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Red dot finders

Baader Planetarium SkySurfer III

A red dot finder with a 30 mm clear aperture rather than the usual 20 mm, dew shields at both ends and a coated 1:1 objective that dims the sky less.

Baader Planetarium SkySurfer III red dot finder

Baader Planetarium SkySurfer III

A red dot finder with a 30 mm clear aperture rather than the usual 20 mm, dew shields at both ends and a coated 1:1 objective that dims the sky less.

Reticle type
Not published by the maker.
Brightness adjustment
Adjustable brightness
Bracket fitting
Standard finder shoe, telescopes, larger telescopes, binoculars and spotting scopes
Battery type
Not published by the maker.
Life
Not published by the maker.
Window size
30 mm, against the 20 mm of common alternatives per the maker · 1:1 anti-reflection coated, dimming the sky less than rivals per the maker
Alignment adjustment
Not published by the maker.
Amazon reference
B001ILJCCC (same reference on 6 Amazon marketplaces)
EAN
4047825007568
  • A 30 mm clear aperture shows considerably more sky than the 20 mm standard
  • Dew shields at both ends, which no other red dot finder here has
  • Considerably more expensive than the plain red dot finders on this shelf

Best for: Anyone whose red dot finder keeps dewing over or washing out the sky

≈ $70 / £46 / €49
Check price on Amazon

Specifications

Reticle type
Not published by the maker.
Brightness adjustment
Adjustable brightness
Bracket fitting
Standard finder shoe, telescopes, larger telescopes, binoculars and spotting scopes
Battery type
Not published by the maker.
Life
Not published by the maker.
Window size
30 mm, against the 20 mm of common alternatives per the maker · 1:1 anti-reflection coated, dimming the sky less than rivals per the maker
Alignment adjustment
Not published by the maker.
Amazon reference
B001ILJCCC (same reference on 6 Amazon marketplaces)
EAN
4047825007568

Thirty millimetres instead of twenty

The maker states the comparison directly: a 30 mm clear aperture against the 20 mm of the common red dot finders. That is more than twice the area of sky visible through the window, which is the entire working principle of this kind of finder.

The dew shields

Long shields in front of and behind the lens. Dew forms on a surface that radiates heat to the open sky, and a flat window pointed upward is the worst case. Shielding it is the one modification that keeps a red dot finder usable through a whole autumn night.

The coated objective

A 1:1 anti-reflection coated lens that, the maker says, darkens the sky considerably less than rival finders. A red dot finder that dims the sky hides the very stars you are trying to aim between.

The adapter set

Five different mountings, covering the standard finder shoe, two telescope sizes, binoculars and spotting scopes. Given that finder shoes are not standardised between makers, supplying the range is worth as much as any optical improvement.

Availability

German, French, Italian and Spanish Amazon stores ran from 49 € to 56 € on the day of the survey.

American and British Amazon stores list it in local currency, which the euro range above sets aside.

Figures as Keepa reported them on the day this page was last updated. Stock and pricing shift without warning.

Prices quoted in this text were read on 17 September 2026. The live price is at the top of the page.

What this fits

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    Reticle type
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    Brightness adjustment
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    Bracket fitting
    Not published by the maker.
    Battery type
    Not published by the maker.
    Life
    Not published by the maker.
    Window size
    None — it is a projected reticle, not an optical finder · The listing gives none
    Alignment adjustment
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    Amazon reference
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    EAN
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    Reticle type
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    Brightness adjustment
    Not described in the extract
    Bracket fitting
    Not specified beyond fitting parallel on the tube
    Battery type
    Not published by the maker.
    Life
    Not published by the maker.
    Window size
    The listing gives none
    Alignment adjustment
    Height and azimuth, with a hex key
    Amazon reference
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    EAN
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    • A metal body, where the finders supplied with telescopes are usually thin plastic
    • Four reticle patterns rather than a single dot
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    Reticle type
    Not published by the maker.
    Brightness adjustment
    Not published by the maker.
    Bracket fitting
    Two, with Vixen/Synta-pattern slots · No drilling required, per the maker
    Battery type
    Not published by the maker.
    Life
    Not published by the maker.
    Window size
    Not published by the maker.
    Alignment adjustment
    Not published by the maker.
    Amazon reference
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    EAN
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The rest of this rack

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    625 nm, as the maker publishes it · None — it is a diffuse light rather than a torch
    Dimming range
    Two — 20 % and 100 % — plus off, by tapping the body
    Minimum
    Not published by the maker.
    Mode memory
    Not published by the maker.
    Battery type
    300 mAh, rechargeable · USB-C, from any port or power bank
    Cold behaviour
    Not published by the maker.
    Weight
    Not published by the maker.
    Attachment
    Not published by the maker.
    Amazon reference
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    EAN
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    Dimming range
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    Minimum
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    Mode memory
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    Battery type
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    Weight
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    Attachment
    Not published by the maker.
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    EAN
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    Minimum
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    Mode memory
    Not published by the maker.
    Battery type
    Not stated in the extract
    Cold behaviour
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    Weight
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    Attachment
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    EAN
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All red dot finders