ZWO ASI533MC Pro
RecommendedZWO
ZWO ASI533MC Pro is a 1-inch square one-shot color astronomy camera for deep-sky imaging with a simpler color workflow.
Best Current Offer
Specifications
Sensor
- Sensor model
- Sony IMX533CQK-C CMOS
- Color / mono
- Color
- Sensor size
- 1-inch square (11.31 × 11.31 mm, 16 mm diagonal)
- Megapixels
- 9 MP
- Resolution
- 3008 × 3008 (9 MP)
- Sensor diagonal
- 16 mm
- Sensor area
- 127.9 mm²
- Pixel size
- 3.76 μm
- Shutter
- Rolling shutter
- ADC
- 14-bit
- Read noise
- 1.0-3.8 e-
- Full well
- 50 ke-
- Peak QE
- Over 80% (color)
Cooling
- Cooling
- Two-stage TEC, ΔT 30-35 °C below ambient
- Sensor window
- AR-coated D32-2 protective window with anti-dew heater
Mechanical
- Back focus
- 6.5 mm / 17.5 mm
- Interface
- USB 3.0 + USB 2.0 hub, 256MB DDR3 buffer
- Weight
- 410 g
Sensor / electronics
- Sensor
- Sony IMX533
- Pixel size
- 3.76 um
- Full well
- 50000 e-
- Read noise
- 3.8 e-
- ADC
- 14-bit
- Back focus
- 6.5 mm
Astrophotography Fit
A cooled one-shot color camera best used where its sensor size and workflow match the telescope and calibration plan.
ZWO ASI533MC Pro is a premium one-shot color camera aimed at deep-sky imaging with a simpler color workflow. Sensor format: 1-inch square (11.31 × 11.31 mm, 16 mm diagonal). Pixel size: 3.76 μm.
As a color camera, it keeps the capture workflow simpler than a mono rig. It works especially well when you want one camera for broadband targets plus a dual-band filter for emission nebulae under light pollution.
Match the camera to the telescope before buying: sensor size controls framing, pixel size controls sampling, and cooling only pays off when you also shoot darks and flats. If the scope cannot illuminate the sensor cleanly, a smaller camera can produce better data than a bigger one.
Best paired with
- Corrected refractors, RASA/HyperStar-style systems, or other well-matched astrographs
- UV/IR-cut and dual-band nebula filters for one-shot color imaging
- Reliable GoTo mount, autofocus, and dark/flat calibration workflow
Not recommended for
- Imagers committed to full SHO/LRGB mono workflows
- Optical tubes with corrected image circles smaller than the camera sensor
- Very casual visual-only users who do not plan to process image data
Retailer Rating
Ratings aggregated from public retailer data.
Retailer breakdown
| Retailer | Rating | Reviews | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agena AstroProducts | 4.9 | 110 | Product page |
| High Point Scientific | 4.9 | 36 | Product page |
Community Images
Astrophotography examples from Flickr.
Reddit Discussions
Recent community threads from astrophotography subreddits.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agena AstroProducts Agena AstroProducts | $799.00 | In stock Updated 5/14/2026 | View Offer - $799.00 |
| Astronomics Astronomics | $799.00 | In stock Updated 5/13/2026 | View Offer - $799.00 |
| Cloud Break Optics Cloud Break Optics | $799.00 | In stock Updated 5/10/2026 | View Offer - $799.00 |
| High Point Scientific High Point Scientific | $799.00 | In stock Updated 5/15/2026 | View Offer - $799.00 |
| Mile High Astronomy Mile High Astronomy | $799.00 | In stock Updated 5/13/2026 | View Offer - $799.00 |
| Starizona Starizona | $799.00 | In stock Updated 5/14/2026 | View Offer - $799.00 |
| Telescopes.net Telescopes.net | $799.00 | In stock Updated 5/12/2026 | View Offer - $799.00 |
| ZWO USA ZWO USA | $799.00 | In stock Updated 5/15/2026 | View Offer - $799.00 |
Price History
Chronological retailer pricing with out-of-stock points shown at reduced opacity.