SVBONY SV405CC Cooled Colour OSC Camera (Sony IMX294)

Product Overview

The SVBONY SV405CC is a cooled one-shot-colour astronomy camera using the Sony IMX294 back-illuminated sensor. The 4/3″ chip measures 19.2 x 13 mm (23.2 mm diagonal) and records 4144 x 2822 pixels at 4.63 µm, with 1.2 e⁻ read noise, a 63 ke⁻ full well, 0.75 peak QE and 14-bit output. Two-stage TEC cooling takes the sensor to 30 °C below ambient, and a 256 MB DDR3 buffer supports USB 3.0 transfer.

Who It's For

This is a good match if you image extended nebulae and large galaxies with a short to mid focal-length refractor and want a cooled colour camera with a large sensor and wide field. The 4.63 µm pixels pair well with faster telescopes and longer focal lengths where smaller pixels would oversample.

Key Features & Design

• Sony IMX294 back-illuminated sensor: 11.7 MP, 4144 x 2822, 4.63 µm pixels on a 4/3″ format.
• Two-stage TEC cooling: sensor cooled to 30 °C below ambient to cut dark current on long exposures.
• Low read noise and HCG mode: 1.2 e⁻ read noise; high-conversion-gain mode switches on automatically at gain 120 and above.
• 63 ke⁻ full well, 14-bit ADC: wide dynamic range for bright cores and faint outer structure.
• USB 3.0 Type-B with 256 MB DDR3 buffer: 19 fps at full resolution in RAW8, 16 fps in RAW16.
• Exposure range: 0.05 ms to 2000 s.

Camera Design

The IMX294 is a large back-illuminated colour CMOS sensor with comparatively big 4.63 µm pixels. That pixel size gives a deep 63 ke⁻ well. At 23.2 mm diagonal, the sensor asks more of a telescope's corrected field than smaller chips do, so a flattener or reducer rated for 4/3″ coverage keeps the corners round. HCG mode lowers read noise above gain 120, which helps shorter sub-exposures under light-polluted skies.

Recommended Uses

• Wide-field deep-sky imaging: large emission nebulae, the Milky Way's dense star fields, nearby galaxies.
• Narrowband colour imaging: with a dual-band filter from suburban skies.
• Electronically assisted astronomy: live stacking in SharpCap.
• Observatory and remote use: ASCOM support for TheSkyX and N.I.N.A.

Compatibility and Accessory Notes

• Software and platforms: Windows, Linux, macOS, Chrome OS and Raspberry Pi; SharpCap, N.I.N.A. and TheSkyX via ASCOM.
• Correctors: choose a flattener or reducer whose image circle covers a 23.2 mm diagonal. Send us your telescope and filter setup and we will confirm the spacing with you.
• Filters: SVBONY offers this camera with 1.25″ and 2″ UV/IR cut, 2″ UHC and 2″ narrowband filter bundles; this listing is the camera only.

Good to Know Before You Order

• Computer or controller required: the camera runs from capture software over USB 3.0.
• Back focus: SVBONY does not publish the sensor back-focus figure on the product page; we can confirm it for your imaging train before you order.
• Weight: SVBONY does not publish a weight for this camera.
• Imaging only: it has no application in visual observing.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it difficult to set up?

No. Install the driver and capture software, connect USB 3.0 and power, and attach the camera to your imaging train. Spacing to a flattener is the step that takes measuring, and we can work it out with you.

How much does it cool?

SVBONY specifies two-stage TEC cooling to 30 °C below ambient.

When does HCG mode switch on?

Automatically at gain 120 and above, lowering read noise.

Is the sensor large enough for wide fields?

The 4/3″ sensor (19.2 x 13 mm) gives a wide field on short refractors; the telescope's corrector needs to cover a 23.2 mm diagonal.

Does it work with ASCOM software?

Yes. SVBONY lists support for TheSkyX via ASCOM, along with SharpCap and N.I.N.A.

Bottom Line

In short: a cooled colour deep-sky camera with a large Sony IMX294 sensor, 4.63 µm pixels, 63 ke⁻ full well and 1.2 e⁻ read noise, cooled to 30 °C below ambient for wide-field imaging.