Altair Hypercam 26C APS-C Color Camera cooled, sensor D= 28.6 mm

Altair Hypercam 26C APS-C Color CMOS Astro Camera

The new standard in astrophotography, the Altair Hypercam 26C from QHY uses the latest 16bit Sony IMX571 sensor with ultra-low readout noise and super-high quantum efficiency in a large APS-C format.

The Altair 26C is a high performance CMOS astro camera of its kind in the world, with ultra low readout noise. The camera finally leaves the old CCD sensors behind and impresses with better performance data.

26 MP APS-C back-illuminated Sony IMX571 sensor

16bit ADC for 65,536 gray levels

No amplifier glow

Special "Ultra Low Read Noise" mode

True hardware binning

2-stage TEC cooling up to 35 °C below ambient temperature

Heated optical window against dew and frost

Suitable software is included and can be downloaded from the Altair Astro Customer Support.

Peltier cooling:

Cooling reduces thermal noise during a long exposure. The internal thermoelectric cooling system can be controlled with the capture program, so you can select a working temperature (stored in the FITS header). The Hypercam is designed for consistent deep sky imaging up to 35 °C below ambient temperature.

Optical window with heater to prevent fogging. Every precaution related to the biggest problem of cooled cameras has been taken. The optical window is heated by special heaters to eliminate fogging at low temperatures. To prevent frosting on the sensor, the sensor chamber is sealed and was filled with dry air during manufacture. The chamber contains a desiccant cartridge made of stainless steel, which can be regenerated by placing it in an oven at 120 °C for a few hours after removing the small O-ring.

Practical tip from TS: Storage of cameras and accessories

Especially in our latitudes, the nights are often very humid. This humidity condenses on your camera, eyepiece or filter when they come into the warm interior of the apartment. Especially cooled cameras are affected by this. Quickly a photo session is over because the sensor ices up.

Good storage is an important prevention against dew and also extends the life span.

After use, put the camera immediately into the TS Protect Case and add some silica gel. During storage, the silica gel will suck the moisture out of the camera. At the same time, the penetration of humid room air is prevented. Dry storage even allows the small dry tablets in cooled cameras to partially regenerate. Your camera or accessories are always ready for you in optimal condition. You can find the silica gel and the case in our product recommendations.

The cameras are not airtight, so if the camera remains on the telescope, it is exposed to moisture. The small amount of desiccant in the camera can protect the sensor and the inside of the protective glass from moisture for the duration of the exposure, but not for days on end. Moisture problems can be the result. A simple trick is to stretch a plastic bag around the focuser to which the camera is attached so that no air can get in. Silica gel is placed in a small cloth bag inside the plastic bag. This will also create a "dry climate zone" for the camera on the telescope. This allows you to leave the camera on the telescope for a few days for an imaging session lasting several days.

In the medium and long term, however, this is no substitute for proper storage in an airtight case with silica gel.

Astrophotographic results obtained with this camera on Astrobin

Here you can find some astrophotographs made with this camera model: Link to Astrobin

Astrophotographic results obtained with this camera on Astrobin

Here you can find some astrophotographs made with this camera model: Link to Astrobin

Safety informations: PDF Download