ZWO ASI2400 Series User manual

ASI2400 Manual
Version 1.1
Aug, 2020
All materials related to this publication are subject to change without notice and its copyright
totally belongs to Suzhou ZWO CO.,LTD.
Please download the latest version from our Official website.

ASI2400 Manual
2
Table of Contents
ASI2400 Manual...............................................................................................................................1
1. Instruction.....................................................................................................................................3
2. What's in the box?.........................................................................................................................4
3. Camera technical specifications....................................................................................................5
4. QE Graph & Read Noise...............................................................................................................6
5. Getting to know your camera........................................................................................................8
5.1 External View......................................................................................................................8
5.2 Power consumption.............................................................................................................9
5.3 DDR Buffer.........................................................................................................................9
5.4 Cooling System...................................................................................................................9
5.5 Focus Distance ..................................................................................................................10
5.6 Protective Window............................................................................................................10
5.7 Analog to Digital Converter (ADC)..................................................................................11
5.8 Binning..............................................................................................................................11
5.9 Tilt Adjustment..................................................................................................................12
6. How to use your camera .............................................................................................................13
6.1 OSC Cameras Connection Diagram:.................................................................................13
6.2 Nikon/Canon Lens Connection Diagram:.........................................................................14
6.3 External Device Connection Diagram...............................................................................15
8. Mechanical drawing....................................................................................................................16
9. Servicing.....................................................................................................................................17
10. Warranty ...................................................................................................................................17

ASI2400 Manual
3
1. Instruction
Congratulations and thank you for buying one of our ASI Cameras！This manual will give you a
brief introduction to your ASI camera. Please take the time to read it thoroughly and if you have any
other questions, please feel free to contact us at [e-mail].
Welcome to join ZWO FB and User Forum below!
Facebook :https://www.facebook.com/ZwoDesignAstronomyCameras
User Forum: https://bbs.astronomy-imaging-camera.com/
ASI2400 Camera is specifically designed for astronomical photography. It is not only suitable for
DSO imaging but also for Planetary imaging. You will be impressed by its superior performance
and wide use!
Model
Mono/Color
（TEC）Cooling
DDR3 Buffer
Sensor
ASI2400MC Pro
Color
Two Stage
256MB(2Gb)
SONY IMX410
For software installation instructions and other technical information, please refer to our official
website https://astronomy-imaging-camera.com/

ASI2400 Manual
4
2. What's in the box?
ASI2400MC Pro

ASI2400 Manual
5
3. Camera technical specifications
Sensor
SONY IMX410 CMOS
Diagonal
43.3mm
Resolution
2400 Mega Pixels
6072*4042
Pixel Size
5.94μm
Image area
36mm*24mm
Max FPS at full resolution
8FPS
Shutter
Rolling shutter
Exposure Range
32μs-2000s
Read Noise
1.1-6.4e
QE peak
Above 80%
Full well
100000e
Unity Gain
158
ADC
14bit
DDR3 buffer
256MB(2Gb)
Interface
USB3.0/USB2.0
Adapters
M54*0.75
Protect window
IR CUT
Dimensions
90mm
Weight
0.7kg
Back Focus Distance
17.5mm
Cooling:
Regulated Two Stage TEC
Delta T
35°C below ambient
Cooling Power consumption
12V at 3A Max
Working Temperature
-5°C~50°C
Working Relative Humidity
0~80%
Supported OS
Windows, Linux & Mac OSX

ASI2400 Manual
6
4. QE Graph & Read Noise
QE and Read noise are the most important parts to measure the performance of a camera.
Higher QE and Lower read noise are needed to improve the SNR of an image.
For the 2400 Sensor, the peak value for QE is above 80%.
Read noise includes pixel diode noise, circuit noise and ADC quantization error noise. The lower
the better.
As you can see, the Read Noise of the ASI2400 camera is extremely low when compared with
traditional CCD cameras. In addition, it is with Built-in HCG mode, which can effectively reduce
read noise at high gain and keep the same wide dynamic range for this camera as at low gain. When
the gain is 140, the HCG mode will be automatically turned on. Additionally, the read noise is as
low as 1.1e while the dynamic range can still be close to 14bit.
Depending on your target, you can set the gain lower for higher dynamic range (longer exposure)
or set the gain higher for lower noise (such as short exposure or lucky imaging).

ASI2400 Manual
7

ASI2400 Manual
8
5. Getting to know your camera
5.1 External View
1. Protective Window, IR CUT, D60*2mm
2. Tilt adjustment ring, M54*0.75 thread, thickness 5mm, can be removed
3. Radiator
4. USB2.0 Hub
5. USB3.0/USB2.0 Interface
6. Cooling power supply DC power port: size 5.5 * 2.1mm, positive inside and negative outside,
12V@3A power is recommended.
7. Ultra-quiet magnetic levitation fan, will rotate only when the cooling is on.
The camera can be placed on a holder ring for Cooled cameras with a 1/4” thread under the ring.
1
2
3
4
5
5
6
5
7
5

ASI2400 Manual
9
5.2 Power consumption
ASI2400 camera is with low power consumption, max at 4.47W. USB3.0 cable is recommended for
power supply.
Recommended power supply for cooling: 12V @ 3A DC adapter (5.5*2.1mm, center pole positive).
Also suitable: lithium battery with 11-15V.
Here is the ASI2400 cooling efficiency graph.
5.3 DDR Buffer
The ASI2400 Pro camera includes a 256MB(2Gb) DDR3 memory buffer to ensure the stability of
data transmission. Additionally, the use of a memory buffer minimizes amp-glow, which is caused
by the slow transfer speeds.
5.4 Cooling System
The Cooling system of ASI2400 camera can precisely control the sensor temperature. Unlike
traditional CCD, the ASI2400 camera has ultra-low readout noise, efficient cooling, and adjustable

ASI2400 Manual
10
gain. There is no need to use ultra-long exposures to shoot targets, which significantly reduces the
requirements for the photography system as well as the guide system. However, if you use short
exposures (for example, less than 100ms), the effect of cooling on the image will be little. Cooling
system can be set to a minimum temperature of 35 ℃ below ambient temperature.
Here’s the dark current curve of ASI2400 sensor between -20 ℃ and 30 ℃.
5.5 Focus Distance
The female flange to the sensor is 17.5mm. You can reach 55mm back focus distance with the 21mm
and 16.5mm extender included in the camera package.
5.6 Protective Window
There is a protective window-IR CUT filter in front of the ASI2400 camera sensor, with 60mm
diameter and 2mm thickness.

ASI2400 Manual
11
5.7 Analog to Digital Converter (ADC)
The ASI2400 camera has a built-in 14bit ADC. 12bit ADC mode for output will be used when we
do hardware Bin. This camera also supports custom ROI partial readout mode, with faster frame
rate at small ROI resolutions.
Please see below attached different frame rates under different resolutions on USB3.0 and USB2.0
of ASI2400 in 14bit mode.
Resolution
14Bit ADC
USB 2.0
USB 3.0
6072×4042
0.88fps
8.01fps
4096×3072
1.72fps
13.67fps
4096×2160
2.45fps
19.25fps
3840×2160
2.61fps
19.25fps
1920×1080
10.43fps
37.27fps
1280×720
23.48fps
54.17fps
640×480
70.43fps
77.64fps
320×240
136.98fps
136.98fps
5.8 Binning
The ASI2400 camera supports bin2, bin3, bin4 software Binning mode and hardware bin2, bin3, the
best advantage of hardware binning is the faster frame rates. If you don't care about speed, we
suggest you use software binning.

ASI2400 Manual
12
5.9 Tilt Adjustment
There are 3 sets of screws that can be used to tilt the sensor, to make it same with the primary
mirror of Newtonian, two screws per set for screw in /out.
You can refer to below:
1. Take a starred image with the camera, you will easily find out the tilt part in the image through
the software, and then adjust one or more sets of flange adjustment screws on the camera
corresponding to the image.
2. Take another image after the sensor tilt adjustment, compare the new image with the previous
one in the software. If the tilt issue is reduced, that means the adjustment is correct. Otherwise, the
adjustment is wrong.
3. Repeat step 2 until the stars in all corners are perfect.

ASI2400 Manual
13
6. How to use your camera
Using an adapter, the ASI2400 camera can be connected to a telescope, or a camera lens. Most of
the adapters are already included in the package, and the rest can be purchased directly from our
official website below.
https://astronomy-imaging-camera.com/
6.1 OSC Cameras Connection Diagram:
1) Connecting with filter drawer
2) Connecting only by adapters

ASI2400 Manual
14
6.2 Nikon/Canon Lens Connection Diagram:
1) Connecting without filters
1. Nikon-M54 adapter
2. EOS-M54 adapter
3. Nikon lens
4. EOS lens
2）Connecting with filters (This solution only works for EOS lens)
1. New filter Drawer for EOS lens
2. M54-M42 adapter
3. EOS lens

ASI2400 Manual
15
6.3 External Device Connection Diagram

ASI2400 Manual
16
7. Mechanical drawing
ASI2400MC Pro

ASI2400 Manual
17
8. Servicing
For software upgrades, please refer to “Support-manual and software” on our official website.
https://astronomy-imaging-camera.com/
Repairs and servicing are available by emailing [e-mail]
For customers who bought the camera from your local dealer, dealer is responsible for the customer
service.
9. Warranty
We provide 2-year warranty for our products. We offer repair service or replacement for free if the
camera doesn’t work within warranty period.
After the warranty period, we continue to provide repair support and service on a charged basis.
This warranty does not apply to damage that occurred as a result of abuse or misuse, or
caused by afall or any other transportation failures after purchase.
Customer must pay for shipping when shipping the camera back for repair or replacement.