The ZWO ASI2600MC Pro is a cooled color astronomical camera designed for deep-sky astrophotography. .
Available by special order—estimated delivery time: 2 to 3 weeks
CHF 1'278.00incl. Swiss VAT
Available by special order — estimated shipping time: 10 days to 3 weeks. Estimated shipping date: October 16, 2026.
Visit ZWO ASI2600MC Pro is a cooled color astronomical camera designed for’deep sky astrophotography. It combines a large APS-C sensor, high resolution, excellent sensitivity, and an efficient thermoelectric cooling system. This combination produces detailed, clean, and information-rich images, while maintaining a user-friendly color configuration.
Based on the Sony IMX571 color CMOS sensor, the ASI2600MC Pro features a large surface area of 23.5 × 15.7 mm, for a diagonal of 28.3 mm. Its APS-C format offers a generous field of view, which is particularly useful for photographing large nebulae, galaxies, star clusters, and other extensive deep-sky objects.
The Sony IMX571 color sensor features 6248 × 4176 pixels, for a total resolution of 26 megapixels. Its pixels of 3.76 μm provide an excellent level of detail while maintaining good sensitivity. The combination of a large APS-C sensor and high resolution allows you to capture images rich in detail, suitable for both small objects and subjects that fill a large portion of the frame.
With a maximum quantum efficiency of 80 %, the sensor efficiently converts the incoming light into a usable signal. This sensitivity makes it possible to capture the faint signals characteristic of deep-sky objects, while maintaining good detail and color reproduction.
The ASI2600MC Pro uses a 16-bit native analog-to-digital converter. This architecture provides excellent precision in brightness levels and a dynamic range of up to 14 stops.
This wide dynamic range is particularly useful for astrophotography scenes with significant differences in brightness. This allows the camera to simultaneously capture the faint details of a nebula and the brighter regions without losing as much information in the highlights. Gradations are also reproduced smoothly and uniformly, which makes image processing easier.
Visit saturation capacity of 73 ke⁻ It also helps preserve information in bright areas. The sensor can accumulate a significant amount of signal before reaching saturation, which provides additional headroom during acquisitions.
For astrophotographers who take long exposures, the ASI2600MC Pro features technology Zero Amp Glow. This feature helps eliminate stray light that may appear in certain images during long exposures.
This feature produces more uniform images and simplifies the processing and calibration workflow. It is particularly useful for long exposures designed to bring out faint details in nebulae and galaxies.
The ASI2600MC Pro features a two-stage thermoelectric cooling system allowing the sensor temperature to be lowered by approximately 30 to 35 °C below room temperature. This cooling is essential for long-exposure astrophotography, as it significantly reduces dark current and thermal noise from the sensor.
The dark current is particularly low: it reaches only 0.0022 e⁻/s/pixel at 0 °C and goes down to 0.00012 e⁻/s/pixel at –20 °C. Lowering the temperature thus results in cleaner images, particularly during exposures lasting several minutes.
The camera features a HCG (High Conversion Gain) mode which is activated from a 100 gain. This mode effectively reduces read noise while maintaining a wide dynamic range.
This combination is particularly useful for faint objects. It allows you to make the most of the low signal levels captured by the sensor without sacrificing the available dynamic range. Combined with cooling and Zero Amp Glow technology, it helps produce clean, detailed images during long astrophotography sessions.
Weighing in at around 0.7 kg, the ASI2600MC Pro remains compact enough to be integrated into various astronomical setups. It features an interface USB 3.0 enabling fast and stable data transmission during data acquisition.
Sa 55 mm backfocus distance makes it easy to use with a wide range of optical accessories, including field correctors and filter wheels. The included adapters simplify the integration of the camera into various optical systems and allow you to create a setup tailored to your telescope.
The camera also has a heated windshield. This anti-fog system limits the formation of condensation on the optical window when temperature and humidity rise overnight, thereby ensuring more reliable data acquisitions.
| Features | ZWO ASI2600MC Pro |
|---|---|
| Type | Cooled Color CMOS Camera |
| Sensor | Sony IMX571 color |
| Format | APS-C |
| Sensor Dimensions | 23.5 × 15.7 mm |
| Diagonal | 28.3 mm |
| Resolution | 6248 × 4176 – 26 MP |
| Pixel size | 3.76 μm |
| Saturation Capacity | 73 ke⁻ |
| Maximum EQ | 80 % |
| Conversion | 16-bit ADC |
| Dynamic range | 14 stops |
| Cooling | Two-stage TEC, ΔT 30–35 °C |
| Technology | Zero Amp Glow + HCG |
| Buffer memory | 512 MB DDR3 |
| Interface | USB 3.0 |
| Weight | 0.7 kg |
Thanks to its 26 MP Sony IMX571 APS-C sensor, its 14-stop dynamic range, its two-stage TEC cooling, and its very low dark current, the ZWO ASI2600MC Pro is a high-performance color camera designed specifically for astrophotography. Its wide field of view, high sensitivity, and HCG mode and the lack of Amp Glow make it a comprehensive solution for capturing detailed deep-sky images with a color setup that is both high-performance and practical.
Documentation and Compatibility: ZWO official data sheet.
Official illustration common to all variants in this product line. The part number and specifications listed on this sheet identify the version being sold.
