Meade DSI PRO III Monochrome CCD Imager

Meade DSI PRO III Monochrome CCD Imager
The Meade DSI PRO III Monochrome CCD Imager continues the user-friendly astrophotography revolution. It combines a user-friendly 1.4 megapixel chip, higher resolution, wider field of view and lower thermal noise. Meade engineers have found a remarkable new method to reduce noise without having to use a cooling fan. This means that exposure can last for hours at a time. The thermal monitoring sensors match your dark frames to the ambient temperature so it is almost impossible to take an uncalibrated picture.

Built-in zoom feature
The software has a zoom feature for easier focusing and the square pixels of the new larger chip make production easier. Photos will be better than ever. The DSI III's with extremely low noise is the world's best uncooled astro imager.

Difference between DSI III colour and DSI PRO III Monochrome
The difference between the colour version and the DSI III PRO (monochrome) is that the colour version actually makes four pictures on a pixel while the monochrome version uses pixel for pixel.

A pixel on a colour camera uses 4 pictures on a pixel because of a (2x2) pattern of colour filters (green, red, blue, green). The computer combines this information and makes sure that a colour photo comes out.

A monochrome CCD camera has 4 times the resolution of a colour CCD camera with the same chip. Then, to convert monochrome images to colours, so-called colour filters are used (or the RGB Colour Filter Set included with this product). This yields red, green and blue monochrome images that you combine into one picture. The resolution is still 4 times higher than the colour camera, hence the monochrome camera is also known as the PRO version.

Some special features of the Meade DSI III CCD Imager:

• High Sensitivity (1.4MP) CCD Sensor from Sony® The Meade Deep Sky Imager III uses Sony's large 2/3" ExView HAD CCD Image Sensor. This sensor provides dramatically lower noise and a higher dynamic range with a 16-bit A/D converter.
• USB 2.0 High Speed Download pictures with the fast USB connection
• 2x2 Save Mode Use save for fast focusing, centering the image and advanced imaging techniques.
• Multiple Imager Control AutoStar Envisage will support any number of Deep Sky Imager cameras and one LPI, so you can take pictures with one DSI and send them with another one.
• Temperature sensor:The DSI III has a built-in temperature sensor for fast and accurate auto-dark frame subtraction. The temperature sensor matches the current temperature of the CCD chip to each dark frame so it is almost impossible to take an uncalibrated picture.
• Less noise means more data:You get all the data from your Deep Sky Imager without compression, which means there's no loss of information in your raw images.
• Drizzle Technology: Drizzle was developed by NASA and produces images from the Hubble Space Telescope. It works with any AutoStar® controlled telescope. Three enhancements were added to Drizzle:
• Enhanced Resolution: Increased resolution without interpolation.
• Extended Observation: A final image that is almost four times longer.
• Field De-Rotation: Eliminate field rotation with a simple two-star selection.
• No batteries needed: Just plug the Deep Sky Imager's USB 2.0 High Speed cable into your laptop or PC and you're ready to take pictures or send them automatically! No other power supply is needed.
• Camera Control & Software: Envisage Software Camera Control and Image Processing Software is included. No need to buy separate, expensive programs.
• Lightweight and portable: Only weighs 311 grams and is very compact, its dimensions are only 10 x 9.5 x 3.17 cm, so adding additional balance weight is not required.
• Versatile: Deep Sky Imager works on any telescope and can also be used as a sensitive and easy to operate Autoguider on AutoStar computerized telescopes.