Seestar S30 vs. S50: Which Smart Telescope Is Right for You?

[@rakitakhan]

I've had the S50 for about 45 days. I love it ! It doesn't replace my normal telescopes but it's a load of fun. I'll probably skip the S30 and wait for maybe a more powerful setup. Thx for the informative video !

[@Naztronomy]

Totally agree that these tiny scopes can't replace our regular gear. There's no way for it to compete with my 8" SCT on planets or smaller DSO (not yet at least). Glad you are enjoying the S50! Clear skies!

[@CarbonatedTurtle]

Thanks for the in-depth comparison. I was hoping I could use this for some planetary observing as well, but it sounds like neither is going to handle that very well. Everything else has me leaning towards the S30.

[@Naztronomy]

The S50 under better seeing conditions could yield better results but yeah, I wouldn't say either of these are fit for planets. I don't think there are any smart telescopes right now that can do planetary. Maybe one day! If the sky is clear tomorrow night, I'll do another live stream with the S30 so feel free to join and ask questions. And also on our discord (invite link is in the description).

[@wifjones5464]

Hi, thx for the nice comparison review. Really excellent! I have a question, can you connect the S30 to a projector or a TV via HDMI to view on a larger screen? Any instructions to do so? Thanks! Vittorio

[@Naztronomy]

Thank you! You can't connect the S30 directly to a screen but if you can project your phone or tablet to a TV, then you can just run the Seestar app there and project it. It's basically how I run my live streams.

[@petasyd]

Fantastic video, just what I was hoping to learn. Can you talk more about the S30 not being able to take Milky Way photos? I was hoping to take longer exposure tracking photos which used the summer Milky Way as a subject. thank you!

[@Naztronomy]

Thank you! The wide field camera on the S30 can't currently do any kind of long exposures. I believe the exposure length of each image there is 200ms which is not enough to be able to image the milky way. I also think that ZWO will release that functionality at some point because it should just be a software update. I hope they do it before the next Milky Way season! You can take images with the regular telescope/camera but you'd need a lot of frames to stitch together. Let me know if you have any questions. Happy to clarify.

[@Mike__B]

@@Naztronomy So it really doesn't take long exposures at all? It simply takes a series of images and adds up the intensity from each pixel? Is this due to noise issues with a cheaper sensor? or does this 'smart' telescope not actually track the sky at all?

[@Naztronomy]

@@Mike__B The wide field camera doesn't do long exposures yet, the telescope itself does 10, 20, or 30 sec exposures and then it live stacks those individual image. The telescope tracks the sky really well. Check out the standalone review of the S30 here for more info: kzbin.info/www/bejne/bWGqeGOHg6qigJI

[@ppcava]

Hey! Thank you for the video, it was really nice. Your mosaic animation resulted really handy to understand how mosaic mode works 😁 I would like to ask you a question about the comparison: I really like the fact that the S50 has better resolution and the field of view is not a problem because of mosaic mode for me. However I was wondering if the S50 would fit into a backpack to travel around with it… Also I am worried about the fact that S50 is older so ZWO could stop making firmware updates in the future…

[@Naztronomy]

Glad the video was helpful! The S50 itself should fit into a backpack and at its smallest, the dimensions are 142.5 x 130 x 257mm. You should measure out how that'll be in your backpack. I've taken it in a carryon luggage in the past in between my clothes and it fit pretty well. I have not tried a backpack but hopefully the dimensions help you decide. Let me know if you want me to check anything for you. As for firmware updates, as long as the hardware is good, ZWO will continue to do updates. There's no end of life planned at this point and I'm sure we'll get at least a few years notice so I don't think it's something to worry about right now.

[@ppcava]

@@Naztronomy Okay, thank you for your answer! :) So do you think the increase in image quality (?) and resolution is worth the decrease in portability and the higher price?

[@Naztronomy]

I think it depends on what you want to do. If you want to able to take images of finer details then the resolution and higher price is worth it. But if you don't care as much or you're planning to image objects where the resolution won't really matter (e.g. large nebulae) then the S30 would be better. I do a lot of outreach and I find the S30 to fit my needs better. Not for the portability but the larger field of view makes imaging certain thing sin the sky much easier like the andromeda galaxy or heart nebula. I don't know if this answers your question or confuses you more 😬

[@ppcava]

@@Naztronomy Yeah! It’s everything pretty clear! It is a hard choice though 😅 Thank you very much. I appreciate your help!

[@bobcarn]

That was a nice comparison. I have the S50. I'm hoping they can do things with software updates to give it the auto-leveling compensation of the S30. I do a better job of leveling it now (I bought a device that lets me fine-tune the leveling), but it still would be nice to not have to worry about it so much.

[@Naztronomy]

Thanks and I agree, that would give the S50 an amazing upgrade.

[@BigPoppa-t3z]

They got a big update to get s50 to capture wider pics

[@Naztronomy]

@@BigPoppa-t3z That update has been out for a couple of months. The last update fixes a few bugs that were unintentionally introduced in the mosaic update.

[@ChiragGohil]

Thanks great Comparisions, can Planetary photography better with future update on S30 ?

[@Naztronomy]

Probably not, the optics are just too small for planetary. I'm working on a video now going over what makes a good planetary telescope, you'll be able to see the size difference against the S30.

[@JC-tx1pd]

is this a good product for day photografy? Or do you recomend another producy to use with a smartphone?

[@Naztronomy]

I think they're good for day photography, especially if you're looking for something you can control with your smart phone and look far away. I tested the S30 looking at far away buildings in NYC a few weeks ago, worked flawlessly and the quality was pretty good. But a regular camera with an actual lens will still do a lot better. But if you're looking for phone control with telescopic views then either Seestars should be good.

[@JC-tx1pd]

@@Naztronomy Yes, it's more for landscape photo. Being able to photograph across a valley, from one side to the other, a waterfall or other element present.

[@Naztronomy]

Ah cool! Maybe this website will help figure out what it may look like: optics.fujifilm.com/security/simulator/index_en.html The S30 has a focal length of 150mm so if you plug that in along with the object distance, you'll get an idea of how it'll look. The Model 'D60x16.7' comes closest in terms of sensor size. They only have 3 targets (human, car, and boat) but maybe this will help figure out if the view will be close enough for you.

[@stuffybroz7936]

i bought an S30 as my first beginner smart telescope. is it worth the purchase?

[@Naztronomy]

I think it's definitely worth the purchase! I should have mentioned it in the video but I think you can't make a wrong choice with the Seestars. They both have their advantages and disadvantages over each other but so do every other system. Congrats on your purchase!

[@stuffybroz7936]

@ thank you! This video helped me understand the how these little machines really function! I can’t wait to receive mine!!

[@ShayMagen]

Looks like they just released the new noise reduction feature.. I don't see any toggle or control on the app.

[@Naztronomy]

Ahhh Yeah, my app updated as soon as I was done editing this video last night. I'm hoping to do a live stream later tonight if the weather complies so I'll test it out then. Sad to hear that there's no control. Thank you for sharing!

[@BigPoppa-t3z]

Also the update gives the s50.can capture more of the sky than before

[@casanwar1414]

I opted for the S30 over S50. First scope, cheaper, smaller & wider native view. Both not good for planetary viewing so will need to go much bigger & upgrade to a full rig to capture more detail. Tried to push the S30 to the limit with M74 , got a smudge. Even a smudge is amazing from a £370 scope, 32 million light years !!!...asking a bit to much from the little fella 😄

[@Naztronomy]

I love your enthusiasm and I totally agree that even a smudge can be amazing :) Just need to start post-processing and I bet you can make it look even better. Clear skies!

[@Vindroid-g6p]

@@Naztronomy do you have m74 as seen from s50?

[@Jay_J]

I wonder if they'll tease an S70 or S90 Seestar at CES 2025?

[@Naztronomy]

That would be cool! I hope I'm wrong but I doubt it because I think ZWO is trying to create products to appeal to the masses. Larger Seestars will have a narrower customer-base. Just a guess but we'll see. If I hear anything differently ahead of time, I'll post it somewhere.

[@happyfeet5338]

Great review ! I am planning to buy my first smart telescope. I understand that the S30 wide angle lens can’t be used to take a picture of the Milky Way like the Dwarf 3 can. Is this correct? However, can I use the S30 in Mosaic Mode or take several pictures and stitch them together using a different software to get a picture of the full Milky Way. Please let me know so that I can make up my decision whether to buy the S30 or D3, although there is a price difference.

[@Naztronomy]

Thank you and awesome! And you are correct about the wide angle lens. When I asked ZWO about using the lens for Milky Way, the answer made me believe that the feature will be coming in the future. So hopefully they do it before the next Milky Way season. And also correct, you can use the mosaic mode to take pictures and stitch them together. 150mm focal length is still pretty zoomed in so you may need a lot of individual frames. But I can totally see someone doing it for small regions of the milky way at a time. I currently have no experience with the D3 (or any Dwarf lab products) so I can't comment on the differences. I'm trying to get my hands on the D3 now because a lot of people have been asking me about it but I believe they are currently backordered to at least the end of January. So aside from the price difference, you'll probably get the S30 weeks (if not months) before the D3. I reached out to Dwarflab for more information and to see if I can maybe move on up the list 😁 if that happens, you can bet I'll do a comparison video between these two. Let me know if you have more questions, happy to answer!

[@happyfeet5338]

​@Naztronomy thank you for insights

[@happyfeet5338]

I am told that I can use a power bank to charge the S30 if I want to let it operate longer than 6 hours. Could you tell me what should be the specifications of the power bank for it to charge the S30 whilst in use? Thanks

[@Naztronomy]

Yep, you can use any power bank that can provide 2A of current. When I'm not home, I use something like this: amzn.to/3Z6PXwE - works pretty well when the dew heater isn't on. When the dew heater is on, the charge goes down but it goes down slower. And when I can, I use something like this Jackery, with the wall outlet, I can get a good amount of power where it'll charge the Seestar faster than it drains: amzn.to/498eJ44 If you watch my latest live stream, you'll notice that the charge stayed at 100%. I had it plugged into a Jackery.

[@Matthewgarz-xb6rl]

Isnt the Celestron origin a smart telescope?

[@Naztronomy]

Yep, it is!

[@Ando22RE]

I really hope they allow Milky Way photography with the wide angle. It will be the complete packing and a 1Up on the dwarf 3.

[@Naztronomy]

Yeah totally agree. ZWO hasn't told me anything for certain but their answer makes me believe it's coming. Just hope it comes before next milky way season.

[@Dominian1]

Probably a copyright issue with the Mars company. I'll see myself out.

[@Naztronomy]

@@Dominian1 Could be because I'm really tired but I found this comment hilarious 🤣

[@tma2001]

Are they going to add a night plan schedule mode ? I'm surprised it isn't standard already as they also make the ASIAir.

[@Naztronomy]

I hope they do, it's one of the features I requested but I'm not sure how high it is in their priorities list. It would certainly make things a lot easier.

[@tma2001]

@@Naztronomy now that Dwarflab have released theirs in beta, hopefully it should pressure ZWO to do the same.

[@martinezq1]

can you compare both with dwarf 3?

[@Naztronomy]

I'm trying to get my hands on one now. As soon as I get one, you can expect a comparison. Let me know if you have any specific questions I should look to answer.

[@keithpenfold9151]

I am looking to get one of these, however I am unsure about the app. My smart phone is a Samsung Galaxy A12 with 4 GB of memory does anyone know if this would work? I did try and contact the manufacturer but no reply.

[@Naztronomy]

Yep, it'll work. All of the capture and processing happens on the Seestar itself so your phone will barely use any resources. Let me know if you have more questions. And consider using one of my affiliate links if you are ordering :) Clear skies!

[@Vindroid-g6p]

Can the newer image sensor compensate enough for the lower aperture shortcomings?

[@Naztronomy]

Which lower aperture shortcomings are you speaking of?

[@Vindroid-g6p]

@Naztronomy lower aperture, less light gathered

[@zygmuntziokowski7877]

Thanks for the video, I have 6" SCT and what kind of camera you use to get that shoot of the Jupiter? Thanks!

[@Naztronomy]

I used an ASI 533MC Pro for that. But I've also used a DSLR in the past. I have a couple of videos showing my setup if you're curious: kzbin.info/www/bejne/mH68k6mmqsxgmLc kzbin.info/www/bejne/l5eam2x7mch1iNU

[@SKANDaR0875]

If you had to keep only one which one would keep?

[@Naztronomy]

Since I do a ton of outreach, I think the S30 is better suited for me because it's easier to set up and t he wide field is perfect for certain objects that I usually target. Although I'll miss the closer views of the moon with the S50 which has been a fun target to show people thus far.

[@toygaryagci]

rectangular rectangle :)

[@Naztronomy]

I have a way with the words 😁

[@matsfrommusic]

If you want to buy a non Chinese smart telescope, are there any comparable options on the market?

[@Naztronomy]

The Dwarf is probably the closest. Costs around $500. I just got one for myself so I don't know too much about it yet but I'll be posting a video when I get a chance to test it out. There's the Vespera which I believe ships from France. Similar specs to the S50 but it costs more than $1500. Celestron Origin is a much faster system but it's around $4000.

[@matsfrommusic]

@@Naztronomy Thank you very much. Dwarf 3 seems like a very good option. I don't know anything about any of this but I'm starting to get a feeling that I will somehow grow bored if it's not instant or live so to speak, (I'm not remotely interested in making images)but I realize the price to get that is a little much. Then again these smart telescopes are perhaps the perfect starter kits.

[@Naztronomy]

I agree about these being the perfect starter kits! Great way to dip your toes into astrophotography. Best of luck with whatever you choose and feel free to reach out with more questions.

[@Vindroid-g6p]

@@Naztronomy what is the origin of dwarf products?

[@sandiwilliamson2764]

What is you opinion on the Dwarf 3 vs the s30

[@Naztronomy]

I'm getting my hands on the Dwarf 3 soon so I'll have to test it out first. Right now, I've only used the Seestars but stay tuned!

[@IndianaStones1]

I rather would have seen a bigger version 30/50 are really the absolute limit for deepsky. Actually i would say its a no go. The software must be a miracle worker.

[@BigPoppa-t3z]

I was gonna wait for s30 but i got a s50 for 389. Open box

[@Naztronomy]

Wow! That's a steal, congrats!

[@Vindroid-g6p]

Where did you get it, and was the condition OK?

[@davidaaaa4611]

None of these are right for me. I ordered a Dwarf Smart 3. Tried a Seestar and it would not work on my wi fi, so I sent it back.

[@Naztronomy]

Ah that's strange! Was it not working in Station Mode or could you not connect to it directly? Hope the Dwarf 3 treats you better! I'm trying to get my hands on one now.

[@davidaaaa4611]

@@Naztronomy Good Luck I have been waiting 2 weeks.

[@jeffslade1892]

1kg = 2.20462-lb. Just remember 2.2. Half a kilogram is not 1.5-lb it is 1.1-lb, Only the US is still using pounds, the other 95% of the world is happy with kilograms and for the main part has not a clue what pounds are.

[@cleverpete1]

I’m sure they don’t have the same pixel size ?

[@Naztronomy]

The pixel size is the same. Both are 2.9µm.