Finger Lakes KAF-16200 Monochrome CCD Camera (Grade 2) with 43 mm shutter

Finger Lakes KAF-16200 Monochrome CCD Camera (Grade 2) with 43 mm shutter

The MicroLine is a small camera with big camera capabilities. Here, you can find a sensor in APS-H format, supplied by ON Semiconductor.

The special features of this camera:

High number of pixels and large sensor dimensions allow for a wide image field and a high detail resolution at the same time, the powerful cooling results in a low-noise image.

The manufacturer

Finger Lakes Instrumentation egan operations in 1998 as a supplier of cooled CCD cameras for astronomical research, so their products profit from excellent knowledge about what is needed. But the cameras are also used in industrial applications, which results in even more demanding specifications.

Difference Sensor Grade 1 and Grade 2

In general, the results will not differ after subtraction of the darks and bias. The defects (hot pixels, clusters, ...) can be removed by suitable "darks".

Grade 1:

Less than 2000 hot pixels

Less than 40 clusters (regions with adjacent pixels)

No column errors (columns - with more than 10 pixels)

Grade 2:

Less than 2000 hot pixels

Less than 40 clusters (regions with adjacent pixels)

Less than 15 column errors (columns - with more than 10 pixels)

Good storage is an important preventive measure against dew and also extends the service life

After use, put the camera straight into the TS Protect Case and add some silica gel. During storage, the silica gel absorbs the moisture from the camera. At the same time, the penetration of moist room air is prevented. Dry storage can even partially regenerate the small desiccant tablets in cooled cameras. Your camera or accessories are always ready for you in optimum 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