SBIG CCD camera

How good an entry-level camera is the "new" SBIG ST-7ME being offered at
only $1295 (details on the Anacortes web site)?

Thanks,

Evan Miller

"Evan Miller" wrote in message
...
How good an entry-level camera is the "new" SBIG ST-7ME being offered at
only $1295 (details on the Anacortes web site)?

It looks to me like, as a first CCD, it is well worth the price. Note that
it has a Class 2 CCD, and most of SBIG's announced prices are for Class 1.
These are standards of quality of the CCD chip but I'm not entirely sure
what they mean in practice.

Note that it includes its own autoguider... handy.

"Michael A. Covington" wrote:

"Evan Miller" wrote in message
...
How good an entry-level camera is the "new" SBIG ST-7ME being offered at
only $1295 (details on the Anacortes web site)?

It looks to me like, as a first CCD, it is well worth the price. Note that
it has a Class 2 CCD, and most of SBIG's announced prices are for Class 1.
These are standards of quality of the CCD chip but I'm not entirely sure
what they mean in practice.

Note that it includes its own autoguider... handy.


Class 2 means you have no guarantee the chip won't have flaws like
column defects that are a real joy to process out. As I've understood
from other users in the past, typically, the chips used by SBIG tend to
exceed the declared specs but you are taking that chance they won't...
---
Mike
http://www.concentric.net/~richmann/

On 01 Nov 2003 18:33:35 GMT, Mike Richmann wrote:

Class 2 means you have no guarantee the chip won't have flaws like
column defects that are a real joy to process out. As I've understood
from other users in the past, typically, the chips used by SBIG tend to
exceed the declared specs but you are taking that chance they won't...

That's true, but Class 2 chips work fine for astronomical imaging in almost all
cases. Pixel and column defects mostly fix themselves through the normal
calibration steps taken. I've used many cameras with Class 2 Kodak sensors, and
I've never detected a difference between them and Class 1 or Class 0 devices
when used for aesthetic imaging.

_________________________________________________

Chris L Peterson
Cloudbait Observatory
http://www.cloudbait.com

Chris L Peterson wrote:

On 01 Nov 2003 18:33:35 GMT, Mike Richmann wrote:


Class 2 means you have no guarantee the chip won't have flaws like
column defects that are a real joy to process out. As I've understood

from other users in the past, typically, the chips used by SBIG tend to

exceed the declared specs but you are taking that chance they won't...


That's true, but Class 2 chips work fine for astronomical imaging in almost all
cases. Pixel and column defects mostly fix themselves through the normal
calibration steps taken. I've used many cameras with Class 2 Kodak sensors, and
I've never detected a difference between them and Class 1 or Class 0 devices
when used for aesthetic imaging.

_________________________________________________

Chris L Peterson
Cloudbait Observatory
http://www.cloudbait.com

That has been our experience with about 6 SBIG ST-7 & ST-8 cameras.

Mike Richmann wrote in message

Class 2 means you have no guarantee the chip won't have flaws like
column defects that are a real joy to process out.

Actually you do have a guarantee that the chip won't have column
defects. Class 2 CCDs from Kodak no longer allow column defects, only
point and cluster defects. Class 2 CCDs allow more of these defects
than Class 1 CCDs but we have found that the Class 2 CCDs are quite
good in general. For example, if memory serves, the Class 1 0402E CCD
allows up to 5 point defects and the Class 2 CCD allows up to 10 point
defects (out of 390,000). Class 2 is the standard Class for the ST-8
and ST-10 cameras. We have traditionally used Class 1 CCDs in the
ST-7 but in this special case we are doing our best to keep the price
of the cameras the same as the discontinued ST-237A ($1295) so we have
to be mindful of every penny in cost.

Other than this cosmetic rating, there is no difference between a
Class 2 and a Class 1 CCD. Read noise, dark current, QE, sensitivity
are all the same.

As I've understood
from other users in the past, typically, the chips used by SBIG tend to
exceed the declared specs but you are taking that chance they won't...

The only risk is that they will actually be class 2 CCDs with no
column defects.

Regards,
Michael Barber
SBIG

Michael Barber wrote:

Mike Richmann wrote in message

Class 2 means you have no guarantee the chip won't have flaws like
column defects that are a real joy to process out.

Actually you do have a guarantee that the chip won't have column
defects. Class 2 CCDs from Kodak no longer allow column defects, only
point and cluster defects. Class 2 CCDs allow more of these defects
than Class 1 CCDs but we have found that the Class 2 CCDs are quite
good in general. For example, if memory serves, the Class 1 0402E CCD
allows up to 5 point defects and the Class 2 CCD allows up to 10 point
defects (out of 390,000). Class 2 is the standard Class for the ST-8
and ST-10 cameras. We have traditionally used Class 1 CCDs in the
ST-7 but in this special case we are doing our best to keep the price
of the cameras the same as the discontinued ST-237A ($1295) so we have
to be mindful of every penny in cost.

Other than this cosmetic rating, there is no difference between a
Class 2 and a Class 1 CCD. Read noise, dark current, QE, sensitivity
are all the same.

As I've understood
from other users in the past, typically, the chips used by SBIG tend to
exceed the declared specs but you are taking that chance they won't...

The only risk is that they will actually be class 2 CCDs with no
column defects.


Good to hear in all regards. Thanks for the update in the change in
Kodak's standards as well...
---
Mike
http://www.concentric.net/~richmann/