Gear Database

QHY461 PH

QHY

QHY461 PH is a large-format monochrome astronomy camera for LRGB and narrowband deep-sky imaging.

camera flagship
QHY461 PH

Best Current Offer

Cloud Break Optics logo
Cloud Break Optics
In stock
$14,699.00

Specifications

Sensor

Sensor model
SONY IMX461 BSI CMOS Sensor
Color / mono
Monochrome
Sensor size
44 mm x 33 mm
Megapixels
104.62 MP
Resolution
11760 × 8896
Pixel size
3.76 µm x 3.76 µm
Max frame rate
2.7FPS @ 8BIT 1.3FPS@16BIT on USB3.0 2.7FPS @ 16BIT 6FPS @ 14BIT on 10Gigabit Fiber
Shutter
Electric Rolling Shutter
ADC
16-bit (0-65535 greyscale) for 1X1Binning18bit in 2X2 19BIT in 3X3 20BIT in 4*4 software Binning
Read noise
1e to 3.7e (in HGC mode)
Full well
50 ke- / 200 ke- / 450 ke- in Standard Mode 80 ke- / 320 ke- / 720 ke- in Extend Full Well Mode
Exposure range
50us – 3600sec

Cooling

Cooling
Two-stage TEC cooling
Sensor window
AR+AR High Quality Multi-Layer Anti-Reflection Coating

Mechanical

Interface
USB3.0
Buffer
1GByte DDR3 Buffer

Sensor / electronics

Back focus
32.5mm

Astrophotography Fit

A cooled monochrome camera best used where its sensor size and workflow match the telescope and calibration plan.

QHY461 PH is a flagship 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

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Retailer Price Availability View Offer
Cloud Break Optics logo
Cloud Break Optics
Cloud Break Optics
$14,699.00
In stock
Updated 5/11/2026
View Offer - $14,699.00