Image Stabilising Binoculars

[Blizzard]

My husband has a BIG birthday coming up and I know that he would like some image stablising binoculars.

After much research and googling it seems that the ideal would be the Canon 10x42L IS WP. Unfortunately the price is horrendous . The Canon 10x30 ones are more affordable but are not waterproof and seeing as he wants them for boat use, in all weathers, being waterproof is an essential.

So I have two questions, firstly are there any cheaper ones on the market that could be suitable and secondly if push comes to shove and I have to take out a morgage to get the 10x42L IS WP does anyone have any experience of them? It's a heck of a lot of money to pay out if they're not up to the job.

I'd be very grateful for any assistance.

Blizzard

[wizzo]

Well I've tried these out Blizzard. They do work well, but I think they are horrible to use, bulky and uncomfortable to hold. However, if your hubby has tried them out and liked them, then I guess he'll love 'em! If on the other hand, he's never tried them out, I'd hang on to the reciept and the packaging. Good luck anyway - Wizzo

[Blizzard]

Originally Posted by wizzo

Well I've tried these out Blizzard. They do work well, but I think they are horrible to use, bulky and uncomfortable to hold. However, if your hubby has tried them out and liked them, then I guess he'll love 'em! If on the other hand, he's never tried them out, I'd hang on to the reciept and the packaging. Good luck anyway - Wizzo

Thanks Wizzo. He hasn't tried them out so if I do get them I'll remember that advice!!

Only problem living here is that it's difficult to find anywhere that has them locally, or even within 50 miles, so that you can actually see them and try them out. Not being a birder he wouldn't be using them a lot, just picking them up occasionally, especially for lobster pots in the distance and especially for dolphins/porpoise and whales. There are probably more boaty reasons too but they just go over my head lol.

Blizz

[The Woodman]

A couple of comments Blizzard from my experience. I have used Canon IS bins for a number of years in a former employment. I don't like them but they were useful for the short occasional use rather than prolonged observation. Heavy and cumbersome with heavy battery drain. I'm just not convinced about bins with IS.

X10 is far too much magnification for boat use unless you guarantee mill pond calm. 7X50 are much user friendlier and are the spec on Naval issue bins.

Several brands are suitably marinised and some even have an inbuilt compass which can be very useful. Just for interest have a look at the Steiners here Steiner Binoculars - 7x50 CommanderXP C

You won't find many manufacturers marine bins with magnification more than 7 - that's because that's as much as you will be able to cope with on a moving boat.

At the end of the day you pays your money and takes your choice but think carefully before investing in Canon IS bins.

[Blizzard]

Originally Posted by The Woodman

A couple of comments Blizzard from my experience. I have used Canon IS bins for a number of years in a former employment. I don't like them but they were useful for the short occasional use rather than prolonged observation. Heavy and cumbersome with heavy battery drain. I'm just not convinced about bins with IS.

X10 is far too much magnification for boat use unless you guarantee mill pond calm. 7X50 are much user friendlier and are the spec on Naval issue bins.

Several brands are suitably marinised and some even have an inbuilt compass which can be very useful. Just for interest have a look at the Steiners here Steiner Binoculars - 7x50 CommanderXP C

You won't find many manufacturers marine bins with magnification more than 7 - that's because that's as much as you will be able to cope with on a moving boat.

At the end of the day you pays your money and takes your choice but think carefully before investing in Canon IS bins.

Thanks Woodman. It would be short occasional use that my OH would use them for but from your and Wizzo's comments it's certainly making me think twice about going for them. Just the sort of info I wanted.

I can't believe with all the googling I did that I didn't find the Steiners. Thank you very much for the link. I'll do more research on them tomorrow but they look pretty good, although again very expensive.

I did read that the IS on the Canon 10x42 compensated for the roll/pitch on a boat but of course you can't always believe the reviews that you read!

Trying to find presents for my OH is a bl**dy nightmare. At this rate he'll have to make do with a box of XL latex gloves that he never gets round to buying for himself.

Blizz

[Hobjob]

Woodman is right about x7 being the best magnification for boat use. I did a bit of navigating an offshore racing yacht in my youth, and I had an old pair of 10x50 - pretty useless.

I have looked through several pairs of Canon ISs. They seemed to suppress my natural shake exceptionally well, in almost the same way as my Image Stabilization on a canon lens works. You can see it click in. I do not know, but would doubt that they would removed the pitch and roll of a boat. Better for the engine vibration i'd have thought.

I bought my s-in-l a goodish pair of 7x40 with compass inbuilt for his whale watching business. In the Southern hemisphere the electronic compass does not work apparently (note to self, must check this out). I also found out that many binocs designed for sailors have enormous depth of field so that focussing is not really needed - you lose some sharpness, but don't miss things that our not in focus, which is the case with my usual Binocs that are designed for birds.

None of the bird reserve type optics shops seem to stock them, but I am really not sure if that means they have tested and rejected or not.


As a aside - most men like to choose their own 'boys toys', so tread warily!

[The Woodman]

[quote=Hobjob;763326]
I bought my s-in-l a goodish pair of 7x40 with compass inbuilt for his whale watching business. In the Southern hemisphere the electronic compass does not work apparently (note to self, must check this out).QUOTE]

If they were purchased in the northern hemishere that might be the reason.

Check out Steiner again...http://www.steiner-binoculars.com/as...pass_Zones.pdf

Blizzard, depending on what your O/H does with his disposable gloves (), I now use vinyl ones rather than latex which fit well but tear easily and make my hands sweat. I note my local mechanic uses black vinyl sold by the travelling Snap-On sales van.

[Blizzard]

Originally Posted by Hobjob

Woodman is right about x7 being the best magnification for boat use. I did a bit of navigating an offshore racing yacht in my youth, and I had an old pair of 10x50 - pretty useless.

I have looked through several pairs of Canon ISs. They seemed to suppress my natural shake exceptionally well, in almost the same way as my Image Stabilization on a canon lens works. You can see it click in. I do not know, but would doubt that they would removed the pitch and roll of a boat. Better for the engine vibration i'd have thought.

I bought my s-in-l a goodish pair of 7x40 with compass inbuilt for his whale watching business. In the Southern hemisphere the electronic compass does not work apparently (note to self, must check this out). I also found out that many binocs designed for sailors have enormous depth of field so that focussing is not really needed - you lose some sharpness, but don't miss things that our not in focus, which is the case with my usual Binocs that are designed for birds.

None of the bird reserve type optics shops seem to stock them, but I am really not sure if that means they have tested and rejected or not.


As a aside - most men like to choose their own 'boys toys', so tread warily!

Thanks Hobjob, I'm definitely having second thoughts about the Canon IS models now.

It's VERY true about boys and their toys but the IS bins are something he specifically mentioned. Trouble is he hasn't tried any and it puts him in a difficult situation if I did get them and he hated them.

Seriously, buying presents for men is a total nightmare .

Blizzard

[Blizzard]

[quote=The Woodman;763340

Blizzard, depending on what your O/H does with his disposable gloves (), I now use vinyl ones rather than latex which fit well but tear easily and make my hands sweat. I note my local mechanic uses black vinyl sold by the travelling Snap-On sales van.[/QUOTE]

He doesn't do anything dodgy with the gloves, , just dealing with fish so that he doesn't get fishy hands on the wheel afterwards.

Blizzard