SVBONY · Apochromat Refractor
SVBONY SV555 54mm Petzval APO
Fast and flat: a 54mm f/4.5 Petzval APO built for wide-field astrophotography on the go
Performance Scores
Overview
The SVBONY SV555 is a compact 54mm apochromatic refractor designed primarily for astrophotography rather than visual observing. Its Petzval triplet design works at f/4.5, which is genuinely fast for a small APO, and the flat-field optical correction makes it a practical choice for deep-sky imaging where edge-of-frame star quality matters. At 250mm focal length, you are working in wide-field territory, well suited to large nebulae, star clusters, and Milky Way framing.
The 44mm illuminated circle covers full-frame sensors without vignetting, and the 360-degree rotatable tube lets you adjust framing without repositioning your mount. The built-in EAF adapter support is a thoughtful addition for those who want motorized electronic focusing, particularly useful during long imaging sessions. A few things worth knowing before buying: this is a light grab instrument at 54mm, so do not expect it to compete with larger apertures on faint targets.
The 20 Amazon reviews provide a limited sample for confidence in long-term quality. At $632.99, it sits in a competitive price range where build quality and optical consistency can vary. That said, the adjustable aperture from f/4.5 to f/22 adds versatility for daytime and landscape use as well.
At a Glance
54mm
Aperture
f/4.5
Focal Ratio
3.8kg
Weight
250mm
Focal Length
Specifications
Key Features
- Petzval triplet optics deliver flat, coma-corrected stars across the full frame, which is critical for wide-field astrophotography
- Native full-frame coverage up to 44mm means no vignetting with popular DSLR and mirrorless cameras
- f/4.5 focal ratio keeps exposure times shorter compared to slower APOs in this aperture class
- 360-degree rotatable tube and pre-installed EAF adapter support make this genuinely practical for solo imaging sessions
- Adjustable aperture from f/4.5 to f/22 extends its usefulness to landscape and daytime photography
- Weighs 3.8kg with a compact 250mm focal length, making it a reasonable travel imaging setup
- Includes a 2-inch filter holder and M72 front thread, reducing the need for additional adapters out of the box
Customer Reviews
20 reviews
Having imaged for years with a Takahashi FSQ-106EDXIII as well as a Redcat 51, this lens was remarkable. Nice round stars across the field and little in the way of optical aberrations. Great value for the price. By the way, I left a bad review on a car part and now I can’t figure out how to change m...
Out of all my scopes I find myself going back to this one often. It is also the one my pixel peeping club members were impressed with the images, when I even forgot to enable guiding. I don't even need to take flat frames as it is clean and it has no vignetting on my apsc sensor. Also it being very ...
I would have given it an easy 5 stars if it wasn't for a problem with really bad halos around bright stars. I would get large off-center halos with and without filters. I cleaned the optics on the scope and the camera, but it didn't get any better. I don't get the halos with my other scope when usin...