ZWO ASI715MC Colour Planetary Camera – Ultra-Fine Detail with High NIR Sensitivity

The ZWO ASI715MC delivers high-resolution colour imaging with a compact 1/2.8″ Sony sensor. It features ultra-small 1.45µm pixels and captures 8.46 million effective pixels, making it perfect for planetary and lunar imaging—especially when using short focal length telescopes.

When paired with a telescope around 300mm focal length, the ASI715MC achieves an impressive imaging scale of 1 arcsecond per pixel. As a result, it not only excels in planetary work but also works effectively as a guide camera, especially with standard 50mm guide scopes.

What sets this model apart is its next-generation Sony sensor design. By embedding photodiodes deeper into the substrate, Sony has significantly improved sensitivity in the near-infrared range. Consequently, the ASI715MC responds extremely well to NIR wavelengths—ideal for use with methane filters to reveal atmospheric details on Jupiter and Saturn. Its peak quantum efficiency in the NIR spectrum reaches an estimated 80%, nearly matching visible light sensitivity.

To handle high-speed data efficiently, ZWO has equipped the ASI715MC with 256MB of DDR3 buffer memory. Alongside its USB 3.0 interface, the camera achieves full-frame transfer speeds of up to 45.1 frames per second in 10-bit mode. This ensures smooth, reliable performance even during demanding imaging sessions.

Mechanical Diagram