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SBIG MODEL ST-2000XM CCD SYSTEM
New Product Announcement April 10, 2002
The New ST-2000XM
Dual sensor
Self-guiding
Antiblooming
2 Megapixel
CCD Camera
From
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SBIG |
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Production begins in June 2002, Deliveries August 2002*
*Company Seven does not often publish preliminary information about new products.
However, since the credibility of the management and of the products at SBIG are so well regarded,
we believe it is worthwhile to make this interesting information available to our customers
SBIG's customers have been invaluable sources of inspiration and direction. It was in direct response to customer inquiries that SBIG developed the ST-2000XM. Now those casual imagers who wanted something bigger and better but not at such a high price as the ST-8 or ST-10 CCD systems have got what they asked for. The ST-2000XM has been developed to meet the needs of the astro imager looking for:
- A relatively large CCD with a generous field of view
- Lots of pixels - more than a megapixel
- Good sensitivity
- Low noise
- Antiblooming protection
- High resolution on smaller telescopes
- Flexibility of binning 2x2 on larger scopes with good image size
- Self-guiding
- High speed download
- Professional software
- Easy to use
- Full compliment of optional custom accessories
- Lower price
- SBIG quality and support
A first for SBIG, the new model ST-2000XM (X=high speed
USB, M=microlens) uses an high quality interline CCD from Kodak. The KAI-2000M CCD
is a 2 megapixel progressive scan detector with an active image area of 1.92 million
pixels. The active image area is 1600 x 1200 pixels at 7.4 microns. This
array is 75% larger than the Sony CCD used in competitors' "megapixel" cameras
and ST-2000XM is a self-guiding camera, utilizing SBIG's patented dual sensor
design. The imaging CCD is nearly the same size as the KAF-1602E used in the ST-8XE
but due to the smaller pixel size it contains nearly half a million more pixels than the
ST-8XE. Full frame download time is approximately 4.5 seconds with our new high
speed USB electronics. This camera is also fully compatible with all of our
existing SBIG accessories including the CFW-8
filter wheel and the innovative AO-7 adaptive optics device. The ST-2000XM has antiblooming
protection, and the quantum efficiency is comparable to the Anti-Blooming Gate enabled (ABG) versions of the new
enhanced full frame "E" detectors used in the ST-7XE cameras with a shift in the
peak sensitivity toward the blue. Compared to the ABG versions of the full frame
"E" series cameras, the ST-2000XM is more sensitive in the blue and green, and
slightly less sensitive in the red. Moreover, because the ST-2000XM has two CCDs (a
guiding CCD as well as an imaging CCD) in the same camera head, it is capable of
self-guiding without any compromise in the quantum efficiency of the imaging CCD. In
other words, not only CAN it self-guide, it can do so without having to double the
exposure time to compensate for the guiding feature.
The ST-2000XM is equipped with SBIG's new cooling design. This includes a new
a heat exchanger ready for water circulation as standard equipment. For the vast
majority of applications the water circulation feature will not be needed. This
design will typically cool to -35o below ambient (-30o minimum)
without water or typically down to -45o C from ambient (-40o
minimum) with water circulation. Cooling is also regulated to 0.1 degrees. The
ST-2000XM has an electronic shutter and, unlike competing models, a mechanical shutter as
well. It can therefore not only take very short exposures for high resolution
planetary imaging, it can also automatically take and subtract dark frames without having
to cover the telescope or remove the camera.
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2 megapixels
7.4 microns
High speed USB
5 second downloads
Self-guiding CCD
$3495.00
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What you get with
the ST-2000XM |
Feature |
ST-2000XM |
Megapixels |
High Pixel Count |
2 million
(1.92 million image area) |
Good pixel resolution on
small scopes |
Small pixels |
7.4 microns |
Big field of view on small
and medium scopes |
Large CCD Array |
1648 x 1214
(1600 x 1200 image area) |
High blue response |
QE at 400 nm |
37% |
Mechanical shutter for dark
frames |
Auto dark frames |
Yes |
Second CCD included |
Self-guiding |
Yes |
Regulated cooling to 0.1
degrees |
Reuse Dark Frames |
Yes |
Improved cooling capability |
Water cooling available |
Included (up to
-45C delta) |
Premium software: CCDSoftV5
and TheSky |
Extra Software |
Included at no
additional cost |
Fast electronics |
High Speed A/D |
~425,000 pixels /
sec |
Fast Full Frame Downloads |
High Speed USB |
~4.5 sec |
Big Bang for your Buck |
Introductory Price |
$3495.00 |
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The size of the CCD
determines the field of view through a given optical system |
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The pixel size should be
matched to your optical system for best performance.
Smaller pixels will generally improve resolution on
smaller scopes (and on larger scopes during best seeing) |
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The pixel array
determines how large the image size appears on your monitor
(This has nothing to do with field of view - see CCD size above)
At this scale an ST-10XME image would nearly fill the white background in the box. |
Standard
Accessories for the ST-2000XM:
ST-2000XM First Light Images:
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M3.
ST-2000XM "First Light" image.
A single 240 second self-guided exposure through a 5" F/6 refractor from the
patio of a light polluted apartment complex.
The camera was uncooled for this exposure (cooling was OFF). Dark frame and
log scaled with CCDOPS.
(Log scaling caused halos around brighter stars). Image
reduced 50%. Michael Barber / SBIG |
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M51 and IC4263.
ST-2000XM "First Light" image.
A single 600 second self-guided exposure through a 5" F/6 refractor from the
patio of a light polluted apartment complex.
The camera was uncooled for this exposure (cooling was OFF). Dark frame and
DDP with CCDOPS.
Image reduced 50%. Magnitude 15.1 IC4263 is seen near the lower left corner.
Michael Barber / SBIG |
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M63 and UGC8313 .
ST-2000XM test exposure.
Two 600 second self-guided exposures through a 5" F/6 refractor from the patio
of a light polluted apartment complex.
DDP applied to each image and co-added with CCDOPS. Images
were binned 2x2.
Magnitude 14.7 UGC8313 is seen near the lower right corner.
Michael Barber / SBIG |
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M106, NCG4248
and UGC7356. ST-2000XM test exposure.
A single 600 second self-guided exposure through a 5" F/6 refractor from the
patio of a light polluted apartment complex.
Dark frame and DDP with CCDOPS. Image was binned 2x2.
NGC4284 at mag 13.6 is below and to the right of M106. UGC7356 at mag 15.1 is
left of center. Michael Barber / SBIG |
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M51.
ST-2000XM.
This LRGB test shot was taken by Ron Wodaski through a 6" refractor using a
CFW8A filter wheel.
The Luminance frame was 7x3 minutes and four sets of RGB frames were 3:3:3 minutes.
The full field of view is shown above reduced 50% to 600 x 800. The central
portion at high resolution is shown below. |
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M51.
Same as above. Cropped central portion at full resolution. |
The ST-2000XM is a complete camera system. There is no
need to add in the additional cost of an interface or an autoguider or a nosepiece or
better software to make these cameras actually operate as they should. Everything
that is needed to make the camera operational is included in the base price. Company Seven and SBIG even
include some non-essential, but desirable, items such as a custom hard carrying case and
extra nosepiece.
Each ST-2000XM camera system INCLUDES at no additional cost:
- Rugged camera body with imaging and autoguiding CCDs and new
analog and digital electronics
- 2 Megapixel KAI-2000M imaging CCD
- Built-in TC-211 CCD autoguider with 10X the
sensitivity of an ST-4
- High speed USB interface (up to 421,000 pixels per
second)
- New I2C bi-directional expansion
port
- Standard accessory / telescope port
- User rechargeable desiccant plug (no need to return the camera
to the factory for frosting problems)
- "Dummy" desiccant plug for dust prevention during
recharging procedure
- Internal shutter
- 2 Nosepieces (1.25" and 2")
- Cooling Fan - on/off controlled by software
- New heat exchanger design with water cooling capability
- Tripod mount 1/4-20 threaded side plate
- T-thread ring
- 15 foot USB cable (third party USB extenders available for up to
500 meters!)
- Adapter plug for telescope interface cable (for autoguiding)
- Telescope interface cable (for autoguiding)
- Universal 90-240VAC power supply with remote on/off switch
- SBIG's CCDOPS version 5 camera control software
- Software Bisque's CCDSoftV5 camera
control and image processing software
- Software Bisque's TheSky version 4, level II
- Operating Manual
- Custom design hard carrying case with pre-cut foam for your
camera
SPECIFICATIONS OF THE ST-200XM COMPONENTS:
Model ST-2000XM CCD
CCD |
Kodak KAI-2000M
+ TI TC-211 |
Pixel Array |
1600 x 1200 pixels,
11.8 x 8.9 mm |
Total Pixels |
1.92 million |
Pixel Size |
7.4 x 7.4 microns |
Full Well Capacity (Unbinned) |
~45,000 e- |
Full Well Capacity (Binned) |
~90,000 e- |
Dark Current |
0.35e¯/pixel/sec at 0° C |
Antiblooming |
Standard |
Readout
Shutter |
Electromechanical |
Exposure * |
0.01 to 3600 seconds,
10ms resolution |
Correlated Double Sampling |
Yes |
A/D Converter |
16 bits |
A/D Gain |
Unbinned = 0.72e-/ADU
Binned = 1.4 e-/ADU |
Read Noise |
15e- RMS |
Binning Modes |
1 x 1, 2 x 2, 3 x 3, and
1 x N, 2 x N, 3 x N |
Digitization Rate |
~ 425khz |
Full Frame Acquisition |
~ 4.5 seconds |
* Note: The shortest exposure time with current software
drivers is 0.12 sec. Future software updates, available for free from our web site,
will reduce this to 0.01 seconds. |
Optical (8" f/10)
Field of View |
20 x 15 arcminutes |
Pixel Size |
0.75 x 0.75 arcseconds |
Limiting Magnitude (est.) |
Magnitude 14 in 1 second |
(for 3 arcsec FWHM stars) |
Magnitude 18 in 1 minute |
System
Cooling - standard |
Single Stage Thermoelectric, Active Fan
with Water Assist
-35 C from Ambient Typical without water
-45 C from Ambient Typical
with water |
Temperature Regulation |
±0.1°C |
Power |
5 VDC at 1.5 amps, ±12 VDC at 0.5 amp
desktop power supply included |
Computer Interface |
USB |
Computer Compatibility |
Windows 95/98/2000/Me/NT/XP |
Guiding |
Dual CCD Self-Guiding |
Physical Dimensions
Optical
Head |
5
inches diameter x 3 inches 12.5 cm diameter x 7.5 deep 2 pounds/0.9 Kg |
CPU |
All electronics integrated into Optical
Head, No CPU |
Mounting |
T-Thread,
1.25" and 2" nosepieces included |
Backfocus |
0.92
inches |
Introductory Price: $3,495.00
Production begins in June, 2002.
Company Seven is now accepting orders.
Go to Price List
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