Smart Telescopes Dwarflab 3 Although the S50 was a huge improvement over Dwarflab’s first Smart Telescope the newer Dwarflab 3 is better still having : • Larger sensor • Larger field of view • Larger memory storage • Longer exposure times • More control features While none of the hardware on a Smart Telescope can be upgraded by the user, manufacturers continuously update the dedicated software that runs the telescopes adding numerous new features (see later). Dwarflab 3 Specifications Aperture 35mm Focal length 150mm Sensor 8MP (Sony IMX 678) Sensor Orientation Landscape Field of View 2.95° x 1.66° Max Exposure 1/10000 to 120 Secs Image Resolution 2.75 arcmins/pixel Image format: JPEG, PNG, TIFFS, FITS Memory 128GB Filters Light pollution & Nebula Digital Zoom 2x Mount drive AltAz & EQ Mode Tripod Fitting ¼” The technical bit - so you understand why the above and other information matters. • Aperture The larger the aperture the more light is gathered resulting in a brighter image in a shorter time. • Focal length A longer the focal length contributes to a higher the magnification, but a smaller field of view (FOV) Why does this matter? High magnification is good for small objects, but Deep Sky Objects (Galaxies, Nebulae & Star Clusters) can be very large. Dwarflab and Seestar Smart Telescopes now include Mosaic Mode to enlarge the FOV. • Image Resolution Generally a large sensor gives a better resolution, however, this is effected by pixel size and telescope focal length. The ideal number is 1 to 2 arcsec/pixel. The Dwarflab 3 value is quite high, however, the image still has round stars. • Image Orientation Dwarflab 3 sensor is set in landscape - longest axis is horizontal. In use your phone screen will display a box on the sky map (Atlas) showing the FOV. The orientation changes when using AltAz or EQ Mode. All Smart Telescopes lack the ability to rotate the imaging area for optimal framing. (See Mosaic Mode below). • Exposure Smart Telescopes offer user adjustable shutter speeds (exposure). Dwarflab 3 uses 1 second increments up to a maximum time of 120 seconds in Astronomy Mode and 1/10000 to 1 second for daylight use The longer exposure time can reduce noise, but it may pick up unwanted objects like satellites and aircraft trails which will lead to images being rejected, therefore, requiring even more images and overall a longer imaging time. My images of Deep Sky Objects using the Dwarflab 3 (see Images) were mostly taken with 30 seconds exposures with some successful experimentation with 60 second imaging. • Filters Being able to image faint objects in light polluted skies is one of the stand out features of Smart Telescopes. With most people having to live with light pollution it opens up astronomy in a way not previously possible. The telescope uses a built in filter to overcome light pollution and also has user selectable dual band filter to enhance specific colours emitted by nebulae. • Mount Drive The Dwarflab 3 is designed to track objects as they move across the sky. It does this in two ways: Alt-Az - up/down and left /right. Works well for short periods of imaging only. EQ Mode - necessary for imaging over long periods. To use the EQ Mode the telescope MUST be fitted to a tripod with a tilting head and aligned with the celestial pole (not quite the Pole Star) so the object is tracked in the arc it moves in across the sky. The App “talks” you through the set up. The Design The Dwarflab 3 is an enlarged version of the original Dwarflab II. The optics are mounted inside a rotating cylinder attached to a box containing the electronics and motor drives. The cylinder can rotate 240 o while the base can rotates 340 o . Both the cylinder and base can be moved by hand when powered off. Controlling the Telescope • The App All functions of the telescope are controlled through a dedicated App. Dwarflab is constantly updating the software with new functions. Some reviewers have said the Dwarflab App is a bit more complicated to learn than the ZWO Seestar App. This is probably because there is more flexibility in the control of functions than for the Seestar. To me the Seestar App is not as user friendly as the Dwarflab App. ZWO recommend the Seestar App is only used on phones / tablets that use Android 10 and above with min 6GB RAM Dwarflab recommend Android 6 and above with 4GB RAM. Download the App before you buy to check it works on your device. The Dwarflab 3 has two functions to help you find what to image. There is a “Recommended” list of objects that are above the horizon and are relatively easy to image. The new “Sky Finder” update for the wide field camera displays objects in the vicinity of where the telescope is pointing. Clicking on an object and it prepares the narrow field camera for imaging. There is also an interactive Star Atlas showing the location of numerous objects in the night sky to avoid cluttering the map with objects fainter ones appear as you zoom in. The Atlas also shows the image field of view size. A search function allows you to find an object through its name or catalogue number. For more experienced users you can specify the celestial coordinates (RA and Dec) for objects not listed. The Seestar App includes a list of Comets, Dwarflab includes these within the DSO list, but you need to know what is visible. Other than not having a dedicated Comet list my criticism with the Atlas is it uses Caldwell Catalogue numbers of which there are 109 objects, but only some 66 are visible from the UK. Experienced astronomers use the more common NGC or IC numbers for these deep sky objects. The Dwarflab App can be disconnected once you start imaging an object. Dwarflab “Schedule” (Seestar call it “Plan”) allows you to select a number of objects to be imaged through the night. The Dwarflab 3 is more flexible in that you can select the filter used and the exposure settings. The number of frames is adjusted by the App to match the total period you set for the imaging run. With the unpredictable UK weather I would never recommend leaving any telescope outside all night. At best it may just cloud over, but rain will cause serious damage. Dwarflab 3 uses the heat from the electronics to stop the front lens fogging up which works very well even with conditions of heavy dew. • Dwarflab 3 Mosaic Mode From its launch the Dwarflab 3 included a Mosaic Mode. This allows an area up to 5.39° x 2.99° (approx 4 times the standard FOV) to be imaged. Either axis can be resized independently. As the telescope has to take more images to cover the area reduce image resolution will occur unless you image for longer. • Image Processing You can specify the number of images to be taken by the Dwarflab 3, as each is taken it is stacked with the others until a final image is produced. However, the final number of images may be lower as the software will rejected images it doesn’t “like” so not to “spoil” the final image. All the images (included rejected ones) are stored by the telescope for you to do your own processing if you want to. Another App update called “Mega Stack” allows images of the same object taken on different nights to be stacked together. Different Exposure and Gain settings can be used and now an update allows different filters which enables an image to have a greater dynamic range. Dwarflab offers more - called “Stella Studio” it is a cloud based image processor. Connecting your phone and Dwarflab 3 to the internet your images are uploaded to Dwarflab’s own processing system. You can either use an “Auto” function or select what enhancements you want. “Auto” works very well at producing excellent images (see my IC443 Jellyfish Nebula in Images). A recent update means Stella Studio will now do additional processing on the images and star spikes can be added (which I like). Planets - What Planets? The Dwarf 3 is not designed to image the planets due to the large field of view making the planets appear as tiny discs. No Smart Telescope currently available can produce good images of the planets The Planets are easy to find and you will see them better with a conventional telescope like the Starquest DX102MC. Moon and Solar Imaging The wide field camera of the Dwarflab 3 helps to locate the Moon and Sun. A magnetic dual Sun filter is supplied to cover both lens and should always be fitted BEFORE pointing at the Sun. (The telescope reminds you to fit it). The Dwarflab 3 stacks individual images of the Sun and Moon just as it does for deep sky objects. Yet another App update gives the choice of 1x or 2x digital zoom. The 2x zoom makes the Sun and Moon images closer in size to the S50 image. Although this is only achieved by cropping the original image the image quality remains good. Dwarflab has standard settings for the Sun and Moon. With the Moon it takes 200 images, however, the effect of atmospheric turbulence with this many images could cause blurring of the final image. A better result looks to be obtained with 20 or 30 images. Experiment with image numbers as different nights bring different atmospheric conditions which effect imaging. Stella Studio offers additional processing for Sun and Moon images. Daylight Use The Dwarflab 3 has two cameras in one body, both of which are capable of daylight imaging and are fully adjustable for exposure, etc. The second camera has a fixed focus and a wide 45° field suitable for landscape images and can take panoramic images too. Both cameras can track a moving object. It is very likely that Dwarflab chose the Sony IMX678 sensor as a compromise between the astronomy and daylight imaging requirements. The telescope has auto settings for locating and tracking Birds, Cars, Aircraft and UFOs (really aircraft and satellites at night). If taking pictures in the day time is of as much interest as astronomy the Dwarflab 3 has much more capability than any other Smart Telescopes. On-line Tutorials Dwarflab have a few on-line tutorial on how to shot the Milky Way, a Solar eclipse (next one is a partial from UK on 12th Aug 2026) and also create Startrails. The latter is something Seestar lists as a new feature of the new S30 Pro. Tripod The Dwarflab do not supply a tripod unlike Seestar telescopes. The Dwarflab 3 has a large rectangular base with a ¼” tripod thread, but can also be put on any flat surface. It does not have a levelling function so you need to check the surface is level. Although for short Sun and Moon imaging this is not that important, however, for Astro Imaging being level is critical when used in Alt Az mode or EQ Mode. When mount on a tripod I use a circular bubble level to level the tripod head. I also do this before adjusting the tripod to EQ Mode (which I use most often). You can see that this works perfectly from the pinpoint stars in my Images. EQ Mode Tripod Dwarflab make a small tripod for the Dwarflab 3 as an expensive extra (£73) - well made as it is I would NOT recommend it. When using EQ Mode I would recommend a sturdy full size tripod with 3 way head (not ball head) costing £50 to £90. I use this Smallrig 73” tripod (Amazon link- I don’t get a commission if you buy one). It has both ⅜” and ¼” screw thread and is very stable particularly if you remove the spreader allowing the legs to be spaced further apart. You could use a wedge for EQ Mode, but this just adds to the cost without any added benefit. Storage Bag The telescope is supplied with a soft bag which offers good protection. It has a second section for the recharging cable and the Sun filter. The New Dwarflab Models In Dec 2025 Dwarflab launched the Dwarflab Mini

I make no apology for having “wordy” web pages covering Smart Telescopes. Dwarflab and ZWO have very modern looking websites - but tell you very little about their Smart Telescopes. The following is a mix of review and comparison of specifications including know problems. I want you to know what is important so you can make an informed choice. Not just a YT reviewer who got one free and may not get others if they give a poor review - plus they make a few quid if you use their link to buy one. (Note: Some reviewers are very good). See all the ZWO and Dwarflab telescopes compared - Widos Astro Forum

Dwarflab 3 uses 6 lens apochromatic lenses

Dwarflab 3 dimensions

Smart Telescopes Dwarflab 3 Although the S50 was a huge improvement over Dwarflab’s first Smart Telescope the newer Dwarflab 3 is better still having : • Larger sensor • Larger field of view • Larger memory storage • Longer exposure times • More control features While none of the hardware on a Smart Telescope can be upgraded by the user, manufacturers continuously update the dedicated software that runs the telescopes adding numerous new features (see later). Dwarflab 3 Specifications Aperture 35mm Focal length 150mm Sensor 8MP (Sony IMX 678) Sensor Orientation Landscape Field of View 2.95° x 1.66° Max Exposure 1/10000 to 120 Secs Image Resolution 2.75 arcsec/pixel Image format: JPEG, PNG, TIFFS, FITS Memory 128GB Filters Light pollution & Nebula Digital Zoom 2x Mount drive AltAz & EQ Mode Tripod Fitting ¼” The technical bit - so you understand why the above and other information matters. • Aperture The larger the aperture the more light is gathered resulting in a brighter image in a shorter time. • Focal length A longer the focal length contributes to a higher the magnification, but a smaller field of view (FOV) Why does this matter? High magnification is good for small objects, but Deep Sky Objects (Galaxies, Nebulae & Star Clusters) can be very large. Dwarflab and Seestar Smart Telescopes now include Mosaic Mode to enlarge the FOV. • Image Resolution Generally a large sensor gives a better resolution, however, this is effected by pixel size and telescope focal length. The ideal number is 1 to 2 arcsec/pixel. The Dwarflab 3 value is quite high, however, the image still has round stars. • Image Orientation Dwarflab 3 sensor is set in landscape - longest axis is horizontal. In use your phone screen will display a box on the sky map (Atlas) showing the FOV. The orientation changes when using AltAz or EQ Mode. All Smart Telescopes lack the ability to rotate the imaging area for optimal framing. (See Mosaic Mode below). • Exposure Smart Telescopes offer user adjustable shutter speeds (exposure). Dwarflab 3 uses 1 second increments up to a maximum time of 120 seconds in Astronomy Mode and 1/10000 to 1 second for daylight use The longer exposure time can reduce noise, but it may pick up unwanted objects like satellites and aircraft trails which will lead to images being rejected, therefore, requiring even more images and overall a longer imaging time. My images of Deep Sky Objects using the Dwarflab 3 (see Images) were mostly taken with 30 seconds exposures with some successful experimentation with 60 second imaging. • Filters Being able to image faint objects in light polluted skies is one of the stand out features of Smart Telescopes. With most people having to live with light pollution it opens up astronomy in a way not previously possible. The telescope uses a built in filter to overcome light pollution and also has user selectable dual band filter to enhance specific colours emitted by nebulae. • Mount Drive The Dwarflab 3 is designed to track objects as they move across the sky. It does this in two ways: Alt-Az - up/down and left /right. Works well for short periods of imaging only. EQ Mode - necessary for imaging over long periods. To use the EQ Mode the telescope MUST be fitted to a tripod with a tilting head and aligned with the celestial pole (not quite the Pole Star) so the object is tracked in the arc it moves in across the sky. The App “talks” you through the set up. The Design The Dwarflab 3 is an enlarged version of the original Dwarflab II. The optics are mounted inside a rotating cylinder attached to a box containing the electronics and motor drives. The cylinder can rotate 240 o while the base can rotates 340 o . Both the cylinder and base can be moved by hand when powered off. Controlling the Telescope • The App All functions of the telescope are controlled through a dedicated App. Dwarflab is constantly updating the software with new functions. Some reviewers have said the Dwarflab App is a bit more complicated to learn than the ZWO Seestar App. This is probably because there is more flexibility in the control of functions than for the Seestar. To me the Seestar App is not as user friendly as the Dwarflab App. ZWO recommend the Seestar App is only used on phones / tablets that use Android 10 and above with min 6GB RAM. Dwarflab recommend Android 6 and above with 4GB RAM. Download the App before you buy to check it works on your device. The Dwarflab 3 has two functions to help you find what to image. There is a “Recommended” list of objects that are above the horizon and are relatively easy to image. The new “Sky Finder” update for the wide field camera displays objects in the vicinity of where the telescope is pointing. Clicking on an object and it prepares the narrow field camera for imaging. There is also an interactive Star Atlas showing the location of numerous objects in the night sky to avoid cluttering the map with objects fainter ones appear as you zoom in. The Atlas also shows the image field of view size. A search function allows you to find an object through its name or catalogue number. For more experienced users you can specify the celestial coordinates (RA and Dec) for objects not listed. The Seestar App includes a list of Comets, Dwarflab includes these within the DSO list, but you need to know what is visible. Other than not having a dedicated Comet list my criticism with the Atlas is it uses Caldwell Catalogue numbers of which there are 109 objects, but only some 66 are visible from the UK. Experienced astronomers use the more common NGC or IC numbers for these deep sky objects. The Dwarflab App can be disconnected once you start imaging an object. Dwarflab “Schedule” (Seestar call it “Plan”) allows you to select a number of objects to be imaged through the night. The Dwarflab 3 is more flexible in that you can select the filter used and the exposure settings. The number of frames is adjusted by the App to match the total period you set for the imaging run. With the unpredictable UK weather I would never recommend leaving any telescope outside all night. At best it may just cloud over, but rain will cause serious damage. Dwarflab 3 uses the heat from the electronics to stop the front lens fogging up which works very well even with conditions of heavy dew. • Dwarflab 3 Mosaic Mode From its launch the Dwarflab 3 included a Mosaic Mode. This allows an area up to 5.39° x 2.99° (approx 4 times the standard FOV) to be imaged. Either axis can be resized independently. As the telescope has to take more images to cover the area reduce image resolution will occur unless you image for longer. • Image Processing You can specify the number of images to be taken by the Dwarflab 3, as each is taken it is stacked with the others until a final image is produced. However, the final number of images may be lower as the software will rejected images it doesn’t “like” so not to “spoil” the final image. All the images (included rejected ones) are stored by the telescope for you to do your own processing if you want to. Another App update called “Mega Stack” allows images of the same object taken on different nights to be stacked together. Different Exposure and Gain settings can be used and now an update allows different filters which enables an image to have a greater dynamic range. Dwarflab offers more - called “Stella Studio” it is a cloud based image processor. Connecting your phone and Dwarflab 3 to the internet your images are uploaded to Dwarflab’s own processing system. You can either use an “Auto” function or select what enhancements you want. “Auto” works very well at producing excellent images (see my IC443 Jellyfish Nebula in Images). A recent update means Stella Studio will now do additional processing on the images and star spikes can be added (which I like). Planets - What Planets? The Dwarf 3 is not designed to image the planets due to the large field of view making the planets appear as tiny discs. No Smart Telescope currently available can produce good images of the planets The Planets are easy to find and you will see them better with a conventional telescope like the Starquest DX102MC. Moon and Solar Imaging The wide field camera of the Dwarflab 3 helps to locate the Moon and Sun. A magnetic dual Sun filter is supplied to cover both lens and should always be fitted BEFORE pointing at the Sun. (The telescope reminds you to fit it). The Dwarflab 3 stacks individual images of the Sun and Moon just as it does for deep sky objects. Yet another App update gives the choice of 1x or 2x digital zoom. The 2x zoom makes the Sun and Moon images closer in size to the S50 image. Although this is only achieved by cropping the original image the image quality remains good. Dwarflab has standard settings for the Sun and Moon. With the Moon it takes 200 images, however, the effect of atmospheric turbulence with this many images could cause blurring of the final image. A better result looks to be obtained with 20 or 30 images. Experiment with image numbers as different nights bring different atmospheric conditions which effect imaging. Stella Studio offers additional processing for Sun and Moon images. Daylight Use The Dwarflab 3 has two cameras in one body, both of which are capable of daylight imaging and are fully adjustable for exposure, etc. The second camera has a fixed focus and a wide 45° field suitable for landscape images and can take panoramic images too. Both cameras can track a moving object. It is very likely that Dwarflab chose the Sony IMX678 sensor as a compromise between the astronomy and daylight imaging requirements. The telescope has auto settings for locating and tracking Birds, Cars, Aircraft and UFOs (really aircraft and satellites at night). If taking pictures in the day time is of as much interest as astronomy the Dwarflab 3 has much more capability than any other Smart Telescopes. On-line Tutorials Dwarflab have a few on-line tutorial on how to shot the Milky Way, a Solar eclipse (next one is a partial from UK on 12th Aug 2026) and also create Startrails. The latter is something Seestar lists as a new feature of the new S30 Pro. Tripod The Dwarflab do not supply a tripod unlike Seestar telescopes. The Dwarflab 3 has a large rectangular base with a ¼” tripod thread, but can also be put on any flat surface. It does not have a levelling function so you need to check the surface is level. Although for short Sun and Moon imaging this is not that important, however, for Astro Imaging being level is critical when used in Alt Az mode or EQ Mode. When mount on a tripod I use a circular bubble level to level the tripod head. I also do this before adjusting the tripod to EQ Mode (which I use most often). You can see that this works perfectly from the pinpoint stars in my Images. EQ Mode Tripod Dwarflab make a small tripod for the Dwarflab 3 as an expensive extra (£73) - well made as it is I would NOT recommend it. When using EQ Mode I would recommend a sturdy full size tripod with 3 way head (not ball head) costing £50 to £90. I use this Smallrig 73” tripod (Amazon link- I don’t get a commission if you buy one). It has both ⅜” and ¼” screw thread and is very stable particularly if you remove the spreader allowing the legs to be spaced further apart. You could use a wedge for EQ Mode, but this just adds to the cost without any added benefit. Storage Bag The telescope is supplied with a soft bag which offers good protection. It has a second section for the recharging cable and the Sun filter. The New Dwarflab Models In Dec 2025 Dwarflab launched the Dwarflab Mini

I make no apology for having “wordy” web pages covering Smart Telescopes. Dwarflab and ZWO have very modern looking websites - but tell you very little about their Smart Telescopes. The following is a mix of review and comparison of specifications including know problems. I want you to know what is important so you can make an informed choice. Not just a YT reviewer who got one free and may not get others if they give a poor review - plus they make a few quid if you use their link to buy one. (Note: Some reviewers are very good). See all the ZWO and Dwarflab telescopes compared - Widos Astro Forum

Dwarflab 3 uses 6 lens apochromatic lenses

Dwarflab 3 dimensions