Review Of The New Dwarf Mini from Dwarf Lab

The new Dwarf Mini is proof that great things really do come in small packages. Holding the title of the world's smallest smart telescope, this remarkable little instrument weighs less thank 2 pounds yet delivers an astrophotography experience which would have seemed impossible just a few years ago.

Dwarf Lab - the ones who brought us the amazing Dwarf 2 and Dwarf 3 smart telescopes; which I’ve also had the pleasure of testing and reviewing below…have once again managed to push the boundaries of what's possible in a portable AP system.

The Dwarf Mini has the unique distinction of being the world’s smallest smart telescope. At only 840 grams (~1.85 lbs). At 3.9" x 7.2" x 2.4" it’s small and light enough to fit in a sweatshirt pocket. It beats all currently available smart scopes on the portability factor. If portability is high on your list of priorities, then you simply can’t beat The Dwarf Mini. 

Some Major Stats:

The Dwarf Mini is comprised of: 

• A six-element astro-optimized optical design
• It features a Sony STARVIS 2 IMX662 sensor

• 150mm F/5 apochromatic telephoto lens
• 6.7mm (45mm equiv.) wide field lens, which provides a 60 Degree FOV
• Magnetic solar ND filter
• EQ Mode
• Mosaic mode
• 64GB internal storage
• Dual-band Wi-Fi (2.4GHz & 5GHz)
• Bluetooth 5.0
• USB-C connectivity

Let's move on to packaging - and unboxing -

As is typically the case with products from Dwarf Lab, the unit arrived very well packaged; small but sturdy boxes were used, and all items were double boxed.

You will find the current retail price of The Dwarf Mini to be around $399 US dollars.

Features - similar to both The Dwarf 2 and The Dwarf 3 smart telescopes, The Mini boasts quite a few features:

• A 7000 mAh battery with USB charging port
• 4 hours of battery life
• The ability to polar align, for longer exposures
• Included custom carry case with adjustable strap
• One step / Built-in post processing - Stellar Studio
• Temperature range of operation: from 14 Deg. F to 140 Deg. F 

This last feature is of considerable interest to me. When I used The Dwarf 3 this past Winter (here in upstate NY) the unit began to exhibit some issues when the temperature dropped to around 32 Deg. F. I was surprised because The Dwarf 3 was also rated to operate at temperatures as low as 14 Deg. F. However, at 32 Deg. F, it began to experience the issues which the documentation listed as things that happen at (below) 14 Deg. F. Mainly, the inability to recognize/draw battery power, and unable to continue imaging. This was disappointing…Okay, back to The Dwarf Mini…

Holding The Dwarf Mini 

Among the features that I find the most interesting are: 

• The ability to schedule imaging sessions - very easy to do also.
• 'Astro' Filter: 430-690nm Enhances nebulae contrast (by enhancing sensitivity to infra-red). 
• 'Duo-Band' Dual Narrowband Filter - HA 656.3nm and OIII 500.7nm (cuts moonlight, city glow and light pollution).
• Up to 90-second exposures with tripod and polar alignment.
• The ability to power down the unit remotely.
• How easy it is to polar align - Especially if you use the hack from this YouTuber:

In the interest of transparency and full disclosure, the above hack doesn't differ too much from the official EQ Mode instructional video provided on The Dwarf Lab site.

As can be seen in photos online, The Dwarf Mini sports a very slick design. I like it very much! Molded in a very nice-looking charcoal gray. Let's not forget, when used in Alt-Az mode, a tripod isn't even needed - It may simply be placed on a sturdy, flat (and preferably level) surface - and away you go! 

The Dwarf Mini on an extended photo tripod, helps to avoid obstacles like trees and structures.

In use - I find The Dwarf Mini super-easy to use - Generally speaking, we’re looking at the same 3-4 steps which other (affordable) smart telescopes use:

• Place outside and power on.
• Open arm and allow The Mini to calibrate itself.
• Choose your target object.
• Click the shutter button to start shooting.

The Dwarf Mini on tripod, polar aligned, and utilizing an external USB power pack.

I've been very impressed by the auto focus. It works well, is accurate, and doesn't take very long at all. This is a welcome change, after using smart scopes which seemed to take forever to auto focus. If we're being honest, when you're anxious to acquire images, any delays are very unwelcome!

The display from my iPhone while imaging The Iris Nebula.

As outlined above - Since it's so easy to use, The Dwarf Mini would be ideal for just about anyone with an interest in astrophotography. It helps if the end user is familiar with technology, or at the very least, navigating their own cell phone or tablet. Luckily, I believe that would include most people!

If you've always wanted to try taking pictures of the night sky, the Milky Way, deep sky objects, and the Sun then this would be an excellent choice for you. One of the stand-out aspects of The Dwarf Mini is it's ease of use - going from unboxing -to- taking images, in a very short amount of time. No real steep learning curve here.

The Iris Nebula - A beautiful reflection nebula.

A typical night under the stars for me, involves taking full advantage of it's remote control capabilities.

I set the unit up outside on an outdoor table, power it on, select an object, and start imaging. Since I'm someone who deals with chronic pain, I typically retreat back indoors, to control everything via my iPhone (WiFi). This works very well for me, especially having the optional wide field view whenever I need it.

If you try to get every last bit of battery life from it: You'll find that it stops imaging operations as soon as the unit's battery level reaches 7%. It stops taking photos, and waits for user input. When it first happened, I thought "Hmm...this is interesting; you can only get to 7%..." However, this seems like a good engineering design. I'd rather know that 7% battery life is the cut off time, than the possibility of having images get corrupted or not saved.

As with all smart telescopes, I recommend getting yourself one or even two external USB battery packs (the rechargeable ones everyone uses). Be sure to plug one in even before your unit approaches the 7% battery mark.

A quick wide-field (Milky Way type) shot of The Hercules constellation, and surrounding area.

I have been struck with the overall accuracy of the unit. I have not found it to be "off" in any way: If it states it's pointed at an object, it really is pointed there. The Wide Frame Window was in alignment out-of-the-box. This small, wide field of view window, allows you to quickly see the wider "picture" of where the telescope is pointed.

When I saw this feature on The Mini, for the very first time, I didn't think much of it. In fact, I didn't think it would be of much use to me. Now, I don't know how I could get by without it! In a way, it provides you with some peace of mind - knowing that you're pointed in the right place. It is also very useful for keeping an eye on any clouds which may be sneaking in. Also, if for any reason you prefer not to see it - simply click on it, and it disappears. 

M27 in 49 minutes and 45 seconds - A lovely result.

Pros:

• Super small and easy to deploy and use anywhere!
• Very easy set-up steps - Take you from 0 -to- imaging in no time!
• The Wide Frame Window - Allows you to see the wide FOV of the area you're focused on at a glance.
• The Apochromatic optics produce wonderful, sharp results with your astrophotos. 
• Polar alignment is very easy.
• Virtually One-step post processing via Stellar Studio / Dwarf Lab's cloud.

Cons:

• Battery life doesn't go to 4 full hours
• After locating your target, the unit must initialize for ~30 seconds or so. 

If you're expecting 4 hours of battery life, you'll probably be disappointed. I didn't get a full 4 hours during my tests.

In regards to the 2nd Con: I've at least learned that several important functions/activities are taking place during those ~30". So, I guess I should learn to be more patient!

In addition to the 2 imaging filters available (Astro & Duo Band), The Dwarf Mini also has a built-in dark field "filter" which enables the unit to create dark field exposures for automatic application.

These dark exposures (or Darks as we call them) are available for those who are inclined to do their own stacking, etc., outside of the unit. On a laptop, or PC, etc. Of course, you can have access to the individual sub exposures as well.

The lower half of The North American Nebula - It reads unknown, because I chose the aim point myself.

One of the features which drew me to The Dwarf Mini, was it's price. At a typical price of $399, it is the most affordable smart telescope available. It may be ordered directly from this affiliate link I've recently been provided - If you order using this link, I receive a small commission; at no cost to you. 

The Heart Nebula.

 

I've been fortunate enough to test and review several affordable smart telescopes so far. In summary, I'd state that I really enjoy using The Dwarf Mini. The software App is robust and easy to use. All things considered, the only real "Con" of any significance, is the slightly-less-than 4 hour battery life I experienced. I really can't find anything else to complain about with this unit. It delivers on all it promises.

The resulting images of deep sky objects speak for themselves! All of the images shared above, were straight out of the telescope, after just applying the Auto (Denoise, etc) feature built in to The Mini's Stellar Studio. No other post processing was done. I've honestly found that additional processing is not actually needed. All in all, I really, really like The Dwarf Mini! I've been loving the impressive results. I've even found it to capture small planetary nebulae well.

What Dwarf Lab has accomplished is remarkable. They've managed to package a capable astrophotography system into something small enough to take virtually anywhere. Whether you're a complete beginner looking for your first smart telescope or an experienced astronomer searching for the ultimate grab-and-go imaging companion, the Dwarf Mini is easy to recommend.

Finally...This may seem like a touchy subject, but... I've recently received The Seestar S30 Pro; and The Dwarf Mini has been holding it's own in side-by-side comparisons - Truly amazing! Especially when one considers the much higher price of The S30 Pro. 

Going forward, I may be making some minor additions and updates to this review.

Until next time...

Clear skies!

Honest and Unbiased Reviews of Astrophotography Equipment Part 1

First, Smart Telescopes - My thoughts and experiences: Simple, not-too-technical explanations, of the (affordable) Smart Telescopes: The Dwarf 2 and The Seestar S50. I've been using The Seestar S50 a lot more lately.

Have you taken a good look at some of the images captured with the Seestar S50 lately? You can always go to the Seestar S50 Official Group on Facebook, and just have a look. What you see, generally, are average people acquiring some phenomenal photos of deep sky objects - using just a Seestar S50. 

Of course, there are some “outliers” who put in some extra effort, and a lot of extra time – and achieve really remarkable results. Probably the most amazing part of it, and this is coming from a bona fide astrophotographer, is that when compared to images acquired using conventional rigs: the results from the Seestar S50 are commonly as good, and often better, than those acquired while spending a lot more money (and time). 

I have spent a lot of my free time recently, simultaneously, adding components to the conventional astrophotography rig I have; testing it, etc. 

I've also been researching all of the different results which other hobbyists have been getting, using different combinations of equipment. Astrobin.com is a great resource, For doing some quick and easy searches – to see images acquired with specific equipment. 

Of course, I’ve been looking up equipment similar to the rig I currently have, as well as possible combinations of scopes and cameras, which I’ve considered upgrading to.

There are almost a dozen different scope / camera combinations I've considered: From Newtonian astrographs, to 6" SCTs, even considered the "exotic" (lol) Ritchey Chretien!  

And many cameras, from DSLRs to CMOS... And I could hardly find any (modestly-priced) combination, which would produce substantially better results than my Seestar S50. 

The only (affordable) scope I came across, which would show a noticeable improvement in overall image(s) were the popular 6" F/4 Newtonian astrographs (like this one - for one example). Or this one, which is at least in stock.

This is my current set up: 

How it started...

How it progressed...

How it ended up...

(still in progress)

• A ZWO AM3 Harmonic Drive Mount, on a ZWO TC40 tripod (this is currently on loan from ZWO).
• An Astro Tech AT80EDT (apochromatic triplet refractor).
• A 2” Astro Tech field flattener.
• A (soon-to-be-modified) Canon 550 / T2i / DSLR.
• A ZWO 30mm Guidescope 
• A ZWO ASI120MM Guide camera

Software, which is being tested extensively is:

• ZWO’s suite of standard ASI applications.
• N.I.N.A.
• PHD2
• APT - Astro Photography Tool
• SharpCap 
• Astroberry

These are all very good, but for now the ones I’ve settled on are:

APT

 &

SharpCap 

I like using APT because it gives you real time feedback on everything that’s taking place: There’s live view, you can look at your actual sub frames, you can see the battery status of connected equipment, etc. 

I just find it all intuitive and very easy to use. I may also be a bit biased, because it’s the software I’ve used in years past.

I purchased a license for Sharpcap software; I’m looking forward to trying it’s live stacking feature.

Among the DSLR combinations I was looking into, were the following: 

Canon 550D + 80/90/102mm refractors 

Canon 5D Mk II (inspired by Astrobiscuit!)

Canon 60Da (inspired by Trevor Jones – Astrobackyard)

Nikon D5300 (inspired by Nico Carver – Nebulaphotos)

       &

Canon SL2

Canon T7i

       &

Nikon D5600 (inspired by Jerry Lodriguss – Astropix).

Other cameras by Canon which I’ve been looking into:

6D MkI

6D Mk II (full frame sensor)

5D MII

5D Mk III

450D (because of how inexpensive and versatile it is).

Other cameras by Nikon which I’ve been looking into:

D7500

D5500

D850

D810A (full frame sensor)

D600 (full frame sensor)

D700 (full frame sensor)

Until next time,

Clear skies!

How Affordable Smart Telescopes Are Changing The Hobby (Part 2 of 2)

Continued from a previous Post - How Affordable Smart Telescopes Are Changing The Hobby (Part 1 of 2)

So… I was thinking of buying this telescope for a while… if you click on that link, it will bring you to the Amazon page where I ordered it. 

I actually had this 6 inch Dobsonian reflector, on my Amazon Wish List… Then out of nowhere, the price dropped by $70 - so I got it.

Collimating The SkyWatcher Virtuoso 6” Dob

I surprised myself, with how easily and accurately I was able to get it’s mirror perfectly collimated; and also get the red dot finder zeroed in. It’s been so long since I set up a telescope (almost 2 years). Yet, I felt as though I could do it in my sleep; or on autopilot, without even thinking about it.

Not the best Pic... I was just fooling around basically: I simply held my iPhone up to the 25mm eyepiece. This was taken through a double pane glass window

So the reason why I wanted this SkyWatcher scope, was so that I could do Astrophotography of planetary nebulae (and other DSO's) - using a dedicated ZWO Astro (CMOS) camera.
There are one or two people on YouTube and Instagram, using this same scope to get nice Astrophotos of small, deep sky objects - So I wanted to get it...
It’s my first computerized, “GoTo“ scope. Luckily, you can use it as an old-fashioned, point-it-yourself, telescope as well. 

I eventually did that, because I was losing patience with its GoTo system’s alignment process. The GoTo alignment application didn’t give any confirmation/feedback on whether or not it was successfully aligned, etc. So I found it a little confusing at the time. Pointing wasn't exactly spot on.

So, there’s a perfect illustration of how these new smart telescopes have really spoiled me! Did you ever stop to consider, how accurately these smart scopes are at centering objects? They never miss!

Well, in any case, it’s been sent back: because, I feel like I was somehow “going backwards” with no good reason to do so.

That is not to say, that I am through with visual astronomy, and observing. No way. 

I’ve always had a great appreciation for vintage optical instruments, especially microscopes and telescopes. 

In the case of microscopes, I consider myself at the intermediate level of experience - In restoring vintage microscopes; I have successfully restored dozens of them. 

This was the last vintage microscope I restored (and sold). It was equipped with the legendary Heine Condenser.

Here’s my latest project, a slightly more modern fluorescence microscope. I have equipped this microscope with a blue UV LED for its fluorescence light source.

This one recently sold on eBay

(needed to raise funds for astrophotography equipment).

During this past Autumn (October and November 2023): I was actively seeking vintage telescopes to restore and use!

Restoring and using classic, vintage telescopes, could be considered a hobby all by itself. There’s the challenge of finding a working, and/or restorable instrument. As well as the appreciation of its craftsmanship, optical performance, and history.

Well, back to the SkyWatcher 6 inch Virtuoso GTi Dobsonian. I set up the scope, and decided to just do some casual observing with it. The targets, were, of course, my favorite: Deep sky objects. 

I set the scope up on top of a sturdy, glass top, outdoor table on the deck. What I found out right away, was that it was difficult to look through the eyepiece whenever I had the scope pointed above about 45°. 

It got a bit worse when trying to observe DSO‘s closer to the Zenith: I had to stand on my tiptoes, in most cases.

So, it was quickly becoming less, and less fun. That’s when I decided to go and grab one of the smart telescopes. I believe it was the Seestar S50; and I simply set it up, alongside the scope on the same table. Of course, I had to be careful not to touch or move the scope; or touch the table at all basically – or the images being taken by the smart telescope, would be ruined due to the minor vibrations, completely messing up the stars/image, etc. 

However, it was an experience which quickly made me appreciate (once again!) the convenience and value of owning a smart telescope! 

I also found, that I was not happy with the images being produced by the two low cost eyepieces, which were included with the Skywatcher. I mostly used the 25mm EP; then switched to the 10mm EP, after centering the scope on M57 (The Ring Nebula) for example. 

I did get to see a fairly large scale image of The Ring Nebula. Which was somewhat reminiscent of the views I used to get with my 8 inch Dobsonian - not quite, of course!  But again, I did enjoy seeing The Ring Nebula at a much larger image scale. It happens to be one of the things that are lacking, when it comes to the affordable, smart telescopes: The ability to get close-up looks at the DSO‘s of interest.

Just to reiterate, and to make a long story short: The ultimate plan, was to image DSO’s using this 6 inch Skywatcher GoTo Dobsonian - and a dedicated ZWO Astro camera. I’ve seen one or two hobbyists doing the same thing (via Instagram posts). And, let’s not forget Tiago from Dobsonian Power! He does it all the time, of course – and very, very successfully! 

I decided that I wanted to give it one more try. So, I went ahead and ordered a Skywatcher virtuoso 150P GTi from a large/well-known telescope dealer. 

When the scope arrived, I could hardly believe that UPS was even able to deliver it: the outer and inner box were almost completely ripped in half! 

As if that wasn’t bad enough, when I took the scope out, set it up, and tried to use it: it didn’t work! 

It seemed that the Wi-Fi was defective. I was unable to connect to it using any device I tried (and I tried several). The icing on the cake, was when I went to carefully box it back up for a return – I had to do my best repairing, both outer and inner boxes, which again, were almost in two separate pieces. 

When I went to remove some of the original UPS labels: I saw that underneath, was the name and address of the previous customer who was sent this telescope! Yes, pretty awful, I know. 

So it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out, that this telescope was sent to some other customer, who then returned it for whatever reasons, and then the dealer just sent it back out to the next unsuspecting sucker: me. 

That is the kind of stuff you would expect from a small “Mom and Pop” shop, but not a large, well-known telescope dealer. Needless to say, I won’t ever order from them again. No, I'm not gonna reveal which dealer it was (not now, anyway).

So I was pretty bummed out for a while that things didn’t go my way – and that it didn’t work out for me.

In my case, the plan was for my dedicated camera to be the ASI178MC. 

However, I got frustrated enough not having the ZWO camera here yet… that I simply boxed it back up and returned it to Amazon.

The ASI178MC did finally get ordered, and is here now. However, it’s now attached to the back of an Astro Tech 80EDT  apochromatic (triplet) refractor! 

So, I am going to finally try to do some Astrophotography, using a dedicated Astro/CMOS camera. 

Well, there will be a lot more details and information on how that project is coming along in my next post. It’s coming along very nicely!

Until then, clear skies!

How Affordable Smart Telescopes Are Changing The Hobby Part 1 of 2

There are some interesting factors to note, about the new, affordable, smart telescopes; and their huge impact on amateur astronomers.

Of course, I’m referring here to The Dwarf 2, and The Seestar S50. These are the two affordable, smart telescopes, which are quite impressive (and affordable!).

It’s quite obvious how welcomed, and useful they are, to experienced Astrophotographers. As I’ve written before, I believe those who have done (or even tried) conventional Astrophotography, will be the ones who appreciate these telescopes the most!

However, there are certain (possibly unexpected) results/outcomes due to the release, and availability of these adorable devices:

• Their simplicity and ease of use, will get folks trying Astrophotography – who might otherwise had never had even considered it. ✔ *Note: This is a confirmed fact - as per the myriad of posts on social media!
• They will be instrumental, in getting visual only astronomers to finally give Astrophotography a chance! ✔ *I've been seeing this too!
• They are sure to get many of those who have left the hobby of Astrophotography back into it. Like me! I'm getting back into AP again!
• I am sure they will also be responsible, for many beginner-level astrophotographers getting involved in conventional/traditional Astrophotography. ✔ Yep!
• And last, but not least, I believe they will get people interested in astronomy, who had never even considered it before. Due to the sheer ease of use of these devices! ✔ Yes! I've seen this too!

Of course, I’ve been involved in visual astronomy for a relatively long time. Once, a long time ago, I figured-out which hobby I'd spent the most money on...And it was astronomy! (visual, at the time). So I figured, it must be the hobby I love most? lol!

This was followed by my foray into conventional Astrophotography. As was mentioned in my story (see this page on Dwarf Labs). In my case, I left the hobby of Astrophotography several times over the years. And again, in my experience, it was my unwillingness to spend so much time in front of a laptop screen, post processing images.

However, there are a multitude of reasons, and many different steps required to complete the final processing of an astrophoto; which some individuals may not be fond of.

For some, it might be the polar alignment of a traditional rig. For someone else, it might be the time required, waiting for the stacking of images to complete. For another, it might be the investment in software, typically required for an Astrophotographer (to get really nice results). Or, the fact that non-image frames need to be taken and organized (darks, biases, flats, etc.). For others, it may simply be the overall expense of the hobby. Who can say?

Everyone is a unique individual, and there can be many reasons why some people avoid conventional Astrophotography. Although generally speaking, these same folks, would really enjoy capturing their own photographs of deep sky objects! - if somehow, it could be done more easily…

And, of course, just so that I don’t leave anyone out – we are aware of many astrophotographers, who still enjoy conventional/traditional Astrophotography as a hobby. Many of these folks still wouldn’t give serious consideration to these new, affordable, smart telescopes. Some of them may tenaciously cling to traditional astrophotography, and might not even consider using a smart telescope, no matter how advanced. And, of course, that’s totally fine too – more power to them. There should be some people still keeping the fine art of traditional astrophotography alive…

I’ll use myself as an example. I’m happy to report, that I own both The Dwarf 2, and The Seestar S50 smart telescopes. I also own several pairs of binoculars, and telescopes for visual observing of deep sky objects (in my case). One of the last things I was involved with, before taking a short break from the hobby – was sketching deep sky objects; using binoculars.

Deciding to buy these smart telescopes was extremely easy for me. As I’m sure it is for many people interested in, or involved in, the hobby of amateur astronomy. So in my particular case, owning and using these remarkable smart telescopes, eventually led me to becoming fully immersed in the hobby again.

I should take this opportunity to remind the reader, that many objects still look very good when observed with optical instruments (visual observing). 

Deep Sky Objects like:

• Open clusters
• Globular clusters
• Large/bright nebulae 
• Planetary nebulae 
• Certain galaxies 

Well, in my case, owning these smart telescopes jump-started my interest in ALL things astronomy-related: Visual, sketching, and...conventional astrophotography!

I've spent the better part of last week, scouring the Web: Trying to figure out which combination of scope + mount + camera to get! 

So, if it's happened to me - there's a good chance it'll happen to many others.

In any case: Suffice it to say, that anything which helps to promote the hobby of amateur astronomy is a good thing!

As it turns out, I'm very happy to report - that I've been given the opportunity to test and write a detailed review of The AM3 Harmonic Drive Mount by ZWO!

Just look at that engraving! See, I love what some might consider the "little touches" or "minor things" I think it looks very classy...

I'm super-excited about it - and I've been busy making preparations, and adding accessories to my Astro Tech 80mm EDT refractor! 

I've purchased: A Guide Scope, Guide Camera, Field Flattener/Reducer (which is a must). I thought about some applications...but you know what? You can do a lot with the free Apps from ZWO! ...And N.I.N.A (which is also free). I did buy a full license for SharpCap and StellarMate.

There has been a lot of red items added to this scope (pics coming soon)…

Thank you, to my friend Scott, for giving me a great deal on this Astro Tech 80mm EDT refractor and Twilight mount! As you can see, it's set-up for visual; this was soon after unboxing. Sky conditions weren't very good, but I did take a quick look at M45; using a vintage, Edmund Scientific 28mm RKE eyepiece. Also a look at Jupiter and it's moons, with an 8mm Edmund RKE eyepiece - And it looked wonderful. Clear and crisp, with excellent color rendition. However, this is going to be my main imaging scope as well! 

In the upcoming Part 2 of this post, I will discuss my experience (in more detail) of exactly what it was like, to have a brand-new GoTo reflector in use, whilst having access to both of these smart telescopes! This was The Sky Watcher 150P GTi Virtuoso, purchased from Amazon (they had a sale).

Very interesting indeed…

Don't forget: In the not-too-distant future, I'll be testing and writing a detailed review of The AM3 Harmonic Mount, which is here on loan from ZWO. It functions as both an equatorial or alt-azimuth, user-selected. Absolutely fascinating mount!

Until next time, clear & steady skies!

Astrophotography: Conventional Methods Vs. Smart Telescopes - Must Read!

Okay, the first thing I need to tell you about me, is that I am crazy about hobbies.

I am very keen on hobbies in general, but when I get into a hobby, I go all the way. Not only in enjoying the hobby, but I also enjoy thoroughly researching all of the equipment, and accessories, which are used in the hobby.

And of course Astrophotography is no different; after getting (first) The Dwarf 2, and later the Seestar S50 Smart telescope: I was simultaneously researching standard/conventional equipment for Astrophotography. 

Working within the limited budget I have, my goal was to locate traditional Astrophphotography equipment, which would provide similar (hopefully slightly better) results, to those which were being produced by these smart telescopes. 

I would spend much of my free time, surfing the web and extensively researching: Which bundle, or combination of equipment, would give me the same (or slightly better) results...

Luckily, I have the experience (and skill) required to do conventional astrophotography. And I wouldn't mind putting in the effort & work, to do it "the old fashioned" way.

What I can tell you, is that it’s not really possible. 

I’ve tried for probably over two months. Again, spending whatever free time I had, trying to track down and put together, an inexpensive Astrophotography solution (starting from scratch, mind you) – which is to say, if someone were to go out, starting from zero – and buying the equipment required to do some simple Astrophotography. 

I also want to point out, that there are quite an assortment of “how to” videos, on YouTube, covering this topic. Which is to say, they have titles such as ‘How to do Astrophotography for under $2000’, or ‘How to do Astrophotography for under $1500’, and similar titles. I like the ones done by 'Nebula Photos' Channel (Nico Carver).

Yes, the aforementioned set ups (shown in those videos) would produce very good images of large/extended deep sky objects. But there are only so many large/extended deep sky objects to photograph… In the interest of full disclosure: I'm not one of those folks who enjoy large/extended nebulae that much...When I was doing DSLR-based astrophotography, those are the objects I was kind of limited to. I happen to really love planetary nebulae (which are generally small).

I began my research/experiment, with a budget of $1200, and quickly found, that I was unable to find any bit of kit to put together, which would even come close to the results produced by either of these inexpensive smart telescopes. 

I then raised my “imaginary budget” to $1500, and continued searching, surfing, and researching, for several weeks. I was still unable to find any equipment, which I could recommend to anyone for getting into Astrophotography. And certainly not to get into Astrophotography easily, without a rather steep learning curve. 

I simply couldn’t find anything which a complete beginner would be able to quickly or easily utilize. This was very enlightening to say the least. 

This is something that not too many people are speaking about. And by people, I mean the more well-known proponents/hobbyists/enthusiasts - And social media influencers involved in Astrophotography. 

So, the preceding paragraphs were simply a polite way to say, that these two smart telescopes have cornered the market on Astrophotography. During my research, I have seen and heard several stories, and read many posts from hobbyists - both beginner and intermediate/experienced Astrophotographers, stating their observations. Posts on social media, etc. to the effect of: “I have never been able to see deep sky object “XYZ” Using my 10 inch reflector before – yet this Dwarf 2 is able to see it and image it! 

I’ve come across quite a few similar statements, from different amateur astronomers/astrophotographers. I have read statements and seen photos, posts on social media, etc. (sometimes statements accompanied by photos) - where the hobbyist has been getting better images with either one, of these smart telescopes: Which turned out to be better in every way, when compared to the images they attempted to get, using their 8 inch Schmidt Cassegrain telescopes! 

Statements such as these, invariably cause you to pause and think for a moment.

It’s really astonishing, that anyone would admit (for lack of a better word) that $500 off-the-shelf smart telescopes, have been producing images which are not only as good, but (often) better, than their expensive telescopes & equipment have been able to produce. 

Now don’t get me wrong. Of course, there are many hobbyists who have good/expensive equipment, and:

• Know very well how to get the best performance from it.
• Know how to post-process images very well. 
• Consistently produce images, which are easily/obviously better than the images from the smart telescopes. 

From what I've seen, in cases such as the above: The resulting photos tend to look noticeably sharper (for one thing!), have much more depth, and definition.

I recall a young lady who was using a very nice astrophotography rig, built around a good 4" apochromatic refractor. These scopes consistently produce some of the nicest, professional-looking images. And when she stated that one of these smart telescopes (The Seestar S50), was producing images just as nice as her rig... What??

I was simply at a loss for words. These are truly amazing findings. And I sometimes wonder, if these results are not shared more frequently, more commonly, and more widely for several other underlying reasons? Such as:

Perhaps some hobbyists would rather not disclose that a $500 smart telescope is able to take images as well as their $4000+ imaging set up? 

I sometimes wonder, if those who are very well known in the world of YouTube, as far as astrophotographers go, are reluctant to let this information be known? For fear of the negative impact it would have on sales of traditional (expensive) equipment for astrophotography?

As I typed this, I had the Seestar S50 outside on my deck, imaging NGC 1514 otherwise known as The Crystal Ball Nebula. It is a small planetary nebula, which for all intents and purposes, one would normally only attempt, using a good apochromatic refractor (or an 8" to 11" SCT!) along with a very steady & capable mount...along with an expensive, cooled astronomy camera…Yet, this Seestar S50 (a $500 smart telescope) has captured a very nice image of this object:

The Crystal Ball Nebula. Taken with The Seestar S50, a few nights ago. Only very minor post processing on my iPhone. A small planetary nebula, with only 18 minutes and 30 seconds worth of exposure time! And I think it’s very telling.

I’ve been doing my best to keep this concise, and not to go off on too many tangents. However, the other thing which I’m interested in pointing out, is that: 

I am among the hobbyists who would be happy, if conventional astrophotography equipment (along with the various skills required to manipulate images) was, in fact, still the de facto standard when it came to acquiring images of deep space objects. 

I'm happy to accept the idea that "if it were easy, everyone would be doing it".

I like the idea of something requiring a bit of study, and acquisition of a set of skills, in order to produce good results. 

And this goes for just about any hobby. Those I can think of, just off the top of my head: building scale models, building models from card stock/paper, tying full dress Atlantic salmon flys for display, hand carving songbirds from wood, etc. 

And on a related note, even creating pencil sketches of deep sky objects at the eyepiece. Using (typically a large) telescope, or sometimes even a pair of good-sized binoculars. However, almost any size instrument could be used.

These are all things which require one to develop skills, over time, in order to produce satisfactory results. And I like the idea of that. 

I wish I could say that the conventional methods of astrophotography give a very obvious/substantial improvement over the results from smart telescopes, but it seems I can’t. Not for ~ $2000…You’re going to have to invest quite a bit more if you plan to beat these smart telescopes!

For approximately a quarter of the cost required, to invest in traditional astrophotography equipment; you can get a device - Which practically does everything a set-up costing four times as much would do. And produces amazing results when it comes to the final astrophoto, obviously.

It goes without saying that this has revolutionized the way people enjoy astrophotography, and even astronomy to some degree. In the past, someone would have their conventional astrophotography set-up deployed in the backyard, whilst likely observing with another instrument (typically another telescope). These days, instead of the large, complex, time-consuming (to set up) traditional rig... A person can simply place a smart telescope outside, allow it to image, while they do some visual observing. And the “set up" of a smart telescope takes a tiny fraction of the time required to set up a traditional astrophotography rig. 

This obviously gives the user so much more time, to casually observe the objects in the heavens, which are of interest to them. For example, I intend to continue observing, visually, and even sketching deep sky objects; while my smart telescopes sit there and do their imaging for me. 

They are like little robots, doing all the work for you. Explained another way: I'll admit, that I am one of those people, who takes pride in having learned a skill. Having taken the time, and effort to learn new skills, which enable me to produce the desired results (whatever end results the hobby in question requires)... 

These two new, affordable, smart telescopes, have only been out for a relatively short time. So it’s still too early to make any concrete predictions.

However, as someone who admittedly enjoys doing things the old-fashioned way, the way which requires hard skills, I could not find any equipment to purchase with a budget of $2000+ which would produce better results than the smart telescopes, which cost only $500. 

And believe me when I tell you, I’ve tried, I’ve really tried! I'll admit, that I wish it were the case: that you could produce the same astrophotography results, with a budget of approximately $2000...But try as I might, I was unable to theoretically (or otherwise) prove it.  

These are the things, which, all of us as amateur astrophotographers, may end up brooding over a bit. We all still have free will, and we can still choose to do things the traditional way. However, in order to get results better than what these $500 smart telescopes can do – My guess is: We will have to invest somewhere between $3000 and $5000. I’m sure to some people, it’s worth doing that. Especially if they’d rather be able to say that: The work was done by them, manually, using skills that were acquired over a substantial amount of time. And that’s how the outstanding results were achieved. 

Unfortunately, for someone like me, on a low budget – able to only spend approximately $2000, I really can’t see myself producing images much better than what these smart telescopes can produce. 

Both of these telescopes have their strong points. They both have their pros and cons. I've reviewed each of them in detail, on my blog. Generally speaking: the Seestar S50 is excellent for imaging smaller, deep sky objects. The Dwarf 2 is essential for imaging large deep sky objects. 

Let’s keep in mind that the prices are very similar; at right around $500. 

Proving that I will “put my money where my mouth is" - I intend to try to "prove myself wrong" so to speak. And, I still intend to acquire some equipment – for around $2000, give or take a few hundred dollars. 

And I will put in the effort, to see if the proof is in the pudding. I want to see (with my own eyes) if this is indeed the case. So I plan to go forward with this experiment, and of course will be reporting my findings and all the relevant and interesting details.

So far, I've acquired a (lightly used) 80mm ED triplet refractor, a new ZWO ASI178MC, a ZWO Duo Band filter, and...I guess I'm making progress?

Until next time,

Clear & steady skies!

My blog: Astronomy Product Reviews