Altair GPCAM3 178M USB3 Monochrome Camera Sony Sensor D=8.92 mm

Altair GPCAM3 178M Monochrome Astro Camera

The camera has the high quality Sony IMX178 CMOS sensor built in. The sensor is characterized by high sensitivity, very good resolution and extremely low readout noise. The camera is thus an exciting choice for many areas of astrophotography, such as for example:

Photography of sun, moon and planets:
Due to the high resolution of 2.4 µm pixels and the high frame rates, you can also produce high-resolution moon and planet images and planet videos without the use of additional lenses such as Barlows or eyepiece projection. The ROI function (Region of Interest) can be used for even higher frame rates, for example for planets.

EAA and video astronomy:
The GPCAM3 178C is particularly attractive for electronically supported astronomy / video astronomy, as it offers a high resolution of 6.3 megapixels and high sensitivity thanks to Sony STARVIS Back-Side Illumination (BSI) and Exmor-R technology. Use the live stacking features in the free Altair Capture software or SharpCap PRO).

Deep-sky astrophotography:
For the photography of nebulae, galaxies and star clusters you need longer exposure times. There is a slight brightening at the edge, due to the amplifier glow. The camera offers effective suppression of the amplifier glow via "live" dark image compensation with Altair Capture or SharpCap software. Alternatively, you can also remove the darks as usual. The trigger mode allows you to control exposure times longer than 5 seconds.

Autoguiding:
The GPCAM3 has a ST4 autoguider port and can be directly connected to the autoguider port of common mounts from Skywatcher, Celestron, iOptron, Losmandy, ... can be infected. The fast sensor will always offer a wide range of suitable guide stars.

USB3.0 and memory buffering:

USB3.0 and integrated memory buffering enable much faster transfer speeds than USB2.0 cameras. Memory buffering almost completely eliminates dropped frames and damaged video files, a common problem with USB cameras, and enables faster, more consistent frame rates, even on less powerful notebooks. The quality of video recordings is improved - especially for scientific applications.

Although the GPCAM3 is a USB3.0 camera, it is also fully compatible with USB2.0 ports. For example in deepsky or video astronomy with the live stacking functions of AltairCapture or Sharpcap. Software from Windows 7 to Windows 10 is widely supported by AltairCapture in 64-bit mode.

Better control of long exposure with trigger mode:

Trigger mode is fully supported to make it easier to control long exposure times of over 5 seconds. With most CMOS cameras, the camera controls in normal video mode are "locked" during a long exposure, so you must wait until the exposure is complete before the camera accepts any commands. So you have to wait until you cancel a frame when a cloud covers the view, or make routine changes such as gain (ISO), exposure time, reorientation, or reorientation to the object. However, in "Trigger Mode", you can stop the camera immediately (even if you are halfway through a long exposure time of 30 seconds), change the settings, and restart the camera loop. The "trigger mode" is essential for long exposures. Of course, you can use the normal video mode with up to 5 seconds exposure time for video astronomy and solar imaging. The GPCAM3 also has an improved circuit to improve the stability of data transmission at high frame rates (reduction of dropped frames) and to increase compatibility with a larger number of PCs. This results in a more consistent data transfer rate over USB buses on laptops or desktop PCs.

Quality software and drivers included:

Unlike cheaper cameras, Altair Astro has invested a lot of time in the development of the fully featured and intuitive AltairCapture software, which can be downloaded from the Altair Astro Customer Support. AltairCapture is a robust 64-bit Windows application that provides full control over the camera in high-speed or still mode. It offers extensive automation functions and supports all common file formats suitable for astrophotography and professional scientific photography in 14-bit or 8-bit mode. The popular PHD Guiding, SharpCap PRO, APT and NINA are also natively supported. ASCOM drivers are also available for download, where you can also get regular driver updates. The installation process is simple, and unlike cheaper cameras, you don´t have to be a computer expert for your camera to work.

Valuable link:

Here you will find an online operating manual, downloads, information about software and current drivers ... on the service page of Altair.