SeeStar/ZWO have essentially confirmed in the last few weeks that a seestar s50 pro is on the way. That one will probably perform better than the s30 pro due to improved sensor and larger aperture. Not sure how the compare to dwarflab. Answer from astrocomrade on reddit.com
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AstroForumSpace
astroforumspace.com › home › resources › telescopes › smart telescopes
Best Budget Smart Telescope in 2026 – Seestar (S30, S30 Pro & S50) vs Dwarf 3 and Mini – Wido's AstroForum
February 10, 2026 - At the time of writing, the S30 costs about $349, while the DWARF Mini comes in at $399. Moving up, the Seestar S50 is priced at $499, and the most expensive models in this comparison are the Seestar S30 Pro and the DWARF 3, both priced at $549 at the time of this video.
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AstroForumSpace
astroforumspace.com › home › resources › telescopes › smart telescopes
Dwarf III vs Seestar S30 vs S50: Best Budget Smart Telescope in 2025? – Wido's AstroForum
In this blog, we’re diving into a comparison of three budget-friendly smart telescopes. As of now, the Seestar S30 is the most affordable at just $349, while the Seestar S50 and Dwarf 3 are priced between $499 and $599, depending on where you shop and any import duties.
Discussions

Which is better? Seestar S30 pro, Dwarflab dwarf mini 3, Seestar S50?
SeeStar/ZWO have essentially confirmed in the last few weeks that a seestar s50 pro is on the way. That one will probably perform better than the s30 pro due to improved sensor and larger aperture. Not sure how the compare to dwarflab. More on reddit.com
🌐 r/telescopes
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April 27, 2026
Seestar S30 vs Seestar S50 vs Dwarf 3 - Smart Telescopes - Cloudy Nights
Hi all, for my first topic, I wanted to share a picture of NGC 1499 comparing what you can get with the Seestar S50 vs Seestar S30 vs Dwarf 3I have reviewed all of them for my blog and even if the Seestar S50 is the best in many aspects, the other two have also reasons to exists. The Dwarf 3 migh... More on cloudynights.com
🌐 cloudynights.com
November 15, 2025
Dwarf 3 or Seestar S50?
Also asking the same question, but for astrophotography since I’m leaving the country up to northern hemisphere so prolly travelling without my rig. Doing a bit of research on dwarf 3 (done enough for seestar already), I’d say dwarf 3 undeniably has a better sensor, but other criteria on astrophotography such as tracking accuracy and exposure time length is still pretty much still unknown to us. So I’d say give a bit of time for dwarf 3 for ppl to test out. If you can’t wait, I’d get a seestar for deep sky astrophotography (which I’m into) and dwarf 3 for widefield such as milkway photography. Also for portable dwarf wins. More on reddit.com
🌐 r/astrophotography
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July 29, 2024
Zwo Seestar S30 or Dwarf 3?
Maybe I'm biased but I much prefer the seestar app to the dwarf app. I have never once had a bad night with the seestar app can't say the same of the dwarf app. I'm not sure how heavily you should way the app portion, I'm sure familiarity is part of it. More on reddit.com
🌐 r/AskAstrophotography
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December 9, 2024
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Skies & Scopes
skiesandscopes.com › zwo-seestar-s30-pro-review
Seestar S30 Pro vs Dwarf 3 (plus S30, S50 & Dwarf Mini) — Skies & Scopes
January 9, 2026 - The Seestar S30 Pro is arguably the most versatile budget smart telescope of 2026. While it doesn’t replace the S50’s light-gathering power or the Dwarf 3’s resolution on small targets, it offers the most “complete” package for hobbyists.
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ScopeTrader
scopetrader.com › https://scopetrader.com/smart-telescope › https://scopetrader.com/dwarf-3-vs-seestar-s30-vs-s50-shootout!/
Dwarf 3 vs Seestar S30 vs S50 shootout!
April 1, 2025 - The Dwarf 3 uses a dual-lens telephoto design with similar glass properties. The Seestar S50 has the largest aperture at 50 mm, followed by the Dwarf 3 at 35 mm, and the Seestar S30 at 30 mm.
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Cloudy Nights
cloudynights.com › forums › astrophotography and sketching › smart telescopes
Seestar S30 vs Seestar S50 vs Dwarf 3 - Smart Telescopes - Cloudy Nights
November 15, 2025 - Hi all, for my first topic, I wanted to share a picture of NGC 1499 comparing what you can get with the Seestar S50 vs Seestar S30 vs Dwarf 3I have reviewed all of them for my blog and even if the Seestar S50 is the best in many aspects, the other two have also reasons to exists. The Dwarf 3 migh...
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YouTube
youtube.com › watch
Dwarf 3 vs. Seestar S30 & S50 | Best Budget Smart Telescope? - YouTube
In this video, I put three budget-friendly smart telescopes— the Dwarf 3, Seestar S30, and Seestar S50—to the test! Which one delivers the best astrophotogra...
Published   March 27, 2025
Find elsewhere
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Reddit
reddit.com › r/astrophotography › dwarf 3 or seestar s50?
r/astrophotography on Reddit: Dwarf 3 or Seestar S50?
July 29, 2024 -

I'm a novice to astrophotography and I've stumbled across the Dwarf and Seestar telescopes and I'm curious which one seems like a better buy? I own an Orion Starblast 4.5 dobsonian but there are a lot of limitations to this telescope, mainly that I live in a very light polluted area, it's not easy to transport, and has manual tracking. I have some physical limitations so having a portable scope to take pictures of deep sky objects with very little equipment is appealing to me. I've heard a lot of good things about the Seestar telescope, but the Dwarf 3 appears to have a tracking feature but is slightly more expensive. Any thoughts on this?

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Astrofaber
astrofaber.com › blogs › news › seestar-s30-vs-dwarf3-competitor-analysis
Seestar S30: A Competitor to DWARF 3, Not an S50 Replacement – Astrofaber
October 2, 2024 - This comparison supports the idea that ZWO is aiming to challenge the DWARF 3 directly, creating a more compact alternative that appeals to a broader audience than the Seestar S50’s niche market. While the S30’s full technical specifications have not been released, the emerging details suggest it will offer simplified features like mosaic mode, a smaller aperture, and a lower price than the S50.
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Reddit
reddit.com › r/askastrophotography › zwo seestar s30 or dwarf 3?
r/AskAstrophotography on Reddit: Zwo Seestar S30 or Dwarf 3?
December 9, 2024 -

Hello!

Over the past few weeks I’ve been going through the options of getting a digital telescope, due to being limited with portability and price, I’ve come down to the option between the dwarf 3 and the zwo seestar s30. I’ve heard great things about both of them but I don’t know which is actually better in practice. The 200€ gap between the two isn’t really a problem, but I do want to know that I’m getting the best possible option between the two.

Thanks to anyone reading and a great day to you all!

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Reddit
reddit.com › r/askastrophotography › dwarf 3 vs seestar s50
r/AskAstrophotography on Reddit: Dwarf 3 vs Seestar s50
November 14, 2025 -

OK before anyone gets upset, I know this has been asked here before, but the most recent thread that comes up on Google was from before the Dwarf 3 added mosaic and equatorial modes, which seems to have leveled the playing field by a lot.

Basically my situation is that I've got a decent entry-level planetary photography setup, with a 8 inch Dob and a ZWO-224MC, but between the focal length and sensor size of that setup, it's virtually useless for most DSO's.

Additionally, I'm looking for something a bit easier to use because having just had my first kid, I don't have as much time to spend on astro as I used to, and I'd like something that we can use a bit more interactively together so I can show him all the cool stuff that's out there. Which led me towards smart telescopes.

So, in a nutshell, I want it mostly for larger DSO's of the sort that I wouldn't be able to get with my existing setup, I'm not overly worried about planets. Moon shots would be cool, but not totally important. Mostly I'm looking for something for galaxies, nebula, etc.

As I understand it - the S50 will produce higher resolution images, but the Dwarf 3 has the wider field of view and better light collection from it's sensors.

The wider field of view kind of feels like a moot point given that the s50 has a mosaic mode, so I'm really not sure where that leaves me.. Ultimately the most important thing is the final picture quality, followed by target flexibility (excluding planets), with convenience of use being a close third. Ideally, what I'd really like in terms of convenience is being able to set it up, then sit with my son on my ipad/laptop and watch in "real-time" (read - every 10-30min depending on the target and the necessary exposure times and whatnot) all the various DSOs that are in position to see then.

Also - I believe these are the top 2 within the <$1000 price range, but if I've somehow missed another contender that beats out either of these two, I'm open to that as well

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I have both the S50 and the Dwarf 3. They complement each other. The S50 has a better app with an amazing star catalog. Its 50 mm aperture captures roughly twice as much light as the D3. The D3 has wider field of view which is better for larger nebula. But a lot of the objects you may want to image are smaller (galaxies and planetary nebulae) and the S50 is better for them. The D3 is more efficient at capturing data. Over a fixed time you should be able to get more stackable frames from the D3 than from the S50. The D3’s post processing is amazing. They upload your stacked image to their servers and perform several processing steps such as: background extraction, noise reduction and star reduction, often making beautiful images; and they then download the processed image to your phone and telescope. The S50 does AI noise reduction in the telescope, but not much else. Its processed images are improved and you can process an image multiple times during the capture process, helping you decide when to stop capturing. With the D3 you have to stop capturing before you can process your image. I think the difference in the optics between the S50 and D3 is more important than the sensor size. Also the mosaic mode on the S50 works very well, you just need proportionately more time. So IMO, the ability to image smaller objects with the S50 outweighs the D3’s larger field of view. To capture images, I have to take my scopes to a riverside park in New York City (no backyard). I can get both scopes set up in EQ mode in about 15 minutes and start imaging. Having both scopes allows me to make the best use of my time in the park. I’m very glad I have both. There are many YouTube videos about both scopes, how to image with them and how to process images they capture.
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Here's a comparison video that is worth your time: https://youtu.be/N6qaWP9ZiVk?si=8xrnsJBHEYgF00OM
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Reddit
reddit.com › r/askastrophotography › zwo seestar s50,s30, or something else?
r/AskAstrophotography on Reddit: ZWO Seestar s50,s30, or something else?
January 29, 2026 -

Hello!! I’m a high schooler just starting to get into astronomy and astro photography. I believe I want to do something in the field when i’m older and want to start learning more. I’m looking to purchase a relatively affordable but nice telescope. I was looking at the ZWO Seestars but had no clue whether to pick the s50 or s30. Or would a completely different brand or telescope be better?

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I think for your case, the main practical difference between the s50 and s30 will be the framing, the s50 is more "zoomed in" to use a nontechnical term - which is cool for smaller stuff, but it can make capturing big DSOs like Andromeda more difficult and time consuming. Overall I think most agree the s50 is better between the two for general use, but there are cases where the s30 will be better. Another to consider is the Dwarf 3 - I'm biased, because it's what I have, but after much research and consideration it's the one I went with. The biggest factor in my decision making process was the framing of the sensor and the field of view - it takes landscape shots as opposed to the seestars portrait shots, and the field of view is much wider than the s50, so it can capture big DSOs much more quickly and easily. Honestly though, you'll have a blast with any of the Seestar or Dwarf lineup - if you look at side by side comparisons online (tons of youtube reviews out there doing exactly that) you'll see that the difference between each scope are relatively tiny. With any of these scopes - you'll get way more quality from your captures by learning to process them properly than a tiny benefit from one scope vs the other would get you
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Welcome to the hobby! I think a SeeStar is a great way to get started. It takes a lot of the hassle out of larger rigs. Plus it's way more affordable. You won't get the super vibrant photos you see from $3000+ rigs, but it's easy to setup, uses your phone for most of the process and is easy to carry from place to place. Probably the SeeStar30 is a great choice IMHO. However, the 50 is pretty neat as well. Have fun! Go check out Astrobin.com. Do a search for Seestar and you'll see what others are shooting.
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Reddit
reddit.com › r/seestar › seestar s30 or s50?
r/seestar on Reddit: Seestar S30 or S50?
September 4, 2025 -

i wanted to start astrophotography for a long time and im thinking of purchasing my first telescope so some advice would be great! i studied a little on different types of telescopes and how they work just to get a brief idea and checked out a few different models.

i came across Seestar S30 & S50 and i thought they were really good for beginners though after conversion from USD to RM (malaysia) its quite pricey, S30 is about RM1600+ and S50 is RM2300+ i live in an urban area so bortle 8-9 class TT but i heard they have built in light pollution filters? ive also seen beautiful results from bortle 8-9 skies on this reddit and though not the best, i think they just require long hours stacking and exposure to achieve good pictures.

i really like these two telescopes but is it worth the price and which should i get? or are there similar ones good for astrophotography and for cheaper prices?

EDIT: thank you so much for all of your advices and taking the time to respond:)

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Reddit
reddit.com › r/askastrophotography › seestar s50 vs dwarf 3
r/AskAstrophotography on Reddit: Seestar S50 vs Dwarf 3
May 5, 2025 -

Let me start by saying I have spent hours reading every comparison out there and watching all good comparison videos on YouTube and I still cannot make my decision. I also have read the existing threads on here so I apologise if this seems repetitive but they didn’t seem to answer my specific questions, so here goes…

I know it’s a personal thing. Wider FOV and slightly less detail (Dwarf) vs smaller FOV and more detail(S50). Which is further complicated by the fact S50 now has mosaic mode and EQ mode - making them even more similar (although I don’t know how well the mosaic works with regards to noise on S50)

Stellar Studio which allows onboard post processing on the Dwarf is a pretty solid selling point for me- as I don’t foresee me spending an awful lot of time post processing on anything else (Siril, Pixinsight etc) I’ve googled and couldn’t find much on what onboard post processing the SeeStar offers if any? (Please advise if anyone knows?)

All of these ramblings boil down to one main question really. If you have had experience with both, which one would you choose if you could only afford one and your main goal was DSO photography? Any advice appreciated.

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I had the same dilemma recently and went with the S50. As you say, the mosaic and EQ modes for the S50 significantly diminish its drawbacks and it is readily available now. The clincher for me was that it's now galaxy season, and most targets are already pretty small on the S50. If I had the Dwarf 3 I know I'd be constantly comparing galaxies to the S50 and I'd regret my decision. One thing you haven't mentioned which is a huge positive for the Dwarf over the S50 is portability. I recently took my S50 on a flight and it either counts as your personal item / backpack or takes up half the space maybe more of your carry-on case (you can't put it into the hold due to the batteries). With a Dwarf 3 or S30 I could just chuck it in a bag whenever I want and not think twice about it. With the S50 I have to really want to take it and really plan it out. As for post processing, there is some. Very good AI de-noise, and standard contrast and saturation adjustments. It's nothing compared to stacking and processing yourself though. I'd love better in-app capabilities and I think it's going to be a major area of competition in the Smart Scope market, but I do enjoy learning the process on PC too. I don't know how this compares to Stellar Studio but I'd guess it's better than Seestar's app but still nowhere near what you can get through Siril, graxpert etc.
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S50 1000%. I have both don't use the dwarf, the dwarf 2,. Seestar is plug and play, the dwarf is set up and pray and then get frustrated
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Reddit
reddit.com › r/seestar › help with s30 v s50 decision
r/seestar on Reddit: Help with S30 v S50 decision
March 18, 2025 -

Hi all, I'm about to take my first step into astrophotography with either the S30 or S50. I keep flip-flopping between the two, as I love the small form factor and wide FoV of the S30, and I quite like the idea of seeing what a budget device like this capable of. At the same time the extra detail (and I assume wider range of targets) of the S50 is obviously very nice and tempting. Budget is not a consideration but I can only get one.

My thinking was that an S30 might be a nice entry into this new hobby and by the time I know if I've been truly bitten by the bug the successor to the S50 will finally be out, and it might be a nice companion device and stay more relevant.

However, I do want to put the S30 through its paces and that would mean using EQ mode. As far as I understand it, the stock S30 tripod isn't suitable but the stock S50 tripod just about is (with wedge and counterbalance). I do not own any other tripods. This raises the cost of the S30 and while budget is not a massive factor it seems like the S50 might be better value at this point.

Do I have that right, and do you have any other points that might tip the balance one way or the other? Thanks in advance and I look forward to joining in the fun soon!

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I've been through the exact same debate/decision over the last six months which concluded with ordering the S30 a few weeks ago. First off it is my opinion that you can't go wrong with either, especially as a beginner and just spending time here and some of the other forums and you can see the amazing results from both devices. Cost really wasn't a primary driver for me - I've considered investing in full scope/camera setup over the last few years in the $1500+ range but concluded the lower cost smart scope approach made more sense. As a beginner the ~$150 difference between the S30/S50 didn't carry much weight. My conclusion was based on the following: - Smaller size/weight was very appealing - I will be taking the unit with me when I travel including camping so the portability was a significant factor - The FOV debate is interesting but for the kind of targets I plan on focusing on I think I will prefer the S30 larger FOV. I am very aware that mosaic mode now makes this less of an issue but I find it appealing to have the option to capture a larger scene without the added time required for a mosaic. The upside is the S30 in mosaic mode will be interesting to explore for very large scenes. - Level of detail - It is fairly clear that the S50 can capture finer details in some cases but as a beginner the difference is not a show stopper for me. Taking the time to compare the results of the same object from both units and I concluded that while I could see specific differences, they are not significant in my mind. I have a long way to go learning post processing techniques before this aspect will be an issue. - Future devices - The S30 just felt like the right entry point to learn more about the hobby while we see what new devices are released in the market over the next few years. I can easily see myself investing in a next gen smart scope with larger aperture size if they come out and/or a full size scope/camera if I want to expand other target types, capturing planets etc. - Scenery mode - I do plan on spending time with this mode and the wide-angle lens might come in handy here too. I also initially included the Dwarf 2 and 3 in my potential options but over time narrowed it down to the Seestar options due to availability and my perception of results. I do lurk in both the Seestar and Dwarflab subs and simply am far more impressed with the results from Seestar devices. Good luck - doubt you would be disappointed with either option!
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You don't really need a counterbalance the S50 using a wedge unless you're really close to the equator. Just make sure there's a leg of the tripod directly under the Seestar and you'll be fine. It's plenty stable. I have the S50 and it's great, though I do wish the FOV was a bit wider. It has mosaic mode but it takes much longer and much more complex if you do post-processing on PC. Since I often have to go to the park near my house to shoot (more open views of the sky), I was actually thinking of getting the S30 of maybe even the Dwarf 3 to shoot 2 objects at once since I have to sit in a park anyway. Figured it would compliment the S50 since they both have wider FOVs. If you watch Cuiv's videos on YouTube, he's done a lot of comparisons between the S50, S30, and Dwarf 3. Basically, with the S50 - you'll get sharper images with more detail. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FgLBgWchWVY https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N6qaWP9ZiVk
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Telescoop
telescoop.nl › home › astronomy knowledge base › dwarf 3 vs seestar s50: which smart telescope suits you?
DWARF 3 vs Seestar S50: which smart telescope suits you?
November 28, 2025 - The DWARF 3 is perfect for those who want to go a step further, including EQ mode, more control and wider sky objects. So there is no winner, both telescopes offer something for everyone! Seestar S30 vs S50: which smart telescope suits you ...