Is the ASI183MC cooled?

Not the one I used: my M 45 stack header shows the sensor at +8 C with no set point. ZWO also sells a cooled ASI183MC Pro, a different body.

Does the ASI183MC have amp glow?

Yes. Dark frames taken at the same temperature remove most of it.

Which telescopes did I use the ASI183MC on?

The Celestron 63ED at 381 mm on a ZWO AM5, and the Sky-Watcher Skymax 180 at 2,700 mm on a ZWO AM5N for M 13.

Is the ASI183MC good at long focal lengths?

Not at 2,700 mm: its 2.4 um pixels give 0.18 arcsec per pixel there. My unguided M 13 through the Skymax 180 still came out solid.

ASI183MC or SVBONY SV705C?

The SV705C has bigger 2.9 um pixels on an IMX585 and costs £229 against £549; the ASI183MC has more of them, 20.2 megapixels against 8.3.

How much does the ASI183MC cost?

The prices I recorded: £549 at First Light Optics (UK), awaiting stock; $499 at Agena Astro (US), in stock; $499 at ZWO store (Global), in stock.

What have I not tested on the ASI183MC?

No dark, bias or amp-glow measurement of this camera is on file, and it was never compared on the same night with another camera.

ZWO ASI183MC review: 20 megapixels on a 1 inch sensor

Where does it rank on our leaderboard

Nine of the 29 cameras on my board, against price
Rank	Camera	Stars for Your Buck	Recorded UK price
1	SVBONY SV705C	93 out of 100	£229
2	SVBONY SC571CC	90 out of 100	£1,029
6	Altair Hypercam 585C	84 out of 100	£359
8	ZWO ASI2600MC Duo	83 out of 100	£1,849
14	Player One Apollo-M MAX	76 out of 100	£485
20	ASI 4400MC	72 out of 100	£3,299
23	ZWO ASI220MM	67 out of 100	£299
28	ZWO ASI183MC	38 out of 100	£549
29	Nikon COOLPIX P1000	32 out of 100	£787

Contents

01 Where does it rank on our leaderboard
02 Specifications and features
03 In the hand
04 The rig on the mount
05 How good is it? Here is what it captured
06 Raw against finished
07 Watch the review
08 Tested numbers and the download
09 Should you buy it?
10 Questions and more about this review

In 30 seconds

Stars for Your Buck 38/100

Reviewed 7 Nov 2024 Updated 24 Sep 2026

Rank: #28 of 29 cameras
Verdict: With reservations

Written by Damon Scotting 5 min read

Buy it if

You image with a short refractor, about 250 to 500 mm, where its 2.4 um pixels give about 1 to 2 arcsec per pixel.
You want 20 megapixels from a 120 g camera that an ASIAIR runs.
You will take dark frames every session to remove amp glow.

Skip it if

You image at long focal lengths: its tiny pixels oversample.
You want a cooled camera with a set point.
You want the most for your money: newer IMX585 cameras cost less.

“The main difference between this camera and the SVBONY 705C is that the pixel size of the ASI183 is smaller than that of the SVBONY, but the resolution is significantly higher, which sounds like a worthy payoff.”

Specifications and features

Against the small-sensor colour cameras I have reviewed

Compare with

ZWO ASI183MC reviewed #28 of 29	SVBONY SV705C #1 of 29	QHY 585C #26 of 29	Player One Uranus-C #15 of 29	ZWO ASI585MC Air #3 of 29	ZWO ASI533MC #12 of 29
Recorded UK price	£549	£229	£359	£395	£799	£859
Stars for Your Buck	38/100	93/100	59/100	76/100	89/100	77/100
Sensor	Sony IMX183, back-illuminated	Sony IMX585	Sony IMX585, back-illuminated STARVIS 2	Sony IMX585	Sony IMX585, with a separate guide sensor	Sony IMX533
Format	1 inch, 13.2 x 8.8 mm	1/1.2 inch, 11.2 x 6.3 mm	1/1.2 inch, 11.2 x 6.3 mm	1/1.2 inch	1/1.2 inch, 11.2 x 6.3 mm	1 inch, 11.3 x 11.3 mm
Colour or mono	Colour	Colour	Colour	Colour	Colour	Colour
Resolution	5496 x 3672, 20.2 MP	3856 x 2180, 8.3 MP	3856 x 2180, 8.4 MP	3856 x 2180, 8.3 MP	3840 x 2160, 8.3 MP	3008 x 3008, 9 MP
Pixel size	2.4 um	2.9 um	2.9 um	2.9 um	2.9 um	3.76 um
Cooling	Uncooled	Uncooled	Uncooled	Uncooled	Cooled, 30 to 35 C below ambient	Cooled, 35 C below ambient
Read noise	1.6 e- at 30 dB gain	0.7 to 6.5 e-	0.77 to 8 e-	0.7 to 7.2 e-	0.7 to 6.67 e-	1.0 e-
Full well	15 ke-	38 ke-	52 ke-	47 ke-	40 ke-	50 ke-
ADC	12-bit	12-bit	12-bit	12-bit	12-bit	14-bit
Weight	120 g	160 g	90 g	160 g	620 g	470 g
Back focus	6.5 mm	6.5 mm, 12.5 mm with the adapter	8 mm, 17 mm with the adapter	12.5 mm	12.5 mm or 17.5 mm	17.5 mm
Interface	USB 3.0, ST4 guide port	USB 3.0	USB 3.0 Type-C, ST-4 guide port, 512 MB DDR3	USB 3.0	USB-C, built-in controller with four USB 2.0 ports	USB 3.0
In the box	T2 to 1.25 inch nosepiece, 1.25 and 2 inch caps, 2 m USB 3.0 cable, ST4 cable, quick start guide	The camera, a USB 3.0 cable, an ST4 guide cable, an M42 to CS adapter, a T2 adapter, a 1.25 inch T-adapter, a 2 inch dust cover, a manual and a cleaning cloth	IR-cut and IR850 filters; a 1.25 inch nosepiece with CS and C-mount adapters	Camera; T-mount; USB 3.0 cable; ST4 cable; M2 hex key; 1.25 inch cap; air blower	The camera, a camera bag, the external antenna, a 1 m DC cable, a 1.5 m DC extension, two 0.5 m USB 2.0 cables, a 21 mm T2 extender, a 16.5 mm T2 to M48 extender, an M42 to M48 tilter, a 1 m hook-and-loop strap, a 2 mm hex wrench and a quick guide	Camera, padded case, T2 nosepieces and adapters, 1.25 inch cap, USB cables, T2 and M48 extenders, M42 to M48 adapter, spacers

In the hand

Three frames from my videos

The rig on the mount

On the TeSeek 11, then on six other mounts

How good is it? Here is what it captured

Four targets through the ASI183MC

M 45 Pleiades, ASI183MC

Integration: 1 h (30 s subs)
Field: 1.82 x 1.22 degrees
Telescope: Celestron 63ED
Camera: ZWO ASI183MC
Mount: ZWO AM5
Target: M 45 Pleiades
Type: Open cluster with reflection nebula
Location: Bortle 6.8 (in my garden)

We have some dust and cloud structure visible in our image, which is very exciting.

M 31 Andromeda Galaxy, ASI183MC

Integration: Unknown
Field: 1.95 x 1.28 degrees
Telescope: Celestron 63ED
Camera: ZWO ASI183MC
Mount: Unknown
Target: M 31 Andromeda Galaxy
Type: Spiral galaxy
Location: Bortle 6.8 (in my garden)

M 13 Hercules Globular Cluster, ASI183MC

Integration: 15 min (15 x 60 s)
Field: 0.27 x 0.18 degrees
Telescope: Sky-Watcher Skymax 180
Camera: ZWO ASI183MC
Mount: ZWO AM5N
Target: M 13 Hercules Globular Cluster
Type: Globular star cluster
Location: Bortle 6.8 (in my garden)

Nevertheless, this image is surprisingly solid.

M 33 Triangulum Galaxy, ASI183MC

Integration: Unknown (30 s subs)
Field: 1.15 x 0.75 degrees
Telescope: Unknown
Camera: ZWO ASI183MC
Mount: Unknown
Target: M 33 Triangulum Galaxy
Type: Galaxy
Location: Bortle 6.8 (in my garden)

Raw against finished

Watch the review

The 1 target, the raw combined stack against my finished image, each with its integration, the camera and the palette:

M 45 Pleiades: 1 h (30 s subs) of light, ASI183MC, the raw combined stack with one automatic stretch

Why it is BETTER than most Mounts? | AM5N Review. · published 7 November 2024 · 9:24 · Watch on YouTube · 18,802 views, 578 likes on 2 Oct 2026

Jump to

0:18 The test: deep sky at 2,700 mm
2:37 The Skymax 180 with an ASI183MC
3:00 Against the RedCat 51
3:27 The Skymax on the AM5N
3:33 M 13 through both telescopes
3:50 The Skymax 180's M 13 and its focuser
4:02 Unguided at 2,700 mm
4:13 M 27 through both telescopes

Transcript of the review video 317 words · 6 chapters · searchable

Press a time stamp to play from there.

2:36 The test: deep sky at 2,700 mm

2:37 recommended weight limit right let's test it out alongside the Skymax 180 I'm using an ASI183MC now this is a dumb idea so dumb not only to be deep Sky

2:37 The Skymax 180 with an ASI183MC

2:46 Imaging at a ridiculous focal length of 2,700 mm and an F ratio of 15 but to be shooting at such a high focal length 2:53 with a camera like the ASI183MC which has a very small pixel size it's just foolish these two things don't go together at all by the way for

3:00 Against the RedCat 51

3:01 comparison my RedCat shoots at 250 mm and an F ratio of 4.9 as you can imagine I use each of these items for different purposes right now 3:11 however I'm filming a video for my Patreon members thanking them for their support and showcasing their new stickers i've made to attach to my gear that they are 3:18 funded each image includes every single one of my members names multiple times with the bigger names corresponding to those who have donated more I did want 3:25 to showcase some images captured with this gear so I popped the Skymax onto the AM5 and and mounted my RedCat onto the AM5 to take some comparison images

3:33 M 13 through both telescopes

3:34 so I pointed both telescopes at the same time to M13 the great globular cluster in Hercules now this is a raw stacked image of 15 1 minute exposures captured 3:44 with the RedCat and the powerful ASI 2600 MC Duo not bad whilst this is a raw stacked image of 15 * 1 minute exposures

3:50 The Skymax 180's M 13 and its focuser

3:54 captured with a Skymax 180 and the ASI183MC if you've ever used this scope before you'll be well aware that the focuser is a bit of a nightmare

4:02 Unguided at 2,700 mm

4:02 nevertheless this image is surprisingly solid I have no doubt if you'd put forward the question to a group of Elder astrophotographers and asked whether or 4:10 not the AM5N Mount could capture unguided 60-second long deep Sky Images

Check out more videos on the ZWO ASI183MC

Is this the BEST Telescope to buy for under £300?

19 Nov 2024

Tiny Telescope V.S CHUNKY Telescope!

4 Sep 2024

Tested numbers and the download

Finished image

Licence: for personal use, credit Damon Scotting. Both JPEGs 4,096 x 2,753 px.

+8 C sensor temperature during imaging uncooled camera

382 mm focal length, plate solved on the Celestron 63ED, which Celestron states at 381 mm

1.98 x 1.32° field of view 5,496 x 3,672 px on ASI183MC

20.2 MP ASI183MC 5,496 x 3,672 px, 13.2 x 8.8 mm

Should you buy it?

38/100 Stars for Your Buck

Pros

“I did take some very nice images with it.”
20.2 megapixels from a 1 inch sensor: 5496 x 3672 pixels of 2.4 um.
At 381 mm on the Celestron 63ED the frame is 1.98 x 1.32 degrees at 1.30 arcsec per pixel: the whole of the Pleiades.
A 120 g body with USB 3.0 and an ST4 port.

Cons

“Shooting at such a high focal length with a camera like the ASI183MC, which has a very small pixel size, it's just foolish. These two things don't go together at all.”
Uncooled: my M 45 stack ran at +8 C with no set point, so dark frames have to match each night's temperature.
£549 at First Light Optics, awaiting stock, against £229 for the SVBONY SV705C.
A 1 inch sensor, 13.2 x 8.8 mm: a smaller field than APS-C on the same telescope.

The ASI183 suffers heavily from amp glow, but this can be mostly reduced through the use of dark frames.

Who the ASI183MC is for

Owner of a short refractor

Buy

At 381 mm on my Celestron 63ED it gave 1.3 arcsec per pixel and fitted the whole Pleiades in one frame.

ASIAIR user on a budget

Buy

It is a ZWO camera, so the ASIAIR runs it; my M 45 stack came straight from the ASIAIR Plus.

Imager at very long focal lengths

Skip

At 2,700 mm its 2.4 um pixels give 0.18 arcsec per pixel; a camera with bigger pixels suits a long Maksutov better.

First-time buyer of a small colour camera

Skip

The SVBONY SV705C, an IMX585, is £229 at Rother Valley Optics against £549 for the ASI183MC at FLO.

Beginner who wants simple calibration

Skip

Its amp glow needs matched dark frames, and the uncooled sensor changes temperature through the night.

Imager who wants a cooled camera

Skip

This is the uncooled ASI183MC; the cooled ASI183MC Pro is £819 at FLO and the ZWO ASI533MC Pro £859.

Three alternatives I have reviewed

Questions and more about this review

Reviewed by

Damon Scotting

The Telescope Man Verified

BSc (Hons) Physics with Astrophysics and Cosmology, Loughborough University PGCE / QTS, University of Nottingham

About Damon About Damon Damon Scotting is The Telescope Man. He holds a BSc (Hons) in Physics with Astrophysics and Cosmology from Loughborough University and a PGCE with QTS from the University of Nottingham, and taught physics in secondary schools before becoming an astronomy creator. He is a contributing writer for BBC Sky at Night Magazine and the author of 42 Wonders of Our Night Sky, and his photograph of the galaxy M100 with the dwarf planet Ceres was Highly Commended in the Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2024 competition run by Royal Observatory Greenwich. He has appeared on the BBC's Blue Peter. More than 750,000 people follow his astronomy channels on YouTube, Instagram and TikTok, and he has reviewed more than 140 telescopes, mounts, cameras, filters and accessories hands-on for this site. More about Damon · How I test · Damon's book

I review all kinds of gear: most of it I buy, some is gifted and some is loaned, and all of it is reviewed the same way. How this site is funded

Seven questions, answered

Questions about the ZWO ASI183MC

Reviewed 7 November 2024 ·Updated 24 September 2026

I review all kinds of gear. Most of it I buy, some is gifted and some is loaned, and all of it is reviewed the same way: no company sees or approves a review before it is published. Shop links marked Ad are affiliate links: I earn a commission when you buy through them, at no extra cost to you. How this site is funded

Is the ASI183MC cooled? Not the one I used: my M 45 stack header shows the sensor at +8 C with no set point. ZWO also sells a cooled ASI183MC Pro, a different body. Tested numbers and the download ↓
Does the ASI183MC have amp glow? Yes. Dark frames taken at the same temperature remove most of it. The specifications and the comparison table ↓
Which telescopes did I use the ASI183MC on? The Celestron 63ED at 381 mm on a ZWO AM5, and the Sky-Watcher Skymax 180 at 2,700 mm on a ZWO AM5N for M 13. What I captured ↓
Is the ASI183MC good at long focal lengths? Not at 2,700 mm: its 2.4 um pixels give 0.18 arcsec per pixel there. My unguided M 13 through the Skymax 180 still came out solid. What I captured ↓
ASI183MC or SVBONY SV705C? The SV705C has bigger 2.9 um pixels on an IMX585 and costs £229 against £549; the ASI183MC has more of them, 20.2 megapixels against 8.3. The specifications and the comparison table ↓
How much does the ASI183MC cost? The prices I recorded: £549 at First Light Optics (UK), awaiting stock; $499 at Agena Astro (US), in stock; $499 at ZWO store (Global), in stock. A record, not a live price The verdict, the readers and the sellers ↓
What have I not tested on the ASI183MC? No dark, bias or amp-glow measurement of this camera is on file, and it was never compared on the same night with another camera.