Phil,
This head movement issue is familiar to me also, but I have done so much of tripod-mounted binocular testing over the years that I am rather used to it have learned to keep my head rather still. My guess is that firstly it is harder to keep two eyes aligned with exit pupils than one, and also that this is harder to do with the straight-through view of binoculars than with the 45 deg angled view of the scopes I use.
It goes against conventional wisdom that you would get significantly better hand-held results with a 10x than with an 8x binocular, but that is also the result I have had the few times I've done hand-held detection or resolution tests with different magnifications.
Some of those I reported in my old review of the Canon 15x50 IS. If you are interested, and haven't happened upon it yet, here's the link to the index page of my Lintuvaruste reviews, which were originally published in Alula and Linnut magazines: http://www.suomenlintuvaruste.com/product_catalog.php?c=88
There is also a review of the 10x42 IS L, which pertains to the first year or two models, prior to the improvements to MC coatings, internal baffling and IS functioning. I'm thinking of updating that review with the experiences from this newer model, but it may be a while before I get around to actually doing it
It has been surprising that the Canons have not achieved greater popularity. But as long as the few of us who use them and like them get to continue doing that, I've decided not to care that there is little following.
I have been planning on doing a reading distance test IS vs hand-held also. Please post your results when you get the 8x vs 10x comparison done.
I owned a Nikon ED 82 A for many years. A very fine scope you have.
Kimmo
This head movement issue is familiar to me also, but I have done so much of tripod-mounted binocular testing over the years that I am rather used to it have learned to keep my head rather still. My guess is that firstly it is harder to keep two eyes aligned with exit pupils than one, and also that this is harder to do with the straight-through view of binoculars than with the 45 deg angled view of the scopes I use.
It goes against conventional wisdom that you would get significantly better hand-held results with a 10x than with an 8x binocular, but that is also the result I have had the few times I've done hand-held detection or resolution tests with different magnifications.
Some of those I reported in my old review of the Canon 15x50 IS. If you are interested, and haven't happened upon it yet, here's the link to the index page of my Lintuvaruste reviews, which were originally published in Alula and Linnut magazines: http://www.suomenlintuvaruste.com/product_catalog.php?c=88
There is also a review of the 10x42 IS L, which pertains to the first year or two models, prior to the improvements to MC coatings, internal baffling and IS functioning. I'm thinking of updating that review with the experiences from this newer model, but it may be a while before I get around to actually doing it
It has been surprising that the Canons have not achieved greater popularity. But as long as the few of us who use them and like them get to continue doing that, I've decided not to care that there is little following.
I have been planning on doing a reading distance test IS vs hand-held also. Please post your results when you get the 8x vs 10x comparison done.
I owned a Nikon ED 82 A for many years. A very fine scope you have.
Kimmo