Seestar S30 vs S30 Pro
Same 1.65 kg body and 30 mm aperture; the Pro changes the sensor, optics and wide camera.
Short answer
The S30 Pro is the one to buy new. The S30 only makes sense well under $399.
Key differences
- Sensor area: the S30 Pro's IMX585 is 4× the area of the S30's IMX662, giving a 3.99° × 2.24° field vs 2.13° × 1.20°.
- Resolution: 8.3 MP vs 2.1 MP at nearly the same image scale (3.74″ vs 3.99″ per pixel).
- Optics: quadruplet with ED glass vs triplet.
- Wide camera: 63° 4K vs 23.2° 1080p.
- Storage: 128 GB vs 64 GB.
Specs side by side
| S30 | S30 Pro | |
|---|---|---|
| List price | $399 | $699 |
| Aperture | 30 mm | 30 mm |
| Focal length | 150 mm | 160 mm |
| Focal ratio | f/5 | f/5.3 |
| Sensor | Sony IMX662 | Sony IMX585 (1/1.2-inch) |
| Resolution | 2.1 MP | 8.3 MP |
| Field of view | 2.13° × 1.20° | 3.99° × 2.24° |
| Image scale | 3.99″/px | 3.74″/px |
| Wide-angle camera | 23.2° wide-angle camera (1080p) | 63° wide-angle camera (IMX586, 8.3 MP) |
| Weight | 1.65 kg | 1.65 kg |
| Battery | 6 h | 6 h |
| Storage | 64 GB | 128 GB |
| EQ mode | Yes | Yes, with a compatible head such as the TH10 (60 s subs only in EQ mode) |
| Filters | Built-in light-pollution filter; magnetic solar filter included | UV/IR-cut, duo-band (OIII 30 nm / Hα 20 nm), dark field filter; solar filter included |
| Tripod included | Yes | Yes |
| Eyepiece | No | No |
Highlighted cells are better on that line (price, focal ratio, image scale and weight: lower is better). Field of view is compared by area; whether wider is better depends on your targets.
Field of view to scale
Gold solid frame: S30. Teal dashed frame: S30 Pro.
S30 · S30 Pro
| Object | S30 | S30 Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Full Moon | Fits (24% of the frame width) | Fits (13% of the frame width) |
| Andromeda Galaxy (M31) | Needs a mosaic (about 2 frames) | Fits (80% of the frame width) |
| Orion Nebula (M42) | Fits (52% of the frame width) | Fits (28% of the frame width) |
| Pleiades (M45) | Needs a mosaic (about 2 frames) | Fits (45% of the frame width) |
| North America Nebula | Needs a mosaic (about 2×2 frames) | Fits (50% of the frame width) |
| Whirlpool Galaxy (M51) | Fits (8% of the frame width) | Fits, but small: about 173 px across |
| Ring Nebula (M57) | Fits, but small: about 21 px across | Fits, but small: about 22 px across |
| Jupiter | Fits, but small: about 11 px across | Fits, but small: about 12 px across |
Numbers in charts
Full reviews
Frequently asked questions
Which is better, the Seestar S30 or the Seestar S30 Pro?
The S30 Pro is the one to buy new. The S30 only makes sense well under $399.
Which has the wider field of view?
Seestar S30: 2.13° × 1.20°. Seestar S30 Pro: 3.99° × 2.24°.
Which gathers more light?
Both have the same 30 mm aperture.
More comparisons
Sources
- www.adorama.com/zwseestar.html
- www.seestar.com/products/seestar-s30-all-in-one-smart-telescope
- www.seestar.com/products/seestar-s30-pro
- www.skyatnightmagazine.com/reviews/zwo-seestar-s30
Specs and prices checked on 11 Nov 2026.