ZWO ASIAIR Plus Review: Worth It for Imaging?
The ASIAIR Plus takes the laptop, the cables and half the software out of astrophotography and replaces them with a phone or tablet, and for most people it is the single biggest reduction in friction available. Buy it if you image with ZWO cameras and a supported mount and you value getting to first light quickly. Skip it if you own cameras or accessories outside its supported list, because the closed ecosystem is the real cost and it is easy to discover it after the money is spent.
It replaces the laptop at the telescope, and it decides what else you are allowed to own.
ZWO ASIAIR Plus 256GB Wi-Fi Smart Camera Controller
~$349
A WiFi controller that runs an entire imaging rig from a phone or tablet, handling polar alignment, plate solving, autofocus, guiding and scheduled sequences with 256GB of onboard storage.
Check price on AmazonSpecifications
| Function | Wireless control of camera, mount, autofocuser, filter wheel and dew heaters |
|---|---|
| Storage | 256GB internal |
| Automation | Plans and runs a full imaging sequence unattended |
| Built in routines | Polar alignment, autofocus, plate solving and guiding |
| Camera support | ZWO cameras plus many DSLR and mirrorless models |
| Power | Powers compatible accessories from its own ports |
Specifications above come from ZWO's published specifications. Treat pricing as approximate, since Amazon pricing moves.
What it does well
- Polar alignment through plate solving is faster and more accurate than a polar scope, and it works when Polaris is behind a roof.
- One box replaces a laptop, a power distribution hub and several USB runs, which removes the cable snags that ruin sessions.
- Scheduled sequences mean the rig can work while you sleep, which is the difference between two hours of data and eight.
- Two hundred and fifty six gigabytes onboard means a full night of large frames without a drive hanging off it.
Where it falls short
- It is a closed ecosystem. Support is centred on ZWO cameras and a list of mounts, and anything outside that list may work partially or not at all. This is the thing to check before buying, not after.
- Because it is a sealed appliance, you cannot install other software on it. If your workflow depends on a particular capture or planning program, this is not a drop in replacement for a laptop.
- The convenience encourages a fully automated night, which means faults are discovered in the morning rather than at the telescope.
- It is another device to power and to keep firmware current, and firmware updates occasionally change behaviour you had grown used to.
What owners report
Published owner reports are strongly positive about the practical effect: people describe setup times falling from most of an hour to minutes, and describe imaging on weeknights they would previously have skipped. Plate solved polar alignment gets the most specific praise, and it is the feature that converts sceptics.
The consistent criticism is compatibility. Reports from owners with non ZWO cameras or unsupported mounts describe partial functionality and workarounds, and the advice repeated across those reports is to verify your exact camera and mount against ZWO's supported list before buying. That is a fair summary: the device is excellent inside its ecosystem and frustrating at its edges.
Who it suits
- Imagers already using ZWO cameras and a supported mount.
- Anyone whose sessions currently involve a laptop on a garden table and a cable running to the house.
- People who want unattended imaging so a clear night produces a full night of data.
Who should skip it
- Owners of cameras or mounts outside ZWO's supported list.
- Imagers whose workflow depends on specific desktop capture software.
- Beginners without a tracking mount, since automation cannot fix a mount that does not track.
Alternatives worth considering
ZWO ASI183MC Pro 20.18 MP CMOS Color Astronomy Camera
~$870
If you are buying into the ecosystem, a ZWO camera is where the controller works best and where every feature is supported. Buying the controller first and a non ZWO camera second is the sequence that causes regret.
Check price on AmazonSky-Watcher Star Adventurer GTi Mount Head Kit with counterweight
~$579
If you do not yet have a mount that tracks and guides reliably, that is where this money should go first. No amount of automation improves data from a mount that cannot hold a star.
Check price on AmazonKeep reading
- Polar scope vs drift alignment
- ZWO ASI183MC Pro review
- Sky-Watcher EQ6-R Pro review
- Explore Scientific ED80 review
- NPF rule exposure calculator
- How to start astrophotography
This review draws on published specifications, manufacturer figures and the consensus of verified owner reviews. We have not tested this product ourselves, and we say so rather than implying otherwise. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
Frequently asked questions
What does the ASIAIR Plus actually do?
It is a small computer that connects to your camera, mount, guide camera, focuser and dew heaters, and presents all of them in one app on your phone or tablet. It performs polar alignment by plate solving, focuses, finds and centres targets, guides, and runs an imaging plan unattended.
Does it work with any camera?
No, and this is the most important thing to check. It is designed around ZWO cameras and supports a list of DSLR and mirrorless models. Mount support is also a defined list. Verify your exact equipment against ZWO's published compatibility list before ordering, because compatibility is the difference between it being excellent and being useless.
Do I still need a laptop?
Not at the telescope, which is the point. You will still want a computer for stacking and processing the data afterwards, and the ASIAIR transfers files over the network or via its storage. Many owners describe the laptop moving permanently indoors, which is also better for the laptop.
Is plate solved polar alignment better than a polar scope?
It is more accurate for most people and much faster, and it works without a view of Polaris. A careful drift alignment can still be more precise, which matters at long focal length. Our polar scope versus drift alignment comparison covers where each is worth the time.
Is it worth it for a beginner?
Only after the mount is right. The ordinary sequence of regret is buying automation before a mount that tracks well. If you already have a mount and camera that work and the friction of setup is what stops you imaging, this is the best three hundred and fifty dollars in the hobby.
How we choose: we compare published manufacturer specifications, optical figures we can verify, and reviews from owners who have used the equipment under real skies. We do not test gear in person. Never point any telescope, finder or binocular at the Sun without a certified full-aperture solar filter fitted over the front of the instrument.
Recording your own eyepieces, exit pupils and sessions? The Observing & Astrophotography Planner is the paid version of these pages: 8 printable worksheets you fill in with your own numbers, plus the full PDF, $29.