Smart Telescope
Seestar S30 telescope specifications and photos
Sunday, November 3, 2024
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Richard Harris |
Introducing the ZWO Seestar S30 telescope, the latest in compact, smart astronomy! Weighing in at just 3.64 pounds, this all-in-one telescope offers a dual-lens design for an enhanced viewing experience. Perfect for on-the-go stargazers, the S30 combines portability with powerful features including AI-enhanced imaging for noise reduction and real-time object identification. With a built-in filter system for both standard and nebulosity imaging, and a battery life of 6 hours, it's equipped for extended sessions under the stars. Explore the cosmos with ease, thanks to its smart integration and compact design.
ZWO has just unveiled the Seestar S30 Smart Telescope, a smaller yet more powerful follow-up to the Seestar S50 (I own one). This latest model promises greater image clarity, improved color accuracy, and increased versatility for both novice and seasoned astrophotographers. This comes right on the heels of the latest firmware update to the S50 that now allows mosiac mode, among other enhancements.
Specifications & Details of ZWO Seestar S30 telescope
The ZWO Seestar S30 has a 30mm 3-element refractor design that incorporates extra-low dispersion glass. This combination is aimed at reducing chromatic aberration and enhancing image sharpness. With a focal length of 150mm, the S30 provides a balanced field of view, capturing both expansive landscapes and fine celestial details. And as pointed out in our November 2024 issue, the size of the telescope is becoming less important as astrophotography tech ramps higher.
The price is set at just $349.
Main Sensor and Optics
The Seestar S30’s imaging sensor is a Sony Starvis IMX 662, designed with significantly lower read noise and 3.5 times the well depth of its predecessor’s sensor. The 662 sensor is also used in the ZWO ASI662MC, OGMA GP662C, and Player One Mars-C II among others. This upgrade translates to higher color fidelity and lower noise in your images, allowing for clearer, richer visuals of deep-sky objects, nebulae, and star fields.
Versatile Internal Filters Built-in
Built for day and night, the Seestar S30 includes several built-in filters. It has a UVIR cut filter, a dual narrow-band filter, and a dark filter to enhance image contrast and clarity, especially in challenging light conditions. There’s also a magnetically attachable solar filter, letting you safely observe and photograph the Sun with ease.
Connectivity and Storage
The S30 has 64GB of internal storage, dual-band Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth. This connectivity should allow for integration with devices, enabling remote control and fast image transfers. The ZWO app supports multiple file formats, including FITS for astrophotography, JPEG for general photos, and AVI for video capture, offering flexibility in how you capture and share your work.
Portable Design with Powerful Features
The Seestar S30 is compact and highly portable, weighing just over 3.6 lbs (the S50 weighs in at 5.5 lbs), making it easy to transport to any location. It comes with a sturdy tripod but also supports a larger tripod thanks to its 3/8” threads, allowing for increased stability in rougher conditions. The internal lithium rechargeable battery keeps it powered for extended sessions, making it a truly go-anywhere telescope.
Imaging Modes & Advanced Features
The Seestar S30 comes equipped with specialized modes to cover a wide array of astrophotography scenarios. These include dedicated lunar, solar, deep-sky, and scenic modes, designed to capture every nuance of celestial and landscape subjects. Additionally, ZWO hints at the potential inclusion of an AI object-tracking mode, which would be a game-changer for tracking fast-moving objects.
The ZWO app adds even more value with AI-driven noise reduction and post-processing features, enhancing image quality without extra effort. The app’s mosaic mode allows users to stitch multiple images together for a larger field of view, which is perfect for capturing wide stretches of the night sky.
Seestar S30 compared to the Seestar S50
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Product model Seestar S30 ($349) Sensor Tale: lMX662 Wide: Color Resolution Tale:1080x1920 Wide:1080x1920 Aperture 30 mm Focal ratio f/5 Focal length 150 mm Optical lens Apochromatic triplet Storage 64GB еMMC Transmission Mode Bluetooth Wi-Fi 5G/2.4G USB Type-C Working temperature -10°C~40°C (Recommended) Mount type Alt-azimuth Slew rate 1X - 1440X Zero position Mechanical Battery capacity 6000 mAh Connection port 3/8-16 inch Net weight 1.65KG Power input Type-C Wi-Fi reset Support Size 210mmx 140mm x80mm Charging temperature 0~40°C Wi-Fi Range ≤ 10m Bluetooth range ≤ 5m Working distance 6m ~ ∞ |
Product model Seestar S50 ($499) Sensor IMX462 Resolution 1920 x 1080 Aperture 50 mm Focal ratio f/5 Focal length 250 mm Optical lens Apochromatic triplet Storage 64 GB Transmission Mode Wi-Fi 5G & 2.4G / USB Type-C / Bluetooth 5.0 Working temperature 0~40 ℃ (Recommended) Mount type Alt-azimuth Slew rate 1X - 1440X Zero position Mechanical Battery capacity 6000 mAh Connection port 3/8“-20“ Net weight 2.5 kg Size 142.5 x 130 x 257 Power input Type-C Wi-Fi reset Support Working distance 30m ~ ∞ Working distance ≤ 10m Bluetooth range ≤ 5m |
| Founded | Employees | Social | Traffic |
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| 2011 |
ZWO is a world-renowned high-tech R&D company focused on the development, design, production, and sales of astrophotography equipment.
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