ActiveOutdoorsOutdoor TechSvbony 501P 70 telescope review: an affordable but underwhelming travel-friendly telescopeThe Svbony 501P 70 is a 2.7-inch refractor telescope on a photographic tripod designed for moon-viewing and planets, but it can be frustrating to useWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.(Image credit: Jamie Carter)T3 VerdictThe Svbony 501P 70 is not going to win any awards. A cut-price telescope on a cheap photographic tripod, it gives reasonably good images of the moon, but little else. While it’s exciting to see small telescopes at this low price, a good pair of binoculars would be a much better investment.Reasons to buy+Very affordable+Simple to set up and use+Easy to travel withReasons to avoid-Wobbly tripod-Average optical quality-Lacks precisionWhy you can trust T3Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you.Find out more about how we test.
ActiveOutdoorsOutdoor TechSvbony 501P 70 telescope review: an affordable but underwhelming travel-friendly telescopeThe Svbony 501P 70 is a 2.7-inch refractor telescope on a photographic tripod designed for moon-viewing and planets, but it can be frustrating to useWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.(Image credit: Jamie Carter)T3 VerdictThe Svbony 501P 70 is not going to win any awards. A cut-price telescope on a cheap photographic tripod, it gives reasonably good images of the moon, but little else. While it’s exciting to see small telescopes at this low price, a good pair of binoculars would be a much better investment.Reasons to buy+Very affordable+Simple to set up and use+Easy to travel withReasons to avoid-Wobbly tripod-Average optical quality-Lacks precisionWhy you can trust T3Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you.Find out more about how we test.
The Svbony 501P 70 is a 2.7-inch refractor telescope on a photographic tripod designed for moon-viewing and planets, but it can be frustrating to use
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
(Image credit: Jamie Carter)T3 VerdictThe Svbony 501P 70 is not going to win any awards. A cut-price telescope on a cheap photographic tripod, it gives reasonably good images of the moon, but little else. While it’s exciting to see small telescopes at this low price, a good pair of binoculars would be a much better investment.Reasons to buy+Very affordable+Simple to set up and use+Easy to travel withReasons to avoid-Wobbly tripod-Average optical quality-Lacks precision
(Image credit: Jamie Carter)
(Image credit: Jamie Carter)
T3 VerdictThe Svbony 501P 70 is not going to win any awards. A cut-price telescope on a cheap photographic tripod, it gives reasonably good images of the moon, but little else. While it’s exciting to see small telescopes at this low price, a good pair of binoculars would be a much better investment.Reasons to buy+Very affordable+Simple to set up and use+Easy to travel withReasons to avoid-Wobbly tripod-Average optical quality-Lacks precision
T3 VerdictThe Svbony 501P 70 is not going to win any awards. A cut-price telescope on a cheap photographic tripod, it gives reasonably good images of the moon, but little else. While it’s exciting to see small telescopes at this low price, a good pair of binoculars would be a much better investment.
T3 Verdict
The Svbony 501P 70 is not going to win any awards. A cut-price telescope on a cheap photographic tripod, it gives reasonably good images of the moon, but little else. While it’s exciting to see small telescopes at this low price, a good pair of binoculars would be a much better investment.
Reasons to buy+Very affordable+Simple to set up and use+Easy to travel withReasons to avoid-Wobbly tripod-Average optical quality-Lacks precision
Reasons to buy+Very affordable+Simple to set up and use+Easy to travel with
Very affordable
Simple to set up and use
Easy to travel with
Reasons to avoid-Wobbly tripod-Average optical quality-Lacks precision
Wobbly tripod
Average optical quality
Lacks precision
Why you can trust T3Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you.Find out more about how we test.
Why you can trust T3Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you.Find out more about how we test.
The Svbony 501P 70 isn’t one of thebest telescopes, but depending on what you want a telescope for it may appeal. Weighing less than 3 kg, it’s extraordinarily light for a telescope. That makes it ideal for travel, though only in theory. In practice, it manages good views of the moon, very average images of the planets and almost no improvement over a pair of thebest binocularswhen viewing deep sky objects. Consequently, it’s a telescope to set up and use in your backyard only, since dark skies make zero difference to the visibility of the moon and planets. However, since the Svbony 501P 70 is so affordable it will definitely attract some people looking for abeginner telescopeor a bargain. Before you invest, however, read what we thought of that Svbony 501P 70 in action.
Today’s best Svbony 501P 70 dealsNo price informationCheck AmazonWe check over 250 million products every day for the best prices
Today’s best Svbony 501P 70 dealsNo price informationCheck AmazonWe check over 250 million products every day for the best prices
Today’s best Svbony 501P 70 deals
No price informationCheck Amazon
No price informationCheck Amazon
No price informationCheck Amazon
No price informationCheck Amazon
No price information
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We check over 250 million products every day for the best prices
We check over 250 million products every day for the best prices
Svbony 501P 70 telescope review: specs(Image credit: Jamie Carter)Optical design:refractorAperture:2.75”/70 mmFocal length:15.74”/400 mmFocal ratio:f/5.7Eyepiece focal length:0.78”/20 mm (20x)Total kit weight:6.5 lbs/2.95 kgMount type:Altazimuth
(Image credit: Jamie Carter)Optical design:refractorAperture:2.75”/70 mmFocal length:15.74”/400 mmFocal ratio:f/5.7Eyepiece focal length:0.78”/20 mm (20x)Total kit weight:6.5 lbs/2.95 kgMount type:Altazimuth
(Image credit: Jamie Carter)
(Image credit: Jamie Carter)
Optical design:refractorAperture:2.75”/70 mmFocal length:15.74”/400 mmFocal ratio:f/5.7Eyepiece focal length:0.78”/20 mm (20x)Total kit weight:6.5 lbs/2.95 kgMount type:Altazimuth
Optical design:refractor
Aperture:2.75”/70 mm
Focal length:15.74”/400 mm
Focal ratio:f/5.7
Eyepiece focal length:0.78”/20 mm (20x)
Total kit weight:6.5 lbs/2.95 kg
Mount type:Altazimuth
(Image credit: Jamie Carter)
(Image credit: Jamie Carter)
Svbony 501P 70 telescope review: price and release date
(Image credit: Jamie Carter)
(Image credit: Jamie Carter)
The major selling points of the Svbony 501P 70 are price and portability. One of the most affordable telescopes you’ll ever find outside of lower rent tabletop telescopes, the Svbony 501P 70 weighs just 2.95 kg. That includes its small and very lightweight tripod, which is of the photographic kind. Both of these components fit easily into a backpack, which instantly makes the Svbony 501P 70 portable. In fact, the kind of travel telescopes that the big brands often sell are surely in its sights.
(Image credit: Jamie Carter)
(Image credit: Jamie Carter)
However, the backpack is not of the best quality. In fact, it’s about as basic as it gets. There is no padding and only a couple of very simple dividers to keep the various components away from each other. Although the optical tube itself and the tripod can very easily be carried together, into the bag must also go a few fiddly components. They comprise a very simple finder scope, a single 20 mm eyepiece and an image diagonal. The latter is to make it more convenient to view images high up in the sky. After all, as a refractor telescope it uses a lens to form an image so it’s necessary to stand behind the optical tube to look through an eyepiece.
(Image credit: Jamie Carter)
(Image credit: Jamie Carter)
Svbony 501P 70 telescope review: set-up and use
(Image credit: Jamie Carter)
(Image credit: Jamie Carter)
I like that the tripod is fitted with a panhandle. It’s something often found on tripods and heads aimed at videographers and vloggers. It rotates through 360°. There’s also another axis that tilts the telescope up and down. Unfortunately it’s very difficult to use. For example, if you loosen the bearings and point the Svbony 501P 70 at, say, the Moon, then tighten the bearings, you’ll have in the eyepiece … nothing. I found during my tests that the bearings on this tripod badly dropped to the tune of around two lunar diameters. Excessively fiddly and lacking any precision, the Svbony 501P 70 is not at all easy to use.
(Image credit: Jamie Carter)
(Image credit: Jamie Carter)
Svbony 501P 70 telescope review: performance
(Image credit: Jamie Carter)
(Image credit: Jamie Carter)
Svbony 501P 70 telescope telescope review: alternatives to consider
If you’re after something that’s as travel-friendly as the Svbony 501P 70 yet offers top-notch views then the Orion Starblast 62 Compact Telescope will impress. If you would rather keep a small, lightweight telescope at home for occasional use then consider the Sky-Watcher Heritage 100P Tabletop Dobsonian, which will let in a lot more light, though it can’t be used on a tripod.
(Image credit: Jamie Carter)
(Image credit: Jamie Carter)
There’s nothing wrong with affordable, lightweight telescopes, but the SVBONY 501P 70 is very frustrating to use because of its poor quality mount and tripod. However if you’re prepared to use an existing, superior photographic triad and you’re happy to use low magnifications and study just the Moon, the Svbony 501P 70 will do a basic job. However, with such a limited use-case we’re not sure why the Svbony 501P 70 needs to come with a backpack.
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