Celestron Origin vs Dwarf II: 10 Second Summary
- The Celestron Origin is a far superior astrophotography telescope than the Dwarf 2, but is much heavier and significantly more expensive.
- The Celestron Origin is the most advanced of any smart telescope on the market in terms of telescope specifications, featuring a 6-inch aperture RASA telescope tube.
- However it is the biggest and heaviest of any smart telescope, as well as being in the premium price bracket.
- The Dwarf 2 is a compact, budget smart telescope. It is the lightest and most portable of any smart telescope and one of the most affordable. Naturally, given the price difference, it cannot compete with the Celestron Origin in terms of telescope specifications.
Why choose the Celestron Origin over the Dwarf II?
The Celestron Origin is a premium smart telescope from American astronomy manufacturer Celestron.
It is Celestron’s first smart telescope and offers the highest specification Optical Tube Assembly (OTA – the telecope) of any smart telescope on the market.
In comparison to the Dwarf 2:
- The Origin telescope type is a specialist astrophotography type called a Rowe-Ackermann Schmidt Astrograph (RASA) that is well-loved and proven by experienced astrophotographers.
- The telescope has 6-inch aperture and an f/2.2 focal ratio – this is far above that of the Dwarf 2 and so the views and images are superior.
- The Origin comes with a full-height tripod and mount is a single fork-arm alt-azimuth mount that is used on the Celestron Nexstar Evolution telescope range. Unlike the Dwarf 2 (or any other smart telescope), the mount and camera can be replaced and upgraded in the future.
- The Origin is the best smart telescope for actual astrophotography and is effectively an off-the-shelf astrophotography setup with telescope, mount, camera and necessary accessories in an easy to use package.
The main downside is the size and weight of the package. At 40+ lbs it is significantly heavier than the Dwarf 2 (or any other smart telescope).
In addition, it is in the premium price bracket comparable to other premium smart telescopes and costs roughly eight times that of the Dwarf 2.
The Celestron Origin is right for you if you are looking for the best option in terms of actual astrophotography and are ok with the larger size and weight.
Why choose the Dwarf II over the Celestron Origin?
The Dwarf 2 is a compact, budget smart telescope from Chinese manufacturer Dwarflab:
- It is small and light and comes with a perfect-fit carry case, and so is perfect for travel and convenient storage.
- For a smart telescope it is cheap and much less expensive than the Celestron Origin or any of the premium options.
- On the downside the telescope specifications are naturally lower than the Celestron Origin and the user experience is not as slick and seamless as with the premium smart telescope options.
The Dwarf 2 is right for you if you want:
- A relatively inexpensive option as a first smart telescope
- A very portable option to easily move around with and store conveniently at home
- Both of these
Telescope Specifications
The Celestron Origin has:
- 152 mm (6 inch) aperture
- 335 mm focal length
- f/2.2 focal ratio
- 1.27° x 0.85° field of view
The Dwarf II has:
- 24 mm (1 inch) aperture
- 100 mm focal length
- f/4.2 focal ratio
- 3.2° × 1.6° field of view
Camera Specifications
The Celestron Origin has a 6.4 MP resolution camera of 3096 x 2080 size using a Sony IMX178 sensor and a pixel size of 2.4 μm.
The Dwarf II has a 8 MP resolution camera of 3840 x 2160 size using a Sony IMX415 sensor and a pixel size of 1.45 μm.
Size and Weight
The Celestron Origin weighs 18.9 kg (41.6 lb) and has dimensions of 122 x 66 x 61 ((H x W x L in cm).
The Dwarf II weighs 1.2 kg (2.6 lb) and has dimensions of 20 x 6 x 13 ((H x W x L in cm).
Price and Value for Money
The Celestron Origin costs $3,999, and the Dwarf II costs $459 to $595, depending on the package.
Note, these may vary so check the links to compare retailers if thinking about buying.
Specifications
| Celestron Origin | Dwarf II | |
|---|---|---|
| Year | 2024 | 2023 |
| Aperture | 152mm (6 inch) | 24mm (1 inch) |
| Focal Length | 335mm | 100mm |
| Focal Ratio | f/2.2 | f/4.2 |
| Limiting Magnitude | 13.61 | 9.6 |
| OTA type | Rowe-Ackermann Schmidt Astrograph | Refractor |
| Eyepiece | No | No |
| Field of View | 1.27° x 0.85° | 3.2° × 1.6° |
| Resolution | 6.4 MP | 8 MP |
| Sensor Size | 3096 x 2080 | 3840 x 2160 |
| Sensor | Sony IMX178 | Sony IMX415 |
| Pixel Size | 2.4μm | 1.45μm |
| Image Formats | Raw | TIFF, FITS |
| Mosaic Mode | No | No |
| Size (H x W x L) cm | 122 x 66 x 61 | 20 x 6 x 13 |
| Weight | 18.9 kg (41.6 lb) | 1.2 kg (2.6 lb) |
| Mount | Included | Included |
| Tripod | Included | Included |
| Battery Life | 6 hrs | 3 hrs |
| Internal Storage | unknown | 64 GB |
| Dew Control | Built-in | Built-in |
| Retail Price* | $3,999 | $459 |
Celestron Origin vs Dwarf II Verdict
Overall, the Celestron Origin is a genuinely advanced astrophotography setup with all the ease-of-use perks in a smart telescope package. However it is heavy and expensive.
The Dwarf 2 is a budget-friendly alternative that cannot compete in terms of specifications but wins in terms of portability and price.
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Advanced Pick
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Budget & Compact
|
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$3,999.00
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$459.00
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Related content and more information
- Best Smart Telescopes Comparison
- Skies & Scopes Celestron Origin review
- Skies & Scopes Dwarf 2 review
- Celestron Origin website
- Dwarflab website
Other Dwarf 2 comparisons:
- Dwarf 2 vs ZWO Seestar S50
- Dwarf 2 vs Unistellar eQuinox
- Dwarf 2 vs Unistellar eQuinox 2
- Dwarf 2 vs Unistellar eVscope 2
- Dwarf 2 vs Unistellar Odyssey
- Dwarf 2 vs Unistellar Odyssey Pro
- Dwarf 2 vs Vaonis Vespera
- Dwarf 2 vs Vaonis Vespera II
- Dwarf 2 vs Vaonis Vespera Pro
- Dwarf 2 vs Vaonis Hestia
Other Celestron Origin comparisons:
- Celestron Origin vs Stellina & eVscope
- Celestron Origin vs Unistellar eQuinox
- Celestron Origin vs Unistellar eQuinox 2
- Celestron Origin vs Unistellar eVscope 2
- Celestron Origin vs Unistellar Odyssey
- Celestron Origin vs Unistellar Odyssey Pro
- Celestron Origin vs Vaonis Hestia
- Celestron Origin vs Vaonis Vespera
- Celestron Origin vs Vaonis Vespera II
- Celestron Origin vs Vaonis Vespera Pro
- Celestron Origin vs ZWO Seestar S50
