Seestar S30 Plus vs. DWARF Mini Smart Telescope: Which Should You Buy?

In this comparison, I take a deep dive into two of the leading entry-level smart telescopes on the market in 2026: Dwarflab’s DWARF Mini and ZWO’s Seestar S30 Plus. I’ll be breaking down the technical specifications, the overall value proposition, and the real-world ease of use for both devices. Most importantly, I’ll share the side-by-side photos and videos I captured during my hands-on testing to show you exactly how they perform in the field. By the end, I’ll reveal which of these budget powerhouses I would personally choose—and help you decide which one belongs in your gear bag. Let’s get started.

In This Review:

• → Why choose a Smart Telescope
• → Prices and Unboxing
• → Technical specs
• → Seestar vs Dwarflab APP
• → Solar and Lunar Performance
• → Imaging Deep-Sky Objects
• → Final Verdict: Which one?

Why Choose a Smart Telescope?

If you are new to the hobby, you might wonder why these devices have become so popular. Essentially, the two smart telescopes in this comparison are all-in-one astrophotography devices. They combine a telescope, a high-sensitivity camera, and a robotic mount into one system that you control wirelessly using an app on your phone or tablet.

They offer three game-changing advantages:

• Ultimate Portability: Unlike traditional setups that require heavy telescopes, mounts, and tripods, these are “grab-and-go” devices. They are small enough to carry in a backpack, making it easy to seek out darker skies away from city lights.
• Zero-Stress Setup: Usually, finding a deep sky object like a faint nebula or galaxy in the sky requires a lot of practice. A smart telescope does the hard work for you. You simply set it down, turn it on, and select an object from the app. After calibration is complete, the telescope automatically figures out where the object is, points itself at the object, and stays locked onto it as the Earth rotates.
• Seeing the “Invisible”: Traditional, visualtelescopes use eyepieces, which often shows deep sky objects as faint, grey smudges. Smart telescopes use a digital camera sensor to perform “Live Stacking.” The camera takes multiple long-exposure photos and layers them on top of each other in real-time. This reveals vibrant colors and intricate details that are literally invisible to the human eye.

A Quick Reality Check: It is important to manage expectations. Budget-friendly smart telescopes aren’t designed to compete with high end consumer or professional rigs that cost $5,000 or more. However, for their size and price, the results are often stunning. You might be surprised by the level of detail you can capture right from your backyard. With that context in mind, let’s dive into the pricing.

Pricing & Unboxing

At the time of writing, the Dwarf mini costs about $419 and the S30 Plus $499. Keep in mind that these prices are vendor-based and don’t include possible discounts, tariffs or VAT for your country. For the most accurate pricing, check the links below.

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The Seestar S30 Plus replaced the original S30 in November 2026, and comes with a carrying bag or case, a small tripod, a solar filter, and a USB-C cable, as shown in the picture below. The Seestar telescopes use a 3/8″-16 astronomy-style connection, which is the standard connection for tripods in the astronomy world.

Dwarflab’s DWARF Mini comes with a solar filter, a USB-C cable, and a cleaning cloth right in the box. Note that a tripod is not included with this model; however, it features a standard 1/4″-20 photo-style tripod mount on the base. This universal connection allows you to easily secure the telescope to any regular camera tripod or mount you may already own.

The Seestar tripods included with each of their smart telescopes are certainly decent—especially for travel—but they are small. As you can see in the videos, I often use my larger telescope tripod instead with the Seestar telescopes.

ZWO keeps things consistent with the S30 Plus, which offers a clean, compact look in white. However, the DWARF Mini’s curved silver frame feels a bit more refined. Both telescopes feel very solid and portable, and very easy to tak ewith you on a holiday trip to dark skies. I should note that these telescopes are not officially IP rated. While both telescopes can certainly handle some dew, I recommend you keep both telescopes away from potential rain showers.

Technical specifications

Telescope type

Dwarflab’s DWARF Mini is in essence, a 150mm telephoto lense with extra-low dispersion glass to achieve well color-corrected views of the night sky. In contrast, the Seestar models of ZWO are APO refractor telescopes. The Seestar S30 uses a triplet APO design to deliver high-quality images with excellent color correction. What does that mean in terms of photo quality? I’ll get to that.

Field of View & Resolution

The Seestar S30 Plus and the Dwarf Mini both feature a 30 mm aperture, with nearly identical focal lengths, 150mm for the mini and 160mm for the S30 Plus. Where they are different is sensor size. The Dwarf Mini has a 2 MegaPixel Sony IMX662 sensor, whereas the S30 Plus features a larger 3.7 MP Smart Sens SC485SL sensor. This combination delivers a field of view of 2.13° × 1.2° in HD (1920 × 1080) for the Dwarf Mini, which is roughly four times the apparent size of the full Moon, with an image scale of 3.99 arcseconds per pixel (purple). The Seestar S30 Plus, features a larger 1.5°x2.66° in 2K (1440 x 2560) field of view in portrait mode (yellow), which is rougly 6 times the size of the full Moon with an image scale of 3.74 arcseconds per pixel.

The Dwarf Mini outputs a landscape view, while the all Seestar smart telescopes have a camera i portrait orientation. Now, of course there is no up and down in space but some objects like the andromeda galaxy better fit a landscape view, whereas others like the orion and running man nebula better fit the portrait mode. How an object appears in the field of view also depends on using smart telescopes in their original alt-az configuration vs their optional eq mode.

Both telescopes have additional widefield lenses (50.6° on the mini and 43.5° on the S30 Plus) in addition to the “telelens view” which you can use to find and slew to objects before switching to the telelens view. Both Dwarflab and Seestar also offer features to use the widefield lens for basic Milky Way, Startrail photography.

Filter comparison

Smart telescopes use different internal filters to optimize images for specific targets. Dark filters reduce sensor noise for deep-sky objects, while UV/IR-cut filters ensure natural colors for daytime use. At night, Astro (broadband) filters preserve natural star colors in galaxies, whereas dual-band filters isolate light from nebulae to help them “pop” against city light pollution.

The DWARF Mini is built for deep-sky versatility with its included dark, astro, and dual-band filters; however, because it lacks a UV/IR-cut filter, daytime photos will have a noticeable reddish tint. In contrast, the Seestar S30 Plus is better suited for dual-purpose use; it includes a UV/IR-cut filter for natural-looking daytime shots and a duo-band filter for nebulae, though it lacks the dedicated astro filter.

Weight, size & battery life

When it comes to portability, both of these smart telescopes are easy to transport, but there are noticeable differences. The Seestar S30 Plus is 1.65 kg whereas the Dwarf Mini stands out as the lightest option at under 1 kg, weighing roughly 840 grams. Also size-wise (L × W × H) the Seestar S30 Plus is somehwat bigger at 21 × 14 × 8 cm whereas the Dwarf Mini is the smallest of the group at just 18 × 10 × 6 cm.

Wireless remote control: Dwarflab vs Seestar APP

Both DwarfLab and Seestar frequently provide software updates to their apps and telescopes to introduce new features. When you connect for the first time, you’ll likely be prompted to install an update—just follow the simple on-screen instructions and you’ll be good to go.

Both apps are very user-friendly and offer similar functionality. The Seestar app features a clear home screen with dedicated modes for Stargazing (deep-sky), Solar System (Sun, Moon, and planets), and Scenery (daytime), plus an interactive sky atlas to find objects easily. Similarly, the DwarfLab app includes modes for General Daytime use, Solar System, and Deep-Sky imaging, along with its own sky atlas for navigation. Both apps also feature a mode to capture the Milky Way with the widefield lens.

A key difference is the daytime output: the Seestar S30 includes a UV/IR-cut filter for natural, true-color images, whereas the Dwarf Mini uses an astro filter that results in a reddish tint during the day. Both apps are packed with advanced extras like Mosaic Mode for capturing large sections of the sky, automated session planning, and built-in photo editing. Because they are so evenly matched, there isn’t a clear “winner” when it comes to the app experience.

In-app editing tools

In addition, both apps include in-app editing tools to enhance your stacked deep-sky images. While they aren’t as powerful as dedicated astrophotography processing software like PixInsight, Siril, or general processing tools like Photoshop, they are great for making quick improvements. Both apps support basic options like adjusting exposure, contrast, and saturation. The Seestar app features a built-in AI Enhance tool, while DwarfLab offers its own Stellar Studio app which can both denoise photos, create starless images, perform star correction, and more.

It’s also important to point out that these telescopes capture real-time photos of the sky, including planes, clouds, and satellite trails. There are no downloaded or AI-generated images here—which is worth mentioning, especially given how flooded the internet is with AI images these days.

Solar and Lunar Imaging

When imaging the Sun, safety is the priority: never look directly at the Sun and always use a proper solar filter. Both the Dwarf Mini and Seestar S30 Plus include magnetic solar filters for quick, easy attachment.

Both telescopes use a wide-field lens to help locate targets. In the DwarfLab app, you center the Sun manually using a dual-lens live view and on-screen controls. The Seestar app simplifies this with an automatic GoTo command to find the Sun, though manual slewing is also available. Once centered, both systems offer automatic solar tracking, autofocus, and adjustable exposure for capturing photos, MP4 videos, or timelapses.

For high-resolution details like sunspots or craters, the processing methods differ:

• Dwarf Mini: Features a convenient automatic in-app stacking mode that reduces atmospheric blur in real-time.
• Seestar S30 Plus: Records high-quality RAW AVI videos for post-processing. The file size is about 1.5 GB p/minute. Seestar recommends capturing a 30 second RAW video, and then use the video stack tool in the post-processing menu to create a stacked image of the Moon which takes a couple of minutes. After that, you can further edit that photo to enhance your lunar image.
• For the best lunar and solar photography results, I’d recommend exporting the files (with a usb-c cable) to your computer and use free external software like AutoStakkert and WaveSharp to create the best possible stacked and processed images.

I pointed both the Dwarf Mini and Seestar S30 Plus at the Sun. Starting with the Dwarf Mini, I captured and stacked 50 frames using default settings after initiating tracking and autofocus. The telescope automatically stacks the images, but also saves the individual frames so you can process them yourself with your preferred software.

Dwarf Mini – Solar Images

The auto-stacked image was sharp, though slightly noisy and overexposed (top right). However, after manually stacking those frames in AutoStakkert (free Windows-based software) and applying sharpening and denoising in wavesharp, I achieved a final processed image of the Sun (top right) that I found surprisingly pleasing.

Zooming in on the stacked image (bottom left) and processed image (bottom right) clearly shows the many sunspots visible on the Sun that day, and I have to say I was pretty pleased with the results. I do think the automatically stacked image looks a bit too sharpened and overexposed, with a reddish tint due to the absence of a UV-IR cut filter (bottom left), but I was happy with the results of my own processed image (bottom right). We do see some noisy sunspots, but that is to be expected given the limited focal length and 2-megapixel camera of the Dwarf Mini.

Seestar S30 Plus – Solar Images

I used the Solar mode in the Seestar app to point and autofocus on the Sun, after which I took a one-minute video in AVI RAW format. This generated about 1,000 frames, of which I stacked the best 50% in AutoStakkert. Note that the native solar filter of the Seestar S30 Plus displays the Sun with an orange tint (top left), which, with some color editing can be changed to a more orange-yellow tint that I personally prefer. Note that the Sun is technically white, so the coloring is purely a personal preference.

When zooming in, the stacked (bottom left) and processed (bottom right) images look a bit underwhelming, although the sunspots are clearly visible. The overall performance is decent at this price range, but with a limited 30mm aperture and 150/160mm focal length, you don’t get high-resolution details of the sunspots. All in all, I slightly prefer the more punchy and dynamic solar images produced by the Dwarf Mini over the natively orange tinted solar images of the Seestar S30 Plus with the standard Seestar solar filter that comes with the telescope.

Lunar Imaging

I waited until nightfall and imaged the full Moon with the Dwarf Mini and S30 Plus. Overall, the images look quite similar, but there are some key differences worth pointing out. I captured 50 pictures with the Dwarf Mini, using the solar system mode again after selecting and autofocussing on the Moon . Similar to the solar imaging process, the Dwarflab app creates an internal map with individual images you can download and process, as well as an automatically stacked image of the Moon (top left). The Dwarf Mini delivered a solid automatically stacked picture of the full Moon (top left), and some basic sharpening, exposure, and contrast enhancement, I created the slightly sharper image on the top right (top right).

Dwarf Mini – Moon

When zooming in, a few limitations become noticeable. In the top-right crater region (bottom left), there is some minor chromatic aberration visible upon closer inspection. To reduce this, I had to desaturate the image (bottom right). Also, at a focal length of 150mm, the zoomed-in views reveals the limits of fine detail you can capture at this focal length. To capture the Moon with significantly more detail, you’ll need optics with a larger aperture and a longer focal length.

Seestar S30 Plus – Moon

I took a 60 second AVI RAW video of the same Moon with the Seestar S30 Plus, and stacked the best 50% of the frames video in autostakkert. Looking at the stacked image of the Seestar S30 Plus, the Moon presents a slightly soft but pleasing view (top left) in portrait orientation. After applying some basic contrast, sharpening, and exposure adjustments (top right), the full Moon image becomes much more visually appealing.

The close-up view (bottom left) appears natural, though a bit blurry. This can be improved with additional sharpening, along with fine-tuning of exposure and contrast (bottom right) However, similar to the Dwarf Mini, the level of detail remains acceptable but somewhat limited at this pricepoint. With an aperture of 30mm and a focal length of 160mm, you cannot capture extremely fine details on, for example, the individual mountain ranges and craters. Achieving that requires a telescope with a larger aperture and a longer focal length. However, for capturing the different phases of the Moon, the Dwarf Mini and Seestar S30 Plus perform quite well. In this case I slightly preferred the Seestar S30 Plus images.

Deep Sky Astrophotography

Both apps offer multiple ways to engage in deep-sky astrophotography. The Dwarflab app includes a virtual sky atlas and a deep-sky menu where users can explore and select objects such as nebulae, galaxies, and star clusters. In deep-sky mode, a simple tap on the photo icon slews the telescope to the selected target. The app also features a scheduling tool that allows you to plan and automate your imaging session by selecting specific objects at set times.

Similarly, the Seestar app organizes objects into categories such as “Tonight’s Best,” galaxies, nebulae, and star clusters. Like the Dwarflab app, it includes a virtual sky atlas and a planning feature to automate imaging throughout the night. Select your objects, tap GoTo, and the telescope begins capturing and stacking images.

The capture process is very similar on both APPs. After selecting an object, the telescope slews to it, calibrates, and starts stacking images to improve detail. As each frame is added, the signal-to-noise ratio increases, making faint details more visible. Just sit back and watch the image gradually improve as more frames are stacked.

EQ mode improves tracking for longer exposure photos

One excellent feature shared by both Dwarflab and Seestar smart telescopes is EQ mode, which allows you to align the telescope with the celestial pole. Polar alignment does require some extra effort: Seestar users may need an optional wedge, while Dwarflab telescopes require a tripod that can be tilted toward the celestial pole.

EQ mode significantly improves tracking accuracy by compensating for Earth’s rotation. Instead of being limited to 10-second exposures in the normal alt-az mode, you can take much longer exposures, allowing you to collect much more light from faint deep-sky objects in each stacked photo.

I tested EQ mode on both smart telescopes. With the Seestar S30 plus, you can get a maximum of 60 seconds wheras the Dwarf mini offers even 120 seconds of unguided tracking. Both apps have a dark filter that is automatically used to reduce the noise in your deep sky photos. I noticed that the Dwarflab app is slightly more forgiving when stacking frames, typically keeping about 90%, compared to roughly 60 to 70% with Seestar. I did notice slightly elongated stars when tracking deep-sky objects for 60 seconds or more, so I typically keep my exposures to 30 seconds on both these entry-level smart telescopes, also depending on the (windy) weather.

Mosaic feature

Both apps include a mosaic feature that expands the field of view by up to 2x, which is especially helpful given the narrow views of the Seestar S30 Plus and Dwarf Mini. However, keep in mind that mosaics require extra time since the camera must photograph multiple sections of the sky and stitch them together. As for performance, it appears that with recent updates, the Seestar APP has improved their mosaic imaging technique and both apps created mosaics quite easily Whereas I used to experience significant drop outs in “framing mode” with the S30 Plus, it now keeps about over 90% of the frames in the mosaic on a clear night, and I get similar results with the Dwaf mini. Both telescopes allow you to save individual frames, giving you the freedom to use your own stacking software if you want to improve upon the automatic results.

Disclaimer: My Imaging conditions

I spent 1 to 1.5 hours of integration time on each deep sky object I’m about to show you. Since this only includes the final “keeper” frames, the total imaging time for each DSO was actually closer to 2 to 3 hours. Keep in mind that image quality will only improve with even longer integration times. Because I shoot from a Bortle 7 urban environment, these results represent a realistic baseline that most can achieve—or easily surpass—under darker skies. This light pollution also serves a purpose: it is the perfect environment to stress-test how effectively different astro-filters handle city glow.

Dwarf Mini DSO images

The Dwarf Mini has a small field of view so I often needed to use the mosaic feature to capture larger objects. That said, I was positively surprised as the Dwarf Mini actually performed quite well on deep sky objects. I took 60-second exposures in EQ mode on a photo tripod, and I did notice a small amount of star trailing in the automatically stacked images. After performing some post-processing to correct the stars, reduce noise, and remove background light pollution, I did get some pleasing final images.

The built-in astro filter produces nicely balanced and natural colors on broadband objects like the Andromeda Galaxy and the pleiades, whereas the dual-band filter works very well on emission nebulae like the Heart Nebula, giving them solid contrast and structure. All in all, I was surprised by what this small and affordable smart telescope could accomplish.

Seestar S30 Plus DSO images

With it’s updated 2K sensor, the Seestar S30 Plus captures 1.6x more of the night sky in portrait mode as compared to the Dwarf Mini. This offers some advantages. For example, in EQ mode, I could fit M31, the Andromeda Nebula in the native field of view of the camera so I didn’t have to use the framing mode. This saves time as you capture light of the whole galaxy in each stacked image, rather than parts of the galaxy in two or more images that need to be stitched together. Still, for larger objects like the California Nebula (NGC1499) I did use the framing mode to expand the field of view to a mosiac.

Here are some images I took with the S30 Plus with a comparable total integration times of 1 to 2 hours max.

The dual-band filter is very effective for capturing emission nebulae and suppressing light pollution. With the original S30, I was not overwhelmed by the photos to be honest, but with the S30 Plus in EQ mode, and using the in-app AI enhance features, I was really pleased to see the images produced by the S30 Plus.

Planets

None of the budget smart telescopes are well suited for capturing planets. When I point both telescopes at Jupiter, the largest planet in our night sky, you mainly see the Galilean moons orbiting around it. That’s nice to observe, but you won’t see any noticeable surface detail on the planet itself. For that kind of planetary detail, you need a much bigger telescope.

Final Verdict: Choosing Your Entry-Level Smart Telescope

Whereas I always preferred the Dwarf Mini over the original S30, ZWO has made some significant improvements with their updated Seestar S30 Plus. Its larger 3.7 MP (4K) camera sensor captures 1.6x more of the night sky, compared to the 2MP (HD) sensor of the Dwarf Mini. The S30 Plus also offers up to 6 hours battery live as compared to 4 hours on the Dwarf Mini, although an external power bank or battery will enable you to image all night long without worrying about these smart telescopes running out of power. I also slightly prefer the Seestar APP over the Dwarflab APP in terms of design, ease of use, and stabillity, although both APPs are quite good for beginners and advanced astrophotographers alike. So all in all, I lean towards recommending the Seestar S30 Plus.

This being said, differences are subtle and both telescopes perform quite well considering the price point. The Dwarf mini is lighter, more compact, and costs about $/€ 80 less than the S30 Plus. Also, I do prefer the landscape camera sensors on the Dwarf Mini over the portrait oriented sensors on the Seestar S30 Plus, but that’s just a personal preference. Finally, it is important to repeat that the S30 Plus comes with a UV/IR cut filter which is excellent for daytime use, whereas the Dwarf Mini has a near-infrared astrofilter which leads to reddish glow in your photos/videos if you plan to use the Dwarf Mini during the day. Both telescopes offer timelapses, photos, and video options, and the widefield lenses on both telescopes can also be used for capturing the Milky Way or whole constellations in the night sky. With 64 GB internal storage you have plenty of space to store your photos and videos. Ultimately, if you are looking for a budget-friendly way to look at the night sky beyond what your smartphone or binoculars can show you, both entry-level smart telescopes will offer you a surprising look at the wonders of the night sky.

Clear skies!