
Review Summary
Kodak KAI-340 Mono
Class 1 (0 column, cluster or dead pixels)
648 x 484
7.4 microns
16 bits
9 e-
> 70 dB
5-21 frames per second @ 16 bits
Yes (internal)
Yes
1x1, 2x2, 1xN, 2xN
USB 2.0
Opto-isolated, ST-4 Standard
11th Mag / 2 sec / 60 mm
All Windows versions supporting USB 2.0 including Win 7
Mac
3rd Party Linux
32 bit and 64 bit
1.25 x 3.5" (31.75 x 88.9 mm)
2.2 oz (62.3g)
192223069398
The SBIG ST-i Monochrome Planet Cam and Autoguider is a high performance compact camera, an excellent guider and a very capable Planet Camera. The body is light weight, no larger than many 1.25" eyepieces. In fact, it is 1.25" in diameter, 3.5" long and weighs only 2.2 ounces. The camera receives both control signals and power from the USB port of your computer.
The ST-i is built on the high quality, low noise, Kodak CCD. The KAI-340 CCD has a measured read noise of only 9e- in the ST-i camera. This is the same CCD used as the guiding sensor in the new STX series cameras and the AllSky-340 cameras. The array is 648 x 484 pixels at 7.4 microns square. Anti-blooming is standard. The ST-i uses the Class 1 version of this CCD with 0 column defects, 0 cluster defects, 0 dead pixels and 0 saturated pixels, all according to Kodak specifications. Onchip binning is available for 14.8u pixels if desired and various sub-frame modes may be used to speed-up the focus and download rates. A full frame high res image will update at the rate of approximately 5 frames per second. In addition to full-frame, half-frame and quarter-frame modes, the user may select a sub-frame region of interest (ROI) of any size located anywhere on the CCD. In focus mode, using a 20 x 20 pixel box the update rate is greater than 20 frames per second.