Dwarf II vs Unistellar Odyssey: 10 Second Summary
- The Unistellar Odyssey was released in 2024 and is a premium smart telescope. It is relatively small and light, user experience is ultra-slick, and with it you can take part in Citizen Astronomy initiatives.
- However, it is heavier than the Dwarf 2 and significantly more expensive.
- The Dwarf 2 is smaller and lighter than the Unistellar Odyssey, and much cheaper.
- On the downside, the key specifications are lower, and requires more work to operate.
Why choose the Dwarf II over the Unistellar Odyssey?
The Dwarf II is a compact, budget smart telescope from Chinese manufacturer Dwarflab:
- It is small and light and comes with a perfect-fit carry case, and so is perfect for travel and convenient storage.
- It is much cheaper than the Unistellar Odyssey.
- On the downside, the telescope specifications are lower than the Unistellar Odyssey and the user experience is not as slick and seamless as with the Unistellar smart telescope options.
Why choose the Unistellar Odyssey over the Dwarf II?
The Unistellar Odyssey is a premium smart telescope from French manufacturer Unistellar that is brand new in 2024.
The main reasons to consider it over the Dwarf 2 are:
- It is designed to be extremely easy to use, with no knowledge of telescopes or astrophotography required. The target audience is the user that wants a premium model that they know they can pull out at any time without having to think too much about it. The Dwarf 2 is much cheaper but does require a bit more work to use and to get great images.
- With all Unistellar models you can take part in Citizen Astronomy initiatives and join missions to track asteroids and hunt exoplanets.
- The telescope specifications are higher, with 3.3 inch aperture, versus just 1 inch for the Dwarf 2, and 320mm focal length, versus 100mm.
- Whilst bigger than the Dwarf 2, it is still very small and light.
- It is also beautifully designed and so looks appealing if on display at home.
The main downside versus the Dwarf 2 is the price, which means it should appeal to a very different audience.
Telescope Specifications
The Dwarf II has 24mm (1 inch) aperture, 100mm focal length, f/4.2 focal ratio, and 3.2° × 1.6° field of view.
The Unistellar Odyssey has 85mm (3.3 inch) aperture, 320mm focal length, f/3.8 focal ratio, and 0.56° x 0.75° field of view.
Camera Specifications
The Dwarf II has a 8MP resolution camera of 3840 x 2160 size using a Sony IMX415 sensor and a pixel size of 1.45μm.
The Unistellar Odyssey has a 3.4MP resolution camera using a Sony IMX615 sensor and a pixel size of 1.45μm.
Size and Weight
The Dwarf II weighs 1.2kg (2.6 lb) and has dimensions of 20 x 6 x 13 ((H x W x L in cm).
The Unistellar Odyssey weighs 4kg (8.8 lb) and has dimensions of 13 x 20 x 43 ((H x W x L in cm).
Price and Value for Money
The Dwarf II costs $459 to $595, depending on the package. The Unistellar Odyssey costs $2,499.
Note, these may vary so check the links to compare retailers if thinking about buying.
Specifications
| Dwarflab DWARF II | Unistellar Odyssey | |
|---|---|---|
| Year | 2023 | 2024 |
| Aperture | 24mm (1 inch) | 85mm (3.3 inch) |
| Focal Length | 100mm | 320mm |
| Focal Ratio | f/4.2 | f/3.8 |
| Limiting Magnitude | 9.6 | 12.35 |
| OTA type | Refractor | Reflector |
| Eyepiece | No | No |
| Field of View | 3.2° × 1.6° | 0.56° x 0.75° |
| Resolution | 8MP | 3.4MP |
| Sensor Size | 3840 x 2160 | |
| Sensor | Sony IMX415 | Sony IMX615 |
| Pixel Size | 1.45μm | 1.45μm |
| Image Formats | TIFF, FITS | FITS, TIFF, PNG, JPEG |
| Mosaic Mode | No | No |
| Size (H x W x L) cm | 20 x 6 x 13 | 13 x 20 x 43 |
| Weight | 1.2kg (2.6 lb) | 4kg (8.8 lb) |
| Mount | Included | Included |
| Tripod | Included | Included |
| Battery Life | 3 hrs | 5 hrs |
| Internal Storage | 64GB | 64GB |
| Dew Control | Built-in | None |
| Retail Price* | $459 | $2,499 |
Unistellar Odyssey vs Dwarf II: Verdict
The Dwarf 2 and Unistellar Odyssey should appeal to quite different audiences based on the large difference in price.
The Dwarf 2 is right for you if you want an inexpensive option as a first smart telescope and you don’t mind getting stuck in to learn how to make the best of it.
The Unistellar Odyssey should appeal to more casual users that want a premium smart telescope that is very slick and can be used at any time without having to think too much about it.
Premium Ease  | Budget Portability  |
$2,499.00 | $459.00 |
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