Canon 12x36 Image Stabilization II Binoculars w/Case, Neck Strap & Batteries by Canon
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Digital camera reviews of Canon 12x36 Image Stabilization II Binoculars w/Case, Neck Strap & Batteries
Digital camera Review: This is a great product
Summary: 5 Stars
These are good field glasses; then when you are focused, and push the stabilizing button - they become great! It takes maybe a second and a half, and the object in focus becomes yours. It's like you own it. Steady, hand held and no shaking or blur - at 12 times magnification! Quite extraordinary. If you can't afford them, hope that your children can buy them for you as a gift. I'm blessed, mine did and birding just got way better.Digital camera Review: Unbiased Assessment
Summary: 4 Stars
I do a lot of bird watching and am at age 71, where some unsteadiness in holding binoculars is present. I bought these 12 x 36 IS II binoculars to help offset that difficulty. Purchase, shipping and receival went very smoothly. I was taken back by the bulk of these glasses, but soon had them in good working order. Instructions were clear. Focusing is easily accomplished and the clarity is good, edge to edge. I did find that setting the spacing for the eyepieces was quite different from regular binoculars, but practice gradually improved my ease of doing that. You cannot easily change the spacing while holding the binoculars up to your eyes, so be aware of that difference. Image Stabilisation takes effect about 1 second after activating the button and then, with a slight image shift, transitions into a rock solid image about one second later. Given these small differences, the binoculars perform very well and they are now my favorite choice for birding. Eyepiece relief is good, but as with other reviews, I too would have appreciated a simple cover for the objective lenses. I really appreciate the use of easily obtained and relatively inexpensive AA batteries! Ruggedized coating is excellent.
First rate product, also super for astronomy, but you might wish to consider the slightly smaller 10 X 30 IS II units to reduce weight/bulk.
Digital camera Review: WOW
Summary: 5 Stars
I just do not know what to say. I really checked this one out. A lot of money for Binoculars I thought. It better make a big difference. WOW. It DOES. You have to see it to believe it. The write ups are right. I am now saving for the bigger ones. VERY WORTH the price. And mine came with a 3 year canon warranty. Not the one year it says on Amazon.Digital camera Review: Well worth the money
Summary: 5 Stars
I have used a pair of Cannon 15x50 IS binoculars for about 2-3 years in my job doing environmental field work. Most of the work is performed surveying lake and river shorelines from a 14ft boat with an outboard motor running. We are on the road for about a month and a half during the summer with less intense work in the fall and spring. I have logged hundreds of hours per year with the 15x50 to my eyes. Although they don't smooth out the large jolts of one foot waves or larger at 15-25 mph, it does take out the constant vibration and shake produced from the outboard in the small boat.
We have just purchased the 12x36 IS II for a co-worker as he does more work on land than I and he needed something more portable. He loaned them to me to try out, and they are quite fine . . . much lighter and easier to carry around. The stabilization is as good as the 15x50s. Just hold down the button and the image "floats" rather than shakes all over the place. I haven't tried them long enough to check out the battery life. The specs say they will last twice as long (4 hours) as the 15x50s (2 hours). I go through about two or three sets of batteries per day with the 15x50s so their estimates are probably close as I probably have them engaged 6-8 hours per day. I highly recommend using Eneloop rechargable batteries, and have a set or two charged up for spares if you use the stabilization feature a lot.
The one thing about the 15x50s that is much better is the ability to "lock" the stabilization for 5 minutes (automatically disengages after that time) with a single click of the button (or you can click and hold like the 12x32s). Sometimes in a rough environment, it's tough to keep your finger on the button all the time. With the 12x32s, you must constantly hold the button down when you want stabilization engaged. It's not the most terrible thing in the world, but just not as convenient.
Biggest complaint . . . . where are the lens caps? Even my cheap pair that I use in my kayak have lens caps! But the 15x50s don't come with objective lens caps either. What gives? I am as careful with these as possible, but they are subject to some unforgiving condiions (still haven't dropped them, yet). Lots of rain and rough water but still no problems with the 15x50s. I wouldn't expect less from the 12x32s although they aren't officially rated "All Weather" as are the 15x50s.
Another thing that I noticed is that they don't have a tripod mount. It would stand to reason that you wouldn't need one if you have the stabilization feature, but I could imagine that there would be times where a bird watcher might be set up where a tripod would be adventageous. In my line of work, it doesn't make sense, but it is worth mentioning. The 15x50s are threaded for a mount.
An additional note . . . . a few years ago, I was using my 9x35 Leupolds and saw a plant that I needed to identify on the other side of a shallow weed infested stump field. The plant turned out not to be what I was trying to find, but I still had to shut off the engine, and push and pole the boat through some nasty stuff in hot weather before I could get close enough to make a positive ID. After I got the 15x50s, I was able to view the same plant from open water while my assistant kept driving the boat. I could easily ID the plant without breaking stride. No need to stop or get close. The difference was amazing.
In summary, both the 12x36 and the 15x50 are worth the money in my book, and, if I didn't have the money, I would save my pennies or sell something to get it.
Digital camera Review: Well worth the price
Summary: 5 Stars
These binocs aren't cheap, but they are well worth the price. I love the image stab. feature. They work equally well for bird watching and star gazing!