NEPTUNE 664C Planetary Camera – The New Standard for Planetary Imaging
The NEPTUNE 664C is the newest planetary camera developed by Player One Astronomy, following in the footsteps of its predecessor, the Neptune-C II (IMX464). With its advanced Sony IMX664 1/1.8” colour sensor, this camera is built to capture stunning planetary and lunar images with superior detail and clarity, making it the ultimate choice for both amateur and professional astrophotographers.
Key Features of the NEPTUNE 664C
- Sensor: Sony IMX664 1/1.8” Colour Sensor
- Pixel Size: 2.9μm, ensuring high sensitivity and detailed imaging of planetary surfaces
- Resolution: 2704 x 1540 (4.2 MP)
- Well Depth: 38.5 ke for better dynamic range and higher quality images
- Diagonal Size: 6.46 mm, perfect for capturing large portions of the planetary disk
Why Choose the NEPTUNE 664C for Planetary Imaging?
The NEPTUNE 664C camera’s combination of 2.9μm pixel size and well depth of 38.5 ke allows it to produce images with exceptional clarity, even in varying light conditions. The 4.2MP resolution offers the detail needed for advanced planetary imaging, and the compact sensor size makes it ideal for high-frame-rate captures.
Upgraded Performance for Advanced Imaging
This new camera from Player One Astronomy offers a significant improvement in both image quality and frame rates. The IMX664 sensor’s low noise, coupled with its high resolution, makes the NEPTUNE 664C an ideal tool for planetary observers aiming to push their imaging capabilities further. Its diagonal size of 6.46 mm gives you a wide field of view, making it easier to capture larger planetary surfaces in one frame.
Designed for Astrophotography Enthusiasts
The NEPTUNE 664C is designed for those passionate about planetary photography. Its ability to capture fine details on planets such as Jupiter, Saturn, and Mars will elevate your astrophotography. Thanks to its compact design, the camera is also highly portable and compatible with most telescopes, making it convenient for fieldwork and home setups alike.
Compatibility and Ease of Use
The NEPTUNE 664C is compatible with a wide range of astronomy software, making it easy to integrate into your existing setup. With the ability to work seamlessly with many popular telescopes, this camera is an excellent choice for anyone looking to improve their planetary imaging setup.
Technical Specifications:
- Sensor: Sony IMX664 1/1.8” CMOS Colour
- Resolution: 2704 x 1540 (4.2 MP)
- Pixel Size: 2.9μm
- Full Well Capacity: 38.5 ke
- Frame Rate: High-speed captures at various resolutions
- Field of View: 6.46 mm diagonal
Discover the Universe with NEPTUNE 664C
Whether you are capturing the intricate details of the Moon’s surface or exploring the planets in our solar system, the NEPTUNE 664C offers you unmatched clarity and performance. With the advanced technology built into this camera, you can take your planetary astrophotography to the next level.
Explore the universe with the NEPTUNE 664C Planetary Camera today and capture breath taking images of celestial bodies like never before.
Super AR Plus window
NEPTUNE 664C using this Super AR Plus window in front of it. This window glass can give super high transmittance from 310nm to 1100nm. This important improvement, make NEPTUNE 664C camera has much better performance in both Ultraviolet and NIR.
The naming of Player One Astronomy cameras is unique. For example, we name the planetary cameras after planets (They are Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune, Earth is not included). The size of each planet to a certain extent represents the size of camera sensors. We will name Saturn with a 1-inch sensor camera, and for Mars, we will name it with a ½.8 inch sensor camera. All names will be engraved on the housing of the cameras.
STARVIS 2 Technology
NEPTUNE 664C based on Sony newest STARVIS 2 technology, it is back-illuminated pixel technology used in CMOS image sensors.
Non-Amp-Glow
Biggest surprise of NEPTUNE 664C camera is, its dark frame is totally “dark”, whatever we strength the curve, there is no AMP glow at all!
60s dark frame of Uranus-C camera(resize to 50%):
Features:
Comparison of 3 generations
Player One add all our best technology into 3rd Gen NEPTUNE 664C. You will see the advantages, like Super AR plus window, Passive cooling system. Those features will make sure NEPTUNE 664C to be very competitive on the market!
Cutting-edge Design
The planetary cameras developed by Player One Astronomy use a scientific and technological regular hexagon to construct the main body line, supplemented by round chamfers to achieve both rigidity and flexibility. The positive red, which is like a summer fire, is matched with the low-key and steady black, and the super-fine frosting process on the entire surface makes the camera look luxurious and cool, highlighting the style of high-end players,
2nd Gen – Sensor Tilt Plate
The built-in high-density sponge shading pad can block the light from the side slits without any side leakage.
When taking solar photograph with prominence telescope, the Newton ring is annoying. Smoother solar image without Newton ring could be taken by adjusting the focal plate. Get a much smaller field curvature of the telescope.
256M DDR3 Cache
Player One Astronomy cameras are the first ones who adopt the DDR3 cache in all planetary cameras in the world! It helps stabilize and secure data transmission, effectively avoids frame dropping, and greatly reduces read noise.
With the DDR3 cache, the camera does not have high demands on computing needs any longer, it will still have excellent performance even if it is connected to a USB 2.0 port.
DPS technology
The planetary cameras from Player One Astronomy have DPS (Dead Pixel Suppression) technology. The DPS is anaylze many dark frames to find out those fixed abnormal pixel and record the map in camera memory. In imaging, each exposure frames, those position of dead pixels will be given a median value according to the active pixels around that abnormal pixel.
Passive Cooling System
Player One add a new feature called Passive Cooling System to conduct the heat from the sensor out.
Overvoltage and overcurrent protection mechanism
Player One cameras produced by the number one player ensure the safety of your camera and other equipment through overvoltage and overcurrent protection mechanisms.
Data Port
When the camera is connected to the USB3.0 interface and a full-resolution preview is used, it can reach 93 FPS in RAW8 mode (10bit ADC), and the frame rate in RAW16 mode (12bit ADC) is 46.5 frames per second. When recording images, since the actual writing speed will be affected by the writing speed of the hard disk itself, when the hard disk writing speed is slow, the recording may not reach the theoretical speed. It is recommended that you use a high-quality solid-state drive to record data to give full play to the performance of the camera.
Use the ST4 guide cable to connect the camera and the AUTO GUIDE port of the equatorial mount to do the guiding.
Performance
HCG open at gain=180.
Readout Noise
Regarding readout noise, we solemnly promise that all values are obtained from actual tests. And for users, you could use Sharpcap 4 for testing. SC4 has a function called Sensor Analysis, provide a very simple way to test readout noise.
After many rigorous readout noise tests, the camera can reach a low readout noise of 0.75e at a gain of 350 and around 0.67e at a gain of 450.
If you are interested in readout noise testing, you may try it yourself, which is very simple.
HCG Mode
NEPTUNE 664C camera has a unique HCG mode, which will automatically turn on when the camera gain setting is ≥180. The HCG mode can greatly reduce the readout noise and retain the same high dynamic range as the low gain.
QE Curve
The QE curve of the NEPTUNE 664C camera tell us that this camera is NIR enhanced camera. working after Super AR Plus window, this camera will keep very high QE in infrared.
This is the relative QE curve which provided by Sony, the absolute QE peak about 91%.
Mechanical Drawing
