Best Guide Scopes (January 2026)
If you’re serious about astrophotography, autoguiding isn’t optional—it’s essential. Even the best mount will drift over long exposures, and a dedicated guide scope paired with a guide camera is the most reliable way to achieve pinpoint stars during those 5, 10, or even 15-minute exposures. The good news? Today’s guide scopes are more compact, better built, and more affordable than ever before.
When choosing a guide scope, you’re balancing aperture (more light-gathering means faster guide star acquisition), focal length (shorter is more forgiving of flexure), and weight (your mount has limits). Most astrophotographers settle on 50mm aperture as the sweet spot, though ultra-portable setups benefit from smaller options, and demanding long focal length imaging rigs may need something larger. We’ve selected options across all budgets and use cases to help you find the perfect match for your setup.
William Optics UniGuide 50mm Guide Scope
The William Optics UniGuide 50mm has become the de facto standard for guide scopes, and for good reason. Its 50mm aperture and 200mm focal length strike the ideal balance for most imaging setups, providing plenty of guide stars while remaining compact enough to avoid flexure issues. The build quality is exceptional—this is a beautifully machined piece of equipment with an integrated helical focuser and universal mounting shoe that fits virtually any setup. For anyone building a mid-range to advanced astrophotography rig, this is the guide scope to beat.
William Optics UniGuide 32mm Guide Scope
When every gram counts, the UniGuide 32mm delivers William Optics quality in an ultra-compact package. Weighing significantly less than its 50mm sibling, this guide scope is perfect for travel setups, star trackers, or smaller mounts where you simply can’t afford the payload penalty of a larger guide scope. The 32mm aperture still provides adequate guide star availability in most sky conditions, and the 128mm focal length is very forgiving of minor flexure. Budget-conscious beginners will also appreciate this as an affordable entry into quality guiding.
Sky-Watcher Evoguide 50DX Apo Guide Scope Astrograph
The Evoguide 50DX is a clever dual-purpose design that functions as both an excellent guide scope and a capable mini-astrograph for widefield imaging. The inclusion of ED glass means sharper star images across the field, which translates to more precise guiding and—if you choose to image through it—cleaner astrophotos. At a mid-range price point, it offers remarkable versatility. Pair it with a field flattener, and you have a surprisingly capable 242mm f/4.8 widefield imaging scope when you’re not using it for guiding duties.
William Optics Guide Star 61 Guide Scope
For those running long focal length imaging setups or demanding the absolute best guiding performance, the Guide Star 61 is the premium choice. Its 61mm aperture gathers substantially more light than 50mm alternatives, ensuring guide star lock in challenging conditions and enabling faster guide camera exposures. This is the guide scope for astrophotographers using high-end mounts and long refractors or SCTs where guiding precision directly impacts image quality. The premium build quality matches William Optics’ excellent reputation, making this a buy-once solution for serious imagers.
ZWO ASI120MM Mini
No guide scope roundup is complete without mentioning guide cameras, and the ASI120MM Mini remains the industry standard for good reason. This tiny monochrome camera draws minimal power, works seamlessly with PHD2 and virtually every guiding software, and provides more than enough sensitivity for guide star tracking. It’s the camera most astrophotographers pair with their guide scopes, and at a budget-friendly price point, it’s hard to justify looking elsewhere unless you have specific needs.
ZWO ASI220MM Mini
The ASI220MM Mini represents ZWO’s next-generation guide camera technology, featuring a larger sensor that provides a wider field of view for easier guide star acquisition. This is particularly valuable when using shorter focal length guide scopes or when imaging from locations with limited star density. The improved sensor also offers better sensitivity, meaning reliable guiding even with faster exposure times. At a mid-range price, it’s an excellent upgrade from the ASI120MM for those wanting a bit more capability.
ZWO ASI174MM Mini
When you need the ultimate in guide camera performance, the ASI174MM Mini delivers exceptional sensitivity and very low noise. The larger pixels are particularly well-suited to guide scopes, and the camera excels in challenging conditions where lesser cameras might struggle to maintain lock. This is a premium option best suited for astrophotographers who’ve already invested in quality optics and mounts—at this level, you’re eliminating guiding as a potential weak point in your imaging chain.
QHY QHY5III290M
QHY’s guide cameras deserve serious consideration, and the QHY5III290M stands out with its Sony IMX290 sensor—the same sensor praised in many dedicated astronomy cameras. It offers excellent sensitivity with very low read noise, making it a strong performer for autoguiding. For astrophotographers already invested in the QHY ecosystem, or those who simply prefer an alternative to ZWO, this mid-range camera delivers impressive guiding performance and reliable operation.
iOptron iGuide
The iGuide represents a completely different approach to autoguiding—a standalone unit that doesn’t require a computer at all. Simply attach it to your mount, and it handles guide star acquisition and correction autonomously. For visual observers who want improved tracking, or astrophotographers seeking a simpler setup without a laptop in the field, this is a compelling solution at a reasonable price point. It’s particularly popular with iOptron mount owners, though it works with other brands too.
ZWO ASI2600MC DUO
For astrophotographers wanting to eliminate the guide scope entirely, the ASI2600MC DUO integrates a guide sensor directly into the main imaging camera body. This off-axis guiding approach removes any possibility of differential flexure between your imaging and guiding optics—a significant advantage for long focal length setups. While this is a high-end imaging camera with a premium price tag, the integrated guiding capability simplifies your optical train considerably and represents the cutting edge of astrophotography convenience.
Conclusion
Choosing the right guide scope depends primarily on your imaging setup and priorities. For most astrophotographers, the William Optics UniGuide 50mm paired with a ZWO ASI120MM Mini represents the ideal balance of performance, quality, and value—it’s the combination you’ll see on countless successful imaging rigs. Travel imagers and those with smaller mounts should consider the UniGuide 32mm, while those pushing the limits with long focal lengths will appreciate the Guide Star 61 or the Evoguide 50DX. If you prefer simplicity over ultimate flexibility, the standalone iOptron iGuide offers computer-free guiding, and those with generous budgets might consider integrated solutions like the ASI2600MC DUO to eliminate the guide scope entirely. Whatever your choice, investing in quality guiding equipment pays dividends in every image you capture.