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A wide-opening 2" filter drawer for full-frame and M54 cameras
Why we like the ZWO M54 filter drawer:
- Big threads for big sensors: M54 threads on both sides keep the light path wide, which is what a full-frame camera like the ASI6200 needs to avoid dark corners.
- Just 20mm thick: a ZWO cooled camera (17.5mm) plus the drawer is 37.5mm, leaving 17.5mm for spacers in a 55mm train.
- Quick, light-tight swaps: two magnets pull the holder in, a side lock screw removes any play, and the Gen 2 body is redesigned to stop light leaks on long exposures.
- Worth knowing: the filter itself is a 2" (M48) filter, so its own clear aperture is the narrowest point. That covers ZWO's APS-C and full-frame cameras, but full-frame corners may still need flats.
The ZWO M54 2" Filter Drawer (FD-M54-II) holds one 2" mounted filter between your telescope and a camera with an M54 front thread. It has an M54 × 0.75 male thread on the camera side and an M54 × 0.75 female thread on the telescope side, and ZWO built it for cameras such as the full-frame ASI6200MM Pro, the ASI2400 and the ASI2600 Duo. An M54-to-M48 adapter is included for flatteners with an M48 thread. It's 70mm across and 20mm thick.
Key specs: holds one 2" mounted filter (M48 × 0.75) · 20mm optical thickness · M54 × 0.75 male (camera side) · M54 × 0.75 female (telescope side) · 70mm diameter · double magnets plus side lock screw · M54M-M48F 2mm adapter included
When a filter drawer makes sense
- One-shot-color full-frame or APS-C: switch between a duo-band filter for nebulae like the Veil or Rosette and a UV/IR cut filter for galaxies.
- Adding a filter to a short train: 20mm is thinner than any ZWO 2" filter wheel.
- Simple rigs: no power or USB cable, nothing to set up in software.
- Mono imaging: it works for one filter at a time, but for LRGB or SHO a ZWO 7-position 2" EFW saves a lot of trips to the scope.
How it works
Thread a 2" filter into the holder, slide the holder in until the magnets catch it, and snug the side lock screw. To change filters, pull the holder out by its knob. A spare holder per filter makes swaps take seconds.
Connecting it: the M54 male side threads into the camera's M54 front. On the telescope side, an M54 flattener or reducer threads straight in. If your flattener ends in M48, use the included 2mm M54M-M48F adapter. A filter also pushes focus back by about one-third of its glass thickness, so allow roughly 0.7mm for a 2mm filter.
Using a third-party filter? ZWO says its cell must be under 50.8mm in diameter and under 7.5mm tall, with an M48 × 0.75 thread no longer than 2.7mm.
What to add for the best results
- Extra 2" filter holders: one per filter for quick swaps.
- A 2" filter: the ZWO Duo-Band filter (2" size) or Optolong L-eXtreme (2") for emission nebulae, and the ZWO IR Cut filter (2") for broadband.
- A camera: the full-frame ASI6200MM Pro, or the ASI2600MM Duo or ASI2600MC Duo with their built-in guide sensor.
Which ZWO filter drawer do you need?
| ZWO M42 drawer | ZWO M54 drawer | ZWO drawer for Nikon lens | ZWO drawer for Canon EOS lens | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Camera side | M42 × 0.75 male | M54 × 0.75 male | M42 × 0.75 male | M42 × 0.75 male |
| Front side | M48 × 0.75 female | M54 × 0.75 female | Nikon F lens bayonet | Canon EF lens bayonet |
| Thickness | 21mm | 20mm | 29mm | 26.5mm |
| Adapter included | M48-M42F | M54M-M48F (2mm) | M54M-M42F | M54M-M42F |
| Best for | Telescopes with 4/3" to APS-C cameras | Telescopes with full-frame or M54-front cameras | Nikon F camera lenses | Canon EF camera lenses |
All four take the same Gen 2 filter holder. See all filter wheels and drawers.
What's in the box
- ZWO M54 filter drawer with one 2" filter holder
- M54M-M48F adapter, 2mm
Filters and extra holders are sold separately.
ZWO M54 2" Filter Drawer FAQ
M54 or M42 drawer?
If your camera has an M54 front, as ZWO's full-frame and Duo cameras do, use the M54 drawer. For cameras with an M42 front and sensors up to APS-C, the M42 drawer is the match.
Will it vignette on a full-frame sensor?
The drawer's M54 threads are wide enough, but a 2" filter's clear aperture is close to the 43mm diagonal of a full-frame sensor, so expect a little corner falloff with fast optics. Flat frames remove it.
Will my old ZWO filter holders fit?
No. Gen 1 holders don't fit this Gen 2 drawer. The Gen 2 filter holder fits the M42, M54, Nikon and EOS drawers.
Specifications
| Physical | |
|---|---|
| Diameter | 70mm |
| Optical thickness | 20mm (24mm including the M54 male thread) |
| Filter capacity | One 2" mounted filter |
| Holder retention | Two magnets plus side lock screw |
| Mounting holes | 12 × M2.5 on the telescope-side face |
| Connections | |
| Camera side | M54 × 0.75 male |
| Telescope side | M54 × 0.75 female |
| Filter holder | M48 × 0.75 female |
| Third-party filters | Cell under 50.8mm diameter and 7.5mm tall; M48 thread 2.7mm long or less |
| Compatibility | |
| Filter holder | ZWO Gen 2 holder (F-HLDR); not Gen 1 holders |
| Model / SKU | FD-M54-II / ZWO-FD-M54-II |