10 Best Astrophotography Cameras 2025 in the United States

The ZWO Seestar S50 is a compact and lightweight all-in-one astrophotography camera and telescope designed for both beginners and experienced users. Weighing only 2.5kg, it combines a telescope, camera, and mount into a portable setup, making it convenient for stargazing on the go. Its triplet apochromatic optics help deliver sharp, low-noise images with good color accuracy, which is beneficial for capturing clear night sky photos with reduced chromatic aberration.

The built-in autofocus and automatic tracking via phone app simplify finding and following celestial objects, which is great for users new to astrophotography. The Seestar app adds useful modes like equatorial tracking for more precise exposure, planned multi-target shooting, and mosaic stitching to create wider views of the sky. Lens compatibility appears integrated rather than interchangeable, focusing on ease of use rather than customization. The included compact tripod supports stable positioning and is adaptable to other tripods, enhancing flexibility.

While advanced users might find the fixed optical setup limiting compared to modular, higher-end systems, the ZWO Seestar S50 offers a strong balance of features, automation, and image quality for hobbyists seeking a straightforward, portable, and smart telescope-camera combo.

The ZWO Seestar S30 is a lightweight and portable all-in-one digital telescope and camera designed for beginners and casual stargazers who want an easy way to capture night sky photos. Weighing just about 3.6 pounds, it's very convenient to carry on trips or hikes. It offers two lenses—a telephoto for detailed shots of celestial objects and a wide-angle for landscapes and locating stars, which makes it versatile for different shooting needs. The automatic star-finding and tracking features simplify the process, so you don’t need advanced skills to get started. It also has three shooting modes tailored for different subjects: deep sky, solar system, and scenery. Noise reduction is handled smartly with automatic post-processing, helping to clear up images even in light-polluted areas.

Exposure control is assisted through various shooting modes and an equatorial mount option (EQ mode) for more precise star tracking, which is a plus for longer exposures without blur. Lens compatibility is fixed to the built-in dual lenses, limiting upgrades but keeping things compact and user-friendly. Its companion app provides additional control and easy sharing, enhancing the user experience.

The Seestar S30 is well suited for those looking for a simple, lightweight setup to capture the moon, planets, and some deep sky objects without the complexity of traditional astrophotography gear, but it may not satisfy advanced users needing larger sensors or full manual control.

The Canon EOS R6 Mark II is a full-frame mirrorless camera with a 24.2-megapixel CMOS sensor that performs well in low light, making it a good option for astrophotography enthusiasts. Its full-frame sensor size helps capture more light and detail from the night sky, which is important for star and celestial object photography. Canon’s DIGIC X processor helps reduce noise effectively at higher ISO settings, which is crucial for clear images in dark conditions.

This model offers strong dynamic range, allowing the camera to capture a wide range of light intensities, helping preserve details in both bright stars and darker sky areas. The image stabilization aids in reducing blur, especially when using longer exposure times, though astrophotography often requires manual long exposures beyond typical camera settings. Lens compatibility with Canon RF mounts provides access to a growing variety of high-quality lenses, including wide-angle and fast apertures favored in astrophotography. The camera weighs about 1.3 pounds, which is fairly portable for a full-frame model, making it manageable for field use with a tripod.

While the camera excels in autofocus and video features, which are less critical for astrophotography, some astrophotographers may prefer higher megapixels for very detailed night sky imaging. The Canon EOS R6 Mark II is a solid, versatile full-frame camera that offers excellent low-light performance, noise control, and lens options supporting astrophotography well, especially for beginners and enthusiasts wanting a balance of photo and video capabilities in a portable body.