less variant of the container

Camera head color variants

Camera head is available in several color variants of the center plate. Visit manufacturer's web pages for current offering.

G2 Mark II camera color variants:

Software Support

Powerful SIPS (Scientific Image Processing System) software, supplied with the camera, allows complete camera control (exposures, cooling, filter selection etc.). Also automatic sequences of images with different filters, different binning etc. are supported. With full ASCOM standard support, SIPS can be also used to control other observatory equipment. Specifically the telescope mounts, but also other devices (focusers, dome or roof controllers, GPS receivers etc.).

SIPS also supports automatic guiding, including image dithering. Both “autoguider” port hardware interface (6-wire cable) and mount “Pulse-Guide API” guiding methods are supported. For hi-quality mounts, capable to track without the necessity to guide at last during one exposure, inter-image guiding using the main camera only is available.

SIPS controlling whole observatory (shown in optional dark skin):

But SIPS is capable to do much more than just camera and observatory control. Many tools for image calibration, 16 and 32 bit FITS file handling, image set processing (e.g. median combine), image transformation, image export etc. are available.

 

 

SIPS handles FITS files, supports image calibration and processing

As the first “S” in the abbreviation SIPS means Scientific, the software supports astrometric image reduction as well as photometric processing of image series.

 

 

SIPS focuses to advanced astrometric and photometric image reduction, but also provides some very basic astro-photography processing

SIPS software package is freely available for download from this www site. All functions are thoroughly described in the SIPS User's Manual, installed with every copy of the software.

Drivers for ASCOM standard as well as native drivers for third-party software are also available (e.g. TheSkyX, MaxIm DL, AstroArt, etc.). Visit the download page of this web site for current list of available drivers, please.

INDI drivers for 32 bit and 64 bit Linux running on x86 and ARM are also available. Drivers for TheSkyX package running on macOS are supplied with the camera.

Automatic guiding

SIPS software package allows automatic guiding of the astronomical telescope mounts using separate guiding camera. Proper and reliable automatic guiding utilizing the computational power of Personal Computer (e.g. calculation of star centroid allows guiding with sub-pixel precision) is not simple task. Guiding complexity corresponds to number of parameters, which must be entered (or automatically measured).

The SIPS “Guider” tool window:

The “Guiding” tool allows switching of autoguiding on and off, starting of the automatic calibration procedure and recalculation of autoguiding parameters when the telescope changes declination without the necessity of new calibration. Also swapping of the German Equatorial mount no longer requires new autoguider calibration. There is also a graph showing time history of guide star offsets from reference position in both axes. The length of graph history as well as the graph range can be freely defined, so the graph can be adjusted according to particular mount errors and periodic error period length. Complete log of calibration procedure, detected offsets, correction pulses etc. is also shown in this tool. The log can by anytime saved to log file.

An alternative to classic autoguiding is the inter-image guiding, designed for modern mounts, which are precise enough to keep tracking with sub-pixel precision through the single exposure, and irregularities only appear on the multiple-exposure time-span. Inter-image guiding then performs slight mount position fixes between individual exposures of the main camera, which eliminates “traveling” of the observed objects through the detector area during observing session. This guiding method uses main imaging camera, it does not use another guiding camera and naturally does not need neither OAG nor separate guiding telescope to feed the light into it.

Inter-image guiding controls in the Guiding tab of the Imager Camera tool window:

Complete log of calibration procedure, detected offsets, correction pulses etc. is also shown in this tab. The log can by anytime saved to log file.

 
G2 cooled imaging camera with G0 high-performance guider AnchorAdvanced reconstruction of color information of single-shot-color cameras

Image Gallery

Example images captured with G2-8300 cameras:
 

Object M8 "Lagoon"
Author David Kennedy
Camera G2-8300 (+ Ha, R, G, B filtry)
Exposure 9.5 hours
Telescope Borg 60ED



Object IC1396 "Elephant's trunk"
Author Ondrej Podlucky
Camera G2-8300 (+ narrow-band filters)
Exposure 27 hours
Telescope Borg 101ED + F4ED reducer

Object NGC1499 California Nebula
Author Ondrej Podlucky
Camera G2-8300 (+ narrow-band filters)
Exposure 28 hours
Telescope Borg 101ED +F4ED reducer
 

Object NGC891
Author Stefano Campani
Camera G2-8300 with H-alpha and RGB filters
Exposure 6.4 hours
Telescope 24" (610 mm) RNT Newton

Object NGC7023 "Iris Nebula"
Author Patrick Hochleitner a Dieter Beer
Camera G2-8300
Telescope Skywatcher BD 80ED + 0.85 flattener

Object NGC2237 “Rosette”
Author Ondrej Podlucky
Camera G2-8300 (+ narrow-band filters)
Telescope Borg 101ED + F4ED reducer

All images published with permission of their respective authors.