Dwarf II vs Vespera Pro: 10 Second Summary
- The Vaonis Vespera Pro is a much higher spec smart telescope than the Dwarf II.
- It is simple, quick and easy to use. It is well-loved for its imaging capabilities and it features a mosaic mode that allows the capture of widefield images.
- However, it is heavier than the Dwarf II and significantly more expensive.
- The Dwarf II is smaller and lighter than the Vaonis Vespera Pro, and much cheaper.
- On the downside, the key specifications are lower, and requires more work to operate.
Why choose the Dwarf II over the Vaonis Vespera Pro?
The Dwarf II is a compact, budget smart telescope from Chinese manufacturer Dwarflab.
The main reasons to consider it over the Vaonis Vespera Pro are:
- It is much cheaper – roughly one sixth of the price.
- It is smaller and lighter and comes with a perfect-fit carry case, and so is ideal for travel and convenient storage.
On the downside, the telescope specifications are lower than the Vaonis Vespera Pro, and the user experience is not as slick and seamless, requiring a bit more work to get the most out of it.
Why choose the Vaonis Vespera Pro over the Dwarf II?
The Vaonis Vespera Pro is a compact, premium smart telescope from French manufacturer Vaonis that was released in 2024.
The main reasons to consider it over the Dwarf II are:
- It has a higher aperture and longer focal length telescope, meaning it is better at gathering light and so has better astrophotography capabilities.
- All Vaonis models have a Mosaic Mode which enables the stitching of multiple images to capture much wider fields of view and larger astronomical objects.
- It has seamless ease of use – the Vaonis app and user experience is excellent.
Telescope Specifications
The Dwarf II has 24 mm (1 inch) aperture, 100 mm focal length, f/4.2 focal ratio, and 3.2° × 1.6° field of view.
The Vaonis Vespera Pro has 50 mm (2 inch) aperture, 250 mm focal length, f/5 focal ratio, and 1.6° x 1.6° field of view.
Camera Specifications
The Dwarf II has an 8 MP resolution camera of 3840 x 2160 size using a Sony IMX415 sensor and a pixel size of 1.45μm.
The Vaonis Vespera Pro has a 12.5 MP resolution camera of 3536 x 3536 size using a Sony IMX676 sensor and a pixel size of 2 µm.
Size and Weight
The Dwarf II weighs 1.2 kg (2.6 lb) and has dimensions of 20 x 6 x 13 ((H x W x L in cm).
The Vaonis Vespera Pro weighs 5 kg (11 lb) and has dimensions of 48 x 20 x 9 ((H x W x L in cm).
Price and Value for Money
The Dwarflab DWARF II costs $459 to $595, and the Vaonis Vespera Pro costs $2,999.
Note, these may vary so check the links to compare retailers if thinking about buying.
Specifications
| Dwarflab DWARF II | Vaonis Vespera Pro | |
|---|---|---|
| Year | 2023 | 2023 |
| Aperture | 24mm (1 inch) | 50mm (2 inch) |
| Focal Length | 100mm | 250mm |
| Focal Ratio | f/4.2 | f/5 |
| Limiting Magnitude | 9.6 | 11.19 |
| OTA type | Refractor | Refractor |
| Eyepiece | No | No |
| Field of View | 3.2° × 1.6° | 1.6° x 1.6° |
| Resolution | 8MP | 12.5MP |
| Sensor Size | 3840 x 2160 | 3536 x 3536 |
| Sensor | Sony IMX415 | Sony IMX676 |
| Pixel Size | 1.45μm | 2 µm |
| Image Formats | TIFF, FITS | TIFF, FITS |
| Mosaic Mode | No | Yes |
| Size (H x W x L) cm | 20 x 6 x 13 | 48 x 20 x 9 |
| Weight | 1.2kg (2.6 lb) | 5kg (11 lb) |
| Mount | Included | Included |
| Tripod | Included | Included |
| Battery Life | 3 hrs | 11 hrs |
| Internal Storage | 64GB | 225GB |
| Dew Control | Built-in | Built-in |
| Retail Price* | $459 | $2,999 |
Vespera Pro vs Dwarf II: Verdict
The appeal of the Dwarf II is that it is the cheapest and most portable smart telescope. It is well-loved by its owners (including me) and 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 appeal of the Vespera Pro is in offering the premium smart telescope experience in a small and portable package. It is a better astrophotography telescope than the Dwarf II, but it also costs about six times as much.
Premium Portability  | Budget Pick  |
$2,990.00 | $459.00 |
Related content and more information
- Best Smart Telescopes Comparison
- Dwarflab website
- Dwarf 2 Review
- Vaonis Vespera Pro (Vaonis website)
- Vaonis Vespera Pro review
Other comparisons: