Comparison
DWARF 3 vs Seestar S50 and S50 Pro: Which Should You Buy?
The DWARF 3 against both Seestar 50 mm models: the discontinued S50 (still common used) and the new S50 Pro. Aperture, sensors, filters, EQ mode, battery, weight and price.
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Our pick
Seestar
Seestar S50 Pro
8.0/10 research score50 mm at 260 mm, 1/1.2-inch 4K sensor, 4K wide camera and a 9-hour battery rating, for $999.
Dwarflab
DWARF 3
7.6/10 research score35 mm, 8 MP IMX678, three filters and EQ mode in a 3 lb body, for $549.
Seestar
Seestar S50
7.3/10 research scoreThe discontinued original: 50 mm but a 1080p sensor, no wide camera and 10 s alt-az frames.
The short answer
Against the old S50, the DWARF 3 wins: a far better 8 MP sensor, a wide-angle camera and 60 s EQ exposures, at under half the weight. Against the new S50 Pro, the Seestar wins on image hardware (50 mm, larger 4K sensor, 4K wide camera, 9-hour battery rating) but costs $450 more and weighs twice as much.
"DWARF 3 vs Seestar S50" is one of the most-searched smart-telescope comparisons, but the S50 has been discontinued and replaced by the S50 Pro. This page compares the DWARF 3 with both: the S50 because many are on the used market, and the S50 Pro because it's what you can buy new. We used the makers' specs and independent reviews; we have not tested them ourselves. See how we research.
Specs side by side
| Spec | DWARF 3 | Seestar S50 (discontinued) | Seestar S50 Pro |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aperture / focal length | 35 / 150 mm | 50 / 250 mm | 50 / 260 mm |
| Telephoto sensor | Sony IMX678, 1/1.8", 8 MP | Sony IMX462, 1/2.8", 2 MP | OmniVision OS08B10, 1/1.2", 8.3 MP |
| Wide-angle camera | 2 MP | None | 4K, 63° |
| Dual-band filter | Built in | Built in | Built in |
| Longest exposure | 60 s (EQ mode) | 10 s alt-az (ZWO FAQ) | 60 s (EQ mode) |
| Battery | up to 5.5 h measured | about 6 h (lab) | up to 9 h (lab) |
| Storage | 128 GB | 64 GB | 128 GB |
| Weight | 1.35 kg (3 lb) | 2.5 kg (5.5 lb) | 2.8 kg (6.2 lb) |
| Tripod included | No | Yes | Yes |
| Price | $549 | $499 (sold out) | $999 |
From dwarflab.com and seestar.com, checked October 17, 2026.
DWARF 3 vs the original S50
The S50's strength is its 50 mm aperture: about twice the light-collecting area of the DWARF 3's 35 mm, and a 250 mm focal length that makes the Moon and small galaxies larger. Its weakness is the 2 MP IMX462 sensor and, per ZWO's FAQ, 10-second exposures in alt-az mode. The DWARF 3 counters with four times the pixels, a wide-angle camera, 60-second EQ frames and about half the weight. Unless you find a used S50 very cheaply, the DWARF 3 is the better buy.
DWARF 3 vs the S50 Pro
The S50 Pro fixes the S50's weak points: a large 1/1.2-inch 4K sensor, a 4K wide-angle camera, a 4-element lens, EQ mode with 60-second frames and a 10,000 mAh battery rated for up to 9 hours. With 50 mm of aperture it gathers about twice the light of the DWARF 3, and its sensor is much larger; the DWARF 3's shorter focal length still gives it a wider field (3.38° diagonal, against the 2.8° ZWO lists for the S50 Pro). The DWARF 3's advantages are price ($450 less, before buying it a tripod), weight (less than half) and size.
Which should you buy?
- Seestar S50 Pro if image quality on galaxies, clusters and the Moon is the priority and you'll carry 6.2 lb. Read the review.
- DWARF 3 if you travel, want the lightest capable kit, or have a budget around $600. Read the review.
- A used Seestar S50 only at a clear discount; make sure it's the international version.
Also compare: DWARF 3 vs Seestar S30 Pro and Seestar S30 Pro vs S50 Pro.
| Spec | Seestar Seestar S50 Pro | Dwarflab DWARF 3 | Seestar Seestar S50 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Research score | 8.0/10 research score | 7.6/10 research score | 7.3/10 research score |
| List price | $999 | $549 | $499 |
| Optics | |||
| Aperture | 50 mm (best) | 35 mm | 50 mm (best) |
| Focal length | 260 mm (best) | 150 mm | 250 mm |
| Focal ratio | f/5.2 | f/4.3 (best) | f/5 |
| Optics | 4-element apochromatic lens with ED glass | Apochromatic dual-camera lens group | 3-element apochromatic lens with ED glass |
| Field of view | 2.8° (telephoto), 63° (wide-angle) | 3.38° diagonal (telephoto), 50.6° (wide-angle) | 0.73° × 1.29° |
| Camera | |||
| Image sensor | OmniVision OS08B10, 1/1.2 in | Sony IMX678 Starvis 2, 1/1.8 in | Sony IMX462 |
| Sensor resolution | 8.3 MP (best) | 8 MP | 2.1 MP |
| Pixel size | 2.9 µm | 2 µm | Not published |
| Wide-angle camera | Yes | Yes | No |
| RAW / FITS files | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Filters and imaging | |||
| Light-pollution filter | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Built-in filters | UV/IR-cut, duo-band (OIII 30 nm / Hα 20 nm, telephoto only), dark-frame | VIS, astro (IR-extended), dual-band (OIII/Hα) | UV/IR-cut, duo-band (OIII/Hα), dark-frame |
| Solar filter included | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Longest single exposure | 60 s | 60 s | Not published |
| Mount and tracking | |||
| Equatorial mode | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Field derotation | Not published | No | Not published |
| Autofocus | Yes | Not published | Yes |
| Dew heater | Yes | Not published | Yes |
| Eyepiece | No | No | No |
| Power and storage | |||
| Battery life | 9 h (best) | 5.5 h | 6 h |
| Battery capacity | 10,000 mAh (best) | 10,000 mAh (best) | 6,000 mAh |
| Built-in storage | 128 GB (best) | 128 GB (best) | 64 GB |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi 2.4/5 GHz (up to 10 m), Bluetooth (up to 5 m), NFC, USB-C | Wi-Fi and Bluetooth (up to 20 m) | Wi-Fi 2.4/5 GHz (up to 10 m), Bluetooth (up to 5 m), USB-C |
| Size and warranty | |||
| Weight | 6.17 lb | 2.98 lb (best) | 5.51 lb |
| Dimensions | 140 × 149 × 268 mm (folded) | 222 × 142 × 65 mm | 142.5 × 130 × 257 mm |
| Operating temperature | -10 °C to 40 °C (recommended) | -10 °C to 45 °C | 0 °C to 40 °C (recommended) |
| Warranty | 2 years | 2 years | 2 years |
| Where to buy | Check price at Seestar (opens in a new tab) | Check price at Dwarflab (opens in a new tab) | Check stock at Seestar (opens in a new tab) |
Frequently asked questions
Is the DWARF 3 better than the Seestar S50?
Is the S50 Pro worth $450 more than the DWARF 3?
Is the Seestar S50 discontinued?
Sources
Specs, prices and claims in this article come from these sources.
- DWARF 3 product page and specifications · Dwarflab · accessed Oct 17, 2026
- Seestar S50 specifications · ZWO Seestar · accessed Oct 17, 2026
- Seestar S50 FAQ · ZWO Seestar · accessed Oct 18, 2026
- Seestar S50 Pro specifications · ZWO Seestar · accessed Oct 17, 2026
- Seestar S50 vs S50 Pro · ZWO Seestar · accessed Oct 18, 2026
- DwarfLab Dwarf 3 smart telescope review · Digital Camera World · accessed Oct 18, 2026
Written by
SmartTelescopes editorial team
Research and editing
The SmartTelescopes editorial team researches smart telescopes from manufacturer documents, published measurements and owner reports.
