Canon IS binoculars

Not quite a photography question, but it has some relevance

I recently bought a set of Canon 10x30 IS binoculars, which were so good I sold my old 20x50 set as it did not compare.

The Canons are bright, pin sharp and very usable thanks to the IS.

They are so good that I am tempted to buy a set of Canon 18x50 IS binoculars too. BUT.... looking at Amazon it appears these have now been out for almost 10 years.

Knowing the progress in IS systems by Canon, I'd rather have a newer version of IS. So, does anyone know whether the 18x50 model has been internally revised at all recently, or perhaps whether new models are rumoured?

For comparison, the IS system in my 70-200 IS f4 lens is so much better than the one in my 100-400 IS lens. The former being a much newer design/version of course.

I've trawled the web but could find no information

I am sorry but I can't help you future plans from Canon but I have had my IS 18x50 for some years now and in my view would be difficult to better.

--
Bryan

Box-Brownie and other stuff.

iMac i7

Still looking for a digital back for my Box Brownie.

I have had the same thoughts. The Canon 18x50 IS look great, but at a huge price, and the possibility of some sort of upgrade to older technology has kept me from buying them. I would be interested in anyone else's opinions and views - there seems to be a real lack of expert opinion on this sort of thing, in contrast to all the camera review data.

If friend of a friend stuff is meaningful to you, I went on a Yellowstone photo tour with wildlife photographers Joe and Mary MacDonald about five years ago, and he was using the 18x50 binocs, and adored them. I've been using my 10x30s for close to ten years and love 'em as you apparently do. Only time I've ever felt them less than excellent was a winter snowmobiling trip, also to Yellowstone. There was some weird fringing on objects against the snow on bright, clear, sunny days. I still think they are great binocs, the minus twenty nine degree cold didn't phase 'em a bit.

Canon found the bug I'd placed in their headquarters, so I no longer have any secret info on their future plans.

Bryan and Mike, thanks and yes I do suspect the 18x50 bins are excellent Thank you for your user experience feedback. I do find my 10x30 bins to be simply excellent, and woudl never consider non IS (or VR) bins again.

Richard, we are both holding back for the same reason. I am reluctant to buy decande old IS technology. Especially when I suspect the 18x50 IS II bins will be released just after I buy the old ones

There is indeed so little info available on Canon's bins, unlike on lenses and cameras. I have found it even impossible to determine whether the 18x50 model has been internally revised at all

I've been a avid stargazer for years. I have the Canon 15x50 IS. Go to this site. It has the info you need.

http://www.cloudynights.com/ubbthreads/postlist.php/Cat/0/Board/binoculars

Sony sells binoculars that record 1080p video.

I've owned the 8x25IS, 12x36IS and 10x42L IS. I settled on the 12x36IS and travel with them on all trips of substance. The 10x42L are incredible, but expensive and heavy. I gave the small ones to my daughter.

I've considered the 15x50 and 18x50 but the size and weight discouraged me for all but astro uses. There I use larger glasses on a parallelogram mount from Universal Astronomics.

--
Phil

RedFox88 said:

Sony sells binoculars that record 1080p video.

Click to expand...

Cameras do that better.

--
Phil

I too have the Canon 10x30 IS since ages and love it. It is surprising quite how expensive the 18x50 model is.

Brianug,

Thanks, that looks like an excellent and useful site. I've registered and am waiting to be cleared so I can log in and search

PCWheeler,

Thanks for the info. My thoughts were that the 18x50 would make a good complement to the more lightweight 10x30 ones. Much more power, but also less weight.

I need to try them before i buy of course though, but am still very troubled about buying decade old IS tech when spending so much money.

Having asked and searched everywhere, it seems I can only conclude that the 18x50 (and 15x50) models are about 10 years old, and that no information is available on internal upgrades. It seems unlikely anything significant has been upgraded over the years

Jas H said:

Having asked and searched everywhere, it seems I can only conclude that the 18x50 (and 15x50) models are about 10 years old, and that no information is available on internal upgrades. It seems unlikely anything significant has been upgraded over the years

Click to expand...

I've used every single model of Canon ISO binoculars except the 12x42L. My favorite one is the 12x36 II. This is the only one that's been recently upgraded (hence the "II") and it shows - very little CA, very sharp even when the IS system is way off axis. All the others (including your 10x30s) show more CA and more off-axis degradation. The only thing I don't like about them is that the IS button has to be held down just like on your 10x30s - the 15x50s and 18x50s will lock, which is much better.

--
Lee Jay
(see profile for equipment)

I seldom come across anyone out there with these wonderful binoculars. Serious birders seem to feel a need for $1000.00+ Swarovskis. They don't know what they are missing. I use the Canon 10x and would like to get a 12x as well. In side by side comparison with Swarovskis 7x you simply get a much bigger image that is much more stable than a 7x without IS. The higher power models would be like having a portable spotting scope with no need for a tripod!

I personally have found that the higher power models are not usually worth the weight in the field, and because at extreme distances the image is distorted, unavoidably, by heat mirage.

BTW I had to replace the rubber eyecups and found, after many convoluted Canon searches, that the service depot in Chicago, had them.
They are great products. They work very well. I say, don't wait, start enjoying!

Klimt

Typical, Canon announced 3 new lenses yesterday - none of which there was any real demand for (customers wanted an 24-70 IS, but the announced one has no IS). But there was still no new binoculars announcement

Ljfinger, thank you for your observations. I too woudl have preferred the 12x36 over my 10x30, but I got such a great deal on a 1 day offer for new 10x30 bins from Jessops a couple of weeks ago (£222) that it was a no-brainer

Klimt, I agree that the IS makes these Canons better than so called Alpha bins, thanks to the ability to hand hold. That's why I want another pair I will try and test a pair of 15x50 and 18x50 to see how they are some time next week.

I thought anyone else looking may find it useful to read what I decided on.

As I mentioned, I recently bought some Canon 10x30 IS binoculars, which were so good I sold my old 20x50 binoculars, and decided I wanted another better powerful set.

I provisionally decided on the Canon 15x50 or 18x30, but wanted to try a range of binoculars, given the price. I did not want to make a mistake.

I tried a very wide range of binoculars in a department store today, and switched between them frequently, repeatedly trying most of them. These were:

Canon 10x30 IS (so as to have a comparison to my own ones)
Canon 10x42L IS
Canon 15x50 IS
Canon 18x50 IS
Zeiss 20x60

The above were all image stabilised, but the following weren't:
Various Nikon around 15x magnification
Various Leica around 15x magnification
Various Svarovski around 15x magnification

I looked primarily for clarity, sharpness and brightness. My most important test though was to see how small text I could read from one end of the camera department to the other, where a range of text laden packs of headphones were on the wall.

It was noticeable that the Canon 10x42 and most Leica and Svarovski binoculars were easily the brightest, but also that they appeared to have the sharpest and clearest view. These all had excellent glass, and it was immediately apparent. However, these "bright" binoculars were also all relatively low powered 7-10x binoculars.

Going to 15-20x meant that it became hard to read small text, as the binoculars shook too much despite my best efforts to hold them steady. This is where the IS models all came into their own.

I never use a tripod with binoculars, so I tested each hand held.

The result here was that the binoculars best able to read the smallest text were the Canon 18x50 IS model. They could resolve noticeably smaller text that the Canon 15x50 IS model, and were also better than the very significantly more expensive Zeiss 20x60.

The Zeiss 20x60 had better glass than the Canon 18x50 IS, and whilst they would be superior on a tripod, when handheld the Canon's image stabilisation system was greatly superior to the Zeiss system. There was simply no contest.

So, in conclusion, the best binoculars for resolving fine detail at distance, hand held, are quite easily the Canon 18x50 IS. I am buying these

I did buy the Canon 18x50 IS binoculars, and they are simply excellent for hand held use, and very powerful They go well with my existing Canon 10x30 IS, which are a lot smaller and lighter.

A tip if anyone buys them is to get some 58mm filters to cover the objective lenses. I've ordered some multicoated Hoya UV camera lens filters along with 58mm camera lens caps. An effective way to protect those fairly exposed expensive binocular lenses

They do look fairly tough though, as they are rubberised and waterproof.