Performance of QHY8L/Pro/10 large chip CCD cameras?

[reddoss]

I have just been looking at the QHY8/10/12 range of CCD cameras. They look fairly cheap compared to other makes of lare chip CCD's such Starlight Xpress, the 8L is only about £900 and the 8 pro and 10 models are very close in price.

How do these large chip OSC CCD's perform compared to makes models such as the SXVR (or F) M25C?

Does any one know where they company is based or where the cameras are made?

Cheers

[msh1]

all i can do is show you a pic from my qhy8l they are a chinese firm and modern astronomy are the suppliers in the uk

mark

[r3i]

I have one of the original QHY8's and had a problem with a very tilted chip, which I eventually managed to sort out. Others have had similar problems. However I haven't seen any similar gripes about the newer models (the L and the Pro) so hopefully they have improved on their build quality.

I've never owned a StarLight Xpress camera but I would presume from the price of their cameras you'll be getting a high quality piece of kit. Whether you can justify the significant premium, only you can say.

[sloz1664]

I have the QHY8 Pro which has the same chip as the SX M25C. I have nothing but praise for my camera. I attach it to my scope and it

takes pictures. The chip is so clean I don't use darks, can't say better than that. If you have any doubts give Bern a ring at Modern Astronomy.

His advice I trust.

Cheers

Steve

[ollypenrice]

Personally, since these things are expensive and complicated, I think reliability is worth a lot and I find that with Atik you get it. With five Atiks here, working very hard in commercial use since we started imaging five years ago, we've had one cooler issue sorted by return of post and that's that. The software is brilliant as well. My experience of SX has not been so favourable, nor has my forum-derived impression of QHY reliability.

This last point, I stress, is not from personal experience.

Do be clear, though, that the chip is not the camera. Not by a long way.

Olly

[Zakalwe]

They have improved the quality control of the cams enormously. A lot of the stuff you hear bandied about here relates back to issues in the past (chip orthogonality and chamber sealing). As an example of how reactive they are, there was feedback on the QHY forum about dust on the sensors. Mr. Qiu (from QHY) picked up on that, identified the problem (it stemmed from how the foam surrounding the sensor was being cut) and invested in a laser foam-cutting machine.

Atik years ago were little more than modified webcams held together with hotglue. It'd be wrong to expect other companies not to be able to improve in the same way.

[Coco]

They have improved the quality control of the cams enormously. A lot of the stuff you hear bandied about here relates back to issues in the past (chip orthogonality and chamber sealing). As an example of how reactive they are, there was feedback on the QHY forum about dust on the sensors. Mr. Qiu (from QHY) picked up on that, identified the problem (it stemmed from how the foam surrounding the sensor was being cut) and invested in a laser foam-cutting machine.

Atik years ago were little more than modified webcams held together with hotglue. It'd be wrong to expect other companies not to be able to improve in the same way.

QHY5 has to be the best ccd in history..

My issue wouldn't be QHY per se as much as the dealer selling them, Atik's dealers are fabulous all 4(5) of them, they also sell SX cameras too..

[Zakalwe]

QHY5 has to be the best ccd in history..

My issue wouldn't be QHY per se as much as the dealer selling them, Atik's dealers are fabulous all 4(5) of them, they also sell SX cameras too..

Is that the one with the alledged issue on the guiding relays?

[Auntystatic]

QHY5 has to be the best ccd in history..

QHY5 isn't a CCD its CMOS, but I have not had any problems with mine as a finder guider, and I have just bought myself a QHY8L from Bernard as my first step into CCD astrophotography (thanks for the quick service Bern), managed to get first light last night but have not as yet processed any images, for now my main imaging set up is my old canon 5D and a 600mm f4 L lens (Olly's advice which is paying off brilliantly, thanks again Olly) I think to go further I'll save up for a mono camera.

[sloz1664]

hi Danielle,

Congrats on buying the QHY8L. You will find a marked difference from your DSLR. I must admit I would like to progress down the mono route but

it seems a lot of expense for our fickle skies.

cheers

Steve

[Guest]

QHY5 has to be the best ccd in history..

My issue wouldn't be QHY per se as much as the dealer selling them, Atik's dealers are fabulous all 4(5) of them, they also sell SX cameras too..

I thought the QHY5 was CMOS not CCD !!, correct me if I am wrong but I don't think so

MM

[Coco]

I thought the QHY5 was CMOS not CCD !!, correct me if I am wrong but I don't think so

MM

Oh excuse me

[Tim]

Rule No.1    You get what you pay for

Rule No.2  See Rule No.1

[Zakalwe]

Its also an expensive mistake to equate price and marketing spiel with quality. As many BMW and Mercedes Benz car owners will testify ( a colleague of mine has had 2 x ECUs, 1 x turbo, wiring loom and air-conditioning replaced within 2 years on a brand new Merc C class. Another acquaintance of mine has had the brakes, engine, drivers seat, and gearbox fail on a top-of-the-line Range Rover. All in the first 7,000 miles).

[ollypenrice]

I was going to flag up a recent obituary to a camera on SGL but decided against it! 

Olly

[pete_l]

If I might be so bold

Rule No.1    You get what you pay for

At best, you get what you pay for.

There are lots of cases of people <cough> making the mistake of thinking that just because something's expensive, it must be good. Whether BMWs or astro gear, it ain't necessarily so.

It's important to remember two things: stuff from China is much cheaper than the same stuff from the West and technology gets cheaper over time. Make of that what you will.

[Tim]

All I know for a fact, is that my QHY was cheap tat, and my Atik's have been great. Make of that what you will........

On the outside at least they seem to have improved lately, but I've not tried a newer model, once bitten twice shy and all that.

PS, I bought a "cheap" Chinese triplet rather than a Takahashi 

[Earl]

Having owned QHY, Atik, SX and now QSI.

Its only casue i cant justify the cost of FLI

[Tim]

There's always something better/more/shinier!  

[Zakalwe]

I was going to flag up a recent obituary to a camera on SGL but decided against it! 

Olly

Was that the one reported by Jaygpoo? If so, the problem was user error and not the camera.

@ the OP. You might want to contact people that actually use the cameras that you have enquired about for their opinions.

Terry Hancock of Down Under Observatory is a well known user. His images are taken with a QHY9. He has recently upgraded to a QHY11

http://www.downunderobservatory.com/images.html

Ioannis Ioannou has also written a mini review of the QHY22. This has the same Sony 694 chip as the Atik460.

http://www.cloudynights.com/item.php?item_id=2852

The QHY23 has the same chip as the Atik 490.

I had the 8L for a couple of years. It seemed (in my noobie hands) a capable performer, and a good step up from DSLR use. The only downside was the USB and DIN socket at the back. The heavy cables were prone to falling out unless you tie them back to the body. The USB design is not meant to have cables hanging from it, but it's either that or go down the route of propriety interfaces (which I personally would not like to see). If you want rubbish cable configurations though, look no further than the Lodestar. A very capable camera ruined by rubbish connectors.

 

[r3i]

Was that the one reported by Jaygpoo? If so, the problem was user error and not the camera.

...

The only downside was the USB and DIN socket at the back. The heavy cables were prone to falling out unless you tie them back to the body. The USB design is not meant to have cables hanging from it, but it's either that or go down the route of propriety interfaces (which I personally would not like to see). 

Olly might have been referring to my old model QHY8 which went bang recently.  I've since replaced it with the newer QHY8L which is definitely a step up in build quality so looks like QHY are learning.

The poor weather recently has meant the new camera has had little use but no issues with cabling falling out so far - I've tried to route them to minimise strain so haven't felt the need to employ the cable clamp that is now being included with the camera. 

[Zakalwe]

Olly might have been referring to my old model QHY8 which went bang recently.  I've since replaced it with the newer QHY8L which is definitely a step up in build quality so looks like QHY are learning.

The poor weather recently has meant the new camera has had little use but no issues with cabling falling out so far - I've tried to route them to minimise strain so haven't felt the need to employ the cable clamp that is now being included with the camera. 

Ah, OK. Thanks for the correction.

I used a velcro cable strap to tie the cables back against the camera body. Just be careful not to put any undue strain on the sockets.

[jogrady]

Was there a specific camera that the OP was considering?

I've had a QHY8L for a few years now and I am quite happy with it.  

For the price, it does an outstanding job.

The cable issue is annoying but QHY offers a cable retainer for some of the camera models that suffer from the problem loose cable connectors.

Here's a youtube video of installing the cable retainer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7W6_TPAg-Qk

Myself, I use a single velcro cable strap to solve the cable issue, and it solves the problem quite effectively.

While I plan to purchase a monochrome CCD imager in the new year, I don't plan to get rid of the the QHY8L.

Another item to consider is that the power supply is external to these cameras.  I don't know if that matters to some but I personally find it annoying to have one more piece of kit to juggle.  In my opinion the external power supply is a bit of a weak point, as the cable connector suffers the same problem of being easily pulled loose.

The connector used by the power cable contains sever pins and they are easily bent if care is not exercised.  (though in the dark, its hard to spot a bent cable).

The one upside to the external power supply is that if it fails, it's easily replaced and does not require the camera to be returned to the manufacturer.

Beyond the cable issue, the fit and finish of the camera is top notch.

The TEC works very well and regularly gets to -20C below ambient.

[jogrady]

"Does any one know where they company is based or where the cameras are made?"

In speaking with the Canadian distributor for QHY, I understand that QHY is located in China.

[rob0971]

"Does any one know where they company is based or where the cameras are made?"

In speaking with the Canadian distributor for QHY, I understand that QHY is located in China.

Yes it is a Chinese company.