It is controlled through the Seestar app on a smartphone and offers automatic slewing and autofocused views of galaxies, nebulas, star clusters and more. That said, in our experience, it sometimes needs manual adjustment with the on-screen joystick to perfect centering.
So are these upgrades enough to warrant the extra spend?
ZWO Seestar S50 Pro review
The Seestar S50 Pro comes in white with a compact mini carbon fiber tripod.Jase Parnell-BrookesOnly two buttons feature on the telescope itself, a large power button and a smaller reset button underneath.Jase Parnell-BrookesA dual lens system mirrors the S30 Pro's design and even has the same resolution.Jase Parnell-BrookesLightweight and easy to carry in the case providedDual-lens system mirrors the S30 ProSimple, two-button design and an easy push-on solar filter
Specifications
Image resolution: 8.3 MP (3840 x 2160)Aperture: 50mm (1.96 inches)Focal length: 260 mmStorage: 128 GB internalField of view: 2.8 degrees (tele) / 63 degrees (wide)Mount: Motorized alt-azimuth (EQ mode supported)Battery: 9 hours (currently untested)Weight: 6 pounds (2.72 kg)
Everything feels more polished and refined in the design of the S50 Pro, compared with the S30 Pro.Jase Parnell-BrookesThe carry case is cleverly designed and feels very protective with snug fit of the telescope and accessories inside.Jase Parnell-BrookesBuilt into the case are two latches and a red handle that pushes into a groove to facilitate compact stowing.Jase Parnell-Brookes
It's light, too. We weighed it all, and the whole setup weighs 8.6 pounds (3.9 kilograms) fully packed, 6 pounds (2.7 kg) of that being the S50 Pro itself. It's also small; we measured it at 5.7 x 10.6 x 5.4 inches (146 x 270 x 138 mm), including the rubber feet on the bottom. Incidentally, we like that because it means you don't have to use the tripod if you don't want to.
A 3/8-inch tripod thread on the bottom fits most photographic tripods, but a small carbon fiber tripod ships with it.Jase Parnell-BrookesThe carbon fiber tripod is light and locks in place with metal twist locks.Jase Parnell-BrookesRubber feet reduce vibrational interference and grip smooth, uneven surfaces without trouble.Jase Parnell-Brookes
Everything is controlled via the Seestar app, the same as all the other ZWO Seestar telescopes. This is typical for smart telescopes, which are almost always operated via an app.
ZWO Seestar S50 Pro: Performance
Aligns and tracks automaticallyLive stacking reveals faint objects quicklySolar eclipses can be shot as photo or video timelapsesSunspots can be seen on the photosphere of the sun, and the push-on solar filter that ships with the telescope gives it a warm, orange hue. (Image credit: Jase Parnell-Brookes)It took a matter of minutes for the live-stacking feature to give us clear and bright views of any object we slewed to. Live-stacking enables the smart telescope to take image after image to produce more detailed results of dim deep sky objects.
Color and detail are impressive on the Dumbbell Nebula, but we wish it was larger in the frame. (Image credit: Jase Parnell-Brookes)
Other notable objects we observed included M31 (the Andromeda Galaxy), which had good shape and reasonable clarity over the nine-minute exposure and filled the frame nicely considering this is an 8.3 MP image. It's also possible to image M81 (Bode's Galaxy) and M82 (the Cigar Galaxy) together on the S50 Pro due to the wider field of view, and after only 6 minutes and 30 seconds' exposure time we saw clear arms on M81 and fragmented detail and deep coloring in M82 which we were pleased with.
Some spirals seen in M81 and detail seen in M82 in this seven-minute exposure. (Image credit: Jase Parnell-Brookes)The Andromeda Galaxy really fills the frame when observing with the S50 Pro. (Image credit: Jase Parnell-Brookes)The start of the Aug. 12, 2026 solar eclipse was promising with crisp edges, sunspots and a warm orange tone with well-balanced exposure. (Image credit: Jase Parnell-Brookes)
Something that did frustrate us, though, was the S50 Pro's automatic exposure metering. This became most apparent during the Aug. 12, solar eclipse when taking a timelapse video.
During the solar eclipse on Aug. 12, 2026 the metering of the telescope skewed and we were left with an overexposed sun. (Image credit: Jase Parnell-Brookes)
We also urge you to use a taller photographic tripod or similar when observing, due to our first session of nighttime imaging being obscured by a nearby tree bending into view during a long exposure, thanks to an occasional gust of wind.
Due to the tripod being so short, sometimes trees bend into view with gusts of wind. Frustrating for long exposures. (Image credit: Jase Parnell-Brookes)The solar filter pushes on to the front of the lens assembly.Jase Parnell-BrookesThe telescope as viewed without solar filtration.Jase Parnell-BrookesSmartphone app is easy to useA few niggles irk us, like typos and mislabellingZero-backlash motor purportedly reduces wind interference
Things being as they were, though, we had to restart and reinstall the app once or twice, with the telescope not visible to connect with in the app. It took around 30 minutes total, which is no big deal for a first-time setup, but it's something to consider.
Plus, when observing long exposures, ZWO's Seestar mascot clung to the side of the screen and couldn't be removed. These are nothing super major but are all things we would like to see addressed before spending $999.
A few quirks of the Seestar app have us wondering if this has been given a final once-over. (Image credit: Jase Parnell-Brookes)One big difference, however, is the S50 Pro's zero-backlash motor, which is used for tracking subjects. Compared with the S30 Pro's stepper motor, which is internally geared, the S50 Pro has more precise tracking and better resistance to wind movement. We saw clear and sharp images produced during testing, but there was minimal wind on the nights we tested, so further observations are required to confirm how much of a difference this really makes to the average user.
The telescope fits snugly into the compact carry case. (Image credit: Jase Parnell-Brookes)Should you buy the ZWO Seestar S50 Pro?
Buy it if:Don't buy it if:
❌ You need something smaller and lighter❌ Traditional observation is more appealing❌ You want a budget smart telescope
However, unless you have nearly $1,000 to spend on an instrument such as this, there are cheaper alternatives that do almost as well at a much lower price point. ZWO's own S30 Pro is $300 cheaper and bags a large amount of the same features and specifications as the S50 Pro. At nearly half the price, the S50 gives you the same aperture, but you will be restricted to much lower resolution.
If this product isn't for you
ZWO Seestar S30 Pro
Save $300 and grab the S30 Pro for the same resolution and most of the features but with a smaller 30mm aperture. You probably won't notice much difference between the two if you're an occasional backyard observer with limited technical interest.
If you want something smaller
DwarfLab Dwarf MiniIt may only be 2 MP in resolution but it is far more compact. The DwarfLab Dwarf Mini is a darned sight more affordable, too. You could buy two or three for the price of one Seestar S50 Pro, depending what offers you can find.
If you want something bigger
Celestron Origin Intelligent Home ObservatoryOne for backyard use and special astronomy trips, the much larger and heavier Celestron Origin (a reflector) comes in just shy of the Seestar S50 Pro's resolution but can produce detailed 6.4 MP images. However, it has recently been superseded by Celestron's Origin II, which matches the 8.3 MP resolution of ZWO's telescope here, if you have the coin.
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