Zwo Astro has launched the Seestar S50 Pro, a new smart telescope aimed at users who want to capture deep-sky objects and nightscapes without putting together a traditional astrophotography setup. The new model keeps the 50mm aperture of the original Seestar S50 but adds upgraded optics, dual 4K cameras, more storage, a larger battery, and additional imaging features.
The Seestar S50 Pro uses a four-element apochromatic optical system with Extra-low Dispersion glass, a 50mm aperture, and a 260mm focal length at f/5.2. Zwo Astro says the larger aperture collects more light, while the updated optical design is intended to improve image quality and reduce chromatic aberration. The main telephoto camera uses an 8.3MP 1/1.2-inch sensor with a 2.8-degree field of view, giving the telescope a dedicated setup for deep-sky photography.
It uses a secondary 8.3MP 1/2-inch sensor and offers a much wider 63-degree field of view. Both cameras can capture 4K UHD images at 3840 x 2160 resolution. The wide-angle camera is designed for Milky Way photography, star fields, and nightscapes, while it can also assist with target locating and tracking.
The Zwo Astro Seestar S50 Pro can handle target locating, tracking, focusing, and image capture through its companion smartphone app. Live stacking and automatic processing are available as part of the imaging workflow, allowing users to spend less time adjusting equipment manually. The software also includes tools such as star removal, star reduction, noise reduction, and automatic dynamic background extraction.
Another upgrade comes in the form of a 10,000mAh battery, which ZWO rates for up to nine hours of operation under specified conditions. Storage has also increased to 128GB, giving users more room for high-resolution astrophotography sessions. The S50 Pro adds an equatorial mode and a zero-backlash precision drive system, with ZWO claiming improved tracking stability for longer exposures.
The Seestar S50 Pro became available on August 25, 2026. Its regular price is $999, but ZWO is offering an $899 launch price for a limited period, with the promotional pricing scheduled to run through September 15. The first shipments are expected to begin on September 1.
Key features:
- 50mm aperture
- 260mm focal length and f/5.2 aperture
- Four-element apochromatic lens with ED glass
- 8.3MP 1/1.2-inch telephoto camera
- 8.3MP 1/2-inch wide-angle camera
- Dual 4K imaging at 3840 x 2160
- 2.8-degree telephoto field of view
- 63-degree wide-angle field of view
- 128GB internal storage
- 10,000mAh battery
- Up to nine hours of operation
- Automatic target locating, tracking, and focusing
- Equatorial mode
- Live stacking and in-app image processing
For users interested in an all-in-one astrophotography system, the S50 Pro combines the telescope, cameras, tracking hardware, storage, and image-processing features in a single portable unit. The dual-camera setup also gives it a wider range of uses than the original S50, covering both deep-sky subjects and wider night-sky scenes.
