Is the Seestar S30 Pro faster than the Vespera II?

From a Bortle 6 sky the Seestar S30 Pro is 1.1× faster on the 30 most popular deep-sky targets; from Bortle 3 the Vespera II is 1.3× faster.

Which is better for small targets like planetary nebulae?

The Vespera II, with its finer pixel scale of 2.39″ per pixel.

Seestar S30 Pro vs Vespera II: which is faster for deep-sky imaging?

ZWO Seestar S30 Pro against Vaonis Vespera II, on the same targets from the same skies, using the same photon-budget model as the rest of the site. Times are for a solid image; the calculator gives quick-look and showpiece figures too.

Speed. Across the 30 most popular targets from a suburban Bortle 6 sky, the Seestar S30 Pro is 1.1× faster (geometric mean of the solid-image times, each scope on its recommended filter and default subs). From a rural Bortle 3 sky the Vespera II is 1.3× faster, so the ranking flips under dark skies.

Field of view. The Seestar S30 Pro shows 3.99° × 2.24° against 2.55° × 1.44°, so big targets such as the Andromeda Galaxy, the North America Nebula and the Pleiades fit with room to spare where the Vespera II needs a mosaic or a tight crop.

Detail. The Vespera II samples at 2.39″ per pixel against 3.74″, so it pulls finer structure from small targets: planetary nebulae, globular cores, galaxy arms.

Subs and dark skies. The Seestar S30 Pro goes up to 60 s subs in EQ mode, the Vespera II tops out at 30 s. That matters little from a city, where skyglow sets the floor, and a lot from a dark site, where read noise does.

Filters. The Seestar S30 Pro has a dual-band filter built in; the Vespera II does not, which costs it heavily on emission nebulae from any suburban sky.

Specifications side by side

Spec	Seestar S30 Pro	Vespera II
Aperture	30 mm	50 mm
Focal length	160 mm (f/5.3)	250 mm (f/5.0)
Sensor	Sony IMX585, 8.3 MP	Sony IMX585, 8.3 MP
Pixel size	2.9 µm	2.9 µm
Pixel scale	3.74″/px	2.39″/px
Field of view	3.99° × 2.24°	2.55° × 1.44°
Sub exposures	10 s, 20 s, 30 s, 60 s	10 s, 20 s, 30 s
Dual-band filter	Built in (LP filter)	Clip-on option (Dual Band filter)
“No filter” position	UV/IR-cut	No filter
Read noise used	1 e⁻	1 e⁻

Timed on the same targets

Suburban sky (Bortle 6)

Total integration for a solid image from a Bortle 6 sky, default subs, recommended filter for each scope.
Target	Seestar S30 Pro	Vespera II	Faster
Andromeda GalaxyGalaxy	1 h 41 min609 subs	1 h 27 min525 subs	Vespera II 1.2×
Orion NebulaEmission nebula	15 min89 subs	17 min103 subs	Seestar S30 Pro 1.1×
North America NebulaEmission nebula	1 h 43 min619 subs	2 h 15 min813 subs	Seestar S30 Pro 1.3×
Pinwheel GalaxyGalaxy	5 h 21 min1,927 subs	4 h 37 min1,661 subs	Vespera II 1.2×
Ring NebulaPlanetary nebula	8 min49 subs	8 min47 subs	Same
Western Veil NebulaSupernova remnant	1 h 52 min674 subs	2 h 28 min889 subs	Seestar S30 Pro 1.3×
Hercules ClusterGlobular cluster	8 min51 subs	7 min44 subs	Vespera II 1.2×
PleiadesReflection nebula	3 h 08 min1,127 subs	2 h 42 min971 subs	Vespera II 1.2×

Rural sky (Bortle 3)

Total integration for a solid image from a Bortle 3 sky, default subs, recommended filter for each scope.
Target	Seestar S30 Pro	Vespera II	Faster
Andromeda GalaxyGalaxy	40 min243 subs	34 min204 subs	Vespera II 1.2×
Orion NebulaEmission nebula	12 min70 subs	8 min47 subs	Vespera II 1.5×
North America NebulaEmission nebula	1 h 14 min443 subs	51 min306 subs	Vespera II 1.4×
Pinwheel GalaxyGalaxy	2 h722 subs	1 h 40 min602 subs	Vespera II 1.2×
Ring NebulaPlanetary nebula	7 min42 subs	5 min30 subs	Vespera II 1.4×
Western Veil NebulaSupernova remnant	1 h 20 min481 subs	55 min333 subs	Vespera II 1.4×
Hercules ClusterGlobular cluster	5 min30 subs	5 min30 subs	Same
PleiadesReflection nebula	1 h 12 min433 subs	1 h362 subs	Vespera II 1.2×

Try the Seestar S30 Pro in the calculator Try the Vespera II

About the ZWO Seestar S30 Pro

The S30 optics upgraded to a quadruplet in front of an 8 MP IMX585. Same speed per pixel as the S30, four times the pixels, so you can crop hard.

Where to buy the Seestar S30 ProZWO store Direct Amazon UK Amazon USThe ZWO store link is a plain link; the others are affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases, at no cost to you.

About the Vaonis Vespera II

A 50 mm quadruplet on an 8 MP sensor with Vaonis’s mosaic mode for wide fields. Same optics class as the Seestar S50, four times the pixels.

Where to buy the Vespera IIVaonis store Direct Amazon UK Amazon USThe Vaonis store link is a plain link; the others are affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases, at no cost to you.

Other comparisons

All comparisons · Buying guide · Seestar S30 Pro page · Vespera II page