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Astrophotography and Sketching >> Beginning and Intermediate Imaging
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netboy
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Reged: 05/04/12

Why are mono ccd more expensive new
      #5306008 - 07/06/12 08:28 PM
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I am shopping for a ccd and need some clarification before I decide. Why are mono ccd cameras more expensive. From what I read they the same as color other than lacking the color filters built in.

I am bouncing back and forth between the Orion star shoot pro v2 and the star shoot mono 3. I know the pro has a larger sensor which further confuses me why it's priced similar to the mono.

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jrcrillyAdministrator
Refractor wienie no more
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Reged: 04/30/03

Loc: NE Ohio
Re: Why are mono ccd more expensive new [Re: netboy]
      #5306135 - 07/06/12 10:49 PM
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Generally the color version of a particular chip is the same price, or a little more. When comparing the prices of two different chips, the price difference is all about the chip differences, not about whether one is color. Chip prices are all over the place, depending on vendor, chip size, pixel count, and technology (front illuminated or rear illuminated; full frame, interline, or frame transfer; etc.).

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Alex McConahay
Carpal Tunnel


Reged: 08/11/08

Loc: Moreno Valley, CA
Re: Why are mono ccd more expensive new [Re: netboy]
      #5306250 - 07/07/12 01:25 AM
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Are you sure the mono are more expensive? I don't buy enough of them to generalize.....

And--are you comparing the complete systems? To make color images with a color version, you need just the camera. To make color images with a mono system you also need a filter wheel and filters. If you are comparing the camera with filter wheel and filters, it will be a lot more expensive than the color version because the wheel and filters cost some bucks.

Alex

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ccs_hello
Postmaster
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Reged: 07/03/04

Re: Why are mono ccd more expensive new [Re: netboy]
      #5306258 - 07/07/12 01:31 AM
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It's truly the capitalism at work .

For the CCD sensor itself,
the actual material and R&D cost, with the identical sensor model (e.g., ICX098AK vs ICX098BQ) mono is cheaper (few steps less to perform - registering, implant/deposit color filter, baking, re-registering). But in reality, color ones are much cheaper since they are manufactured in mass quantity. I.e., other than special app and niche market, no one is using mono any more.

Re: mono CCD imager vs. color CCD imager pricing
Again, color is cheaper for many reasons.
The top two are:
- more material is used (filter wheel and adaptation) and the buyers are looking into niche (and willing to pay)
- the mono sensor itself is harder to get, more expensive to buy it from

Clear Skies!

ccs_hello

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Benson
super member


Reged: 05/22/10

Loc: -6 gmt
Re: Why are mono ccd more expensive new [Re: ccs_hello]
      #5306279 - 07/07/12 02:12 AM
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A mono ccd has better pixel density. Check out and compare the pixel density of a mono vs color chip.

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Phil Sherman
Pooh-Bah


Reged: 12/07/10

Loc: Cleveland, Ohio
Re: Why are mono ccd more expensive new [Re: Benson]
      #5308492 - 07/08/12 03:45 PM
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Mono imagers with the same pixel dimensions and counts will always have better resolution than color chips. Color imaging chips have a Bayer matrix in front of the sensors that allows each pixel to record only a single (Red, Green, Blue) color. Usually half of the pixels are green with the rest divided up between red and blue. In order to get all colors for every pixel, the "missing" color data is averaged from the surrounding pixels of the correct color. This results in lower resolution.

There's one color chip, made by Foveon, that doesn't have this problem. Foveon imaging chips stack three color detectors on top of each other giving each "pixel" the ability to record all colors. These color chips have the same resolution as the equivalent mono chip.

Phil

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Hikari
scholastic sledgehammer
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Reged: 01/05/11

Loc: Maine, USA
Re: Why are mono ccd more expensive new [Re: Phil Sherman]
      #5308730 - 07/08/12 06:11 PM
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The difference in resolution between a Bayer and a mono sensor are insignificant. The advantage of a monochrome sensor is its sensitivity. Not having color filters on each pixel makes more sensitive.

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Alex McConahay
Carpal Tunnel


Reged: 08/11/08

Loc: Moreno Valley, CA
Re: Why are mono ccd more expensive new [Re: Hikari]
      #5308760 - 07/08/12 06:27 PM
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Is that true even if you image with a color filter wheel?

Alex

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Mike7Mak
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Reged: 12/07/11

Loc: New York
Re: Why are mono ccd more expensive new [Re: Alex McConahay]
      #5308779 - 07/08/12 06:41 PM
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Some interesting reading on the topic...

http://helixgate.net/Xm-XCM-1A.html

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jrcrillyAdministrator
Refractor wienie no more
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Reged: 04/30/03

Loc: NE Ohio
Re: Why are mono ccd more expensive [Re: Hikari]
      #5309079 - 07/08/12 10:46 PM
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Quote:

The difference in resolution between a Bayer and a mono sensor are insignificant.



I suppose that significance is in the eye of the beholder. I've shot quite a bit of both, and in my experience the resolution loss from OSC has been very significant. The actual resolution is, as would be expected, about that of a mono camera with pixels twice as large (or one with the same size pixels, binned 2X2).

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