Image stablised v monopods

[PeterW]

I like wide views and have a nice few sets to cover different powers. Some are not quite as wide, have lightly worse edges, have slightly smaller exit pupils, can’t have everything in on set.

Peter

[osbourne one-nil]

I hope so...I've ordered it. Who knows when it will come what with bank holidays, lock down etc...but I think it should work well. It's not as light as some but once you've factored in it's got a head built-in that seems ideal for what I want...I think it should work a treat. 

I wonder if they'd be up to supporting these....https://www.astroshop.eu/instruments/apm-binoculars-16x70-magnesium-ed-apo/p,53065

 

 

[Stormbringer]

i would think so

Steve Tonkin (Binocular Sky) uses a monopod for his Lunt 16x70 bins 🍻

[osbourne one-nil]

Which I believe are the same as the APM branded ones? I'd buy them now if I knew when I might ever get paid again!

[Stormbringer]

if not identical they are very similar

i know very uncertain times at moment

[ollypenrice]

Why not a proper parallelogram mount? Bulky but they do everything.

Olly

[osbourne one-nil]

Indeed - but the thing I love about binoculars is the freedom to take them into the surrounding woods and fells. Portability is the aim.

[DaveL59]

the Giottos M5570 arrived this morning, looks very good, nice and solid and with the feet stored in the lower section seems nice and stable. Extends above my head height so should be useful for binos looking up at the stars. The quick-release plate has the regular 1/4 thread, but looking at it, seems its also 3/8 underneath, so looks like that can be reversed if needed, which would be handy for the manfrotto trigger-grip rather than using the thread adaptor for it. All in all I think I got a bargain at £30  

[osbourne one-nil]

That looks a bargain! Berlebach have dispatched my monopod, so that's exciting. I went out last night and had a great time....in a field surrounded by ancient woodland just on the edge of the village. This is precisely what I am enjoying about binoculars; they give me access to such locations. I took a little camping stool and holding my 8x42 Leicas held relatively steadily, I am increasingly preserring the view through them than through my Canons. There's nothing wrong with the view through the Canons at all and the image stabilisation is remarkable, but I had the choice last night and I spent 95% of my time looking through the Leicas. It might just be a field of view thing for me. I enjoyed stumbling across M67, which is a lot prettier than the one through Manchester. 

[DaveL59]

Was pretty pleased to win that Giottos and it seems good on first inspection, will have to give it a test later if there's a chance. I must admit that when there's a lot of cloud about I don't even bother to set the scope up, just take a peek with the bins every now and again. Quicker to scan over to a clearer patch as well a to pick up and point when I feel like stepping out back. Nowt as exotic as Leica here tho, I generally use Minolta 10x50's but now I also have the Audubon's for a wider view too.

[osbourne one-nil]

I've been out every clear night since getting them at the start of March. I would NEVER have done that with my dob. I only went for the Leicas because I needed to make a purchase of a certain amount at a certain time for a certain reason...but like a Takahashi I once had, they make me happy every time I see them use them whenever I can because they're just so nice. It's very very shallow of me, and I don't think they represent value for money at all, but by god they're good and lovely. 

Seeing how steadily I could hold them last night with no aid, I think with a monopod my Canon might be redundant soon. We shall see. 

[osbourne one-nil]

Well the monopod came and while sitting down it certainly makes a huge difference. While standing, I'm not sure it quite hits the spot for me. One slight problem is because the binoculars are secured with a strap, it does sort of squish them and affects the interpupillary distance.  It looks like I've got a week of clear skies coming up so I'll certainly be able to out them through their paces. 

Anyone like to offer an opinion on how the optics of my Noctivids compare to the optics of the Canon 10x42s (ignoring the stabilisation)?

[DaveL59]

I found the strap type holders do that too, which is a pain but for some bins they seem the only solution unfortunately. Can you fashion some sort of wedge to place between the barrels to hold the IPD where you need it to be? Not ideal but might help, cover with felt to reduce marking the bins too I'd suggest.

The Giottos I got seem very good, the weight acting as a pendulum helping stability but when seated yes more stable as your body isn't quietly swaying I think, esp when its cold out. The stabilising feet on the Giottos work well I found, tho the Audubon's while easy to attach given the in-built tripod socket are weight uneven since it is under one side. Still held up ok though but I'd not leave them unattended given that. Haven't yet tried the monopod with the manfrotto ball head  at it was a fairly limited test before clouds stopped play that night but even without it the giotto carried the bins well above eye-height for me giving easy reach to hi az views..

[osbourne one-nil]

In the end, I got bored of reading internet reviews and comparing stats and playing with different scenarios in my head, and I bought a pair of 10x42 Canons. I'm going to live with them for a bit and figure, over time, I'll naturally grab the right ones for me more than the other(s). 

My initial thoughts are that the Canon 10x42s are beasts...absolute beasts. I'm all for form following function, but come on, these are ugly and heavy. The weight actually surprises me. They're only 300g heavier than my Noctivids, but they feel a world apart and I suspect some of that is down to the design which is, ergonomically, quite poor to my mind. I've large hands but these are uncomfortable to hold. They're also not going to be my pair for taking on walks in the Lakes (if we're allowed to again at some point in the future).

Those are the bad points. The good points are they're optically exceptionally good. I've done some comparisons between them (without the IS on) and my 8x42 Noctivids and, apart from the magnification, I can't split them. In fact, I prefer panning about with the Canons than I do with the Noctivids, which have some curvature in the view (is this what they mean by pincushion effect) which doesn't really sit well with me. For some reason, despite their higher magnification and greater weight, I can hold them steadier than the Noctivids with no stabilisation activated. Seems counter-intuitive to me, but I definitely can. I thought I'd be able to see a clear difference between the Noctivids (which cost £500 more) and the Canons, but I can't, and I've tried to find one. 

The image stabilisation doesn't seem quite as quick as my Canon 12x36s in settling thing down, and there's an audible and tactile click which the 12x36s don't have; I actually like this. But once settled down, the stabilisation works perfectly and doesn't introduce any changes to the view; the sharpness of the view in my 12x36s definitely varies while stablisation is active. 

To answer my own question, I can definitely hold the 10x42s (and the 12x36s) MUCH steadier than I can the Noctivids on a monopod unless I'm sitting in a chair. But that requires a chair and a monopod, and I like to be mobile and unencumbered. 

So, do I need all three pairs? Nope. But, seeing as the 10x42s are much too heavy and big to be a real hiking pair, do I keep the 12x36s? They're light, have stablisation and a nice bit of magnification, but they're not waterproof and it (normally) rains a lot here. Do I keep the Noctivids which I just think are utterly perfect in aesthetics and performance, are waterproof, but are definitely a luxury item when the cost is factored in. Or do I sell them both, get a nice pair of 8 or 10x32s for daytime hiking and pocket the difference. Hmmmmm. 

[BinocularSky]

Late to the party, I'm afraid...

On 10/04/2020 at 15:59, Stormbringer said:

Steve Tonkin (Binocular Sky) uses a monopod for his Lunt 16x70 bins 

Indeed I do - lovely combination of stability, light-gathering and power. They get a lot of use.  I know cost isn't the whole story, but I can see more with this setup than I can with any IS binocular that costs up to an equivalent amount. Best image quality I've seen in an IS is the Canon 10x42L IS WP. Someone in our club has one and it's a real beauty! I've reviewed the 12x36 and 14x32 and they were both very impressive, especially the IS on the 32, but the 10x42 is just that much better for astro, IMHO  (and, of course, being WP, it's dew-resistant).

 

 

Edited April 28, 2020 by BinocularSky
typo

[osbourne one-nil]

Love your site Steve! 

I think I'm fairly set on keeping the Canon 10x42s (and my 8x32 Trinovids). I just want the simplest set up possible and the Canons give me that as I can just pick them up and go on my evening walk. 

It's taken me over 40 years to realise that what I really love about astronomy is being outside at night in the countryside and having a bit of a look at things...not being stuck to a telescope. 

Edited April 27, 2020 by osbourne one-nil