Thank you to ZWO who have since watched the review and given me an affiliate link. Any purchases here will give me 6% commission which is being put back in to the Podcast and Studio:Channel84 network. Thank you in advance! store.seestar.com/CHANNEL84
I'm retired, have some mobility issues and I needed a hobby. After months of research I stumbled onto the Seestar and bought mine in Jan. In 6 months I have well over 100 saved images. It's light, easy to set up and really a lot of fun. I find myself checking the weather every day. Last night (finished at 4AM) I captured a galaxy that's 32M ly away and has almost 1 billion stars. I'm still smiling today on that one. Being able to share with friends and family is also a big plus. I love it and am so glad I found it. To the naysayers, embrace the technology.
Thank you for your story John, it’s wonderful to hear. I’ve been sharing my captures on the local village Facebook group and people’s responses have been wonderful. I wish you the best in your future shots! I’m always looking to see others works so please feel free to email me!
@AshtonCoolman Thank you. I could go on and on how this device/hobby has helped me and the enjoyment it brings. Not sure where you live. In USA, there are 2 major suppliers of telescope stuff, Agena Astro and High Point Scientific(they don't pay me). I also haven't heard anyone complaining about buying direct from ZWO either. Good luck and I hope it gives you as much satisfaction as it has me.
Brilliant, I know very little about astronomy and zero about astrophotography but it's fascinating. I'm thinking about buying a smart telescope and the dwarf 2 or dwarf 3 were looked really interesting but after seeing a few reviews of the seestar s50 and especially this review, I'm seriously looking at this one now. Great review, very easy and clear to understand. I've subscribed so I can continue learning about the hobby. 👍
I bought my Seestar direct from ZWO in NOV 2023 and have had no proplems. It's a fantastic little machine that takes images of the Sun moon and our night sky that appear within seconds before your very eyes.The universe at your fingertips. If your not into post processing, the images are amazing without editing.
It's so nice to hear happy stories about this. I genuinely worried I might get buyers remorse but each time I see something spectacular in the sky, it goes away!
I have one and love it. Oddly, it has more trouble finding the Sun or Moon than it does night objects like nebulas, stars, planets, and galaxies. I think with those objects, it can use other stars to know where it's pointing, but with the Sun, it doesn't have anything else to go by with the narrow field of view. Calibrating the compass and making sure it's very level helps a LOT. As for night viewing.... I live in a city that has a lot of light pollution. I have street lights shining down on me no matter where I place it. Still, it lets me see so many things, it's amazing! I can't believe it does all that it does for so little money. And they don't even charge shipping! I can't wait to see what their next version will be like.
100% agree, this feels like such a strong, solid product at this price range. I really hope the next model (if they do one) keeps going with price and functionality that is fair to the average joe user. What I haven't done yet, is tried for ++hour long stacking images. I've seen some examples of nebula that the Seestar user has put 11+ hours into. They look amazing! I might go on a little camp out to the nearest dark spot and leave it pointed at Andromeda for a few hours.
ZWO definitely developed a winner. I wonder if ZWO will produce a series of 2 or 3 Seestars at various price points and features. I'm sure the next gen S50 will be out soon just to stay ahead of the competition. I calibrate/level every use and maybe it's a little extra Irish luck, but I have never had an issue with finding the moon/sun or deep space objects.
@@johndaley9188 I'm hoping as well for an updated version but I'm guessing it will take at least a year more. The S50 was developed over several years until we got to this point.
@Channel84VarietyShow ZWO just released an update to their AM5 mount. Bigger, better, and handles more weight. Same price. Just my thought, a S50A with a better camera, filters and maybe a rotatable FOV. Where will mosaic land. And still the same price. We all will see.
Well the mosaic mode is all the rage with S50 owners atm. So you now. Can fully capture bigger targets but it takes alot longer due to having to capture multiple area's to make the image. Add alot more memory usage if you're saving them to manually process later.
Many members of my Astronomy society, have bought the seestar. easy to set up, and have been the star of outreach events. as for needing a van, I drive a citroen c1 and and it carries my tripod OTA camera and accessories no problem.
The issue that all new telescope buyers face is expectations - even with expensive kit many people end up dissapointed. As for me I already had a telescope. I know how hard it is to get good images and to even see things like galaxies so the SeeStar actually exceeded my expectations. To capture an image of Jupiter showing the bands was a surprise from this little scope
Mine is on the way! I can't wait!!!! Where I bought my land is so remote that it should be a requirement to own a telescope, lol. Nearest city is 2 hours away. I am higher in elevation and have a full view of the sky. I go out every night and look up as long as my messed up neck will let me, which is not very long. This way I can relax and view through my tablet. This plant, as beautiful as it is, is full of tragedy and misery. Up there in deep space, is like seeing heaven. If heaven were a real thing. Either way what's out there is pure and real and untainted by humans. It is important to realize we are nothing.
I got one as well and it has its limitations but for the price it is a kicker. Also, if you're like me and work 12-14h days, rigging up a big telescope only to find some clouds moved in is really discouraging in even trying the hobby. With the SeeStar i can have it set up and running in 2 minutes. Yeah, it doesn't have the best sensor, nor the best optics, no EQ mount but for what it is intended, it delivers. And boy, with a few post processing tricks in Siril or PI you can get some stunning images. A few things I wished ZWO did with it is have a bigger sensor and work on their app more to have the mosaic mode as well. There are several targets in the night sky larger than its field of view and you have to be really creative in stitching everything together in PS.
had mine from almost day one...had previous smart scope the seestar is amazing, so quick and easy to use...i have the dwarf 2 as well...ive noticed the seestar has dropped in price by a lot..i wonder if mark 2 is on the way...
@@shaunmk There’s a Narrowband Channel interview at NEAF 2024 where ZWO said they are looking at expanding the range to include something more advanced with larger optics and to expect something “really really soon”. ruclips.net/video/g_00i3ECqDk/видео.htmlsi=48KjLfk4Yb-JfRSw Seestar discussion starts at 6:50.
Quick tip - don’t try to image anything straight up, tracking anything above around 60 degrees elevation becomes harder for a scope of this type. Thanks for the video 👍
@@brentc-kiwi-nz An alt-az mount (rather than equatorial) combined with field rotation. Think of how the orientation of for example Ursa Major or Cassiopeia changes through the night. Best for this type of scope is probably above about 30 degrees for minimising atmospheric pollution and disturbance, below about 60 degrees to minimise rejected frames through tracking errors.
Ordered the scope directly at ZWO in China 2 weeks ago on August 1 and received it on August 7 in the Netherlands. The reason was the big price difference between the price ZWO asked (449 dollar including shipping) and the price in the Netherlands which was 700-730 euro. Including VAT & custom rates the Seestar was costing me 560 euro. Could use it for 3 evenings so far because of cloudy nights unfortunately 😢. But still glad I bought this wonderful scope as starting astronomy amateur! 😂
@@Channel84VarietyShow I am located in Amersfoort so near the centre of the Netherlands. Just started this hobby a couple of days ago and to get the full potential from the Seestar I have to leave home to find a dark location nearby with a low horizon and 360° fov. Light pollution is a big problem here in this crowded country. :-)
I hope ZWO comes out with a newer version. Seestar S50 is nice but compared to the sample pictures from Dwarf 3, the S50 is few generations behind. Maybe the Dwarf 3 is too good to be true.
My concern for the Dwarf 3 is ‘AI’. Like Samsung, what if the picture is actually yours and what is AI? With the Seestar, what you stack is what you get. I’ll await results when people start getting their hands on a model.
I know they are small, but I also know what they are and the fact that I did it and can share. That's what puts a smile on my face. My god man, I even got Pluto.
As much as you are right, you are wrong. Like John says - for me it was the excitement of seeing something I could never see with my eyes alone. Yes, it won’t give you a picture that fills the screen but I can say ‘my god, that’s a planet right there’ which is enough for me. As always, it’s really down to what you want the telescope for ☺️
yeah that will confuse and disappoint the layman until you explain they are tiny in comparison to the Moon - no bigger than the largest visible craters at high magnification. You can just use your smartphone and eyepiece adaptor on a cheap telescope if the planets is what you are interested in.
Thank you to ZWO who have since watched the review and given me an affiliate link. Any purchases here will give me 6% commission which is being put back in to the Podcast and Studio:Channel84 network. Thank you in advance!
store.seestar.com/CHANNEL84
I'm retired, have some mobility issues and I needed a hobby. After months of research I stumbled onto the Seestar and bought mine in Jan. In 6 months I have well over 100 saved images. It's light, easy to set up and really a lot of fun. I find myself checking the weather every day. Last night (finished at 4AM) I captured a galaxy that's 32M ly away and has almost 1 billion stars. I'm still smiling today on that one. Being able to share with friends and family is also a big plus. I love it and am so glad I found it. To the naysayers, embrace the technology.
Thank you for your story John, it’s wonderful to hear. I’ve been sharing my captures on the local village Facebook group and people’s responses have been wonderful. I wish you the best in your future shots! I’m always looking to see others works so please feel free to email me!
This is the best testimony that could have been written for the Seestar. I'm buying one now.
@AshtonCoolman Thank you. I could go on and on how this device/hobby has helped me and the enjoyment it brings. Not sure where you live. In USA, there are 2 major suppliers of telescope stuff, Agena Astro and High Point Scientific(they don't pay me). I also haven't heard anyone complaining about buying direct from ZWO either. Good luck and I hope it gives you as much satisfaction as it has me.
Brilliant, I know very little about astronomy and zero about astrophotography but it's fascinating. I'm thinking about buying a smart telescope and the dwarf 2 or dwarf 3 were looked really interesting but after seeing a few reviews of the seestar s50 and especially this review, I'm seriously looking at this one now. Great review, very easy and clear to understand. I've subscribed so I can continue learning about the hobby. 👍
@@monkeykh4647 thank you so much! It’s getting darker and colder earlier here now, I’ll try and get some more videos done including processing!
I bought my Seestar direct from ZWO in NOV 2023 and have had no proplems. It's a fantastic little machine that takes images of the Sun moon and our night sky that appear within seconds before your very eyes.The universe at your fingertips. If your not into post processing, the images are amazing without editing.
It's so nice to hear happy stories about this. I genuinely worried I might get buyers remorse but each time I see something spectacular in the sky, it goes away!
I got one of these back in March and love it, it's an easy bit of kit to set up and capture photons while I swear at my big rig.
I have one and love it. Oddly, it has more trouble finding the Sun or Moon than it does night objects like nebulas, stars, planets, and galaxies. I think with those objects, it can use other stars to know where it's pointing, but with the Sun, it doesn't have anything else to go by with the narrow field of view. Calibrating the compass and making sure it's very level helps a LOT. As for night viewing.... I live in a city that has a lot of light pollution. I have street lights shining down on me no matter where I place it. Still, it lets me see so many things, it's amazing! I can't believe it does all that it does for so little money. And they don't even charge shipping! I can't wait to see what their next version will be like.
100% agree, this feels like such a strong, solid product at this price range. I really hope the next model (if they do one) keeps going with price and functionality that is fair to the average joe user.
What I haven't done yet, is tried for ++hour long stacking images. I've seen some examples of nebula that the Seestar user has put 11+ hours into. They look amazing! I might go on a little camp out to the nearest dark spot and leave it pointed at Andromeda for a few hours.
ZWO definitely developed a winner. I wonder if ZWO will produce a series of 2 or 3 Seestars at various price points and features. I'm sure the next gen S50 will be out soon just to stay ahead of the competition. I calibrate/level every use and maybe it's a little extra Irish luck, but I have never had an issue with finding the moon/sun or deep space objects.
@@johndaley9188 I'm hoping as well for an updated version but I'm guessing it will take at least a year more. The S50 was developed over several years until we got to this point.
@Channel84VarietyShow ZWO just released an update to their AM5 mount. Bigger, better, and handles more weight. Same price. Just my thought, a S50A with a better camera, filters and maybe a rotatable FOV. Where will mosaic land. And still the same price. We all will see.
@@Channel84VarietyShow My longest exposure has been about 2 hours. Agree on trying longer times. Haven't tried multi day stacking. Yet.
Well the mosaic mode is all the rage with S50 owners atm. So you now. Can fully capture bigger targets but it takes alot longer due to having to capture multiple area's to make the image. Add alot more memory usage if you're saving them to manually process later.
thanks
Many members of my Astronomy society, have bought the seestar. easy to set up, and have been the star of outreach events. as for needing a van, I drive a citroen c1 and and it carries my tripod OTA camera and accessories no problem.
That’s awesome to hear!!
I've just ordered my S50 and im in Hemel...thinking of dunstable downs?. hopefully it'll work.
Fantastic to hear! Always happy to take you out to Berko and the trust site, it’s beautifully dark there. Let me know if you fancy a meet up
@@Channel84VarietyShow I'll look forward to that bud. I'll let you know when it arrives so we can organise. Thanks and kind regards Ivor. 😊
The issue that all new telescope buyers face is expectations - even with expensive kit many people end up dissapointed. As for me I already had a telescope. I know how hard it is to get good images and to even see things like galaxies so the SeeStar actually exceeded my expectations. To capture an image of Jupiter showing the bands was a surprise from this little scope
Mine is on the way! I can't wait!!!! Where I bought my land is so remote that it should be a requirement to own a telescope, lol. Nearest city is 2 hours away. I am higher in elevation and have a full view of the sky. I go out every night and look up as long as my messed up neck will let me, which is not very long. This way I can relax and view through my tablet. This plant, as beautiful as it is, is full of tragedy and misery. Up there in deep space, is like seeing heaven. If heaven were a real thing. Either way what's out there is pure and real and untainted by humans. It is important to realize we are nothing.
The weather forecast could be better than just UK! But ok, the Faroe Islands are just in the end of weather map.
I got one as well and it has its limitations but for the price it is a kicker. Also, if you're like me and work 12-14h days, rigging up a big telescope only to find some clouds moved in is really discouraging in even trying the hobby. With the SeeStar i can have it set up and running in 2 minutes. Yeah, it doesn't have the best sensor, nor the best optics, no EQ mount but for what it is intended, it delivers. And boy, with a few post processing tricks in Siril or PI you can get some stunning images. A few things I wished ZWO did with it is have a bigger sensor and work on their app more to have the mosaic mode as well. There are several targets in the night sky larger than its field of view and you have to be really creative in stitching everything together in PS.
Agreed. I’m hoping that we see ZWO evolve with this feedback and give us an even better model in the future.
had mine from almost day one...had previous smart scope the seestar is amazing, so quick and easy to use...i have the dwarf 2 as well...ive noticed the seestar has dropped in price by a lot..i wonder if mark 2 is on the way...
@@shaunmk There’s a Narrowband Channel interview at NEAF 2024 where ZWO said they are looking at expanding the range to include something more advanced with larger optics and to expect something “really really soon”. ruclips.net/video/g_00i3ECqDk/видео.htmlsi=48KjLfk4Yb-JfRSw Seestar discussion starts at 6:50.
Quick tip - don’t try to image anything straight up, tracking anything above around 60 degrees elevation becomes harder for a scope of this type. Thanks for the video 👍
@@brentc-kiwi-nz An alt-az mount (rather than equatorial) combined with field rotation. Think of how the orientation of for example Ursa Major or Cassiopeia changes through the night. Best for this type of scope is probably above about 30 degrees for minimising atmospheric pollution and disturbance, below about 60 degrees to minimise rejected frames through tracking errors.
@brentc-kiwi-nz keep us posted with how you get on!
Ordered the scope directly at ZWO in China 2 weeks ago on August 1 and received it on August 7 in the Netherlands. The reason was the big price difference between the price ZWO asked (449 dollar including shipping) and the price in the Netherlands which was 700-730 euro. Including VAT & custom rates the Seestar was costing me 560 euro. Could use it for 3 evenings so far because of cloudy nights unfortunately 😢. But still glad I bought this wonderful scope as starting astronomy amateur! 😂
@prkroon excellent to hear! Where are you in the Netherlands? I’m regularly out in Made for work so am planning on bringing it with me.
@@Channel84VarietyShow I am located in Amersfoort so near the centre of the Netherlands. Just started this hobby a couple of days ago and to get the full potential from the Seestar I have to leave home to find a dark location nearby with a low horizon and 360° fov. Light pollution is a big problem here in this crowded country. :-)
When it comes to light polluted areas, The Lazy Geek did several videos about the S50 in Tokyo. You can't go much more light polluted than that
I’ll take a look, thanks for the heads up!
I hope ZWO comes out with a newer version. Seestar S50 is nice but compared to the sample pictures from Dwarf 3, the S50 is few generations behind.
Maybe the Dwarf 3 is too good to be true.
My concern for the Dwarf 3 is ‘AI’. Like Samsung, what if the picture is actually yours and what is AI? With the Seestar, what you stack is what you get. I’ll await results when people start getting their hands on a model.
The sun is a mass of incandescent gas, a gigantic nuclear furnace...
No good for planets....
I know they are small, but I also know what they are and the fact that I did it and can share. That's what puts a smile on my face. My god man, I even got Pluto.
As much as you are right, you are wrong. Like John says - for me it was the excitement of seeing something I could never see with my eyes alone. Yes, it won’t give you a picture that fills the screen but I can say ‘my god, that’s a planet right there’ which is enough for me.
As always, it’s really down to what you want the telescope for ☺️
No good for planets yes but actually far better than I expected
yeah that will confuse and disappoint the layman until you explain they are tiny in comparison to the Moon - no bigger than the largest visible craters at high magnification.
You can just use your smartphone and eyepiece adaptor on a cheap telescope if the planets is what you are interested in.