The Poseidon Series is the pinnacle of Player One cooled deep sky imaging technology — the most advanced camera line we’ve ever created.
Born from three years of development, refinement, and field testing, the Poseidon-C Pro delivers elite performance to astrophotographers who demand the best. Every component, circuit, and cooling surface has been engineered with precision. This is Player One’s flagship — and it shows.
Poseidon-C Pro — Data That Speaks in Stars
The Poseidon-C Pro is built around the Sony IMX571 APS-C color sensor. With 3.76μm pixels, a massive 71.7ke- full-well capacity, and a 26MP effective resolution (6252 × 4176), it captures deep sky targets with stunning clarity and dynamic range. The result: smooth gradients, natural star colors, and breathtaking faint nebula detail.
A Design That Performs — and Looks Incredible
The Poseidon chassis is a sculpted, scientific form — an octagonal body with smooth cambered edges and precision chamfers. The deep red and satin-black finish reflects both elegance and intent: this instrument is built to work under the night sky, not just sit on a bench.
4-Point Rear Sensor Tilt Plate
Fine-tune your imaging plane with confidence. The rear-mounted, 4-point tilt system makes it simple to achieve perfect field flatness. Each adjustment point is intuitive and clearly aligned to the image corners — no guessing, no frustration. A sealed light-block system prevents any stray reflections.
Deep 2-Stage TEC Cooling
With an improved thermal isolation structure and optimized heat rejection, the Poseidon-C Pro achieves a Delta-T of over 40°C. This delivers ultra-clean data, dramatically reduced dark current, and stable long-exposure performance — even on warm summer nights.
512MB DDR3 Data Cache
With a full 512MB onboard buffer, frame integrity is rock-solid — no frame drops, no data loss, no lag. Even over USB 2.0. Your data arrives safe, smooth, and consistent every time.
Back-Illuminated STARVIS Sensor Architecture
The IMX571 uses Sony’s STARVIS back-illuminated design, maximizing light sensitivity and maintaining low read noise. Faint nebula structures, distant galaxy halos, and dusty dark lanes are rendered cleanly and with astonishing nuance.
APS-C — The Sweet-Spot Format
With a 23.5 × 15.7mm sensor area and a 28.3mm diagonal, the Poseidon-C Pro captures wide nebula fields while maintaining high sampling accuracy. Perfect for refractors, Newtonians, and SCT imaging systems.
Native 16-Bit ADC
True 16-bit (65536 levels) dynamic range means cleaner gradients, smoother tones, and superior color depth — especially during stretching.
Non-Amp-Glow Sensor
No complex dark calibration. No pattern noise. No amp glow. Just clean sky.
Performance
Dual Sampling Architecture
The Poseidon Series features two distinctly optimized readout modes to match your imaging goals:
- Normal Mode — Higher frame rates, perfect for planetary, lunar, or live focusing.
- Low Noise (LRN) Mode — Reduced read noise and expanded dynamic range for deep sky imaging.
At Gain 0, the Poseidon-C Pro delivers:
- Dynamic Range: 14.26 stops
- Full Well: 71.7ke-
- Read Noise: 3.96e-
When HCG (High Conversion Gain) activates at Gain 125:
- Read Noise drops to just 1.36e-
- Full well remains high at 16.6ke-
- Dynamic range stays excellent at 13.58 stops
High-Speed Frame Rate
Thanks to a highly optimized data pipeline and onboard 512MB DDR3 buffer, the Poseidon-C Pro achieves up to 15 FPS in RAW8 mode. Perfect for framing alignment, live stacking, or fast data capture workflows.
Performance remains consistent even when using slower USB ports or less powerful computers.
Superior Full-Well Capacity
The Poseidon-C Pro pushes 71.7ke- — over 40% more electron capacity than typical IMX571-based competitors. This prevents highlights from blowing out and preserves rich star color and dynamic nebula contrast.
Ultra-Low Dark Current
At -20°C, dark current is a remarkably low 0.000105 e⁻/s/pixel. Even at 0°C, performance remains excellent. This is the hallmark of a high-end thermal system — stable, linear, predictable calibration.
Quantum Efficiency Profile
The IMX571 color sensor delivers strong response across the visible spectrum, with excellent red-channel performance — ideal for emission nebulae, hydrogen regions, and dusty structures.
Thermal Control & Power
Cooling System with Anti-Dew Protection
The Poseidon thermal system allows precise control of:
- Sensor Temperature
- Cooling Fan Speed
- Front Window Anti-Dew Heater
Recommended Operating Setup:
Delta-T of 35°C below ambient, fan at 70%, dew heater at 10%.
Every Poseidon camera includes built-in overvoltage and overcurrent protection for long-term hardware safety.
Data & Connectivity
Type-C Main & Auxiliary Ports + 12V TEC Power
Two data ports and a dedicated TEC input make imaging trains cleaner, simpler, and more reliable — especially when working in the dark.
Mechanical Design & Dimensions
The Poseidon series is engineered for durability, precise optical alignment, and seamless integration across a wide range of imaging systems. All dimensions are provided to support accurate back-focus spacing and accessory matching.
Back Focus (BFL) Configuration
The Poseidon-C Pro supports flexible back-focus setups for M42, M48, and large-format systems. Each configuration maintains the industry-standard 55 mm optical distance from the sensor to the telescope interface.
Below are the standard configurations used in most imaging setups:
Note: Some setups require 56 mm total back focus to compensate for the refractive effect of filters.
Example Imaging Trains
To support a wide range of telescopes and optical systems, the Poseidon-C Pro pairs naturally with OAGs, filter drawers, refractors, Newtonians, and lenses.
Package Contents
Every Poseidon-C Pro includes all essential components required to begin imaging — securely arranged inside a protective storage case.
- Poseidon-C Pro Camera Body
- Hard Shell Protective Case
- Adapter Rings & Spacing Extensions
- USB Type-C Data Cables
- 12V DC Power Cable
- Allen Keys & Adjustment Tools
- Air Blower
Everything needed to integrate directly into your imaging setup is included.