Stellarvue 50mm Photographic Guidescope Review

The Stellarvue 50mm Photographic Guidescope is an excellent choice for wide-field imaging systems. I've used this Guidescope on the Celestron RASA 8 (400mm f.l.) and Explore Scientific ED80CF (480mm) focal length with good results and excellent stability.
The machining on this guidescope is fantastic (as you would expect from Stellarvue) and it clamps into the Stellarvue rings and finder-shoe with ease. The helical focuser is buttery smooth and locks in well to maintain your focus night over night.
Additionally, the guidescope can also be used as a straight-through finderscope by simply adding the included 10mm extension tube.
All in all this is a great guidescope and I highly recommend it!
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[@ceciliaperez-benitoa26]

Thank you for the review. I have the same Stellarvue guide scope and my first night was also a disaster. I didn’t realize it had the extension tube, until I saw your video. Thanks! Will try again tonight and praying for better results.

[@goatsuukerhill]

Thanks. I have used the SV 50 as a finder up to now. Yesterday I have pared it up with a asi290mm mini to enter the world of guiding. I hope to get phd2 going tonight for a test run. Warren

[@AstroBlender]

Good luck and clear skies!

[@goatsuukerhill]

@@AstroBlender So far no good. Phd2 has not improved tracking from the 50-60% bad subs that I get with out guiding. Weight may be a problem. My imaging rig weighs 26-29# and is perched on the AVX with a 30# payload.

[@AstroBlender]

Yeah the rule of thumb in astrophotography is you don’t exceed 50% of your mount capacity. My RASA is 27 lbs and my CGX holds 5lbs, so I’m right at it’s limit.

[@goatsuukerhill]

@@AstroBlender Testing my guiding tonight with a 4# rig (210mm guidescope,asi290mm mini & eos800d) showed no better RMS than with the 26# rig ( 2-12). Guide assistant offered no real help. I guess I am stuck with 60” exposures.

[@jimwaters304]

I have two of these scopes. Both are used as guide scopes. As a guide scope they are average in relation to others and have issues. The helical focuser wiggles side-to-side causing image shift in the auto-guider and results in tracking errors. There’s only one lock-down thumb screw for auto-guiders that 'slip' into the focuser. Using one screw will not lock the auto-guider in-place and it may wiggle too. The lenses are basic doublets and have some edge distortions. Depending how bad the above issues are guiding can be very problematic. I suggest you investigate these issues and take a look at the Sky-Watcher 50mm ED guide scope.

[@Nick-we7lf]

Clearly you got a bad verison of this as mine is solid with non of the issues you mention. You should probably return it. Sounds like you did not realize you got a dud !

[@whatmattersmost6725]

Slymin, I got the knockoff guide scope and seams good. Does not come with that 10mm ext ring but 2 52mm camera filters will do the same and you can remove or break the glass for a cheap ext tube. Also you could remove that Stellarvue dovetail mount and use a regular vixen dovetail mount and use both as it should work fine! $12 on eBay.

[@alexkerr306]

Evening from Scotland..Cool.

[@EmeraldHillsSkies]

Thanks for your work in this Slymin. Would you confirm - the Finder Scope Rings for mounting to an 8-inch RAS would be the R050 ST kit then??? If so, i don’t suppose you know what screws/length we need to fasten this to the scope????? @AstroBlender

[@Martinreij]

Hello and thanks for your video. I saw you using this scope on a SCT. But your closing sentence states it would be suitable for short focal length telescopes. Do you think it would suit a celestron C8 Ota?

[@Chaitanya_karkase]

Hi bro iam your all videos watch I love it your video Full support 💪 ❤️ bro Love you from india ❤️

[@GalaxyArtMedia]

Hello! Nice video. Do you know if this Guidescope has a good distance to be able to focus with a dslr camera?

[@mycarolinaskies]

That can also double as a right angle finder by not using the 10mm extension. Should fit a diagonal pretty easy in there. Could that shoe be ground back? I think if that angle was ground back just a bit then that shoe could be used for other accessories.

[@AstroBlender]

mycarolinaskies The shoe definitely could be ground back, but I know I’d probably do a poor job!

[@wizardz7938]

Loved it

[@khooper3667]

Thanks for the review. I've been looking to replace my current guide scope because there is noticeable side play in the helical focuser. How solid is the focuser on the Stellarvue?

[@nightsky8585]

Looking for a guide scope and I noticed that the rigs and scope are sold separately, that and you don't seem to carry these on your web site.

[@evastronomy8048]

Nice vid slymin, I have a nexstar 8se and a rt imx224 camera I will use as guide camera, which guide scope would be better for me, 50mm or 60mm guide scope, thanks for your help. Clear skies

[@AstroBlender]

With a C8, I’d say the longer the focal length of the Guidescope the better.

[@evastronomy8048]

@@AstroBlender sorry, forgot to mention, even with a focal reducer?...thanks a lot for your help

[@BRP42]

Is there a model number for this guide scope?

[@AstroBlender]

Stellarvue F050G

[@DoomWalker42]

I just got a skywatcher heritage 130p telescope. Would it be worth it to get a guidescope for that telescope or is it too basic? Mainly for astrophotography. Are there any budget guidescopes I could get?

[@astroworks]

Hey Slymin, would you recommend this for a C14 with Faststar? OAG not an option obviously :)

[@AstroBlender]

What’s the focal length on that setup, about 800mm? If so it should work pretty well.

[@astroworks]

@@AstroBlender Yea its 715fl / 356 ape = F2 - Thanks for your help :)

[@astroworks]

@@AstroBlender Thanks for the help. The FL is 715. Finding it impossible to source that 50mm. What is the ideal relationship between the FL ratios - I have heard it is 1:3. Its very confusing :(

[@ForeverLearning]

Quick question - Did the Mounting Bracket for the Rear Casing come with the Guidescope. I'm waiting on mine to arrive, the dealer has sent me the 2 Ring Mounting Bracket, but it doesn't have an adapter to mount to the rear mirror casing

[@AstroBlender]

Forever Learning the rear casing? Do you mean the finderscope shoe?

[@ForeverLearning]

@@AstroBlender No the Rear Mirror Housing ) Black Part on Back to Optical Tube - I'm going to switch to OAG to avoid this, plus I believe it may yield better results

[@Dudleydogg]

Did that Guide come with Rings or did you have to order Seperate.

[@AstroBlender]

Ordered them separate.

[@Dudleydogg]

@@AstroBlender I have also discovered this found the Rings but no one has this guider scope in stock. Still checking thanks for the reply

[@yenotiza]

can you use it with a diagonal as a 90° finderscope?

[@louboom5711]

I’ve seen it configured as a 90 finder, yes.

[@paulsil1705]

Would this be your choice for the nexstar 8se or would you stick with the Orion mini deluxe?

[@AstroBlender]

paulsil1705 if you’re shooting with the nexstar 8se at its native f/10 Id use an off axis guider on a GEM.

[@paulsil1705]

AstroBlender Thanks for your reply - I have the focus reducer to 6.3

[@Master0fDe5a5ter]

Did you guide your sc with 210mm focal ratio?

[@AstroBlender]

No. The SC was just a prop for the video. I guide my reduced f/6.3 SCT with a 600mm focal length.