DWARF II Smart Telescope - Full Tutorial + Review

[@SarahMathsAstro]

DWARF 3: dwarflab.com/products/dwarf-3-smart-telescope?aff=19

[@KPac01]

I am the novice of whom you speak. At nearly 72 years old and having retired twice, military and then from Medicine, I have always been interested in Telescopes and Astrophotography. I purchased the Dwarf II last December and received it the beginning of April. Have already taken shots of the sun, even got sunspots, but am now ready for deeper sky imaging. Your video is the best I have seen to date on the Dwarf II, even better than Cuiv, The Lazy Geek. Believe me, I have spent hours watching videos on this wonderful little, but smart, telescope. Thank you for confirming my decision to purchase the Dwarf II and you have a new subscriber.

[@SarahMathsAstro]

Hi Howard, what interesting life experience! Thank you for your service as well. I'm happy to hear that you received your Dwarf II and have had a lot of success with imaging the Sun. Seeing sunspots is so rad - I still can't get over it when I see them! And now you're venturing into deep sky imaging, which is awesome. I love how versatile it is! As mostly a deep-sky imager myself, it was so nice to be able to set the Dwarf II up for solar imaging and dive into that type of astro, as I had never attempted it before this. Thank you for the incredibly kind words, too. Cuiv is an absolute legend so I def find that hard to believe, but thanks. Wishing you the best in your astro journey with clear skies :)

[@Flash1857]

Sounds great

[@sankotvics5278]

@@SarahMathsAstro 43:38

[@smithfield06]

Hi great review, I live in a city how good is it for imaging in a city environment?

[@SarahMathsAstro]

@smithfield06 thanks! The images I took of the Orion Nebula in this video were taken from a heavily light polluted city without the light pollution filter. I think it did pretty well. Dimmer targets will require more imaging time to reveal the faint details in a lot of light pollution.

[@aninterestingcharact]

Beautiful comprehensive review. Totally appreciated!

[@SarahMathsAstro]

Thank you so much for this incredibly thoughtful and generous gift! I really appreciate your support! :)

[@Patrick462]

This was great - I bought a Dwarf II, still don't know what I'm doing, but I'm pressing buttons more or less at random and got a quick video of the sun and sunspots (yes I put the filters on) and was able to share the video with family! To clarify: this video was incredibly helpful! The included help files were OK, but this video enabled me to actually get results. Now everyone thinks I'm a genius like I've been telling them for years!

[@SarahMathsAstro]

That's awesome you were able to get a video of the sun with some sunspots and were able to share the video with your family!

[@BigPoppa-t3z]

You should not have to go through this with an s50. But good luck

[@SarahMathsAstro]

The Seestar is great and I love the UI/UX

[@mickymaggots]

This really is an excellent video the best to date on the Dwarf 2 and I have watched many. Received my Dwarf 2, 3 days ago after a 3 month wait and guess what solid cloud ever since, good old UK. Thanks Sarah for such a comprehensive video like all the rest in your library. Looking forward to the future videos with you on all things Astronomy. Keep up the good work.

[@SarahMathsAstro]

Congrats on the new Dwarf 2! It seems as though the curse of new astro gear knows no bounds with its wrath of clouds >.< such a bummer. I hope they clear up soon for you! Thank you also for the great feedback and for your support! Really means a lot. Cheers!

[@johnball2689]

I received this as a Christmas present. with the weather, today was ideal to break it out, and I used your video for guidance. Thumbs up! made my life easier, seen a great eclipse and took many pics! TY very much

[@SarahMathsAstro]

Hi John! Apologies for my delay in response. I'm just now getting back from a long road trip out to the northeast of the US from the west for the eclipse. I'm really glad you were able to use the DWARF for the eclipse and got some great pics, though. So awesome. Thanks for taking the time to stop by! Cheers

[@lukomatico]

What an excellent video Sarah, no joke you've totally knocked it out of the park with this one - majorly impressive!! The Dwarf II looks like a ton of fun in a small package!

[@SarahMathsAstro]

Thanks so much, Luke! That means a ton. It is a lot of fun and it’s cool to see where astro gear is going :D

[@allandrummond2420]

noone can comment and say its not a telescope!

[@davidwoods7720]

been using mine for a month now and am very happy with it

[@SarahMathsAstro]

That's awesome to hear :)

[@alfredterrence6112]

As usual, i've always enjoyed your content & this review is no different. It's always wonderful to learn about new stuff, you're a great teacher !

[@SarahMathsAstro]

I'm really happy to hear this and I appreciate the kind words! Thanks for taking the time to watch the videos and for taking the time to provide your feedback as well :)

[@mykey39]

A very in depth and great review! I have been looking at these types of astrophotography for a few years now and these are getting better for beginners.

[@SarahMathsAstro]

Thank you, Mike! I agree with you - It's pretty cool to see how far these types of devices have come.

[@jimcarter2092]

I've watched all videos I could find on the Dwarf, and this is the best, great job! Great presentation. Dwarf labs should Pay you for this, Thank you!

[@SarahMathsAstro]

Thank you, Jim! That's very kind of you to say.

[@ronlouie830]

Yours is the best of several reviews on YT and online, thanks! More detailed than most, appreciate your showing the setup and device screens. Also appreciated your pluses and minuses. I once had an old 80mm refractor on an EQ mount, and then an old Meade DS 114 Newt on a motorized mount (both donated away); somehow I found Orion's nebula, but this looks so much better! You mentioned EAA once; for an old guy with limited vision and limited ambition, your inclusive "final thoughts" were perfect!

[@SarahMathsAstro]

Thank you, Ron! That's very kind of you. I'm glad that you found this video helpful. I commend anyone who can navigate the night sky and who can move their equipment to a target. Learning the night sky (still always learning) has been one of my favorite parts of my astronomy journey. Regarding EAA, the DWARF II is nice for this as someone like myself who has glasses and finds looking through some eyepieces and binoculars a bit of a challenge. Thanks again!

[@ronlouie830]

@@SarahMathsAstro Best of luck with your YT journey, too! The balancing trick is to convey useful geeky info without dumbing it down, or going too far into jargon that the video gets to be a chore and pedantic (did I catch you using that last word, LOL?). Of course, your audience is kinda geeky to begin with, and you're doing a nice job with the balance. 🏂🌠

[@FiglioBastardo]

Very frickin' cool! I could listen to you speak about this for hours! On a side note if you started a side hustle channel reading bedtime stories I'd sign up in a heartbeat. The frequency of your voice is divine.

[@SarahMathsAstro]

Thank you very much! I appreciate it :)

[@FiglioBastardo]

@@SarahMathsAstro You're very welcome. Ciao ciao x adesso stella.

[@mjklein]

I am considering this telescope so I can introduce my 10 year old daughter to astronomy. But, my word, never have I viewed a video a review where by the end, it had answered every question that formed in my mind along the way. At the end, of this video review I have zero questions and am about a familiar with this device as is possible without having one. You are an excellent engineer and and reviewer. Very well done!

[@SarahMathsAstro]

Wow, thank you! This makes me so happy to hear! I think this would be a nice device to introduce someone of any age to astronomy. I'm still an advocate for traditional telescopes as well but this telescope is nice without a lot of the challenges that traditional rigs have. Also, thank you for taking the time to watch, thank you for your support, and your kind words!

[@GregoryLee-vj5gy]

Thanks!

[@SarahMathsAstro]

Thank you so much!! :D

[@helenwilson1107]

Thank you Sara. Excellent. Have just taken mine out of the box and found you. Can’t wait to get started. And K Pac01. I have just turned 77, with all the attendant infirmities eg arthritis etc so lugging 17kgs of gear in and out on freezing winter nights was causing some tension between me and my beloved hobby. This little baby, I’m sure is about to reunite us😮😊

[@SarahMathsAstro]

I’m so happy to hear that you’ve received your Dwarf II! And happy belated birthday as well! Wishing you all the best :)

[@charless8641]

The best part of the video was you Sarah, you were a delightful experience. I think the unit is very cool for beginners and it seems very user friendly, unfortunately it doesn’t work well for me. I thank you for sharing this information and I think many people who are new to the hobby will appreciate this unit. Have a great day.😃

[@SarahMathsAstro]

Thank you for the kind words, Charles! It is a nice little device for beginners. But it’s also not for everyone. Thanks for taking the time to watch the video and for taking the time to write your comment. I really appreciate it!

[@MentalWhiplash]

I've been watching your PixInsight videos and decided to check out your review of the Dwarf for work trips...sitting in hotels is uneventful. This is an excellent review, Sarah. Your channel is definitely an astrophotography gem!

[@SarahMathsAstro]

Thanks for checking out the videos and thanks for the kind words. It really means a lot. I hope your travels are going well. Cheers!

[@astrophotographyuk]

Another great tutorial & review Sarah. I just bought one of these four days ago and....... Its been thick cloud and raining day and night lol ;-) I mainly got it so my Granddaughter can ease her way into Astro'ing as she has always loved doing Skywatches with me and enjoyed being in some of my star shots/star trails I took with my DLSR. When the clear nights start up again I'll be out with the Dwarf II and my SkyWatcher Star Adventurer 2i Pro with my DSLR attached to it and begin my Astro journey again. Thanks to your awesome tutorials and thanks again for caring and sharing with us all 🔭

[@SarahMathsAstro]

Thank you!! Man oh man, the new astro gear curse is real. Clouds and clouds. I hope it clears up soon so you and your granddaughter can image together. That's really great that you two can share that. Thanks again for watching and all of your kind words! Clear skies

[@NelsonReyesJr]

EXCELLENT REVIEW!!! I am buying one for my 3 year old daughter! She can look at the images from my smart phone and we can look at wildlife and astronomical objects! Thank you so much!!!

[@SarahMathsAstro]

Thank you! That's a wonderful idea! I hope you two love it. Cheers!

[@GenXMCraft]

This was a great demo, especially sharing one's knowledge and experience with clarity.

[@SarahMathsAstro]

Many thanks, I’m glad this was helpful!

[@cmorr72]

This is a game changer for the regular people. thank you for sharing. this will be an early birthday present to myself. Cheers.

[@SarahMathsAstro]

That's awesome, Chris! It's a pretty cool device. Cheers!

[@kreelaban3420]

Great product and a great critique. Your sense of humor is appreciated !

[@SarahMathsAstro]

Thank you! I'm happy to hear that :)

[@ronbest1478]

What a comprehensive and informative interview. Thanks you so much. Just found your channel and I am a lifer now. Thanks for taking the time to help us. I think I will make the purchase.

[@SarahMathsAstro]

Thanks so much for the support!!

[@rdilley1]

Thanks for your objective and comprehensive review of the Dwarf II Sarah!

[@SarahMathsAstro]

Thank you, Robert! Much appreciated.

[@Wheeljack678]

Great review. I typically don't have an interest in these devices (DwarfLab, EVScope, Stellina etc), but I watched the entirety of your video because I found it both entertaining and informational. I think a review like this will definitely be of help to anyone who is curious or on the fence about this product.

[@SarahMathsAstro]

Thank you, I'm happy to hear that you found it entertaining and informational. It's an interesting device, and has some nice use cases. It's defintley not for anyone who already has a solid footing in using a star tracker with a DSLR or anything beyond that. But nice for public outreach events and for the avid hiker/ camper/ traveler looking for something portable.

[@HighVybeTribe]

Will this work good for Ufo / Alien enthusiasts ? Or Maybe not , becuse it doesnt jave filters to view different light spectrums 🤔🙃

[@ghazimalik]

The best video about DwarfII telescope by far! Many thanks.

[@SarahMathsAstro]

Thank you for taking the time to watch and thank you for your kind words! All the best, -Sarah

[@alanreid250]

Thank you for this review...I live in the Lake District UK...the reason that we have so many lakes is because it likes to rain a lot..hence a lot of cloudy weather...the number of times that i have set up my scope during daytime only to go out in the evening and been clouded out is unbelievable... dwarf 2 on its way and will be really useful as a grab and go when the clouds break.

[@SarahMathsAstro]

Sounds like quite the weather cycle you experience. I bet it's still beautiful up there! I hope it clears up for you soon though and congrats on the new Dwarf 2! Cheers!

[@peterharvey7844]

Ordered one Should arrive this week! I’ll use this again to get started on my astrophotography journey.

[@SarahMathsAstro]

That's very exciting! Wishing you all the best on your astro journey :]

[@RaposaDoCorona]

Thanks for an excellent tutorial. It is the best I’ve seen in the few days since my Dwarf II was delivered. I have subscribed to your channel and look forward to viewing some of your past videos, particularly processing. Thanks, again. Clear skies.

[@SarahMathsAstro]

Thanks for taking the time to watch and thank you for subscribing to the channel! That's great news to hear that you received your DWARF II. How exciting! Wishing you all the best with it, and of course, clear skies!

[@NotThatBob]

Great review. My eldest grandson is coming on 10. Brilliant kid. I'd love to set this up and study the night sky. Thank you Sarah.

[@SarahMathsAstro]

What a great age! I think this would be great for a budding astronomer :)

[@grantravenianson]

You are great, this is fantastic and just exactly what I will be buying my daughter for her 7th birthday! Thank you.

[@SarahMathsAstro]

Thank you! That's amazing to hear. I hope she loves it!

[@John-en2cd]

Hi Sarah, great video. So I just bought one for my daughter. She is just now getting into astrophotography. But is still learning about the night sky. This should help her a lot.

[@SarahMathsAstro]

Hi John, thank you! That's so exciting that your daughter is getting into astrophotography. I hope she enjoys it!

[@davedoubledecks1614]

Great video. My Dwarf 2 is being shipped this week so I should receive it in 2 weeks so I can started with astrophotography. 😊😊

[@SarahMathsAstro]

Thank you! That's really exciting! Wishing you all the best with clear skies in your new journey :)

[@SarahMathsAstro]

WiFi range is 10 meters/ 33ft.

[@TrCic]

Was just about to comment on this. 😛

[@Animalwon]

Me, too! 30 feet is excellent range for Bluetooth but not for wifi. They must mean using the device to device wifi connection not your typical home Internet wifi.

[@KabookiSan]

@@TrCic same XD

[@MsSugercrisp]

make a video with out you glasses on ok Thank You !

[@markrix]

@@TrCic yup

[@stevemutch2080]

The best review I have found on youtube, many thanks for that. Have you done one for Dwarf 3, but in any case I am more than impressed and will be getting a Dwarf

[@SarahMathsAstro]

Thank you so much! My Dwarf 3 will arrive this week and I’ll begin testing and hopefully get a review out soon. Cheers!

[@shubinternet]

I really like this detailed review format, including the insert cards between each section of the review. I think the only thing that could improve the review would be to add chapter markers. That would allow us to immediately go to different sections of the review that is of interest to us. Thanks again!

[@SarahMathsAstro]

Thanks for taking the time to watch this video and provide feedback. All feedback is very helpful. Thanks again!

[@mrdanger4851]

Wow never imagined such a product exists! Fantastic Presentation thank you! Somthing like this is perfect For folks with certain disabilities 👍🏽

[@SarahMathsAstro]

It's really quite remarkable how far technology has come (both on the hardware and software sides of things) in astronomy. I love that something like this can make space more accessible for people, just like you said. Thanks for stopping by!

[@alandyer910]

Thank you for an excellent and thorough review and walk-through of the Dwarf II features and functions. Very nicely organized and presented.

[@SarahMathsAstro]

Thank you for the kind words and thank you for taking the time to watch. Clear skies! -Sarah

[@Dummies05]

Great review and tutorial, just got mine a few days ago, amazing little device! As you said not everyone want to capture profesional pics or data and I think this device is great for them, still you can take the pics to Siril and get a nice processing. Again great review! 🎉

[@SarahMathsAstro]

Thank you! I love that you can take the images off, and process them in a third-party processing platform like SiriL, DeepSkyStacker, PixInsight, etc. There is lots of opportunity for anyone who wants to learn astro image processing! Wishing you all the best.

[@juanjusino5655]

EXCELLENT EXPLANATION AND NOT BORING 👌

[@SarahMathsAstro]

Oh good to hear thank you!

[@cyrustau1483]

Thanks for a very detailed and unbiased review.

[@SarahMathsAstro]

Thank you and thank you for taking the time to watch.

[@DavidFaulk]

Wow Sarah great video. I have the Dwarf 2 but haven’t used it yet. Your video was outstanding and has me excited to get out there and start capturing.

[@SarahMathsAstro]

Thank you, David! It's a nifty little device, no doubt :) I hope you enjoy yours! Wishing you clear skies

[@grahamjohndavis]

Just bought one and this is a brilliantly useful video. Thank you.

[@SarahMathsAstro]

Thank you!! I hope you enjoy your DWARF II!

[@colinbacon1738]

Hi there based on your tutorial and review i purchased the dwarf 11 deluxe today, i got into astronomy when i turned 65, i have two telescopes i use for viewing planets, one a Astro fi 150 mm the other a celestron 130 eq , both are good with the Astro fi being a goto. I also have a decent canon camera, but after watching lots of you tube videos on astro photography it became obvious i would need to spend an awful lot more money, also the learning curve looked very steep. So I'm happy to use the telescopes i have for viewing the planet s and taking the odd photo that I'm happy with. The Dwarf 11 will satisfy me with getting photos that I'm unable to get with my telescopes. I paid £412 so to me its a win win. My DWARF 11 arrives in 5 days and I will let you know how i get on. Many thanks for the tutorial and review. one other my computer and i pad is IOS.

[@SarahMathsAstro]

Hi there, thanks for taking the time to watch this and thanks for sharing a bit of your astro story with me here. It sounds like you have a good variety of optics to choose from which is fantastic. I'm also excited to hear that you've added the DWARF II to your equipment. You'll be able to cover a ton with all the gear you have. Wishing you all the best! Cheers -Sarah

[@HawkASTRO]

Great video Sarah. The best review of the DF2 I have seen so far. I also like your sense of humour - makes me smile. I had also received a Seestar S50 a few days before the DF2. Frankly the S50 spoiled me in that it only required a compass and level calibration and it could GOTO to the Sun and Moon (likely first targets for those interested in astrophotography). This confused me when trying to do the same thing on the DF2. Tried GOTO-ing on the Sun and the DF2 did nothing (no movement). Mind you as the DF2 has no separate Solar, Lunar, etc modes (like the S50 has) I have no clue which screen I was supposed to be on. Also - to be fair - I haven't updated the firmware yet - so things might be better now. After viewing your video it became clear you have to manually (either by hand or by the joystick) align the Sun (and day-time Moon). Obvious I know - but as I said the S50 can GOTO in that situation. Looking forward to your review of the S50. BTW - you will have a new Patron as a result of this video.

[@HawkASTRO]

OK - the first dumb thing I did was not update to the latest phone app and thence the latest camera firmware. The latest version is much more user (newbie) friendly. The second was not fully comprehending that the DF2 works differently to the S50 in that it cannot find the Sun from the get-go (but tracks once the Sun is centered either manually or via the much improved joystick control). Happier now - but I suspect the DF2 will mostly be used for terrestrial/nature photography whilst the S50 will be the astrophotography device. Time will tell.

[@SarahMathsAstro]

Hey there, thank you for your kind words and thank you for your support - it means a lot that you became a Patron! Also, congrats on the new equipment and thanks for sharing your experience with them thus far. It's interesting to have the perspective of using one and then trying the other. I had a similar experience as you but in reverse since I had the DF2 first and then the S50. I was very surprised how the S50 didn't require you to create an imaging "plan" like the DF2 does while imaging DSOs in Astro Mode (inputting exposure settings, number of exposures, etc). But to your point, both apps are designed quite differently in terms of flow/ imaging modes. I am happy to hear that the updated DF2 mobile app is more user friendly. I know they've been evolving it a lot over the last year. I've also been impressed with the Seestar app and the S50's improvement of being able to locate the Sun and Moon. I'm excited to see what the future holds for these two. Thanks again for sharing and for your support. Cheers!

[@billbennett6398]

Thanks for sharing, I am just looking and thinking of this as I have a excellent night sky that I am looking forward to exploring, still weighing this up

[@SarahMathsAstro]

This little scope is nice and easy to use, there is also the ZWO Seestar S50 which is another smart telescope around the same price range. There are more expensive smart telescopes as well out there. Here's a link to the Seestar S50, if you're interested: bit.ly/3OHWysn

[@wa1zlv]

Hi Sarah, like all the others have said, great presentation! As a result, I just ordered one :) ! I have an 8" Meade that just never comes out of it's storage box. THIS will spend lots of time out and in use. Thank you!!

[@SarahMathsAstro]

Hi Dan! That’s awesome! The best kind of telescope is the one you use, at least in my book ;) hope you enjoy!

[@1VperOctave]

Excellent demonstration and review, professionally presented with no annoying gimics. Oh, and there was a cat too, so obviously you get bonus points for that :) Thank you.

[@SarahMathsAstro]

Thank you! My cat's name is Hubble! He's named after the telescope because he lost an eye when he was a kitten so with one eye, he's sort of like a telescope :D

[@1VperOctave]

@@SarahMathsAstro That is cool. One of our cats only has one eye, that is how he was when we got him from the cat rescue place. No inspired naming though, he is Teatime

[@SarahMathsAstro]

Aww, one eyed cats! Love the name, too. You must love golf. Or tea.. or, both.

[@1VperOctave]

@@SarahMathsAstro Definitely a nice cuppa! :)

[@michaelknapp5456]

I just want to say 'thank you' for this thorough review/tutorial on the Dwarf 2. I recently placed a pre-order for a Seestar. BUT....based on your video (and 1 other), I've changed my mind and cancelled the pre-order and have the Dwarf 2 arriving this week. Excellent video!

[@SarahMathsAstro]

Glad to hear this video was helpful in your decision. I am still reviewing/ testing the Seestar (video out soon). I'm wondering, what was it about the DWARF II or the Seestar that made you change your mind? Thanks!

[@michaelknapp5456]

@@SarahMathsAstro It was a lot of things. Some minor, some less minor. One of the biggest reasons was availability. I actually just got the Dwarf delivered to me today. The Seestar I would get....maybe 2023? Another larger reason was portability. The Seestar is somewhat portable but the Dwarf is super portable. I also like the Dwarf 2 filter attachment way more that the Seestar. I have filters and to be able to thread them right to the Dwarf is a major plus. ZW0 would be wise to have it compatible with 1.25" filters. I know that both are geared to amateurs just starting out so having the filters built in is a big deal. It's not for me though. More minor things were the additional features of the Dwarf 2: time lapse; panoramic imaging; larger FOV and the 2-camera system. The features I like about the Seestar over the dwarf are: higher resolution camera; automatic dark frames; the apps planetarium-style object selection. But, of the feature I like more about the Seestar, only 1 of them is hardware related. I suspect that the Dwarf will, hopefully, introduce a major app improvement and have better object selection (like the Seestar)....fingers crossed. I don't think it would be all that difficult to have the Dwarf self take darks somehow? But maybe that is a hardware issue. I plan to take darks each time I use the camera so that the images are more accurate. From what I understand, that's a 10min process. I'm sure I can find 10min before I plan to image to do this. I can also live with the lower resolution sensor. I've watched enough videos now to know that it's probably not all that much and post processing can fix a lot of that. But, for posting on social media or looking at images on phone or tablet, I feel like the images will be just fine "as-is". I have property with good and dark rural Bortle 3 skies (I think they are actually better than Botle 3) so I should be able to take some good images with plenty of detail. The Dwarf 2 just makes more sense to me, assuming that there are some major app improvements. BUT....I ended up NOT cancelling my Seestar order after all. I am keeping the pre-order. I just got the Dwarf 2 today so I will have plenty of time to use it before I would likely have to make a final decision on the Seestar. I may just end up just keeping both.

[@SarahMathsAstro]

Thanks for sharing your insight and taking the time to do so, this is very helpful!

[@craiglowery4427]

Outstanding and comprehensive. One of the best reviews I've seen Sarah. I'm a planetary imager using the Celestron 14" Edge HD. but enjoy using my Vespera for DSO imaging. Its fun, easy and very effective. After 50 years in this hobby, I see smart telescopes as a major step forward. Thank you

[@SarahMathsAstro]

Thank you, Craig! It's good to hear positive outcomes from these "smart telescopes" for astrophotography. You have a range of experience it sounds like with the 14" EdgeHD, too. I didn't ask this last time, but, what camera do you use with your 14" EdgeHD?

[@bluelemon1394]

Amazing review! Great job reviewing all the details :)

[@SarahMathsAstro]

Thank you! Thanks for stopping by :)

[@Adrena1in]

Great review of what seems like a cool piece of kit, and very affordable if you ask me. I dabbled in astrophotography many years ago, spending thousands on gear (none of which I still own!), and would love to revisit the hobby. Gonna have to see if I can source one of these Dwarf II devices here in the UK. Thanks.

[@SarahMathsAstro]

It’s a neat little device. They are coming out with the Dwarf III here pretty soon. I’d also look into the Seestar S50 smart telescope from ZWO.

[@azastro919]

Just found your channel it's great to see more women getting into astrophotography. Awesome videos and welcome to the family.

[@SarahMathsAstro]

Thank you very much! I really appreciate it :D

[@SoloSailing77]

That's incredibly affordable! Looks like a quality unit too! Moving to Puerto Rico soon. This is a must have!

[@SarahMathsAstro]

I think so, too Eddie! I hope your move to Puerto Rico goes well!

[@Carlos-qz7ul]

Very serious and dedicated review ! This kind of gear's gonna have a BIG success ! 👍

[@SarahMathsAstro]

Thanks!! I think there's a lot of potential.

[@roderickwho1983]

Great review- thanks. I'm still on the fence about buying a Dwarf II but I think your review may have pushed me towards making the purchase.

[@SarahMathsAstro]

Thank you and thanks for stopping by. I think the DWARF II is a nice choice if you're looking for something versatile and portable without all the "hassle," although it has its limitations, of course. Give and take, I suppose.

[@woody5109]

I’m impressed, I thought most subscribers would follow you…because of you. However, you seem to know your stuff, have all the right gear present well and the passion to make it all work. Subscribed.

[@SarahMathsAstro]

Thank you and thank you for the support. It really means a lot!

[@mattstroker]

Thank you for a very good review. When I was younger I bought an autotracking telescope once but somehow it broke and I never got back into it. Seeing your review is igniting new tingles again. So, who knows.... I might get it for christmas. If I'm a good boy this year 😀

[@SarahMathsAstro]

Thank you, Matt! That's awesome that you had a tracking telescope! I'm also happy to hear that this may have ignited the fire to get back into astronomy like this. Cheers!

[@EthanJohnston-eg9si]

Love the channel and reviews!

[@SarahMathsAstro]

Thanks so much, Ethan!

[@theflyawaygirl]

I just received my Dwarf II so excited to try it! Watching this before I try it out (and while it charges 😆). Great video!

[@SarahMathsAstro]

Oh heck ya!!! Congrats!! Hope you enjoy :D

[@projectjster]

I love watching these gear reviews you do, astrophotography is something I h e always wanted to get into. I’ve been lugging around an aging Nikon D2X with just a handful of lens to mostly captured sunset/suns rises, storm clouds and lightning. And various other Landscape photography. I currently live in a Bortle 4 area of West Texas and a Bortle 1 isn’t too far off, think BBNP. One place I would love to try my hand at some Astro photos. My current telescope is a Celestron EQ127, ( I’ve read plenty of bad things about it) and I have an old Panasonic M4/3 GF3K attached to it for imaging. Works ok so far as I’ve tried. But you’ve set my eyes on some newer gadgets that can help me tremendously with me journey in the future. thank you!

[@SarahMathsAstro]

Thank you, Johnny! I'm happy to hear that you're enjoying the product reviews. There are certainly some great products out there for astro (both hardware and software), and I think we're going to continue to see more and more innovative options come our way. And it sounds like you have great experience under your belt already, which is awesome! It also doesn't hurt living in a Bortle 4 and living close to a Bortle 1 either. Thanks for stopping by! Cheers

[@betafoofoo270]

Brilliant tutorial thanks very much for doing that.

[@SarahMathsAstro]

Happy to hear it was helpful! Thanks for stopping by :)

[@jeffjeff4477]

Very informative!! Subbed Enjoyed your delivery etc... Looks like a cool little telescope

[@SarahMathsAstro]

Thanks, Jeff! Really appreciate it. It's a neat little device.

[@stevenwilliams6258]

Excellent in depth review. Seems like an interesting product with versatile mobile device software.

[@SarahMathsAstro]

Thank you! And yes, it is :)

[@Pasonrev]

THis is a very in depth review. I am a photographer and do all of my astrophotography manually. The high cost of equipment is what prevents me from going further. But since seeing your review, im impressed by this little gadget and I am seriously considering getting one. When acquired I will give my own review from Trinidad and Tobago. Job well done @SarahMaths Astro

[@SarahMathsAstro]

Thank you, that means a lot! I can empathize with you on the cost of astrophotography gear, and I think this little device is a nice solution, especially if you're looking to post-process the images later on an make them even better (as you would with astro data from another astro rig). Wishing you all the best in your journey! Clear skies :)

[@Pasonrev]

@@SarahMathsAstro Thanks so much for the encouraging words. Yes I love the post processing aspect of astrophotography, and especially now since Siril has some pretty strong processing elements to it. I usually process with both Siril and Gimp, so all I need is reliable data from an affordable rig. Dwarf 2 I believe has entered the market and will be a life changer, not just for beginners but for seasoned astrophotographers as well.

[@erhardschreck2192]

thanks Sarah, very comprehensive review. watching on Chromebook your key points and final thought charts are just white

[@SarahMathsAstro]

Thanks and thanks for your feedback. That’s very helpful!

[@mipadipad]

Thanks

[@SarahMathsAstro]

Thank you, John! This is so generous of you. It's very much appreciated!

[@rossr100]

Great review thanks. Everything I'd wondered about in 1 clip, phew!

[@SarahMathsAstro]

Very happy to hear this! Thanks for stopping by.

[@scotianskies]

Great video Sarah! I've been trying out mine for a few weeks now,. I do find it fun but catalogue needs expansion and maybe some bright named stars added as well!! I tried the astro darks but might just cover it over after each object to get close to same environment. Thanks for the video.

[@SarahMathsAstro]

Thank you! That's awesome you have one, too! I agree that some bright stars need to be added as well. Good thinking there. I think your thoughts on the astro darks is also a good approach. Cheers!

[@sethjchandler]

Fantastic video. Like it was made for me. Incredibly helpful and clear.

[@SarahMathsAstro]

I'm so glad to hear this. Thanks for your feedback!

[@CameronGillis]

Top notch review, Sarah 👌 Very well presented and masterfully articulated, well paced and balanced, yet thourough, covering A-Z! Looking forward to your follow up reviews. Keep looking up and enjoying the journey... Cheers!

[@SarahMathsAstro]

Thank you for the kind words, Cameron. I appreciate you taking the time to watch this and comment. All the best!

[@tomcocchiaro3997]

Hi Sarah, just saw your comprehensive review of the DWARF 2 and have to say it is a no-brainer for public outreach activities like sidewalk astronomy. I'm a member of the NH Astronomical Society and have had an eye out for something that is easy to set up and run, and something that will give folks an immediate view of objects they can't "really" see through a telescope--except maybe some gray smudges. Our club just purchased a Unistellar EVO2 for essentially the same purpose--at 4X the cost. I'm thinking the DWARF2 would be an easier, more cost-effective and more portable device for the kind of outreach we do. In fact, I will soon find out whether or not the EVO2 is as easy to use (as it appears in your video review) when I receive the shipment today as I was elected to be the caretaker of the scope. I do have one add-on I think would make it more effective for public outreach although the folks at DWARF Lab may opt to pass given the health risks--a built-in green laser pointer. It would make it easy for folks to see where the object they are looking at on a screen actually is in the sky. Also like your idea of a planetarium representation within their software to make it easier to select and point a target rather than a scroll field (since there there will be times when obstructions or time of day/night that preclude you from seeing a target. The folks at DWARF Lab could probably get around that by color-coding the choices--red for not observable and green for available for viewing in the sky. Sorry for the wordy message.

[@SarahMathsAstro]

Hi Tom, thanks for taking the time to watch and for your thoughtful response! I think the DWARF II would be excellent for public outreach, as you mentioned. Especially with the live stacking feature to show these fainter targets but also to be able to put the screen on display for several people at a time to see, rather than having to share a single eyepiece (although I will always have a soft spot for this). I am interested to hear what your experience is like with the EVO2, as the DWARF II is the only "smart" telescope I've used like it. I think your recommendation for a green laser pointer is a good one too as well as how to color code the visibility of targets. The latter could be implemented rather quickly, I would imagine. I really think a planetarium view would be nice because you could include lots of cool information about a given target, so from an educational standpoint, it would be awesome. Thanks for all that you do with the community in your outreach efforts!! And thanks again for your input. Cheers!

[@rickwhitfield7617]

What a great and honest review! I am personally debating between the D2 and the "taking forever to release" ZWO Seestar. I think for the portability on camping trips, and the ability to also gain terrestrial camera uses has me leaning to the D2. The fact the ZWO is a portrait orientation with such a tight FOV really means it would struggle on larger DSOs too. The polar alignment features on the D2 tick another box as I grow in skill levels. Any chance you will be getting your hands on the Seestar for a comparative review as well? I commend you once again on such a great video review! Subscribed!

[@SarahMathsAstro]

Thank you for the kind words and for sharing your thoughts on the D2 and the Seestar. I'm still testing the Seestar but will have some of videos out of it soon. Thanks again for your support!

[@rickwhitfield7617]

@@SarahMathsAstro sure thing! One Q on the D2 came to mind: will it auto track and time photos with the wide angle lens? I was thinking it would be fun to get sunset pics about every minute to parse through later from the "stack" captures. I suspect the AI tracking features are only tied to the telephoto lens tho. Any idea?

[@2heads142]

you explain it so well nice one Sarah

[@SarahMathsAstro]

Thanks so much!

[@SuperdanTech]

Very nice review. I just got mine, is it better to leave IR to pass to take pictures of galaxies and nebulae?

[@SarahMathsAstro]

Thank you and congrats on receiving your DWARF II. To your question, yes, when imaging galaxies and nebulae, I would recommend leaving IR to pass.

[@rickwhitfield7617]

What exactly does IR pass vs cut do? I get what an IR filter is doing, but the terms confuse me. Is is passthrough vs cutoff?

[@conjor]

Great review! Comprehensive and well-presented!

[@SarahMathsAstro]

Thank you, Conor!

[@darryljames0111]

I really liked how fun you made this video

[@SarahMathsAstro]

Thank you :)

[@martenliebster]

Thanks for the thorough review and explanations - very helpful. Could you share more of the imaging results, so as to know what to expect from it?

[@SarahMathsAstro]

Hi Marten, thank you! I've created a Google Drive folder with subfolders inside that contain daytime videos of the Sun and Moon (.mp4), daytime photos of the Sun and Moon (.jpeg), and DSO - Live Stacked images (.png) from the app with their accompanying JSON file that depicts the sub exposure lengths, gain values, binning, # of stacked frames, etc. A note about the DSO - Live Stacked images, the subexposures are either .tiff or .fits but the final stacked image posted is from the live stacking feature in the app that is saved as a .png. Also, most of these were taken at exposure lengths under 15 seconds, so there is significant walking noise in them because the Astro Dark frames are only optimized for light frames taken at 15 seconds at various Gain values. The only one that shouldn't have this type of noise is M42 - Orion Nebula because the light frames were taken at 15 seconds and so the dark frames match the exposure and gain values. Also, these were all taken from a Bortle 7/8 location (lots of light pollution) and without the light pollution filter. They only have the default linear stretch applied to them from the app. Google Drive here: drive.google.com/drive/folders/1qjqD6-rYJ1Tp0GsMIfWr9Mwl5-n27hsO?usp=sharing

[@martenliebster]

@@SarahMathsAstro Thanks - you rock!

[@SarahMathsAstro]

@@martenliebster :D

[@togray619]

Very good review! Thanks Miss Sarah.

[@SarahMathsAstro]

Thank you!

[@danielduesentriebjunior]

I just ordered it, also thanks to your excellent description.

[@SarahMathsAstro]

Thank you! And congrats - it’s a nifty little device. Wishing you clear skies.

[@danielduesentriebjunior]

@@SarahMathsAstro Thanks, I hope for clear skies over Switzerland.

[@SarahMathsAstro]

Same to you!

[@Childpsy1]

Thank you Sarah. You're the Best!

[@SarahMathsAstro]

Thank YOU! :D

[@denodan]

A great review, and the portability alone and low cost makes it a worth with purchase. Going overseas next month so ideal to take with me as carryon baggage. he develops are also very positive and much better app is coming. Love my Dwarf 2 and for a tiny scope works well within its limits of course

[@SarahMathsAstro]

Thank you, Dennis! It's great to hear that you're enjoying your Dwarf 2 - a trusty little companion it sounds like.

[@bofblog]

Great video and review of this new aspect in a astro photography tech. Yes I agree, astro photography went though a surge of interest though Covid lockdown in the UK in 2022 with more free time and an unusual run of good weather and I think also inspired by videos though some more as an art form than a deeper interest in astronomy time Love the Book comparison too....an classic book and movie

[@SarahMathsAstro]

Thank you, Les! I think you're 100% right on all of the above ^. It'll be interesting to see where astrophotography continues to go. Also, yes, the book and movie are favorites.

[@edward_dantonio]

Thank you for your wonderful presentation and review of the Dwarf II. I wanted to ask one question. Is there a book at Barnes and Noble I could buy that has good photos of the nebulae that are cataloged in the Dwarf II objects lising?

[@SarahMathsAstro]

Hi Edward, thank you for your kind words. A book I find really great for astrophotography targets is called "The 100 Best Astrophotography Targets: A Monthly Guide for CCD Imaging with Amateur Telescopes" by Ruben Kier. This is primarily for celestial targets in the northern hemisphere. I believe many of the targets in the book are also included in the DWARFLAB app's object listing. The book includes images of targets, imaging details, and information about the target itself. Hope this helps!

[@edward_dantonio]

@@SarahMathsAstro // Hi Sarah, thanks a lot! I’ll go ahead and place an order on that. Sincerely, Edward

[@SarahMathsAstro]

@edward_dantonio you’re very welcome! It’s an older book, but I think it’s still very insightful and relevant.

[@maaamaaa7264]

Well, thank you for this wonderful product. There is a very, very important question for me before purchasing: Can this telescope be an alternative to the Nikon P1000 camera in order to obtain a 125x zoom for photographing distant places? How much is the optical zoom and digital zoom of this telescope.

[@SarahMathsAstro]

I don't have direct experience with the Nikon P1000 but in terms of focal length, no, the DWARF II will not compare. It has a significantly shorter effective focal length at around 675mm when paring the telephoto lens' 100mm focal length to the sensor size of the SONY IMX571.

[@lensoffrey]

Great video! Very informative. I love mine so much I ended up with 2! lol. I've enjoyed using it very much over the past couple months. It's just so easy to set and move around I find myself grabbing it over my larger set ups. Definitely subbed and looking forward to more!

[@SarahMathsAstro]

Oh, wow! That's awesome! I bet that's really fun having two. I'm glad you're enjoying them! Also, thank you for the kind words and for your support. Clear skies!

[@thejll]

Very nice review! I liked the Moon image you showed - you could see the earthshine! Any chance that you imaged the Moon with no overexposure of the bright side - and brought out the earthshine side in the stacked final image?

[@SarahMathsAstro]

Thanks, Peter! I did not :/

[@BeckyA59]

Very helpful up to a point. I've had this thing for a couple of years znd never been able to figure it out. Now I seem to have it working but apparently I need to download an Atlas to find anything and it just - won't. I have found this a very frustrating experience because the information is so limited and things just don't work

[@SarahMathsAstro]

I’m sorry that you’ve experienced all of this. I’m guessing you’ve reached out to DWARFLAB? I’m wondering if there is a malfunction with your specific unit.

[@martyn4501]

23:07 Claimed ability to track the Sun; what does that mean, "was able to track the Sun". What kind of tracking is required for this video of the Sun?

[@SarahMathsAstro]

Great question! When the DWARF II is in Astro mode, it can track objects in the night sky via the stars (using star tracking algorithms similar to ones satellites use to orient themselves in space), but during the day, you wouldn't be able to use the Astro mode to track something because it can't see any stars (other than our Sun). For the versions of the app that I tested the DWARF II on for this video, a workaround I found for tracking the Sun was to use the DWARF II in the Photo mode or Video mode and use their AI tracking feature (for birds, and other objects in motion - this is a different algorithm from the Astro mode tracking method). However, DWARFLAB, the creator and developer released a new software update for the DWARF II recently that has a dedicated Sun tracking feature now. I haven't used that one yet, but have heard good things. I still was able to successfully track the Sun with the older versions of the app is my point in this video.

[@martyn4501]

@@SarahMathsAstro This is not answering my question, sorry. In the case of focus tracking on the bird, it keeps the focus on the bird when the bird moves through the frame. That's easy to understand. When "tracking" the Sun, do you mean that the mount of the telescope can move the telescope such that the Sun stays in the frame? What kind of tracking are you talking about?

[@SarahMathsAstro]

Apologies. Yes, I used the same tracking feature/ mechanism to track the Sun as you would use for tracking a bird in motion. So, yes, the mount and telescope tracked the Sun so it stayed in the frame.

[@sheep.herder]

your review, which blew me _away!_

[@SarahMathsAstro]

I'm so glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for watching it.

[@BryanSalesDP]

Very detailed review! Good job!

[@SarahMathsAstro]

Many thanks, Bryan!

[@davidjgburnett]

Hi Sara, fascinating and thorough review as always. What a great piece of kit. Ive just lashed out on a mirrorless camera and will be borrowing a tracking device so i guess ill be doing it the hard way. Very tempting nevertheless.

[@SarahMathsAstro]

Hi there, thank you for the kind words. It's a nifty little device and I think it's signaling a positive direction for more accessible astronomy. I think the route you're taking is a wonderful one though - you can't go wrong with a mirrorless camera and a tracking device. You learn a ton about the fundamentals of the night sky and photography that way. Wishing you all the best in your journey!

[@Blatto001]

Loved the review! The added night mask was hilarious. I missed the special pricing but can't wait to get one. Thank you for the excellent review🎉 I wonder if a Stellarium plug-in could be made to allow the app to slew new objectives. That would greatly expand the database. But collaboration would be needed.

[@SarahMathsAstro]

Thank you, haha! I figured telescopes needed night masks, too :) oh, yes! Great point. I'm hopeful of some sort of integration/update on the DWARFLAB-side of things regarding a planetarium app/ feature. Appreciate the input! Cheers

[@Dwarf-Encounters]

@@SarahMathsAstro They (Dwarf Lab) said that there is a high demand for a planetarium app like Sky Safari Pro. They have many scope support. That would be a first start with software engineers . Ron & Maryellen.....

[@antn8387]

I really love the Dwarf 2 smart telescope.

[@SarahMathsAstro]

So glad to hear it! It's a neat little device.

[@implausibleblog]

Excellent introduction. Thanks. Do you have a selection of photos you have from the device online somewhere?

[@SarahMathsAstro]

Thank you! I do have a selection of additional photos and videos on this Google Drive here: drive.google.com/drive/folders/1qjqD6-rYJ1Tp0GsMIfWr9Mwl5-n27hsO?usp=sharing A couple of notes: the Google Drive link contains subfolders with daytime videos of the Sun and Moon (.mp4), daytime photos of the Sun and Moon (.jpeg), and DSO - Live Stacked images (.png) from the app with their accompanying JSON file that depicts the sub exposure lengths, gain values, binning, # of stacked frames, etc. A note about the DSO - Live Stacked images, the subexposures are either .tiff or .fits but the final stacked image posted is from the live stacking feature in the app that is saved as a .png. Also, most of these were taken at exposure lengths under 15 seconds, so there is significant walking noise in them because the Astro Dark frames are only optimized for light frames taken at 15 seconds at various Gain values. The only one that shouldn't have this type of noise is M42 - Orion Nebula because the light frames were taken at 15 seconds and so the dark frames match the exposure and gain values. Also, these were all taken from a Bortle 7/8 location (lots of light pollution) and without the light pollution filter. They only have the default linear stretch applied to them from the app.

[@implausibleblog]

@@SarahMathsAstro Just had a look. Are these the standard of photo/images typically from the device? Or is it possible to get clearer images from it? - I suppose given it's size it does have limitations...

[@heliman29]

You should definitely do a review of the Vespera II. That sucker is awesome!

[@SarahMathsAstro]

Glad you like it! I’ll try to get one to test :)

[@Dwarf-Encounters]

Sarah, which direction does the notches on the baseplate face? North or south? Thanks. Ron & Maryellen 😊

[@SarahMathsAstro]

Hi Ron & Maryellen, I went ahead and answered on one of your other comments. Please let me know if the guidance helps :D best of luck!

[@mamertobernal4460]

Just found your channel as a suggested view from YT. Thank you for the best presentation of the dwarf 2 that I have seen. Still on the fence on this gadget but impressed. Waiting for a detailed shoot out between Dwarf2 and the ZWO Seestar before making a decision. Quick questions if I may ? Prints, what do the prints look like. The job is not finished unit the print is dry. I have an Epson ET8550 with a hybrid ink set, Dye and Pigment inks. Have asked several reviewers but no one talks (or wants to talk) about prints. Just a guess that a finished image would need upscaling to work at A3/A3+ ? 2nd question Memory cards. Do you know if Dwarf2 has a limit to the size of memory card that it can read. E.G. My camera will read larger size cards than my current phone. My phone will read 32gb cards not tried a 64gb. My previous phone would only read 32gb max. I have larger cards 128gb and 256gb for the camera. Just thinking :) Thanks again, p.s. New sub to your channel.

[@SarahMathsAstro]

Thanks for taking the time to watch and thanks for your questions. Also, many thanks for the kind words and for subscribing to the channel :) I am currently testing the Seestar and hope to have a review of it out soon. I still haven't decided if that video will include a shootout with the DWARF II or if the comparison of the two will be in a separate video. Printing-wise, I haven't had any prints produced from the DWARF II. Given the 8MP, I don't think the resolution would look great in prints like you would get from a regular DSLR/ Mirrorless camera and a camera lens. So, just something to keep in mind. But, who knows, maybe they would look fine with certain astro targets. If I come across someone's video or some other posting about someone making prints from the DWARF II, I will follow up! To your second question, I believe the maximum sized memory card it can take is up to 512GB. Hope these answers helps! Wishing you all the best.

[@dronehobby2399]

Can you use the wide angle lens to take a picture of the night sky. In South Africa, I would like to take a picture of the hole milky way. Is there simpler ways to understand the groups of stars, like bigginers guid to stars

[@SarahMathsAstro]

You could, yes. You would just need to use it in the 'Photo' mode, and that mode doesn't have 'GoTo' functionality where it will go to an area of the night sky that you choose and track it. So you'll have to locate the part of the Milky Way that you want in your frame, manually. But along this line and in relation to your last question, you can use a planetarium app like Stellarium on your phone to locate that are and it also has information on different parts of the night sky.