Tutorial:
Camera time efficiency simulation

Content:

1. Introduction
2. Why I like these cameras
3. The Excel sheet with camera simulations: Low Dynamic, example 1
4. High Dynamic, example 2
5. Thermal Noise, example 3
6. High Dynamic and very weak signal, example 4
7. Readout Noise from calibration, example 5
8. Download of Excel sheet

1: Introduction

I must be a strange person, sometimes when I have boring times I can spend hours to calculate things. Today I got to think about cameras and how efficient they use the time when doing astrophotographing. It's not just the QE that's important.

My four favorite cameras today are (if I can afford them):

• Atik 16200 mono
• Canon EOS 6D
• ZWO, ASI1600M Cool mono
• QHY, QHY367C

I just have the Canon 6D, very satisfied with it, but still curious on other cameras. The Excel sheet I have setup simulates the above cameras.

• It calculate:

• What focal length you need to have a pixel scale of 1" / pixel.
• How long it takes to saturate the pixel for a max level you choose.
• How many sub images it takes to reach a given S/N (Signal / Noise relation) for a weak object, it also include light pollution and thermal noise (late version).
• The total time it takes included the dead time between the sub images.

Note:
This is very simplified and don't use this to decide of what camera to buy. But it give an interesting overview what happens under different circumstances. I will say all these cameras are very good, what you get depends on how you use them and your environments, heavy light pollution or not, out door temperature etc and the object of course.

I don't take any responsibility for it, all risk on you!