telescopecomparison · 2-way
William Optics Pleiades 68 vs ZWO Seestar S50
William Optics
Pleiades 68
Best suited for beginners and wide-field enthusiasts running a portable travel rig.
Key differences
+36% aperture
Faster by 1.2 f-stops
Specifications
| Specification | William Optics Pleiades 68 | ZWO Seestar S50 |
|---|---|---|
| Optics | ||
| Type | astrograph | smart-telescope |
| Optical design | Astrograph (7-element) | Apo triplet all-in-one |
| Aperture | 68mm | 50mm |
| Focal length | 260mm | 250mm |
| Native f/ratio | f/3.8 | f/5.0 |
| Image circle | 48mm | — |
| Full-frame support | Yes | No |
| Physical | ||
| Weight | 3.0kg | 2.5kg |
Advantages of William Optics Pleiades 68
- 36% more light-gathering aperture
- Faster optics at f/3.8 vs f/5
- Larger image circle (48mm) — supports bigger sensors
Advantages of ZWO Seestar S50
- Lighter (2.5kg vs 2.98kg) — easier to travel with
Best for — William Optics Pleiades 68
- Wide-field nebulae and Milky Way regions
- Fast imaging — short exposures per sub
- Full-frame astro cameras and DSLRs
Best for — ZWO Seestar S50
- Wide-field nebulae and Milky Way regions
- Fast imaging — short exposures per sub
William Optics Pleiades 68 — typical FOV & scale
- With Full-frame (36×24mm, 3.76µm)FOV: 7.93° × 5.29°Scale: 2.98"/px
- With APS-C (23.5×15.7mm, 3.76µm)FOV: 5.18° × 3.46°Scale: 2.98"/px
- With IMX533 square (11.3×11.3mm, 3.76µm)FOV: 2.49° × 2.49°Scale: 2.98"/px
ZWO Seestar S50 — typical FOV & scale
- With Full-frame (36×24mm, 3.76µm)FOV: 8.25° × 5.50°Scale: 3.10"/px
- With APS-C (23.5×15.7mm, 3.76µm)FOV: 5.39° × 3.60°Scale: 3.10"/px
- With IMX533 square (11.3×11.3mm, 3.76µm)FOV: 2.59° × 2.59°Scale: 3.10"/px
William Optics Pleiades 68 — recommended user
Best suited for beginners and wide-field enthusiasts running a portable travel rig.
ZWO Seestar S50 — recommended user
Best suited for beginners and wide-field enthusiasts running a portable travel rig.
