The William Optics MiniCAT 51 WIFD is a miniature astrophotography telescope that offers big performance in a travel-friendly size. Aimed squarely at amateur astronomers and avid astro-imagers, this petite refractor packs advanced optics into a tube not much longer than a soda can. If you’ve been dreaming of wide-field astrophotography on the go (without hauling a gigantic telescope), the MiniCAT 51 might just be the cat’s meow. It combines a technical, high-quality design with a touch of feline flair – all in a package light enough to take on your next stargazing adventure.
Key Features and Technical Specs
Let’s break down some of the standout features of the MiniCAT 51 WIFD that make it such an enticing portable telescope:
- Ultra-Bright Optics (f/3.5) – The MiniCAT’s most head-turning spec is its extremely fast f/3.5 focal ratio. This “ultra-bright” aperture lets in roughly twice as much light as an f/5 telescope, allowing you to capture faint nebulae, comets, and other dim targets in much shorter exposure timeswilliamoptics.com. In other words, you can collect a lot of starlight fast – a huge plus for impatient astrophotographers (and those of us in cloudy climates!).
- Advanced 6‑Element Petzval Design – Inside this little scope is a sophisticated 6-element Petzval optical system. William Optics has incorporated 2 Super ED (extra-low dispersion) glass elements plus lanthanum glass to deliver sharp, high-contrast images with excellent color correctionwilliamoptics.com. The Petzval layout also means the MiniCAT 51 has a flat field across the image plane, so no separate field flattener is required – stars stay pinpoint from center to edge on your sensorwilliamoptics.com. This design is pretty unique; in fact, the company notes it’s currently the only high-quality 178 mm f/3.5 astrograph of its kind on the marketwilliamoptics.com.
- Wide-Field Views (178 mm Focal Length) – With a focal length of 178 mm and aperture of 51 mm, the MiniCAT 51 produces an expansive field of view. It projects a 43.2 mm image circle, large enough to cover full-frame camera sensors (though APS-C sensors are recommended for the best edge-of-field star shapes)williamoptics.comwilliamoptics.com. In practical terms, this wide, flat field lets you frame up massive swaths of sky – perfect for sprawling nebulae, the Milky Way, or big targets like the Andromeda Galaxy – all in a single shot without needing to mosaic multiple imageshighpointscientific.com.
- Patented Internal Focuser (WIFD) – The “WIFD” in the name stands for William Optics Internal Focusing Design, a new rack-and-pinion focuser that moves optics internally (much like a camera telephoto lens) rather than extending an external drawtubeteleskop-express.de. This internal focuser keeps the optical train rigid and coaxially aligned, eliminating issues like drawtube sag or tilt that can plague traditional focuserswilliamoptics.com. The focusing mechanism is precise and even holds several patents for its design. Better still, it’s compatible with electronic auto-focus motors (EAF), so astroimagers can easily motorize the focus for automated night sessionswilliamoptics.com. No more fiddling with focus and risking a bumped camera – the MiniCAT’s got you covered.
- Ultra-Compact Build – True to its name, the MiniCAT is indeed mini. The optical tube is only about 210 mm long (8.3 inches) and the OTA weighs ~1.67 kg (3.7 lbs) by itselfwilliamoptics.com. Even with its mounting rings and dovetail bar attached, the total weight is only ~2.3 kg (5 lbs)williamoptics.com. In plain English: this telescope weighs less than a typical laptop and is short enough to fit in a backpack or carry-on bag. The tube and accessories are built from anodized aluminum for strength and light weight, and you can get it in William Optics’ iconic fire-red finish or a slick space-gray color – either way, it’s a head-turner at star partieswilliamoptics.com.
- Versatile Mounting & Rotation – Despite its small size, the MiniCAT 51 comes ready to mount on a variety of setups. Its base features a dual-purpose dovetail that fits standard Vixen-style telescope mounts as well as Arca-Swiss tripod heads, plus a ¼″-20 thread for direct attachment to photo tripodsteleskop-express.de. This means you can pop it on a lightweight camera tripod or a mini equatorial mount with equal ease. A built-in 360° camera rotator is included, allowing you to rotate your camera to the perfect framing without detaching anything. There’s even a tilt-adjuster to fine-tune your camera sensor’s alignment orthogonal to the light pathteleskop-express.de – a boon for perfectionists chasing pinpoint stars to the corners. On top of the tube, a removable handle bar doubles as a carrying handle and an accessory rail (with a finder/guide-scope shoe), making it easy to lug around and attach extras like a guide scope.
- Included Accessories for Astrophotography – William Optics delivers the MiniCAT 51 as a pretty complete package, so you won’t need to immediately buy a bunch of extras. In the box you get the MiniCAT 51 OTA, a matching Bahtinov mask focusing cap (extremely handy for nailing critical focus on stars), an M48 camera adapter (with the integrated tilt adjuster and rotator), a set of mounting rings plus a dual-length dovetail plate/foot, the handle bar, and even a soft carrying case to protect the scope during travelwilliamoptics.com. They also throw in an Allen key set for making adjustmentswilliamoptics.com. Essentially, it’s ready to hit the road and sky as soon as you are – just add your camera and a tripod or tracker.
Wide-Field Astrophotography on the Go
The MiniCAT 51 WIFD really shines when it comes to wide-field astrophotography. Thanks to its short 178 mm focal length, you can capture sweeping views of the night sky that would require a much larger mosaic with a longer focal telescopehighpointscientific.com. Want to photograph the entire North America Nebula or the full Orion complex? This scope’s expansive field can cover those big celestial landscapes in one frame. And because it’s delivering an f/3.5 light cone, it gathers a lot of photons quickly – you can record faint nebulosity and comets in significantly less time than slower telescopes requirewilliamoptics.com. In practical terms, that means more signal and detail with shorter total exposure time. If you’re working with a simple star-tracker mount or shooting during brief clear sky windows, that speed is a godsend. (Your processing laptop will also thank you for not having to stack quite as many sub-exposures!)
Despite its mini size, the optical performance is robust. Stars come out sharp and color-accurate across most of the image, courtesy of those ED and lanthanum glass elements keeping chromatic aberration in checkwilliamoptics.com. William Optics does note that, as with any ultra-fast optic, stars at the extreme edges of the field may show slight distortions on full-frame sensorswilliamoptics.com. This is a reasonable trade-off for such a wide, fast system – and they report that the MiniCAT still outperforms conventional camera lenses of similar focal length in edge qualitywilliamoptics.com. For the perfectionists, a bit of software correction (e.g. astrophotography tools like field flattening or aberration correction filters) can fine-tune those corners if neededwilliamoptics.com. On APS-C sized sensors (which are recommended), the stars should be pretty much spot-on to the corners after a touch of tweaking. In short, the MiniCAT 51 gives you huge, immersive star fields with minimal fuss – and any minor edge star eccentricity is a small price to pay for the convenience of a grab-and-go astrograph.
Speaking of grab-and-go, the portability of this telescope is a major selling point. With the whole kit weighing only about 2–2.3 kg, you can easily pack it up and take it to a dark-sky site or on your travels. The included padded case makes it simple to stow in your car or carry-on luggage. Imagine flying to a remote astro vacation – this scope could fit under an airplane seat (just don’t confuse it with your water bottle!). Many amateur astronomers struggle with the trade-off between aperture and portability, but the MiniCAT 51 finds a sweet spot. While 51 mm aperture isn’t huge, its high efficiency and modern optics let it punch above its weight. And by being so small, it allows you to use lighter tripods and mounts. You can pair the MiniCAT with a compact star tracker or a petite equatorial mount, and you’ve got a fully capable imaging rig that won’t break your back during a night out under the stars. Your spine and shoulders will appreciate leaving the 20-pound telescope at home for a change!
The travel-friendly nature of the MiniCAT 51 also means you’re more likely to actually use it. It’s not a big production to set up – no need to clear a huge space or perform heavy lifts. For a quick night of astrophotography or a spontaneous trip to see the aurora, this little scope can be up and running in minutes. It’s also versatile beyond just astronomy. Photographers have noticed that this apo refractor can double as a 178 mm telephoto lens for daytime use, offering tack-sharp images for nature or wildlife photographyteleskop-express.de. (With its Petzval design, it focuses more like a camera lens, after all.) So, whether you’re capturing the Andromeda Galaxy or an eagle in flight, the MiniCAT 51 proves to be a multi-talented tool. Plus, let’s be honest – its flashy red finish makes it look really cool doing it. Don’t be surprised if fellow travelers or hikers ask if you’re toting some kind of futuristic camera; the MiniCAT is certainly a conversation starter with its stylish build.
Pricing and Availability
High-end optics and miniaturized engineering do come at a cost, and the MiniCAT 51 WIFD is positioned as a premium portable telescope. The current base price is about $898 USD for the optical tube (with all included accessories)williamoptics.com. In European markets, that translates to roughly €1190 (including VAT) for the same packageteleskop-express.de. Actual prices may vary slightly by retailer or region – for instance, about €1190 is the going rate in Germany with 19% VAT included, which is approximately €830 without tax (around the same ballpark as the USD price when converted). While this investment might make your wallet meow in protest, it’s on par with other high-quality astrographs and premium camera lenses. The MiniCAT 51 is available directly from William Optics and through reputable telescope retailers worldwide. It comes in two color options (red or gray) at the same price, so the choice is purely aestheticwilliamoptics.com. Considering the package includes everything you need to start imaging (aside from a camera and mount), the value is reasonable for a specialized instrument of this caliber.
Final Thoughts
In the MiniCAT 51 WIFD, William Optics has managed to deliver a travel-size telescope with truly big ambitions. It’s a finely engineered astrograph that balances technical excellence with portability, aiming to give amateur astronomers the best of both worlds. For those who love astrophotography and adventure, this little scope means you no longer have to choose between quality and convenience. You can pack your MiniCAT and go chase total solar eclipses, dark desert skies, or simply set up in the backyard with minimal fuss – and still capture breathtaking wide-field images of the cosmos.
With its fast optics, innovative focusing design, and robust build, the MiniCAT 51 proves that great astronomy gear can come in small packages. And it does all this while maintaining a light, humorous touch (the “Cat” branding isn’t just for show – even the manual cheekily reminds you that the SpaceCat edition doesn’t include a actual cat toywilliamoptics.com). In the end, this “mini” cat is a mighty performer. It’s safe to say the MiniCAT 51 WIFD is paws-itively poised to become a favorite among portable telescope enthusiasts – a cute, compact companion ready to pounce on the night sky’s biggest treasures at a moment’s notice. Happy travels and clear skies!
Sources: The information and specifications discussed here are drawn from the official William Optics product documentation for the MiniCAT 51 WIFDwilliamoptics.comwilliamoptics.com, as well as reputable astronomy retailers and expert reviewsteleskop-express.dehighpointscientific.com. These sources confirm the MiniCAT’s technical details, pricing, and performance characteristics, ensuring you get an accurate picture of this telescope’s capabilities and value. Enjoy your wide-field stargazing with this pint-sized powerhouse!