ZWO 30F5 30mm f/5 Mini Guide Scope

ZWO 30mm f/5 Mini Guide Scope

Compact. Capable. Built for sharp guiding under the stars.

ZWO’s 30mm f/5 Mini Guide Scope is a compact, precision-aligned optical tube designed to keep your imaging setup lightweight while delivering the reliable autoguiding performance serious astrophotographers expect. With its 150mm focal length and fast f/5 optics, this mini scope strikes an ideal balance—wide enough to easily find guide stars, yet narrow enough to pair well with a wide range of imaging telescopes, even those up to 750mm in focal length.

It may be called a “guide scope,” but its construction, focusing precision, and optical quality put it well above the typical finder-class hardware you might be used to.

High-Quality Optics, Built to Guide

At the heart of the ZWO 30mm Mini is a triplet lens design featuring ED glass—a rare find in scopes this size. That extra optical correction pays off with tighter, sharper star profiles across the field and significantly reduced chromatic aberration. If your guide camera can lock on to a pinpoint, that’s less work your mount has to do. The 30mm aperture and f/5 speed provide a generous, bright field for your guide software to work with, even under light-polluted skies.

Smooth, Non-Rotating Focuser

ZWO upgraded the focusing mechanism in this version with a non-rotating helical focuser—a smart move for imagers. It lets you adjust focus without twisting the camera or altering your field orientation. Once you dial it in, a locking thumbscrew holds your focus position securely, so you can shoot through the night without worrying about shifts or slop.

Universal Mounting and Camera Compatibility

The rear of the scope features both M42×0.75 threads and a standard 1.25" compression ring, giving you options to thread your camera directly or slip it in with a nosepiece. It’s an ideal match for any ZWO ASI guide camera, and it’ll work just as well with third-party autoguiders that follow the same thread standard. You can even pair it with a DSLR and T-ring for ultra-wide field imaging, though it truly shines as a guide scope.

A Synta-style dovetail mounting foot makes it drop-in ready for most finder shoes, and the included screws allow for alternate mounting if needed.

Lightweight, Durable, and Travel-Friendly

The entire assembly—including the mounting foot and guider ring—comes in at just 348 grams (0.77 lbs). It’s only 155mm long, making it an easy addition to almost any imaging setup, from small equatorial mounts to compact portable rigs. The CNC-machined aluminum tube feels solid in the hand without weighing you down, and the black anodized finish protects against wear in the field.

What’s in the Box

• ZWO 30mm f/5 Mini Guide Scope

• Synta-style dovetail base

• M4x8 mounting screws (x2)

• M3x6 set screw

Final Thoughts

A good guide scope is easy to take for granted—until you’re chasing down elusive guide stars or chasing your own tail with flex and focus shifts. The ZWO 30mm Mini Guide Scope offers sharp, reliable optical performance in a small, user-friendly package that won’t upset your mount’s balance or your imaging train’s alignment.

Whether you’re just getting started with guiding or refining a high-end portable rig, this is a guide scope that punches well above its weight. Small in size, big on results—the way guiding should be.