Review: The Dwarf 3 Smart Telescope

The Dwarf 3 Smart Telescope

“There are only two ways of looking at the world: one is as if everything is a miracle, the other is as though nothing is”

- Einstein 

I can say right from the beginning, that I am very grateful for the existence of The Dwarf 3; and for that matter, smart telescopes in general.

They truly are little miracles. 🔭 

Let’s start by having a look at how The Dwarf 3 arrived to me, here in New York.

I purchased the complete package, with optional Dwarf Tripod, directly from DwarfLabs.

Unpacking The Dwarf III

It is 222 x 142 x 65mm in size, and weighs only 2lbs 14Oz (1.3kg). The optional tripod adds 1lb 7Oz (0.65kg), while the carry case is 21Oz (0.6kg.). Making the full kit is very easy to carry and manage.

I would urge you to have a look at the neat comparison chart (Dwarf 3 vs Dwarf 2) which may be found by scrolling down on this DwarfLabs page It shows all the major features, side-by-side.

As ordered, with the optional tripod, the total cost to me (here in New York, USA) was $629 US Dollars. It's actually going for a little less at the time of this writing. As always, I would encourage the reader to shop around for the best price.

The major features include: 

A larger 35mm diameter apochromatic objective, along with a larger 3.4mm wide field lens. 

A longer 150mm focal length. 

A Sony IMX678 Starvis 2 imaging chip.

The overall exterior design may be described as a slightly larger version of The Dwarf 2. As with The Dwarf 2 (and every other smart telescope) it is controlled by your iOS smartphone, tablet, or Android device. The software is fast and free to download, and is also being improved from time to time. It's called The Dwarflab app. The controls are conveniently located on screen, and as of November 2025, include: General Mode, Deep Sky, Solar System, Auto-Capture, and Pano.

General Mode enables access to: Photo, Burst, Video and Time Lapse.

Just pulled indoors after an imaging session

I found it very easy to use, but requiring a bit of patience at times: The unit must calibrate itself for a couple of minutes, after locating an object. In my case, it's always DSO's!

The Dwarf 3 would be ideal for someone who would like the ability to get involved in their astrophotography. It is designed to allow the user (if willing) to:

• Select and stack their own sub frames (individual exposures) within the built-in Stellar Studio App.
• Export and stack the subframes in a (non-Dwarf) application of their choice (DeepSkyStacker, etc.).
• Tinker with the different exposure settings (when acquiring images).
• On board photo adjustments are also available while imaging DSO's, such as curves, etc. Although I found them to be too drastic/dramatic when I experimented with them. 

Just a quick shot of a section of Milky Way

(very little post processing applied)

It also features the ability to take very nice Milky Way shots. It is provided with appropriate solar filters for taking convenient images of the Sun. As well as daytime photos of wildlife, etc. I haven't used these features yet (DSO's are always on my mind!).

I will mention, that I've tracked down and imaged several planetary nebulae with it - and although it's not ideally suited for this, I was satisfied with the results on the (slightly larger, non-Messier) planetary nebulae. 

I found the overall accuracy of it's goto abilities to be satisfactory. The unit features overnight scheduling ability: 

For example: Program it to image Object A for 1 hour, Object B for 30 minutes, Object C for 2 hours, then shut down. Pretty neat!

Pros:

• Compact and easily portable.
• The user can choose to be involved in the astrophotography process, by utilizing Polar alignment and 3rd party stacking software.
• Good value for what you get: It's quite versatile.
• Everything is easy and fully automated.
• Includes Megastack - The ability to stack previously stacked results, into one combined final image.
• Proven to have excellent wireless range, and robust enough to be left out all night.

Cons:

• App has frozen on occasion.
• It does take a couple of minutes, from locating object (DSO) to commence shooting.
• My (low budget) iPhone SE displays warning messages about not having enough space - luckily, it still functions anyway. Users with newer/more capable phones and tablets will be fine.

In summary, there's no denying that this new Dwarf 3 produces! 

I've seen many outstanding imaging results, from users across the country (here in The US). Some users may choose to participate in the astrophotography workflow by performing polar alignment and using third-party stacking software - When coupled with good exposure times (~1-4 hours) the resulting DSO images have been stunning!

The Dwarf III has acquired the nicest looking result of M45 I've ever seen from any previous (affordable) smart telescope; and in only 6 Min. 15".

After acquiring your stacked image, you upload it to the Dwarf Labs' cloud (Stellar Studio), select what you'd like done (I always choose Auto), and in a few minutes, the image appears, fully enhanced!

I was just the slightest bit "skeptical" at first myself, but the results speak for themselves.

Here is an image of M16, with only Star Correction applied.

It's fun to have the different options to choose from when using the built-in Stellar Studio App! In my experience (of only a few months) I've always relied on Dwarf Labs' (built-in) Stellar Studio (cloud based) tool for final processing. I have been more than satisfied with the results. I believe it may have spoiled me! The results have been so good, that I don't even use any 3rd party stacking/processing app - However, I am definitely looking forward to trying some!

It's convenient to have the subframes available (located in the telescope itself). Since there are some images I'd really like to put some more effort into...

The Soul Nebula, in under 30 minutes!

If you'd also like to see just what The Dwarf III is capable of, have a look at the results obtained by Dwarf 3 owners in the Dwarf 3 online communities and groups (Facebook has several).

You will come across some amazing results from other amateurs. The hobbyists who have dedicated several hours of exposure time per object.

Polar aligning The Dwarf 3, opens up a world of possibilities resulting from longer sub-exposures.

I am planning on adding some more updates and details to this review, so check back from time to time…

Some Dwarf 3 owners are using serious tools like PixInsight; and utilizing various palettes, and have created stunning end results. In any case, The Dwarf 3 certainly deserves a closer look!

Clear skies!