Is the ASI585MC Air cooled?

Yes. ZWO rates its two-stage cooler at 30 to 35 C below ambient.

Do I still need a guide scope and a guide camera?

No. The guide sensor sits beside the main sensor behind the same front window, so the camera guides through the telescope itself; my Hope D60 carried no guide scope.

What did I image with it?

Five nebulae through the ToupTek Hope D60 with an Altair 4 nm filter, an hour on each.

ASI585MC Air or ASI585MM Air?

In the colour camera's case, that was it. That was all we needed. It really was the complete package. The mono twin needs a filter holder and a set of filters on top, for more efficient narrowband imaging.

What back focus does it need?

The camera itself sets its sensor 12.5 mm or 17.5 mm behind the flange, depending on the adapter fitted (ZWO's figures); spacers make that up to the 55 mm most flatteners and reducers are built for, which is why it fits so many telescopes.

How much is the ZWO ASI585MC Air?

The prices I recorded: £799 at First Light Optics (UK), in stock; $999 at Agena Astro (US), in stock; $799 at ZWO store (Global), on back order.

What have I not tested on the ASI585MC Air?

I have not measured its planetary frame rate on a laptop, only through the built-in ASIAIR.

ZWO ASI585MC Air review: camera, guider and ASIAIR in one

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
3	ZWO ASI585MC Air	89 out of 100	£799
4	ZWO ASI2600MC Air	88 out of 100	£2,149
13	Player One Apollo 428M MAX Pro	76 out of 100	£1,045
21	ZWO ASI2600MC	72 out of 100	£1,599
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 What is it for
07 Watch the review
08 Should you buy it?
09 Questions and more about this review

In 30 seconds

Stars for Your Buck 89/100

Reviewed 3 Dec 2025 Updated 24 Sep 2026

Rank: #3 of 29 cameras
Verdict: Damon's pick

Written by Damon Scotting 6 min read

Buy it if

You want a camera, a guide camera and an ASIAIR in one box
You want a cooled camera light enough for a small refractor
You like to set a plan and leave the rig to run

Skip it if

You image planets and need the full frame rate
You want the wide field of an APS-C sensor
You want the IMX585 for the least money

“This camera is the perfect combination of everything you need to start imaging with your astrophotography setup.”

Specifications and features

Against the IMX585 cameras I have reviewed

Compare with

ZWO ASI585MC Air reviewed #3 of 29	ZWO ASI585MM Air #9 of 29	SVBONY SV705C #1 of 29	Player One Uranus-C #15 of 29	Altair Hypercam 585C #6 of 29
Recorded UK price	£799	£1,099	£229	£395	£359
Stars for Your Buck	89/100	83/100	93/100	76/100	84/100
Sensor	Sony IMX585, with an SC2210 mono guide sensor	Sony IMX585 mono, plus an SC2210 mono guide sensor	Sony IMX585, 1/1.2 inch	Sony IMX585, colour CMOS	Sony IMX585 Starvis 2 BSI CMOS
Format	1/1.2 inch, 11.2 x 6.3 mm	1/1.2 inch, 11.2 x 6.3 mm, 13.2 mm diagonal	1/1.2 inch	1/1.2 inch, 11.2 x 6.3 mm, 12.85 mm diagonal	1/1.2 inch, 11.2 x 6.26 mm, 12.85 mm diagonal
Colour or mono	Colour	Mono	Colour	Colour	Colour
Resolution	3840 x 2160, 8.3 MP	3840 x 2160, 8.3 MP	3856 x 2180, 8.4 MP	3856 x 2180, 8.3 MP	3840 x 2160, 8.3 MP
Pixel size	2.9 um	2.9 um	2.9 um	2.9 um	2.9 um
Cooling	Two-stage TEC, 30 to 35 C below ambient	Two-stage TEC, 30 to 35 C below ambient	Uncooled	Uncooled, passive cooling body; active cooling accessory sold separately	Fan and heatsink, powered by the USB cable; no TEC
Read noise	0.7 to 6.67 e-	0.7 to 6.4 e-	0.7 to 6.5 e-	0.7 to 7.2 e-	0.42 to 2.43 e-
Full well	40 ke-	38.7 ke-	38 ke-	47 ke-	40 ke-
ADC	12-bit	12-bit	12-bit	12-bit	12-bit
Weight	620 g	620 g	160 g	160 g	300 g
Back focus	12.5 or 17.5 mm	12.5 mm or 17.5 mm	6.5 or 12.5 mm	12.5 mm	17.5 mm
Interface	Wi-Fi (2.4 and 5 GHz), USB Type-C, four USB 2.0, two DC 12 V sockets (one takes the 12 V input)	Dual-band Wi-Fi (2.4 and 5 GHz), four-port USB 2.0 hub, USB-C, 256 GB eMMC	USB 3.0, ST4 guide port	USB 3.0 (USB 2.0 compatible), 256 MB DDR3 buffer	USB 3.0, ST4 guide port
In the box	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, camera bag, external antenna, 1 m DC cable and 1.5 m DC extension, two 0.5 m USB 2.0 cables, 21 mm T2 extender, 16.5 mm T2 to M48 extender, M42 to M48 tilter, 1 m hook-and-loop strap, 2 mm hex wrench, quick 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	Camera; T-mount; USB 3.0 cable; ST4 cable; M2 hex key; 1.25 inch cap; air blower	The camera, a 1.5 m USB cable, a 2 inch nosepiece, a silicone dust cap and a software CD

In the hand

Two sensors, one window

On the ToupTek Hope D60

With the Altair filter drawer

The rig on the mount

On the JUWEI-17, then on six other mounts

How good is it? Here is what it captured

Five targets

IC 1396 Elephant's Trunk Nebula, ASI585MC Air, Altair 4 nm filter

Integration: 1 h
Field: 2.3 x 1.3 degrees
Telescope: ToupTek Hope D60
Camera: ZWO ASI585MC Air
Mount: ZWO AM3N
Target: IC 1396 Elephant's Trunk Nebula
Type: Emission nebula
Location: Bortle 6.8 (in my garden)

IC 434 Horsehead and NGC 2024 Flame Nebula, ASI585MC Air, Altair 4 nm filter

Integration: 1 h
Field: 2.3 x 1.3 degrees
Telescope: ToupTek Hope D60
Camera: ZWO ASI585MC Air
Mount: ZWO AM3N
Target: IC 434 Horsehead and NGC 2024 Flame Nebula
Type: Emission and dark nebula
Location: Bortle 6.8 (in my garden)

NGC 7000 Cygnus Wall, ASI585MC Air, Altair 4 nm filter

Integration: 1 h
Field: 2.3 x 1.3 degrees
Telescope: ToupTek Hope D60
Camera: ZWO ASI585MC Air
Mount: ZWO AM3N
Target: NGC 7000 Cygnus Wall
Type: Emission nebula
Location: Bortle 6.8 (in my garden)

NGC 2359 Thor's Helmet, ASI585MC Air, Altair 4 nm filter

Integration: 1 h
Field: 2.3 x 1.3 degrees
Telescope: ToupTek Hope D60
Camera: ZWO ASI585MC Air
Mount: ZWO AM3N
Target: NGC 2359 Thor's Helmet
Type: Emission nebula
Location: Bortle 6.8 (in my garden)

NGC 6960 Western Veil Nebula, ASI585MC Air, Altair 4 nm filter

Integration: 1 h
Field: 2.3 x 1.3 degrees
Telescope: ToupTek Hope D60
Camera: ZWO ASI585MC Air
Mount: ZWO AM3N
Target: NGC 6960 Western Veil Nebula
Type: Supernova remnant
Location: Bortle 6.8 (in my garden)

What is it for

Four things it is for

Main camera, guide camera and ASIAIR

Not only does it have the main sensor of the incredibly popular IMX585, but it also has the same guiding sensor as the ASI220 monochrome guiding camera. And then, best of all, it is itself an ASIAIR, which means I connect from my phone directly to it.

A camera that speaks

It also utilizes a voice function which announces when certain changes have occurred. The camera spoke to give me updates on what was happening, for example if my guide star had been lost.

No guide scope on the telescope

The convenience factor for having your guiding sensor and imaging sensor side by side cannot be understated. It really does make everything a lot easier, especially since you don't have to introduce a guide scope on top of your telescope.

Everything stays on the camera

I really like that everything's compact onto the same thing, and the fact that after I finished imaging, I can just take the camera off and plug it into my computer and go through all the images.

Watch the review

ZWO ASI585MC Air Review: Is This the BEST Beginner Astro Camera?! · published 3 December 2025 · 5:30 · Watch on YouTube · 14,642 views, 504 likes on 2 Oct 2026

Jump to

0:19 Price
0:59 First impressions
1:39 Specifications
1:44 A camera that speaks: the voice announcements
2:06 The guide sensor: 0.4 RMS
2:28 Two sessions on the Hope D60, the second with an Altair 4 nm filter
2:45 My images
3:39 The images with the filter
4:38 Conclusion
4:46 My one concern: the frame rate for planets

Transcript of the review video 790 words · 11 chapters · searchable

Press a time stamp to play from there.

0:00 The opening

0:00 Tonight I'm going to be reviewing the innovative ASI585MC Air. 0:02 This video is going to be very efficient and straightforward. 0:06 First we'll look at its price, my first impressions of it, its specifications, the images I've been able to capture with it, and then my conclusion. 0:14 I'm Damon Scotting and this is Astronomical.

0:19 Price

0:20 This is the ZWO ASI585MC Air, which makes it an all-in-one camera. 0:25 So, not only does it have the main sensor of the incredibly popular IMX585, but it also has the same guiding sensor as the ASI220 monochrome guiding camera. 0:34 And then, best of all, it is itself an ASIAIR, which means I connect from my phone directly to it. 0:38 At $799, it is a very efficient tool. 0:41 I like it a lot. 0:45 Yes, you can buy all of these three items individually. 0:47 You can get the ASI585, you can get the ASI220, and you can get an ASIAIR. 0:51 But buying them separately will cost you more than this all-in-one integrated setup. 0:55 And this is just so much easier. 0:57 It looks so much more compact having this on your telescope as opposed to four or five different cables coming out the back of your camera threading in elsewhere to another computer or your laptop somewhere else.

0:59 First impressions

1:08 Yeah, I'm really enjoying it so far. 1:09 And I think at $799, don't get me wrong, nothing in astrophotography is cheap, but relatively I think that's on the more affordable side of cameras which make your life a lot easier. 1:17 So I've combined it with the latest ToupTek telescope. 1:19 I say latest, their only telescope. 1:22 This is their first entry into the market. 1:24 It's the Hope D60 refractor telescope. 1:26 It's got a very low focal ratio of f/4.66, I believe, and a very wide field of view at 280 mm focal length. 1:34 But combined with this camera, it should be able to take some really good images of our night sky.

1:39 Specifications

1:39 It's very fast in terms of downloads and displaying live stacked images on your mobile device. 1:43 And it also utilizes a voice function which announces when certain changes have occurred.

1:44 A camera that speaks: the voice announcements

1:48 This was actually surprisingly useful since I like to just set a plan and leave my rig to do the rest. 1:52 But the camera spoke to give me updates on what was happening and for example if my guide star had been lost. 1:58 The IMX585 sensor is one of the most popular sensors in the world and for good reason. 2:03 It snaps 4K images with large 2.9 micron pixels.

2:06 The guide sensor: 0.4 RMS

2:06 Whilst the guide camera is a huge improvement on the ASI120 monochrome, I was regularly getting 0.4 RMS with my AM3N mount. 2:13 You've got everything you could ask for in the box, including a soft foam carry case to protect the camera during transport. 2:19 The camera requires a 55mm back focus like most cameras out there, making it extremely compatible. 2:25 Right now, let's take a look at the images I've captured.

2:28 Two sessions on the Hope D60, the second with an Altair 4 nm filter

2:29 Now, I've had two imaging sessions with the camera so far. 2:30 In the first one, I didn't use any filters. 2:32 It was just this camera, the Hope D60 telescope, and the JUWEI-14 mount. 2:37 The second time I used an Altair 4 nm filter to reduce the effects of light pollution as well as the new AM3N mount. 2:44 So let's take a look at these images of just the camera and telescope imaging from a Bortle 6 location.

2:45 My images

2:51 These are all precisely 1 hour's worth of stacked 3-minute long exposures. 2:55 To start with, I'm going to show you the raw stacked images and then my final processed version.

3:39 The images with the filter

3:40 And now switching over to the images I captured using the special filter. 3:42 This should really make the images pop. 4:35 Let me know what you thought of the images and the camera in general. 4:36 I personally think it's a steal for its current price of just $719.

4:38 Conclusion

4:39 I'm a big fan of making astrophotography simpler and more streamlined. 4:43 So, this is certainly a step in the right direction.

4:46 My one concern: the frame rate for planets

4:47 My one concern, however, is that its max FPS seems very restricted, which is a huge shame since the camera is such a beast when it comes to imaging the planets. 4:55 In fact, most users only use it for planetary work. 4:57 But I suspect its limits here are only implemented by the inbuilt ASIAIR. 5:01 If you plug the camera into your computer or laptop, it will allow you to reach the same lofty heights as the ASI585MC corded camera. 5:09 I've attached a link to the camera in the description below. 5:10 ZWO are currently having a big Black Friday sale, so be sure to check out this camera and the rest of their stuff as well. 5:16 Thanks for watching. 5:18 I'm Damon Scotting, and this was Astronomical.

Check out more videos on the ZWO ASI585MC Air

ZWO ASI585MM Air Review: Is This the BEST Beginner MONO Astro Camera?!

28 Jan 2026

Should you buy it?

89/100 Stars for Your Buck

Pros

Buying the parts separately costs more than this all-in-one, and this is so much easier.
The thread is still M42, which keeps it compact and means it works with just about every telescope on the market.
It is cooled as well, which often gets overlooked.
“The guide camera is a huge improvement on the ASI120 monochrome: I was regularly getting 0.4 RMS.”

Cons

My one concern is that its maximum frame rate seems very restricted, a shame when the sensor is such a beast on the planets.
A small 11.2 x 6.3 mm sensor: 2.3 x 1.3 degrees on the ToupTek Hope D60.
The whole unit draws 12 V at 3 A, so it needs a proper power supply at the telescope.
£799 at First Light Optics; the uncooled SVBONY SV705C has the same IMX585 for £229.

It is a smart invention, and something the market needed.

Who the ASI585MC Air is for

Beginner building a first imaging rig

Buy

On a fixed budget this is one of the first things I would add: it makes everything easier.

Traveller with a small, light refractor

Buy

It keeps everything a lot more compact and streamlined: no guide scope, no laptop, no loose cables.

Imager who sets a plan and leaves the rig to run

Buy

“This was actually surprisingly useful since I like to just set a plan and leave my rig to do the rest.”

Planetary imager who needs the full frame rate

Skip

Through the built-in ASIAIR its frame rate is held back, and planets need every frame they can get.

Wide-field imager

Skip

The 1/1.2 inch sensor frames a small patch of sky; the APS-C ASI2600MC Air covers about five times the area.

Buyer who wants the IMX585 for the least money

Skip

The SVBONY SV705C is £229 with the same sensor: no cooling, no guide sensor, and it needs a computer.

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

Nine questions, answered

Questions about the ZWO ASI585MC Air

Reviewed 3 December 2025 ·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 ASI585MC Air cooled? Yes. ZWO rates its two-stage cooler at 30 to 35 C below ambient. The specifications and the comparison table ↓
Do I still need a guide scope and a guide camera? No. The guide sensor sits beside the main sensor behind the same front window, so the camera guides through the telescope itself; my Hope D60 carried no guide scope. What is it for ↓
Can it image the planets? I suspect its limits here are only implemented by the inbuilt ASIAIR. If you plug the camera into your computer or laptop, it will allow you to reach the same lofty heights as the ASI585MC corded camera. From my video review Watch the review ↓
What did I image with it? Five nebulae through the ToupTek Hope D60 with an Altair 4 nm filter, an hour on each. What I captured ↓
ASI585MC Air or ASI585MM Air? In the colour camera's case, that was it. That was all we needed. It really was the complete package. The mono twin needs a filter holder and a set of filters on top, for more efficient narrowband imaging. From my video review The specifications and the comparison table ↓
What back focus does it need? The camera itself sets its sensor 12.5 mm or 17.5 mm behind the flange, depending on the adapter fitted (ZWO's figures); spacers make that up to the 55 mm most flatteners and reducers are built for, which is why it fits so many telescopes. The specifications and the comparison table ↓
What comes in the box? You've got everything you could ask for in the box, including a soft foam carry case to protect the camera during transport. From my video review In the hand ↓
How much is the ZWO ASI585MC Air? The prices I recorded: £799 at First Light Optics (UK), in stock; $999 at Agena Astro (US), in stock; $799 at ZWO store (Global), on back order. A record, not a live price The verdict, the readers and the sellers ↓
What have I not tested on the ASI585MC Air? I have not measured its planetary frame rate on a laptop, only through the built-in ASIAIR.