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The APS-C color camera behind a huge share of today's best deep-sky images
Why we like the ASI2600MC Pro:
- A proven sensor: the ASI2600 family turns up in more Astronomy Photographer of the Year shortlists than almost any other current astronomy camera, by Skies & Scopes' count. It's the camera we see in the most customer rigs.
- Clean data without fuss: there's no amp glow, and dark current is so low that a 5-minute exposure at 0°C adds less noise than the camera's own read noise. Calibration is simple and stacks come out smooth.
- Big field, one cable for color: the 23.5 × 15.7mm APS-C sensor frames about 5.4° × 3.6° on a 250mm RedCat, and the color sensor means no filter wheel. Add a dual-band filter for nebulae from the city.
- Worth knowing: owners of the earlier ASI2600MC Pro generally don't need to upgrade; the 2025 model mainly adds a tilt plate and a lighter body. You'll also need 12V power and a computer or ASIAIR to run it.
The ZWO ASI2600MC Pro (2025 model) is a cooled one-shot-color astronomy camera built on Sony's 26MP APS-C IMX571 sensor. It's the camera we recommend most often to people moving from a DSLR or a smart telescope to a dedicated imaging setup, and it's capable enough that many experienced imagers never replace it. Two-stage cooling holds the sensor 30–35°C below ambient, a heated window keeps dew off, and a 16-bit ADC gives 14 stops of dynamic range for smooth nebula gradients and bright star cores in the same frame.
Key specs: Sony IMX571 APS-C color sensor, 26MP (6248 × 4176) · 3.76µm pixels · 16-bit ADC, 14 stops dynamic range · 73,000e⁻ full well · two-stage cooling to 30–35°C below ambient · zero amp glow · USB 3.0 with 512MB buffer · tilt plate · 0.7kg (1.5lb)
What you can image
- Wide nebula fields: the North America and Pelican, Heart and Soul, Rosette, Veil and California Nebulae with a 250–400mm refractor.
- Galaxies: the Andromeda, Triangulum, Whirlpool and Pinwheel Galaxies, M81 and M82, and the Leo Triplet with a 500–1000mm telescope. At 600mm the image scale is about 1.3″ per pixel.
- Nebulae from light-polluted skies: with a dual-band filter such as the Optolong L-eXtreme, emission nebulae come through even from a Denver backyard.
- Star clusters and comets: the color sensor captures natural star colors in one shot.
How it works
The camera connects to a computer or an ASIAIR Plus over USB 3.0 and runs its cooler from 12V power. Set your target temperature (−10°C is a common choice), take a set of darks once for your library, and image. Two USB 2.0 ports on the camera body let you plug in a guide camera or focuser right at the scope.
ZWO designs the camera for a 55mm back focus with the included spacers, the standard distance for most flatteners and reducers. The new tilt plate lets you square the sensor if stars in one corner aren't round.
Using it in Colorado
- Front Range light pollution: pair it with a dual-band filter for nebulae from the city, and save galaxies for darker skies like Jackson Lake State Park or the Westcliffe area.
- Dry air, big temperature swings: the cooler holds a set temperature as the night cools off, so your darks stay matched. In summer, set the target a few degrees warmer so the cooler has headroom.
What to add for the best results
- 12V power (required for cooling): the ZWO 12V 5A adapter at home, or a 12V power tank in the field.
- ASIAIR Plus: runs the camera, mount, guiding and focuser from your phone. Or choose the ASI2600MC Air, which has an ASIAIR and guide camera built in.
- ASI220MM Mini: a sensitive guide camera for a guide scope or off-axis guider.
- ZWO EAFN electronic focuser: keeps stars sharp as the temperature drops.
- A dual-band filter: the Optolong L-eXtreme or L-Ultimate for emission nebulae under light pollution, in a ZWO M54 2" filter drawer.
- A mount: the ZWO AM5N carries this camera and a refractor up to about 130mm.
ASI2600MC Pro vs. ASI2600MC Air vs. ASI2600MM Pro
| ASI2600MC Pro (2025) | ASI2600MC Air | ASI2600MM Pro (2025) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sensor | IMX571 color | IMX571 color | IMX571 mono |
| Built-in ASIAIR and guide camera | No | Yes | No |
| Filters needed | None (dual-band optional) | None (dual-band optional) | Filter wheel and LRGB/narrowband filters |
| Peak QE | 80% | 80% | 91% |
| Best for | Your first dedicated astro camera, with any control software | The simplest setup, with one cable to the scope | Narrowband and the most detail, at the cost of more gear and time |
See all ZWO cooled deep-sky cameras.
What's in the box
The camera comes with its USB cables and the adapters and spacers for 55mm back focus, as shown above. The 12V power supply, filters and guide camera are sold separately.
ZWO ASI2600MC Pro FAQ
Is the ASI2600MC Pro good for beginners?
Yes. It's the camera we suggest most for a first dedicated astro camera. Color means no filter wheel, and with an ASIAIR the whole workflow runs from your phone.
Color (MC) or mono (MM)?
Choose the MC Pro if you want color images in one shot and a simpler setup. Choose the MM Pro if you want to shoot narrowband from the city or chase the most detail, and you're ready to add a filter wheel and filters.
MC Pro or MC Air?
The MC Air has the same sensor plus a built-in ASIAIR and guide camera, so it replaces three devices and most of the cables. The MC Pro costs less, works with any computer software, and lets you upgrade the controller or guider separately.
What telescope works with it?
Any telescope with a flat field that covers APS-C (about a 44mm image circle) and a flattener or reducer set up for 55mm back focus. Refractors like the RedCat, Cat and ZWO FF series are popular matches.
Should I upgrade from my older ASI2600MC Pro?
Usually not. The sensor is the same. The 2025 model adds a tilt plate and a lighter body, which are nice to have but don't change image quality much.
Can I image planets with it?
You can, but a small, fast planetary camera like the ASI715MC does better on planets. The ASI2600MC Pro is built for long deep-sky exposures.
Specifications
| Sensor | |
|---|---|
| Sensor | Sony IMX571, back-illuminated, color |
| Format | APS-C, 23.5 × 15.7mm (28.3mm diagonal) |
| Resolution | 26MP, 6248 × 4176 |
| Pixel size | 3.76µm |
| ADC | 16-bit |
| Full well | 73,000e⁻ |
| Dynamic range | Up to 14 stops |
| Peak QE | 80% |
| Amp glow | None |
| Performance | |
| Cooling | Two-stage TEC, 30–35°C below ambient (35°C measured at 30°C ambient) |
| Dark current | 0.0022e⁻/s/pixel at 0°C; 0.00012e⁻/s/pixel at −20°C |
| Recommended gain | 0 or 100 (high-conversion-gain mode turns on at 100) |
| Anti-dew | Heated protective window |
| Physical and connections | |
| Data | USB 3.0 with 512MB DDR3 buffer |
| Hub | 2 × USB 2.0 on the camera body |
| Power | 12V DC for cooling (supply not included) |
| Back focus | Designed for 55mm with included spacers |
| Tilt adjustment | Built-in tilt plate |
| Weight | 0.7kg (1.54lb) |
| Model / SKU | ZWO-ASI2600MC-P25 |