QHY268M
QHY
QHY268M is an APS-C monochrome astronomy camera for LRGB and narrowband deep-sky imaging.
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Specifications
Sensor
- Sensor model
- SONY IMX571 M / SONY IMX571 C
- Sensor type
- Mono / Color
- Color / mono
- Monochrome
- Megapixels
- 26 MP
- Resolution
- 26MP
- Pixel size
- 3.76 µm x 3.76 µm
- Shutter
- Electronic Shutter
- ADC
- Native 16-bit (0-65535 greyscale) A/D
- Read noise
- 1.1e-
- Full well
- 51 ke
- Exposure range
- 30us-3600sec
Cooling
- Cooling
- Two-stage TEC cooler Less than 1S lower than ambient temperature -30C in continuous mode More
- Sensor window
- AR+AR High Quality Multi-Layer Anti-Reflection Coating
Mechanical
- Interface
- USB3.0
- Buffer
- 1GByte DDR3 Memory
Astrophotography Fit
A cooled monochrome camera best used where its sensor size and workflow match the telescope and calibration plan.
QHY268M is a premium monochrome camera aimed at LRGB and narrowband deep-sky imaging.
As a mono camera, it becomes a system only after you add a filter wheel, LRGB filters, and narrowband filters. The payoff is stronger control over signal, star color, and emission-line contrast, but the setup asks for calibration discipline.
For high-frame-rate work, pair it with a long focal length telescope, an ADC when planets are low, and capture software that can record short exposures quickly. It is less satisfying as the only deep-sky camera unless the target scale and sensor size make sense.
Best paired with
- Electronic filter wheel sized for the sensor and back-focus budget
- LRGB plus Ha, OIII, and SII filters matched to the sky conditions
- Guided refractors or corrected astrographs with a clean calibration-frame library
Not recommended for
- First-time imagers who want a simple one-shot color workflow
- Rigs without budget or back focus for a filter wheel and filters
- Casual sessions where darks, flats, and repeatable gain settings are unlikely
Where To Buy
Some links on this page are affiliate links. Prices and availability are pulled automatically from each retailer and updated daily.
| Retailer | Price | Availability | View Offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cloud Break Optics Cloud Break Optics | $2,199.00 | In stock Updated 5/11/2026 | View Offer - $2,199.00 |