Seestar S50 vs S50 Pro
Same 50 mm aperture, very different camera. The S50 Pro is the S50's direct successor.
Short answer
The Pro is better in every measurable way except price and weight (+300 g). If you already own an S50, the upgrade buys field of view and resolution, not light grasp.
Key differences
- Sensor: 8.3 MP 1/1.2-inch on the Pro vs 2.1 MP IMX462. The Pro's frame covers 2.45° × 1.38°, 3.6× the area of the S50's.
- Optics: 4-element APO at 260 mm vs 3-element at 250 mm; image scale is almost identical (2.30″ vs 2.39″ per pixel).
- Battery and storage: 10,000 mAh/9 h and 128 GB vs 6,000 mAh/6 h and 64 GB.
- Extras: the Pro has a 63° wide-angle camera for Milky Way and star trails.
- Price: $999 vs the S50's $499 list (out of stock).
Specs side by side
| S50 | S50 Pro | |
|---|---|---|
| List price | $499 | $999 |
| Aperture | 50 mm | 50 mm |
| Focal length | 250 mm | 260 mm |
| Focal ratio | f/5 | f/5.2 |
| Sensor | Sony IMX462 | 1/1.2-inch, 2.9 µm pixels (telephoto) |
| Resolution | 2.1 MP | 8.3 MP |
| Field of view | 1.29° × 0.73° | 2.45° × 1.38° |
| Image scale | 2.39″/px | 2.30″/px |
| Wide-angle camera | No | 63° wide-angle camera (8.3 MP) |
| Weight | 2.5 kg | 2.8 kg |
| Battery | 6 h | 9 h |
| Storage | 64 GB | 128 GB |
| EQ mode | Yes (TC20 tripod recommended) | Yes (TH10 head recommended; 60 s subs only in EQ mode) |
| Filters | UV/IR-cut, duo-band (OIII 30 nm / Hα 20 nm), dark filter; magnetic solar filter included | UV/IR-cut on both cameras; duo-band (OIII 30 nm / Hα 20 nm) and dark filter on telephoto; 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: S50. Teal dashed frame: S50 Pro.
S50 · S50 Pro
| Object | S50 | S50 Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Full Moon | Fits (40% of the frame width) | Fits (21% of the frame width) |
| Andromeda Galaxy (M31) | Needs a mosaic (about 3×2 frames) | Needs a mosaic (about 2 frames) |
| Orion Nebula (M42) | Needs a mosaic (about 2×2 frames) | Fits (45% of the frame width) |
| Pleiades (M45) | Needs a mosaic (about 2×3 frames) | Needs a mosaic (about 2 frames) |
| North America Nebula | Needs a mosaic (about 2×3 frames) | Needs a mosaic (about 2 frames) |
| Whirlpool Galaxy (M51) | Fits (14% of the frame width) | Fits, but small: about 282 px across |
| Ring Nebula (M57) | Fits, but small: about 35 px across | Fits, but small: about 36 px across |
| Jupiter | Fits, but small: about 19 px across | Fits, but small: about 20 px across |
Numbers in charts
Full reviews
Frequently asked questions
Which is better, the Seestar S50 or the Seestar S50 Pro?
The Pro is better in every measurable way except price and weight (+300 g). If you already own an S50, the upgrade buys field of view and resolution, not light grasp.
Which has the wider field of view?
Seestar S50: 1.29° × 0.73°. Seestar S50 Pro: 2.45° × 1.38°.
Which gathers more light?
Both have the same 50 mm aperture.
More comparisons
Sources
- www.seestar.com/products/seestar-s50
- www.seestar.com/products/seestar-s50-pro-smart-telescope
- www.zwoastro.com/product/seestar-s50-pro/
Specs and prices checked on 11 Nov 2026.