There are already many well-made written reviews and videos covering this product.
These are personal thoughts and observations which you are, of course, free to disagree with and I hope you appreciate this technical analysis and review.
The SVBONY SV905C guide camera isn't a perfect product, but it is functional and delivers on its promises.
Given its often discounted price, it is hard not to recommend this product, especially if you intend to use it as a guide camera.
A B&W (monochrome) model would have been preferable for guiding purposes but since the IMX225 is a "low noise" sensor it still performs well.
In any case, it would have been a better choice to offer a guide camera with a black-and-white sensor rather than a color one.
I have to tell you that there are some negative aspects regarding this SVBONY product, and SVBONY should address them as soon as possible.
These technical issues relate to the product's mechanical and electronic construction, and I will try to explain them to you.
The two printed circuit boards are not attached (fixed) in any way to the camera's metal body and are free to rotate.
The reason they do not rotate when the closing cover is attached is that the connectors themselves (USB-C and Ethernet) prevent this, as their bodies are fitted into the openings in the cover.
Furthermore, as you can see, the inside of the chamber's closing lid features grooves ... slots designed to engage with a section of the printed circuit board (PCB) to prevent it from moving when connectors are plugged in or unplugged.
Unfortunately, this does not happen because the mechanical tolerance is (big) too loose, the small tab on the lid fails to press firmly against the PCB allowing it (and the connectors, naturally) to shift around (up/down).
This calls for a major "WARNING" in capital letters because all mechanical stress during the use of the SVBONY camera is exerted on the connectors, not only when plugging and unplugging them but also during actual operation, as the cables have weight (however slight).
This is especially critical if the camera is used as an autoguiding system where movements, even slow ones, can lead to electrical and mechanical issues over time.
There is yet another technical aspect to discuss.
Someone made a mistake here, the circuit board leads (pins) were not trimmed to the correct length.
This can cause physical contact between the circuit board pins and the camera's metal body creating short circuits.
Simply insulating the camera body with non conductive material or shortening the pins would prevent this potential issue which could otherwise damage the camera's electronics.
I wonder if this analysis explains the numerous user reports regarding frequent disconnections or sudden malfunctions.
This product is excellent when it works, especially considering the discounted price, but it isn't perfect.
Please don't ask me whether or not you should buy the SV905C as that depends entirely on your personal choices.
I am simply pointing out certain technical (and non-technical) aspects of the product.
The final decision and assessment are up to you.
Personally, I’m enjoying the product as long as it keeps working without issues.
I’ve partially resolved some of these problems with a DIY fix, but I plan to upgrade the camera's hardware in the future.
A thin spacer made of non conductive moisture-resistant material can help stabilize the printed circuit boards, preventing mechanical stress on the USB C and Ethernet connectors however this is a temporary solution and I am already considering how to resolve the potential short circuit issue between the PCB pins and the camera's metal body.
I hope you enjoyed this technical analysis of the product and found it useful.
I would be happy if you continued to follow me, if you’d like.
Thank you for reading and for staying with me.
Best regards !
AstroKMan
