telescopecomparison · 2-way
DwarfLab Dwarf 3 vs William Optics MiniCat 51 WIFD
William Optics
MiniCat 51 WIFD
Best suited for beginners and wide-field enthusiasts running a portable travel rig.
Key differences
-16% focal length
-31% aperture
Slower by 0.8 f-stops
Specifications
| Specification | DwarfLab Dwarf 3 | William Optics MiniCat 51 WIFD |
|---|---|---|
| Optics | ||
| Type | smart-telescope | refractor |
| Optical design | Apo doublet all-in-one | Petzval (6-element) |
| Aperture | 35mm | 51mm |
| Focal length | 150mm | 178mm |
| Native f/ratio | f/4.3 | f/3.5 |
| Image circle | — | 43mm |
| Full-frame support | No | Yes |
| Physical | ||
| Weight | 1.3kg | 1.7kg |
Advantages of DwarfLab Dwarf 3
- Wider field — 150mm vs 178mm focal length
- Lighter (1.3kg vs 1.67kg) — easier to travel with
Advantages of William Optics MiniCat 51 WIFD
- Tighter framing — 178mm vs 150mm focal length
- 46% more light-gathering aperture
- Faster optics at f/3.5 vs f/4.3
- Larger image circle (43.2mm) — supports bigger sensors
Best for — DwarfLab Dwarf 3
- Wide-field nebulae and Milky Way regions
- Fast imaging — short exposures per sub
Best for — William Optics MiniCat 51 WIFD
- Wide-field nebulae and Milky Way regions
- Fast imaging — short exposures per sub
- Full-frame astro cameras and DSLRs
DwarfLab Dwarf 3 — typical FOV & scale
- With Full-frame (36×24mm, 3.76µm)FOV: 13.75° × 9.17°Scale: 5.17"/px
- With APS-C (23.5×15.7mm, 3.76µm)FOV: 8.98° × 6.00°Scale: 5.17"/px
- With IMX533 square (11.3×11.3mm, 3.76µm)FOV: 4.32° × 4.32°Scale: 5.17"/px
William Optics MiniCat 51 WIFD — typical FOV & scale
- With Full-frame (36×24mm, 3.76µm)FOV: 11.59° × 7.73°Scale: 4.36"/px
- With APS-C (23.5×15.7mm, 3.76µm)FOV: 7.56° × 5.05°Scale: 4.36"/px
- With IMX533 square (11.3×11.3mm, 3.76µm)FOV: 3.64° × 3.64°Scale: 4.36"/px
DwarfLab Dwarf 3 — recommended user
Best suited for beginners and wide-field enthusiasts running a portable travel rig.
William Optics MiniCat 51 WIFD — recommended user
Best suited for beginners and wide-field enthusiasts running a portable travel rig.
