Is the Seestar S30 Pro faster than the Vespera Pro?

From a Bortle 6 sky the Seestar S30 Pro is 2.4× faster on the 30 most popular deep-sky targets; from Bortle 3 the Seestar S30 Pro is 1.8× faster.

Which is better for small targets like planetary nebulae?

The Vespera Pro, with its finer pixel scale of 1.65″ per pixel.

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

ZWO Seestar S30 Pro against Vaonis Vespera Pro, 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 2.4× faster (geometric mean of the solid-image times, each scope on its recommended filter and default subs). From a rural Bortle 3 sky the Seestar S30 Pro is 1.8× faster.

Field of view. The Seestar S30 Pro shows 3.99° × 2.24° against 1.62° × 1.62°, so big targets such as the Andromeda Galaxy, the North America Nebula and the Pleiades fit with room to spare where the Vespera Pro needs a mosaic or a tight crop.

Detail. The Vespera Pro samples at 1.65″ 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 Pro 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 Pro does not, which costs it heavily on emission nebulae from any suburban sky.

Specifications side by side

Spec	Seestar S30 Pro	Vespera Pro
Aperture	30 mm	50 mm
Focal length	160 mm (f/5.3)	250 mm (f/5.0)
Sensor	Sony IMX585, 8.3 MP	Sony IMX676, 12.5 MP
Pixel size	2.9 µm	2 µm
Pixel scale	3.74″/px	1.65″/px
Field of view	3.99° × 2.24°	1.62° × 1.62°
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⁻	0.8 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 Pro	Faster
Andromeda GalaxyGalaxy	1 h 41 min609 subs	3 h 16 min1,176 subs	Seestar S30 Pro 1.9×
Orion NebulaEmission nebula	15 min89 subs	38 min227 subs	Seestar S30 Pro 2.6×
North America NebulaEmission nebula	1 h 43 min619 subs	5 h 04 min1,822 subs	Seestar S30 Pro 2.9×
Pinwheel GalaxyGalaxy	5 h 21 min1,927 subs	10 h3,727 subs	Seestar S30 Pro 1.9×
Ring NebulaPlanetary nebula	8 min49 subs	17 min103 subs	Seestar S30 Pro 2.1×
Western Veil NebulaSupernova remnant	1 h 52 min674 subs	5 h 32 min1,992 subs	Seestar S30 Pro 3.0×
Hercules ClusterGlobular cluster	8 min51 subs	16 min98 subs	Seestar S30 Pro 1.9×
PleiadesReflection nebula	3 h 08 min1,127 subs	6 h 03 min2,177 subs	Seestar S30 Pro 1.9×

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 Pro	Faster
Andromeda GalaxyGalaxy	40 min243 subs	1 h 23 min500 subs	Seestar S30 Pro 2.1×
Orion NebulaEmission nebula	12 min70 subs	18 min111 subs	Seestar S30 Pro 1.6×
North America NebulaEmission nebula	1 h 14 min443 subs	2 h 06 min757 subs	Seestar S30 Pro 1.7×
Pinwheel GalaxyGalaxy	2 h722 subs	4 h 10 min1,501 subs	Seestar S30 Pro 2.1×
Ring NebulaPlanetary nebula	7 min42 subs	10 min62 subs	Seestar S30 Pro 1.5×
Western Veil NebulaSupernova remnant	1 h 20 min481 subs	2 h 17 min824 subs	Seestar S30 Pro 1.7×
Hercules ClusterGlobular cluster	5 min30 subs	9 min53 subs	Seestar S30 Pro 1.7×
PleiadesReflection nebula	1 h 12 min433 subs	2 h 29 min897 subs	Seestar S30 Pro 2.1×

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

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 Pro

The square-sensor Vespera with 2 µm pixels. Higher resolution than the II, and correspondingly slower per pixel: expect around double the time for the same per-pixel SNR. Run-out in 2026 and replaced by the Vespera Pro 2.

Where to buy the Vespera ProAmazon UK Amazon USAffiliate 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 Pro page