SMART TELESCOPE BATTLE - WHICH is right for YOU? SAME Night - SAME Targets

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

So which is better? Seestar or Dwarf III? Let's go into the details! Also note that since filming, mosaic mode has been made available to the Dwarf III, although I haven't tested it yet! And ZWO is now officially working on equatorial mode for the S30/S50! My Patreon: www.patreon.com/cuivlazygeek My Merch Store: cuiv.myspreadshop.com/ For any affiliate link purchases, make sure to accept cookies if prompted! Also, browser plugin "Honey" may steal commissions from creators if you interact with it (even just clicking on "OK" to the "No coupons found" message)! Dwarf III Smart Telescope: bit.ly/3SyChXu (Dwarflab) or bit.ly/3B7aA3v (HPS) or tinyurl.com/y5r2pyjr (All Star Telescope) Get the Seestar S30: tinyurl.com/4yzvuzje or tinyurl.com/yfkawdd9 (ZWO) or bit.ly/3O7WvGc (Agena) or bit.ly/4hJ79AN (HPS) or tinyurl.com/3nznjk96 (FLO) or tinyurl.com/24xek2tz (Astroshop EU) or tinyurl.com/2kzy93v9 (All Star Telescope) Seestar S50 Smart Telescope: tinyurl.com/43r5pd6y (ZWO) or bit.ly/49mQhLJ (Agena) or bit.ly/45k7J1b (HPS) or tinyurl.com/2zanj43e (FLO) or tinyurl.com/227p6h97 (Astroshop EU) or tinyurl.com/b6ekdycr (All Star Telescope) S50 vs S30 video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/fJivc5qNmM2KjLs D3 Planning mode video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/Zp60lJ9jq7Wtlac D3 Equatorial mode video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/ZoG3f5uwZcl2h6s Amazon affiliate: amzn.to/49XTx01 Agena affiliate: bit.ly/3Om0hNG High Point Scientific affiliate: bit.ly/3lReu8R First Light Optics affiliate: tinyurl.com/yxd2jkr2 All-Star Telescope affiliate: bit.ly/3SCgVbV Astroshop eu Affiliate: tinyurl.com/2vafkax8

[@luboinchina3013]

A friendly tip for SeestarS50: If you want to avoid ugly corners, do live stack in mosaic mode 1.1x instead of standard 1x mode

[@anarkicio]

@@luboinchina3013 and you will take a very high rejection rate and Will late a lot in completing the mosaic due to the terrible spiral way It performs mosaics

[@jparth167]

Hi Cuiv, Very two good news, the mosaic mode on dwarf 3, and official eq mode for seestar

[@anarkicio]

@@luboinchina3013 and you will double time to get the same exposure time. Not recommended at all

[@yaeloe33]

Do you mean they are working on eq mode with seestar_alp or an actual eq mode for the official app?

[@chrisd0407]

Thanks Cuiv. I bow to your vast knowledge & always find your videos highly informative & entertaining. I don't think there is a smart telescope review of yours I haven't seen, some more than once.

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Thank you so much for your support!! Glad my videos are helpful!

[@PieroJones]

Awesome as always! Lazy Geek has been my guiding light in the journey from zero to astrophotography, even though I’m still a beginner. Using tools like the Dwarf2 and now the Dwarf3 - as shown in the video compared to more 'point-and-shoot' setups - is truly educational! You can definitely move on to more complex setups, whether refractors or reflectors, but mastering the fundamentals (alignment, calibration, focus, sensor management, and especially PROCESSING with specific software like Siril and PixInsight) is pure gold in terms of learning! So, hats off to the Dwarf for making all of this possible, and I’m sure even the more traditional systems will increasingly adopt automation, electronics, and AI agents as support tools!

[@GRILL332]

Great job as usual! Our club now has 5 members with Seestar. It’s great for public outreach. I worried that people would just think you looked up a picture on the internet. But actually people, esp kids, are so eager to look at a cell phone and you know they can actually see it, unlike an eyepiece. So as it builds you can point out the features it stacks. So eyeballs are for planets, smart telescopes are for the faint fuzzys.

[@macrobinson5457]

I am very much looking forward to the Seestar S100.

[@emilford]

Thanks! Your information is always clear and honest and to the point!

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Thank you for your support!!

[@dfijter]

Thank you, just the video I was looking for with everything I needed to finally decide. I just ordered the Dwarf with your link :)

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Thanks for your support! There's a long waiting list but I hope it works out well;

[@utopia113]

Great job and honest review that shows the pros and cons of each device. Only downside is that 5hr vs 3hr is a big difference for Orion. But the outer details of the dwarf impressed me. Thanks!

[@dagilliland]

Thanks for the D3 videos. You seem very experienced and you like the D3. I can't wait for my D3 (On the backlog list for end of February?)

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Thank you for your support!! Enjoy the D3 once you get it!

[@sianikolaou5440]

Thanks Cuiv, this was the comparison I needed! Now I need to wait and see how things inprove with the Seestar S50 in EQ mode.

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Hope they add it soon!

[@PhilW222]

I have had the S50 for 10 months and couldn’t be happier with this amazing scope - amd I hadn’t heard before that ZWO are actively developing EQ mode which is great news. I am sure that users of the D3 will be equally happy with their choice. It is so exciting to see this field developing so rapidly, it will be incredible what will be available in say 5 years time.

[@codyc.4830]

another amazing video. I purchased the s50 a couple weeks ago and I'm very pleased . I look forward to your videos. Thanks

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Glad you are enjoying the S50!

[@perry3928]

Hi Cuiv, and thanks for the comparison. I love my S50.

[@davehasenauer9935]

Thanks!

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Thank you for your support!!

[@officialuseonly1978]

Great video and insight on both devices. Each one scratches an itch. Just have to support one (or both) and understand the limitations and be encouraged they are constantly improving features.

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Well said!

[@spehrson]

20 years ago I clocked a lot of telescope time at the WIYN 0.9 m at Kitt Peak in grad school. All of my telescopes since then have been very low tech. These little machines seem like a chance to revisit my past. At least they don’t require LN2 cooling. Thanks for the information. I think I’d opt for the Seestar, I did a lot of mosaic imaging back then.

[@MbSchrum]

Thanks!

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Thank you for your support!!

[@gwzapo]

I'm actually using the Dwarf 3 these days as I received It late Nov. I've owned the Seestar S50 for just over a year. I think you highlighted the difference, strengths and weaknesses and agree with your presentation. I do wish the Seestar would add the schedule to its software. I love the schedule feature with the D3. Thank you again for this video!!!

[@mgscheue]

My S50 arrives today, UPS willing. I had an S30 on pre-order but the combination of wanting a telescope to use during my winter break, the current 10% discount on the S50, and your comparision video of the S30 and S50 pushed me into cancelling the pre-order and ordering the S50. I'm sure I'd like any of them but thanks for helping me make my decision. (I can kind of imagine getting a Dwarf III at some point, too.)

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Enjoy the S50, it's a really good little smart scope!

[@zalanv9490]

Thank you for the video! Finally a clear and concise comparison. I had a hard time deciding, but I ordered the Seestar a few weeks ago. Although I like the Dwarf's large field of view, I would rather photograph smaller objects than large ones. For me, details was more important, and they are much better with Seestar! Portability is not an issue for me but EQ and schedulability would be nice though.

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

I'm sure they'll add the scheduling soon! Enjoy the Seestar!

[@neilbryant9833]

Thanks Cuiv for another amazingly detailed and helpful video. I have had the s50 for six weeks and have imaged more objects, with better quality, than i did in decades before (going back to film!). So much less cumbersome than my big rig which i just use for solar system work now. I also have had the dwarf 3 on order since sept 2024. The s50 would be perfect EXCEPT for the lack of equatorial mode. This means i only get about a 30% frame capture rate, meaning even on a good night i can only get a max 2 hours per object. I only use the internal stack as my processing skills aren't great - the internal s50 denoise feature is excellent but trying the internal stack across many nights of data generally is unsuccessful, denoise fails too. I tried the EQ mode hack but the motors struggled and until it is officially supported, i wont be foing that again. The D3 would aldo be perfect, mainly because of the wider FOV and EQ mode (hence, hopefully a much higher successful frame capture %) BUT as yet No Denoise feature, so for someone like me that relies on the interal stacking process, im kind of stuck in limbo. Either way, the S50 has been an amazing adventure and all smart scopes have opened up the world of astrophotography to millions like never before. Thanks again Cuiv, much appreciated!😊

[@jacoblee679]

D3 has denoise, it's not bad! Although I prefer to download, track and process myself.

[@wyattclemente3547]

you know, I ordered mine in September, I also have a seestar. I love my seestar and I just really wanted more but without spending so much money. in specs the dwarf 3 is better but not in the fine detail they don't add. optics mainly, I canceled my order and bought a asi533mc pro, I am starting to get my astro rig together redcat51, asi533mc pro, asiairplus, and a lttle more. I think a seestar is a amazing gateway to the hobby for people who dont want to spend a grand for a astro rig. and Cuiv, I thank you so much for all your amazing videos, from smart telescopes to NINA to pixinsight you have been a amazing help and I always recommend you to people who want to learn.

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Thanks for this feedback mate, clear skies and happy holidays!

[@markdelamere9194]

Virtually same setup as me 533 and Redcat51

[@5teveL1]

Having done the big full eq set up, with different size scopes from the sharpstar 61, up to the 140, with filter wheels etc. I can see the attraction of the Dwarf labs. Now I have limited time & room to have a full set up, after watching a lot of reviews, I've made my mind up to buy the DL3. Thanks for all of your reviews.

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Hope it works out well for you!

[@chrisd0407]

I have a DWARF III on pre-order, my first smart telescope. The capture detail of the S50 is a little superior it appears, but the two killer features I went for in the DWARF are it's compactness & out of the box landscape mode which I much prefer to the S50s portrait mode. To add to that, equatorial mode which probably nailed my decision.

[@JohnMark61355]

Thank you.

[@AndreaHaku]

I had the Dwarf 3 since 10 days now and I absolutely love it. I had the Dwarf 2 and it was a not brainer immediate upgrade when it was out in pre-sale. Now it also has mosaic mode and it works very well. For the size, the quality and the features the Dwarf 3 has absolutely no competitors at the moment. I can easily put it in my backpack along with a small tripod and take images from wherever I want. Just so cool

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

It's such a cool scope!

[@HaraldKrause]

I couldn't decide in favour of one. I bought both. Thank for your nice video.

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Hahaha, when in doubt, just get both, I like it!

[@jacoblee679]

The video we've all been waiting for!

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Hope it's useful!

[@jeffryhartman1023]

Just the video I have been waiting on.

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Glad to help ☺️

[@back40observatory29]

Cuiv, I have been vacillating about this for some time. Your videos on the Dwarf 3 put me over the edge. I have some traveling coming up and the fact that this is EQ and so small, I couldn't resist and ordered through your link. They are on back order that along with the "New Kit and Rainy, Cloudy Night Phenomenon", I hope to have some photos by Spring. :)

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Hope you get clear skies once it actually arrives!

[@browerab]

I just got a Seestar S50 yesterday and I am already considering buying a Dwarf III as a companion to it. Thank you for the in-depth comparisons!

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

They're both excellent, and one being the companion of the other makes a lot of sense!

[@neilmartin9493]

Brilliant comparison across the board - it’s easy to see how difficult it is to choose only one! 😂 I’ve got experimentation to do with both devices - planning mode with DWARF 3 and mosaic mode with S50! ❤️🔭

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

And mosaic with D3 as well! It's available now, things move too fast 😂

[@Pm1366-w7q]

Great comparison nice job. Now I really understand the difference between these three smart telescopes

[@spacecadet6575]

I pre-ordered the Dwarf 3 for the EQ mode and all of the flexibility in programming the settings. Now, I just have to wait for it to arrive!

[@javierafeltra2840]

Great Job, nice video!! I'm on the waiting list for DIII. I'll receive it at some point.

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

I hope it works well for you and that it doesn't come with too many clouds!

[@jongreen2362]

Hey Cuiv, I see that you have the Astrophotography Manual! Hoping to get this for Christmas so hopefully it's a good book. Great video as always and hope you're keeping well.

[@mgscheue]

Got mine yesterday and it looks very good.

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

It's a great book :) 😁

[@adamgoodall3111]

Thanks for the detailed comparison Cuiv! My Dwarf 3 was delivered yesterday, and it looks like there is a 5 hour window of clear skies over northern England tonight, ready for a 1st light test!

[@johnkulczycki3021]

You should buy a lotto ticket ASAP with that kind of luck! LOL

[@romanieo]

Congrats!!! A kid in the candy-store that is the Universe.

[@Unholymoondog]

I'm in the SW, really looking forward to the window this evening, I'm all ready to go.

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

That's a lot of luck! Hope the first light went well!!

[@davebillybish]

Cuiv, there’s much hard work gone into making a really super video here showing all the many variations between the two makes of Smart telescope. Thanks! Last night was first light for my Dwarf 3 and the dwarf app and D3 performance was even better than I expected it to be and produced a very good picture of the Pleiades cluster with lots of nebulosity round the main stars after 2.5 hrs of exposure. It was a very enjoyable experience and I was so pleased at how well the app and telescope look after the user throughout the capture. It was worth the long wait of 6 long months to get it! Incidentally I updated the app recently but haven’t seen the mosaic mode yet that you mentioned above.

[@seanswales1813]

Hi Cuiv, I have the older Dwarf 2, which I love, and I can't justify upgrading to the 3, just yet. But it is so easy to use... I have a Meade, and Celestron, a 6 inch and a 4.5 inch goto's. They give much better views, once they were set up (especially planets of course). But... I can have the Dwarf 2 viewing in minutes, with multiple targets set up in the schedule, while I'm still getting my other scopes set up. Also, with the very patchy weather we have in England, with a cloudy sky with clear sky occasionally, I can chance it, and put the Dwarf out. Which I won't bother to do with my other telescopes, unless I Know, that I'll get at least a couple of hours of clear skies. I'm just to lazy.

[@Doesnotcare12]

I ordered my Dwarf 3 early September. The more and more I watched good people like yourself, I cancelled my order. I got my money back from Dwarflab within 20 minutes. The Dwarf 3 is amazing, but two reasons made me change my mind. One I actually like the smaller f.o.v and with the mosaic mode you can get a larger f.o.v . The Dwarf 3 will never be able to have a smaller f.o.v. Two I don't think my order and this is my fault, not Dwarflabs would be delivered until at least February and all of you guys producing great youtube videos and images made me want a scope in my hand now. Unfortunately, the weather hasn't played ball since delivery, but I have some good images with minimal time and data. I am happy with my Seestar S50 and I believe people who own a Dwarf 3 will be equally happy.

[@anarkicio]

Framing mode on Seestar sucks. Its rejection rate is too high and takes almost 2 hours in complete one which makes It pretty unusable

[@Doesnotcare12]

@anarkicio it seems everyone has different opinions. I got a good two,10 minute RAW videos of Jupiter last night before it clouded over.

[@anarkicio]

@@Doesnotcare12 framing mode is not related to planetary at all, and smart telescopes are pretty bad at it

[@Doesnotcare12]

@anarkicio ummmm I have stated what where?. I'll have my Seestar for nearly 3 months before I would receive my Dwarf3. Life is short and the reason I caved and changed to a Seestar S50 is that.

[@anarkicio]

@Doesnotcare12 You said you have a good júpiter raw video... You have not, It can not be made with a 50mm f5 apo... And nobody cares what you like.

[@spookysandwich1355]

WOW thanks so much Cuiv ive been so waiting for this video , funny enough yesterday i finally took the plunge and ordered the D3 then today you posted this video and at first i was worried about watching it after committing to buying the D3 , but i click play whilst hiding behind my pillow with one eye looking at the screen 🙈😂 As the video was playing both eyes started watching and i super pleased to say i am SOOOOOO glad i chose the D3 , your images are amazing Cuiv 10000000% it really blows the mind what these scopes can do / give it a couple years and i can see Dwarf will have autoguiding built in , and who knows one day it could even give current conventional scopes a run for their money REALLY exciting times , thanks again bud 🙏🙏🙏

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Congrats, hope you get it sooner rather than later! I'm waiting for a camera cooling option on those scopes 😂

[@jakubstupka2922]

Great video. Am waiting for my Dwarf3 to arrive in late February. Curious whether they will add something to it before sending. I live in Prague, CZ, so it´s going to be a bit of a challenge, lots of light pollution

[@jimbutcher9277]

I appreciate the video. Still waiting on my Dwarf 3. I went with the D3 for the option of terrestrial imaging as well as astrophotography.

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Hope you get it soon!

[@jimbutcher9277]

​@@CuivTheLazyGeekI hope. Reached out to Dwarflabs. Originally was supposed to be early this month. Now it maybe here in January. Chomping at the bit to give it a try. Right now living vicariously through all the review videos 😂

[@AstroMaggus]

Despite the pros and cons in regards to optics, software etc. for me (as also being an owner of the Dwarf 2 and a "real" Celestron SCT with an Astro Cam ;-) ) the advantage of the Dwarf 3 is the portability: It's very small and light compared to the S50, it fits easily into your hand luggage during a flight, so you can take it everywhere easily - and it still produces pictures at least comparable to much bigger, more expensive, not-so-easy to handle "serious" telescope systems 😃🔭🌠

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Yep!

[@mercury7]

Probably the most valuable info provided to me was the differences in s/n in mosaic mode, although I don’t have the s50, I use mosaic exclusively with my vespera and I don’t think I appreciated the impact on surrounding nebulosity…. But did note the difference when taking photos of same target with the dwarf 3 in eq mode. Dwarf 3 was clearly showing more of the outer bands of Triangulum faster and I did not really understand why… now I know

[@realgoose]

@@mercury7 could someone use mosaic several times to increase the “sweet spot” of the S50? Simply reorient the center of the image each mosaic and then stitch them together in post? It would increase the field of view as well?

[@mercury7]

@@realgoose I’m not positive how the Seestar works but on vespera it does count the number of passes, so at the end of the first pass the image is complete but you can continue for as many passes as you want… so eventually the outer third will enjoy the same snr as the inner third…. Just takes a while

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Yep mosaic mode simply has to spend time building a larger and larger picture, it simply can't spend as much time on a single area!

[@billvinson7859]

I think I will go for the Dwarf 3. Thanks for this insight. ❤

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

My pleasure!

[@GL29PA]

Excellent and very useful review, thanks xxx

[@barbaraharris6102]

I have had the S50 for about 4 months and love it. I love a lot of the qualities of the Dwarf 3, mainly EQ mode. For me the price is reasonable so I decided to own both. I placed an order for the Dwarf 3 about 6 weeks ago

[@BrianKushner]

Hopefully you get the Dwarf by summer. 16 week lead time is insane. Some people are waiting 7 months already..

[@barbaraharris6102]

@ At least I have other toys to play with while waiting!

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

They're very complimentary, but yeah the wait time will be long... Enjoy the S50 and the D3 in the future!!

[@HonestOne]

Field of view verse details. I'd love a vid on setting up each on to take pictures. Especially the dawf 3

[@alessandrofioretti2526]

Amazing video as always!!!

[@andyrichmond1858]

Excellent review. I’m a newbie to astrophotography and about to buy one of these amazing machines. Thank you.

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Glad this was helpful!

[@klaus-udokloppstedt6257]

I would go for the better optics of the S50 and would hope, that it's mechanics can hande an equatorial operation and that such mode comes with a future firmware update.

[@wilduc7302]

Great review and the choice isn’t easy…..zwo and dwarf lovers

[@artmorton3147]

Thank you!

[@mercury7]

Excellent, I think you covered everything well

[@kleedhamhobby]

Another extremely informative and well presented video. As you mention, just now it's a bit of a question as to what you can get. My first smart scope was a Celestron Origin (much more expensive, of course, and less portable), which I bought basically because one was in stock at a local scope shop. I have now finally obtained an S50, but I haven't had the chance to try it yet (no clear skies). As you note, the Dwarf 3 is on backorder everywhere. I can't observe from home (totally overhung with trees), so I have to go out into the country to work (mostly in frigid temperatures - Canada). This means that a planning mode is basically useless to me, as I'm always going to be out in the middle of nowhere with the scope, and I can't leave it. This will also make using the mosaic mode difficult, as it generates much more overhead in the capture time, which is rather grueling for me (but not as much as manually guiding, which I used to do). I'm really looking forward to trying the S50, and the info that you have provided will really help me. Meanwhile I'm processing what data I've managed to capture with the Origin, and waiting for some clear skies. I would like to try the Dwarf 3 as well, when it becomes available again. The S30 I wouldn't get myself... but I would recommend it, for example, to friends and family, especially those with children, as perhaps the best cheap introduction to astronomy (though I'm also a big fan of working binoculars).

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

How do you like the Origin??

[@kleedhamhobby]

@@CuivTheLazyGeek Hard to answer shortly. I'm definitely happy that I bought it. The F2.2 6" RASA tube can capture decent details quite quickly in a fairly dark sky. I do have to take it out to a remote site to work, and it's a bit heavy and awkward to manage for me at my age (72), especially in frigid Canadian Winter weather. I had some difficulty getting the Wifi to work properly; Celestron support did help me with that, and I ended up switching from Android to Apple, and adding a third party Wifi aerial to the scope (an option mentioned in an Appendix of the manual). So, I'd give it a thumbs up overall, but it's less something for beginners than the S50 (but at that price, I guess it's not meant to be). Would be great for demonstrations though.

[@AZGeek520]

Very cool that you have the shadow of the Horsehead Nebula cast on the S50 for the first 9 minutes or so of this video. 😂 Nice job on the comparison.

[@Alex000113]

Thx for another excellent review. Im waiting for my Dwarf3 to be delivered. I remember being amazed by my ETX's first grainy black&white image from the back yard. Im not sure people get that when looking at their phone screen. Smart telescopes are amazing value for money but I do wonder if these algorithms are making 'pretty pictures' rather than representing what is in the sky.

[@Chorge1972]

Not the first - but you know, I was exactly waiting for that video!!! 🤗

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Hope you enjoyed it!

[@Chorge1972]

@@CuivTheLazyGeek 100% - but still miss the feature to rotate the cam for better framing…

[@dcmedia66]

I would go for..... BOTH. I have the S50 at the moment and will get a D3 when available, as I believe they will compliment each other well.

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

They compliment each other very well, I agree!

[@justinbarkby3580]

Got a D2 and ordered a D3 back in Oct, cannot wait for the upgraded model

[@jamielong5877]

I was initially (when looking at all these kinds of reviews) going for S50, but I'm liking the fact that you have more choice with Dwarf3..and if you want more detail..just do more nights to stack the results!

[@anthonysuarez7416]

Great video! Thanks for the info. I have an S50 & I was thinking about buying a Dwarf3 to test out. I also wanted to use the Dwarf3's tracking feature to record video (from a high vantage point) in places where I can't fly a drone like US & Canadian National Parks

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

True! I don't really have the experience to test such video features, I think most people in National Parks use long poles/monopods with 360 cameras for a "drone-ish" look

[@anthonysuarez7416]

@@CuivTheLazyGeek I have an Insta360 that I have used in that way, but I am trying to cut down on carrying too many devices to the parks (especially when I'm on an ebike). An astro telescope/terrestrial tracking camera combo seems like a good idea to me (too bad the Dwarf3 doesn't have a mic port)

[@totoktpranoto4510]

Dwarf III availability: victim if its own success 😂 Great comparison anyway, thank you! I live in heavily light-polluted city of Jakarta and already own a Dwarf II for more than a year, and still having fun with it ✨🔭👍

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Awesome to hear! Hopefully you can get to dark skies from time to time?

[@totoktpranoto4510]

⁠@@CuivTheLazyGeek Sometimes I needed to go to the southern part of West Java, where dark skies is still available.

[@syl629]

Grand merci pour cette comparaison, mon cœur balance plus du cotée DWarflab 3 que j'ai d'ailleurs en possession mais pas encore eu l'occasion de le testé vue la météo que nous avons actuellement. 😉

[@andywolstenholme2822]

I own both, I rarely (if ever), use the Seestar. If I want better optics, I use my ,main astro rig. The Equatorial mode, portability and yes the software make the Dwarf3 a more enjoyable tool, and being able to use one of my good Camera Tripods and heads with it make it a no brainer for me to carry with my camera bag,

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Sounds fair to me!

[@ilko_Fl.]

After the Dwarf 2, it was clear to me that I had to buy the successor, the Dwarf 3. It arrived roughly six months later. Since then, there has only been one clear night. So, I’m hoping for better weather to make use of all the amazing features.

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Fingers crossed for more clear nights!

[@jacoblee679]

Same! Had one clear night the day it arrived. Desperate to imaging

[@TheCongratulationsChannel]

Well, if you order a Dwarf III it is more a Easter present. 😁 Waiting for my Dwarf...

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

True!!! The wait list is long!

[@bradhaakenson7226]

I had a Dwarf 3 and sold it (yeah, already). I've had an S50 for slightly over a year and still use it regularly. I made my choice.

[@spookysandwich1355]

🤯

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Whatever works!

[@rickmurray9289]

Cuiv, I have the S50, the D3 and the D2. I often take out the Seestar S50 and the Dwarf 3 at the same time to capture different objects, and sometimes, the same objects. BTW, after the DwarfLabs update, the Dwarf 3 now has mosaic mode, and it works quite differently from the Seestar's approach.

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

I need to test their mosaic mode! My guess is it works differently due to the official Eq mode, where it can be more efficient

[@jromc]

Which one would you say provide more satisfying results?

[@guyjordan8201]

Obviously, I need to buy both… Ha ha😅! I f the three I think the dwarf three would be my choice because of portability and field rotation. I do still wonder if they have a mega dwarf in planning… but the dwarf three would balance against a planetary rig very well. Merry Christmas Cuiv.

[@tomt8692]

I have been thinking about a smart scope from before the Dwarf 2 was launched. I think I'm gonna take the leap and get a Dwarf 3. I have a nice woodland area out my back where I can also use it for non astro stuff 👍👍

[@spookysandwich1355]

yeh thats awesome to be able to capture birds and deer ect and track them , i sold my HEQ5pro mount to fund the dwarf and although i havent got it yet i already know i made the right choice

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Nice, bird watching with the D3 seems to be a popular activity!

[@KevinRudd-w8s]

Hi Cuiv. I think if I buy one of these, I will go for the Dwarf Lab III for the same reasons that you give and also I already have an EQ Red Cat 51 grab and go set up that will do everything that the S50 can do ( though of course it did cost me considerably more money ). I really liked those images from the Dwarf III, especially the Christmas Tree cluster with the Cone Nebula, like you say for the money you can't argue with the result. Clear Skies.

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

I agree! The D3 is such a cool, tiny imaging platform :) And I was very happy with that Cone nebula image with just a few hours of integration time!

[@ClicksByLincoln]

Awesome video, Cuiv, as always. 👏 I ordered Drwaf 3 a while ago precisely because of its portability. It’s supposed to arrive tomorrow. By the way, if you don’t mind sharing, what’s the book (Astrophotography Manual) you have by the table?

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Hope it works out well for you! The book is good, although getting a bit dated on the PixInsight sections!

[@ClicksByLincoln]

@ thank you

[@Mike__B]

definitely makes me wonder how much can be "software updated" to make each better down the road. Where at the heart of both there's the hardware which puts a firm limit on what each telescope can actually do.

[@otrondal]

60 sec exposures in a dark sky makes the magic

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Oh yeah! Even 30s will work great from a dark zone

[@rambo_flight__ken9791]

Ont the D3 list myself (Jan25? Delivery). Have been using the delay to gain familiarity with the processing software using files provided online. I believe another short coming of the S50/S30 alt-azimuth mount is it may have more difficulty shooting near the Zenith which would add another factor to observation scheduling.

[@waheex]

Both look amazing and the review gives a great insight into the pros and cons of both devices. I have a Atik428ex and a canon 300mm lens on an astrotrack currently. It's great but takes time to setup up and this is something I have so little of. I have a rural bortle 4 site but the weather is awful so, I have just ordered the S50 and it is the easiest to operate. I may go for the vesprera at some point but the D3 also looks amazing for the price and the FOV is large If seestar can get an easy EQ mode, then they will nail it too.

[@peterlert3809]

Salut Cuiv! So far, I've been thrilled with my S50, both from light polluted SF Bay Area; and our summer cabin in Colorado at 2940m, Bortle 2 (sometimes even 1). I was tempted to add a Dwarf 3, but now I'll just wait to see how the ongoing "battle of the software updates" is going--it's an affordable way for both ZWO and DwarfLabs to continue competing. (I also have a C11 with astro modified Canon DSLR, but until I can pour a concrete pier my deck is too unstable for photography--at higher power I can see my heartbeat in the scope.)

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

I feel you on the heartbeat, when doing visual I had learned to have as slow of a heartbeat as possible, and to breathe deeply and slowly! s50 from B2 sounds amazing!

[@victorgraca9267]

Mosaic Mode already on Dwarf 3.

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Things move fast in the space! :)

[@cathyadams1797]

I sold my S50, as I prefer the dwarf 3. Field of view, eq mode, and I have the zwo asi678 camera for my planetary imaging on my other scopes and really like it. And the dwarf is fun to use! 😊

[@dobromirdragomirov5257]

sad, S50 is much better. :(

[@mgscheue]

@@dobromirdragomirov5257 Not according to this video. In some ways, yes, but I don't think that's very supportable as a blanket statement.

[@spookysandwich1355]

@@mgscheue i agree , i also think the D3 has far more to offer and hits the mark , i cant wait to get mine but i only ordered it yesterday , i might get it by xmas in a years time haha

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

I think they're great complements to one another, and I hope we get some sort of S50 Pro with a larger sensor at some point!

[@anarkicio]

S50 far much better

[@JohnRitson78]

Once one of them brings out at least a 90mm, I may be very tempted to sell up on my current set up, being an EQ6-Pro coupled with a Skywatcher Explorer 190MN DS Pro Maksutov as well as other ancillaries needed! I mentioned beforehand on your posts that these units are becoming so good and so portable with a lot less physical and mental hassle than setting up the above. I cannot believe what modern technology has brought to the forefront as this would never have even been considered when I started astronomy, in fact that was the days of film camera if you wanted to dare try astrophotography.

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

It's really amazing what those scopes can do now, and it will be even more amazing to see what they evolve into!

[@fr373969]

Thanks and great comparison, I opt for S30 for its price $350 vs S50 $450 for 2024 holiday price vs $500+ for dwarf 3, I’m completely new to this hobby so I want to get it cheap, beside software and image quality, S30 is smaller than S50 but it also has two lenses for landscaping mode for tracking animal, cars etc during hiking near city, drawf 3 also has it plus it has a panorama photo mode which Seestar doesn’t offer at all, but the higher price, availability and ease of use pushes me to Seestar S30

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Any of these will work great 😸

[@aviewfarfaraway8560]

After the video, I’m still uncertain which I would choose. What may be helpful would be to know how both perform OUTSIDE Tokyo, as some of the detail differences may not be as apparent in less light-polluted skies. Right this moment, I’m leaning a bit more towards the Dwarf III, what pulls me back towards the Seestar is that detail difference. If I knew that was less of a difference, the Dwarf III would be my “clear” winner. P.S. For reference, I mostly image in Bortle 2/3 skies.

[@blazedbuddy]

I recently bought the S50 I am very happy with my choice but I am very tempted by Dwarf III as a second smart scope lol

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

They're very complementary to one another to be honest :)

[@blazedbuddy]

@@CuivTheLazyGeek I think I will get one in April as birthday present to myself haha, I am currently taken mosaic of horsehead and flame nebula before the clouds roll in been terrible last month in north England thick clouds all night with odd hour gap at stupid o'clock

[@irishbogman]

Enjoyed that review Cuiv, most will go for the Dwarf 3 because of its portability but as a large Dobsonian light bucket owner I have no issues with the S50, especially as my main interest will be deep sky objects, I think that for the fuzzies out there the Seestar is possibly better, you might give your opinion, I have a Dwarf 3 on order but might just wait and see what Seestar comes up with next, I'm so envious of the software processing that you people have mastered.. Charles

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

My three hours PixInsight course on KZbin would put you on the same processing level ;) Overall for small faint fuzzies (planetary nebulae, galaxies) the S50 is better, for larger faint fuzzies the D3 is considerably better!

[@michaelatherton6055]

I have the Dwarf 2 and noticed a recent firmware update adds equatorial mode. So based on this, I would likely get the S50 for the narrower field of view adding a little flexibility to my hardware options. On any night I can see shooting with both against different targets.

[@realgoose]

Dwarflabs should create a lens mount to increase the magnification. With that sensor and a stronger magnification the details would be amazing.

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

I don't think it's possible, they would need to make it so the lens has a larger aperture, otherwise it will be meaningless, as it's already hitting the physical resolution limits of the optics...

[@realgoose]

@@CuivTheLazyGeek In photography it's possible to add a x2 or x3 magnifier to pretty much any lens. I did this with the most recent solar eclipse with great results. It is possible to add a magnifier to an iPhone's camera. It should be possible to do the same thing to the Dwarf III.

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

@@realgoose of course, but what I'm saying is that it wouldn't add more details, because you are already hitting the Dawes limit of the optics for the 35mm aperture size - so no matter how much your increase the focal length, you won't get much more details due to light diffraction!

[@Sanjiocom]

Would have been great to see impact of max exposure time on eq mode for D3 vs max exposure time on seestar in alt az

[@RogerTannen]

Man Cuiv... You make it difficult to make a decision! I am leaning towards the Seestar 50. I am quite the newbie amateur, but I do understand how the EQ mode would improve imaging. I need to watch your "Mosaic Video" next to see how that works and improves those images. Any idea how long it will take ZWO to come up with the EQ feature? And the same with "scheduling"? I believe those two features would make decision making between the two very simple! Unless the "Dwarf 4" that will show up in the future has a much larger aperture.

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Hahaha sorry about that! I assume EQ mode will be early 2025 for ZWO, but no idea! I get the feeling you are liking the Seestar details better - so wait until January and see whether EQ mode is supported!

[@FabioPegli]

I love my Dwarf2 and I hope thed Dwarf3 will be even better (when it arrives, at least!). But I like the better resolution of Seestar: I'm waiting for an updated one to have even more differences with Dwarf (a slightly larger aperture and focal lenght to capture all those smaller objects the D3 struggles with)

[@BenCo-l3u]

Planning mode is coming soon to the s50 and s30

[@Fossbear]

Waiting for my Dwarf 3 now even harder!

[@spookysandwich1355]

i hear ya mate , im even losing sleep over it like a 1st girlfriend haha so cant wait to get ahold of it

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Hope you get it soon!

[@MarcelBlattner]

Nice vid as usual. I ordered an S50 as I think it’s easier for demonstration purposes. BTW. What is the book on the left side of you - visible at the video.

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

The Astrophotography Manual by Chris Woodhouse

[@KylesAstrophotography]

Should mention that huge halo around the star at the bottom of m42 in the seestar s50 image. Looks like the dwarf 3 didn't have that issue as well.

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Right, well spotted!

[@Nathalieatleutig]

You are making it very hard, but I'm ordering the Dwarf 3

[@blenderbuch]

Thanks for the Christmas tree 😊 i cant see m31 and orion anymore as examples 😂

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Always good to have another example :)

[@josephtannenbaum8696]

I have an S50 and am on the waiting list for a Dwarf 3.

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Hope you enjoy it!

[@brizzle3903]

Alright I’m sold on the Seestar S50! Time to treat myself 😂

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Enjoy!

[@anttiautere3663]

That's a good battle. My choice now: Dwarf III. What will these manufactures do next? Howabout Equinox, Celestron? ~ 1000 $ smart scopes?

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Only time will tell!

[@DaveTidrick2]

I have a dwarf 3 being delivered tomorrow and I have a question based on my experience as a photographer. Do you think you could get more details to show from the dwarf 3 if you shot several sessions and made adjustments to the gain? Coming from a photography background I'm thinking along the lines of HDR photography where you can pick up details in highlights and shadows just by stacking several shots taken at different shutter speeds or changes to ISO. BTW loved all your videos covering these smart scopes

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Not so much - the D3 is already pushing the optical resolution limits of its aperture (Dawes limit)