$399 Dwarf Mini and Seestar S30 Split Wins in Smart Telescope Test
Updated
Updated · CNET · Jul 20
$399 Dwarf Mini and Seestar S30 Split Wins in Smart Telescope Test
1 articles · Updated · CNET · Jul 20
Summary
$399 Dwarf Mini and ZWO Seestar S30 finished without a clear overall winner after side-by-side testing, with the Seestar judged the better pick for beginner astrophotography and the Dwarf favored for portability.
840-gram Dwarf Mini stood out for faster setup, lighter weight and stronger sun and moon shots, while the 1.65-kilogram Seestar S30 offered a tripod and case in the box, smart daytime subject tracking and more flexible post-processing.
Field tests across six subjects split the results: Dwarf won sun and moon, Seestar won a star shot and a landscape timelapse, while galaxy imaging and wildlife ended in ties.
Both models undercut premium smart telescopes from Vaonis and Unistellar, which cost more than $1,500, helping lower the entry barrier to astrophotography despite trade-offs in resolution, aperture and focal length.