Seestar S50 vs eVscope 2: Quick Summary
- The Unistellar eVscope 2 is one of the only smart telescopes that has an eyepiece for realtime viewing through the telescope, rather than just on a screen.
- Compared to the Seestar S50, it has a better telescope in terms of higher aperture telescope and longer focal length, and a better camera with much higher resolution. With it you can also take part in Citizen Astronomy initiatives.
- The two advantages of the Seestar S50 are that it is significantly cheaper and much smaller and lighter. It is definitely a lesser scope in terms of key specs though and lacks the eyepiece.
- The main decision between these two models comes down to budget and how much you want the eyepiece. If you want the best regardless of cost, then the eVscope 2 might be for you.
- If the eyepiece is less important to you and/or you don’t have the budget, then the Seestar S50 is a great value option.
Why choose the Unistellar eVscope 2 over the ZWO Seestar S50?
The Unistellar eVscope 2 is a premium smart telescope from French manufacturer Unistellar that was released in 2022.
The three main reasons to favor it over the Seestar S50 are:
- It is one of only two smart telescope models that have an eyepiece (the other is the Odyssey Pro). This means you can look through the telescope, rather than just view images on your smartphone or other screen. This is particularly good if using with friends or family as you have a more shared experience in taking turns to look through.
- It has a much higher aperture telescope which will be better at gathering the light needed to capture astrophotography images.
- It has a much higher resolution camera.
- With all Unistellar models you can take part in Citizen Astronomy initiatives and join missions to track asteroids and hunt exoplanets.
Why choose the ZWO Seestar S50 over the Unistellar eVscope 2?
The Seestar S50 is a compact, budget smart telescope from Chinese manufacturer ZWO that was released in 2023.
The two reasons to favor it over the eVscope 2 are:
- It is substantially cheaper. These two are right at the opposite ends of the pricing range for smart telescopes.
- It is smaller, lighter, and much more portable. You can easily take the Seestar out with you. You can do this with the eVscope 2 – especially if you have the dedicated backpack – but it is way bulkier.
Telescope Specifications
The Unistellar eVscope 2 has 114 mm (4.5 inch) aperture, 450 mm focal length, f/3.9 focal ratio, and 0.57° x 0.76° field of view.
The ZWO Seestar S50 has 50 mm (2 inch) aperture, 250 mm focal length, f/4.9 focal ratio, and 1.29º x 0.73º field of view.
Camera Specifications
The Unistellar eVscope 2 has a 7.7 MP resolution camera of 3200 x 2400 size using a Sony IMX347 sensor and a pixel size of 2.9 μm.
The ZWO Seestar S50 has a 2 MP resolution camera of 1920 x 1080 size using a Sony IMX462 sensor and a pixel size of 2.9 µm.
Size and Weight
The Unistellar eVscope 2 weighs 8.9 kg (19.8 lb) and has dimensions of 23 x 19 x 65 ((H x W x L in cm).
The ZWO Seestar S50 weighs 2.5 kg (5.5 lb) and has dimensions of 14 x 13 x 26 ((H x W x L in cm).
Price and Value for Money
The Unistellar eVscope 2 costs $4,899, and the ZWO Seestar S50 costs $499.
Note, these may vary so check the links to compare retailers if thinking about buying.
Specifications
| Unistellar eVscope 2 | ZWO Seestar S50 | |
|---|---|---|
| Year | 2022 | 2023 |
| Aperture | 114mm (4.5 inch) | 50mm (2 inch) |
| Focal Length | 450mm | 250mm |
| Focal Ratio | f/3.9 | f/4.9 |
| Limiting Magnitude | 12.98 | 11.19 |
| OTA type | Reflector | Refractor |
| Eyepiece | Yes | No |
| Field of View | 0.57° x 0.76° | 1.29º x 0.73º |
| Resolution | 7.7MP | 2MP |
| Sensor Size | 3200 x 2400 | 1920 x 1080 |
| Sensor | Sony IMX347 | Sony IMX462 |
| Pixel Size | 2.9 μm | 2.9 µm |
| Image Formats | FITS, TIFF, PNG, JPEG | MP4/AVI/TIFF |
| Mosaic Mode | No | No |
| Size (H x W x L) cm | 23 x 19 x 65 | 14 x 13 x 26 |
| Weight | 8.9kg (19.8 lb) | 2.5kg (5.5 lb) |
| Mount | Included | Included |
| Tripod | Included | Included |
| Battery Life | 9 hrs | 6 hrs |
| Internal Storage | 64GB | 64GB |
| Dew Control | None | Built-in |
| Retail Price* | $4,899 | $499 |
Seestar S50 vs eVscope 2: Verdict
These are two models at the opposite ends of the pricing range for smart telescopes – the eVscope 2 being the most expensive and the Seestar S50 being one of the cheapest (alongside the Dwarf 2).
If you want the best there is regardless of cost, then the eVscope is right for you.
If you want an excellent budget option, then go for the Seestar S50.
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Premium Pick with Eyepiece
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Budget Option
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$4,899.00
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$499.00
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Related content and more information
- Best Smart Telescopes
- Unistellar website: eVscope 2
- ZWO/Seestar website
- Skies & Scopes Seestar S50 review
- Skies & Scopes eVscope 2 review
Other Seestar S50 comparisons:
- Celestron Origin vs ZWO Seestar S50
- Vaonis Hestia vs ZWO Seestar S50
- Vaonis Vespera II vs ZWO Seestar S50
- Vaonis Vespera Pro vs ZWO Seestar S50
- Unistellar Odyssey vs ZWO Seestar S50
- Unistellar Odyssey Pro vs ZWO Seestar S50
Other eVscope 2 comparisons:
