We are glad that QHY has decided to offer the extremely promising IMX 455 SONY sensor in the consumer version after all, as all competitors do (but hiding the chip grade). So our customers now have more choice between 4 models of the QHY 600.
By using the IMX 455 in the new QHY600 L with a sensor of the consumer series, the price of the camera is reduced considerably. Compared to the other 3 models, the QHY-600-L is only available with a monochrome sensor. All Mono version of QHY600 PH & QHY600 PRO use IMX455 industry grade sensor (Grade-K) – except the QHY600-L
The QHY600-L is a new version of the QHY 600 camera series. It is similar to the QHY600 PH and the QHY600 PRO with a few exceptions (see table below) that make it the most competitive Sony IMX455 based camera on the market. Like the cameras of other manufacturers, the heart of the camera is equipped with a standard quality (C consumer) IMX455 sensor.
Like others in this price range, it uses the standard (consumer) grade, full frame 35mm format IMX455 sensor, two-stage cooling and fast USB3.0 interface. Unlike the competition, it has a large 1GB DDR3 image buffer, QHYCCD proprietary noise reduction technology, a humidity/pressure sensor in the sensor chamber and multiple read noise modes that are user selectable for lowest possible read noise or highest possible full well capacity. Also, the body has been reduced in length and is shorter than either the PH or PRO versions of the 600 series. 
QHY 600 comparison table:
| QHY600 L |
QHY600 PH, Photographic Model | QHY 600 PRO-L(ight)* |
QHY600 PRO, Professional Model | |
| IMX 455 Sensorgrade | -C (Consumer) | -K (Industry): M-Version
-C (Consumer): C-Version |
-K (Industry) | -K (Industry): M-Version
-C (Consumer): C-Version |
| Mono/Color | only Mono | M/C | only Mono | M/C |
| Length (w/dovetail ring) | 112 mm | 132 mm | 191 mm | 191 mm |
| Diameter | 90 mm | 90 mm | 90 mm | 90 mm |
| DDR 3 Image Buffer | 1GB | 1GB | 2GB | 2GB |
| QHY filter wheel socket | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| USB3.0 |
Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Humidity/Pressure Sensor | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Short back focus option | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Water cooling option | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| ACC Socket | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| GPS Box Option | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| 2 x 10 GB Ethernet | No | No | No | Yes |
| Upgrade to full PRO Option | No | No | Yes | - |
All other technical data (also the readout modes) of the QHY-600-L are identical with the other models.
* formerly QHY-600-EB
A note in our own behalf on the topic of chip quality: We have at https://www.baader-planetarium.com/en/blog/why-is-the-qhy600-cmos-camera-more-expensive-than-models-from-other-manufacturers/ done a lot of effort into describing the differences of a CMOS image sensor between a consumer and an industrial version. There we state among other
the industry grade sensor is designed for longer life under normal use and can therefore withstand repeated cooling/heating cycles with less thermal stress, resulting in a longer life for a cooled camera. AND industrial sensors have a significantly lower number of pixel defects.""
If you decide to buy a QHY-600-L with the sensor in consumer quality, we strongly recommend to cool down the camera/sensor slowly, to cool down only so deep that the raw images are as low-noise as possible and especially not to switch off the cooled camera "hard", but to slowly increase the sensor temperature up to the outside temperature before switching off the power supply.
