As I detailed in my previous review of the camera, QSI 583 is generally a very good camera, but has a serious flaw. The frame download time is around ~25s at bin 1×1 and ~15s at bin 3×3 and this doesn’t get better with most subframe settings. This issue has been a disadvantage mainly because of the impact it has for the focusing time which is about 2-3 minutes even on fully automated FocusMax procedures. The long donwload time and lack of fast focus mode was commented widely by customers on a Yahoo QSI support group a few months ago and finally, on Feb 21 2009 QSI released the firmware upgrade addressing this issue and also adding bin 4×4 mode for fast framing.

I have to say I am very impressed with the professional attitude of QSI and the way they interact with their customers. I wish it was a common attitude of other manufacturers and brands, especially on a polish astronomy market.

Please find below the official release from Kevin Nelson at QSI.

http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/QSI-ccd/message/5272

We’re pleased to announce the Beta release of new firmware for QSI 583 model cameras  Firmware release 5.2.6 adds the following functionality:
~2 second Focus Mode for small subframes with the 583
Reduces the read/download times for small subframes to approximately 2 seconds anywhere on the sensor. The faster subframe downloads can dramatically reduce focusing time whether focusing manually or with an automated focusing routine.

4×4 Binning with the 583
Expands the binning options on the 583 up to 4 pixels in either dimension. 4×4 binning is excellent for fast framing. A full-frame bin 4×4 image can be downloaded in approximately 6 seconds.

Firmware version 5.2.6 RC1 for the 583 can be downloaded from the Beta Software page.
NOTE: This new firmware version has received extensive in-house testing and limited field testing from several QSI customers.  We believe the release to be stable, however, as with any beta release software, there is some risk of encountering an unexpected problem.  If you’re not comfortable diagnosing potential problems we recommend waiting to load firmware release 5.2.6 until it has been production released, likely within the next week.

http://www.qsimaging.com/software-beta.html

A link to the new firmware and instructions on how to load it into your camera can be found near the bottom of the page under, “Field Upgradeable Firmware”.  Additional details about the firmware changes can be found in the “View firmware release details>>” link just below the link to the firmware.

If you have any questions or you encounter any problems with this new firmware release, please send an email message to “support@…” and we’ll look into it right away.  Please also let us know if you load the new firmware and everything works as expected.

Fiat lux,
Kevin

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Kevin Nelson, Quantum Scientific Imaging, www.QSImaging.com