canon imaged stablised bins 10X30?

[garethmob]

hello guys i noticed a few members might use this but i cant remember who (looked through threads and most likely i didnt see:( )

i read the reviews last month in S@N mag but thas for the new one this is a old bino are they any good for astronomy.

heres a review of them if it helps find the model

10x30 Canon IS Binoculars Review - Image Stabilised Binoculars

[Peter Drew]

I've tried a couple of IS binoculars, the IS is quite impressive but 30mm is not very exciting. The 50mm version is much better but at the price, either a larger binocular on a tripod or a telescope would be a better buy.

[BinocularSky]

I too have tried various Canon IS binocs and generally agree with Peter. In my estimation (and this is from memory), the 10x30mm shows about as much as you see with an unmounted budget 10x50 and the 12x36 about the same as an unmounted premium quality "normal" 50mm, but with more chromatic aberration on bright objects. Mount the premium quality 50mm and you will see more.

I found that, although the 50mm IS binocular is easy to hold steady for short periods, it is heavy --- to me it feels heavier than an ordinary binocular of the same weight; must be something to do with the weight distribution -- and becomes tiring to hold for long periods.

I class them with Marmite and mirror-mounts: you either like them or don't like them. Some people swear by them and love the convenience of not having to mount them; I'd rather spend the extra money on better optical quality.

[Stu]

I have some 15x50is bins and confess I do like them. I have never really got on with mounted binoculars, I suppose I fall into the camp which feels that if you are going to set a tripod and mount up, may as well get the scope out.

I use mine for relatively quick sessions, just having a peek for 20 mins if it is clear but don't have time for anything else. The stabilisation works well and steadies all the high frequency jitters out. Hand held, I find the image 'swims' around gently but it is much better than non stabilised.

I agree with the comment that they feel heavy. I would not want to hold them standing and unsupported for long. I normally lean on something, or sit on a sun lounger if planning on being slightly longer.

I guess they are an extravagance compared with what else you can get for the price but overall I like mine and use them alot.

Well worth doing a thorough price search online as prices can vary hugely.

Stu

[garethmob]

thanks guys there was a pair i was looking at on ebay (didnt no this much at the time around when i posted) they went for £177, which at the time i wouldnt av gone for (highest was £116ish) but thinking now i should of gone for them ah well

im gonna keep an eye out for them as they do seem pretty good

[Alma]

I have a beautiful pair of Fujinon FMT-SX 16x70's and I recently bought a pair of Canon IS 15x50's with the intention of selling either one or the other. To be honest I got the Canons for an excellent price and I thought I'd just give them a try before selling them on. I couldn't really envisage selling the Fujis.

Not so easy though; frankly I love the Canons and I find I'm using them much more for astro use than the Fujis - they really are that good! Plus, they're much more usable for daytime use than the Fujis.

I can understand though why some people struggle with the image stabilization - there's definitely a technique to using IS and it takes some persistence to get it right. In essence you need to keep the binoculars pretty stable to begin with and then let the IS remove the final micro-Richters of shake. That really works for me anyway and when it's working well you realise what a fantastic binocular these are optically regardless of the IS.

I still can't bear to sell the Fujis though. I'm pondering writing a comparative review if I can find the time, as I think it makes an interesting comparison between a top quality classic binocular vs a superb new technology solution.

Undecided!

Alan

[Stu]

Alan, very interesting comments, thanks for posting. I find them to be very useful for daytime viewing too.

Your description of the IS seems very similar to my experience. If you don't hold the bins rock steady, the image gently 'swims' around the view but all high frequency jitters are still removed so you still get a much clearer view than non stabilised.

Cheers

Stu

[Doug]

Hi Gaz

I agree with the comments from the other guys on here , if I was you I would save up you money and look out for a pair of Canon IS 15x50 or 18x50

yes they are a lot of money but they are a keeper I have used the 15x50 since December I used them on holiday ,they are fantastic ,you look at a clusters ect and then you switch them on ,the depth that comes out of these are amazing ,you see so much more when switched on optics are great as for the weight most of the time with other bins it takes you ages to pin point somthing and the look at a object with these it is instant so less time holding them

clear skies

[garethmob]

Thanks guys I'm gonna save up for them:) a long term thing unless I see one at the "right price"

Thanks again for your advice:)

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Beyond_Vision]

SteveL has a pair of Canon iS bino's which I used at Kielder and Kelling Heath Star Parties. I got a view of the North American nebula at Kielder which is the first and last time I have seen it visually. I was pretty amazed by them. If you want to be free to move about they are fantastic. Obviously if you dont mind using a tripod or parallax mount a larger set of binoculars will give you a better view.

Regards

Kevin

[Alma]

In this case I 'm not so sure that larger aperture necessarily means you see more. What surprised me was that in my fairly light polluted skies I was seeing as much detail with the 50mm Canons as the 70mm Fujis. It's the effect of exit pupil and contrast, with the Canons showing a much darker background compared with the Fujis, which pull in more of the background sky glow. In dark skies I think it would be no contest to the 16x70mm Fujis, but I haven,t tried that yet.

Qualatitively, both binocs provide fantastic views but it,s a much closer contest than the 20mm aperture difference would suggest.

Alan

[BinocularSky]

Qualatitively, both binocs provide fantastic views but it,s a much closer contest than the 20mm aperture difference would suggest.

It's not so much the 20mm aperture difference as the fact that the light grasp of the 70mm is approximately double that of the 50mm -- but that will only make less than one magnitude difference, all other things being equal. That also means that your sky will appear brighter in the larger binocular.

[Alma]

It's not so much the 20mm aperture difference as the fact that the light grasp of the 70mm is approximately double that of the 50mm -- but that will only make less than one magnitude difference, all other things being equal. That also means that your sky will appear brighter in the larger binocular.

Exactly ... much brighter sky generally, but nowhere near twice the detail. In fact, under my skies I'm not sure I could see anything with the Fujis that I couldn't see with the Canons, but the overall brightness was significantly increased with the Fujis.