Image Stabilised Binoculars - Good or Bad?

[optical thrombosis]

I would love to do more work with Binoculars to get into deep sky viewing.

However, I suffer from slighty 'shaky' hands, even 8x bins are pretty useless for me at night. I have tried bins on a tripod, but found them utterly frustrating and neck-breaking to use like this.

I am considering investing some 'image stabilised' binoculars, problem is they are darned expensive!

I would like peoples views on their usefulness for astronomy, preferably from owners of these instruments. Does the stabilisation make up for the reduced light gathering? is the extra magnifcation worth it over say, a good pair of 7x50?

I would be particularly interested to hear opinions of the Fujinon Techno-Stabli 14x40, the Nikon Stabileyes 14x40, and the various Canon models.

If I've missed a previous thread that covers this, please send me the link to it, thank you.

[Helen]

Hi OT,

Here's a previous discussion... http://stargazerslounge.com/equipment-discussion/62348-image-stabilised-binoculars.html#post1046783

Helen

[Demon Barber]

Hi O/T, way to go is a paralleogram works for me steady as a rock no hands:hello2:

Regards

Mike

[Capricorn]

Have tried the Canon offerings. Come in 3 magnifications if I recall and the lower 2 were excellent, the one that was the highest wasn't as good, they weren't bad just not as impressive.

Problem I can see is that they (Canon's) have fairly small objectives so although stable they may not be overly suitable to astronomy.

If holding things steady is getting difficult how about the option of scope, webcam or whatever and output the picture to a laptop. Would allow you to use a scope and you wouldn't need to hold/grasp anything.

[xboxdevil]

I've been known to strap bino's to a football and then place them them in a cooking pan, resting on a wheelie bin....works a treat :-))

[Steve922]

I'd like to see a photograph of that! :-)

Steve

[RobH]

I looked through a pair of them at Salisbury after several beers....they managed to stabilise my view better than my legs stabilised the rest of me....I was very impressed :D

Cheers

Rob

[Mr Spock]

Just lay on your back with one elbow on the ground. Much better than tripods, image stabilization etc.

One of those blow up camp beds helps with the comfort. But don't get so comfy you nod off...

[optical thrombosis]

Mr Spock, I like it! Think I will invest in some Helios 10x60 bins, some 15x70, an airbed and have lots of loose change left over!

[Martin-Devon]

I have 2 pairs of Binos a 10x50 Celestron, and a 10x30 Canon Image Stabiliser. The contrast is very significant - the Canon are very light, ultra-sharp and the image stabilization just makes viewing an absolute pleasure - the image just magically smoothes, no shaking, allowing for much more precision and ease with the scanning. Their ease of use and image quality more than makes up for the smaller lens. I can regularly spot and image M13 and M31 in the Canons, Albireo splits beautifully and for star-hopping and orientation - and for just learning the night sky, I thoroughly recommend the Canons. I know they are not cheap, but considering the many, many hours I spend learning and observing the night sky with them, the Canons are worth every penny in my opinion.

[ollypenrice]

I don't have any image stabilized bins but guests often bring them. They work and no mistake. If you have shaky hands then they might well be just right for you. If you are not getting on with the standard article then why not? However, paralellogram mounts are very clever and allow you to sit down under the bins. If such a mount worked for you then you could spend the money on the glass/aperture and not on the gadgetry. Yesterday I was looking at wild deer in my own 10x25 Leicas (sublime glass) and a guest's 10x30 IS (sublime electronics.) Tough call. At a distance I'd give it to the IS bins. Close up on a bird the thrilling colour rendition of the Leicas would win out.

Could you try some out and also try a bino mount at a local astro soc?

Olly

[optical thrombosis]

Thanks for the feedback guys, I can see an argument for the small Canon 10x30 IS as they can be had for reasonable money, whereas the bigger 15x50 and the Fujinons & Nikons are serious money.

I will investigate parallelogram mounts, but the principle idea is to carry as little as possible (ie no mount) - could still be useful for the back garden though.

[robbieince]

I have a pair of the canon 50mm is bins. They are the ones Rob h was looking thro at Salisbury. They have a relatively high mag being x 18 but the is does make them very stable and they can take the mag without a problem.

I love em and find them a pleasure to use. I have spent many hours using them at home and also on hols when I couldn't take any more conventional kit.

Deffo recommend them.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[ollypenrice]

Not sure that 30mm is really an astronomical aperture. The other way to reduce the shakes is to go for the lowest magnification possible, probably around x7. I looked through some (I think) Vixen 7x50 - ish bins this summer and liked them. Very stable.

Olly