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New 12x36 III OR 15x50? (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter payj
- Start date
The joy of the IS glass is that it allows detail to be observed, so either will give you a big step up from the Leicas.
The 15x50s are much bigger and heavier than the 12x36s, at 42oz vs 24 oz, so the 12s are much more user friendly.
Note however the 15x50s are listed as 'All Weather', the 12x36s are not.
Still, several reviewers mention using the 12x36s on cruises with great results, so they surely won't die in a sprinkle.
I have the 10x42s and like them a lot, but use a harness to handle the weight.
The 15x50s are much bigger and heavier than the 12x36s, at 42oz vs 24 oz, so the 12s are much more user friendly.
Note however the 15x50s are listed as 'All Weather', the 12x36s are not.
Still, several reviewers mention using the 12x36s on cruises with great results, so they surely won't die in a sprinkle.
I have the 10x42s and like them a lot, but use a harness to handle the weight.
EnjoyTheView
Well-known member
Until you try them in the real situations you observe you will not know the correct answer without prior experience. Get your regular ones first before you worry about your next set, the 12x36 III are not available yet anyway so you're jumping the gun.
winwinbino
Well-known member
I won't suggest Canon 15x50 except you purposely need that power . They are big & heavy. Even too bulky to hold. To pair your 7/8x, 12x36 IS are good choice. But, try before you buy. Some people could not tolerate the "image shifting" syndrome 
Eagle Optics is listing them now.
http://www.eagleoptics.com/binoculars/canon/canon-image-stabilized-12x36-is-iii-binocular
EnjoyTheView
Well-known member
I did see a couple places listeing them now, it is time for them to appear. Need to give it a bit more time for reviews though.
brocknroller
porromaniac
The 12x36 IS II "In Stock" at B&H has under its list of features "UD Ultra-low dispersion glass element." The ad copy also states: The revised edition of their 12x36 model has dramatically decreased the bulk and weight of the unit. The drawbacks are that it no longer accepts 43mm filters and the minimum focusing distance has been lengthened.
I don't think the 12x IS II had ED glass, and with the weight and bulk, they can't be referencing the original boxy roof prism version in 2015, could they? That's been gone for nearly a decade.
Here's the ad:
Canon_12x36_IS_II
Brock
I wouldn't rely too much on B&H Canon IS adverts.
The 12x36 IS lll advert shows a horizontal picture of a 10x30 IS ll and a vertical picture of the 12x36 IS lll while the 10x30 IS ll has a horizontal picture of the 12x36 IS lll and a vertical picture of the 10x30 IS ll.
Stan
brocknroller
porromaniac
Then I guess the "UD Glass" feature is wrong, too? $699 seemed like a really good price for an updated 12x36 IS II with ED glass (even though you can find ED glass on $250 roofs these days), but I'm not sure if the "UD" designation is marketing mumbo jumbo or higher quality glass like Canon's "L" glass.
I wonder what Canon will charge for the 12x36 IS III. Any idea?
Brock
brocknroller
porromaniac
Only about $150 extra for the ED glass ain't bad at all. Swift charges $100 extra for its 820 Audubon ED, but ED upgrades in alphas cost several hundred dollars. Hopefully, you're getting a better grade ED glass with an alpha.
The Canon 12x36 IS III has been added to my Wish List (which is getting rather long since I owned some of the bins on my list, had to sell them, so they're back on it again).
Brock
Dear Brock,
Regarding your post 7.
The advertisement is talking about the original 12 x 36 Mark I from about the year 2000.
I have this and it is an excellent binocular, but it is very heavy and bulky. It has a wide field and gives excellent images. This was my first image stabilised binocular. It takes screw in filters in front of the objectives. In particular light pollution rejection filters.
They compare it to the 12×36 Mark II, which has been around for a long time now.
The new one taking over will be the 12×36 Mark III. I don't know if this has ED glass where the Mark II has ordinary glass. I suppose we will need a good tester to give a reliable comparison.
Regarding your post 7.
The advertisement is talking about the original 12 x 36 Mark I from about the year 2000.
I have this and it is an excellent binocular, but it is very heavy and bulky. It has a wide field and gives excellent images. This was my first image stabilised binocular. It takes screw in filters in front of the objectives. In particular light pollution rejection filters.
They compare it to the 12×36 Mark II, which has been around for a long time now.
The new one taking over will be the 12×36 Mark III. I don't know if this has ED glass where the Mark II has ordinary glass. I suppose we will need a good tester to give a reliable comparison.
kkokkolis
Περίεργο&#
The 50 is a much better binocular. Image is better, perhaps owed to th UD glass and the field flattener. It has more apparent field of view. A "stay" mode for the IS. Water resistance. A tripod thread in the best position - no adaptors needed.
But it is very heavy for birding, unless you are seated somewhere.
The 12x36 is still a nice binocular but lightweight as a 10x42 would be. You can bird, hike, travel, walk, bike etc with that.
But it is very heavy for birding, unless you are seated somewhere.
The 12x36 is still a nice binocular but lightweight as a 10x42 would be. You can bird, hike, travel, walk, bike etc with that.
EnjoyTheView
Well-known member
As posted in the other thread on the release; straight from the full press release:
"The binoculars are also manufactured with Ultra-low Dispersion (UD) lenses that further reduce image blurring and bleeding in scenes with bright light sources."
EnjoyTheView
Well-known member
I really hope this is in the new 12x36 III. I don't know how I could live without it on the 10x42. I'd certainly have to jury-rig some solution. Since the electronics are all new I'm hoping they got this feature into the firmware.
It isn't mentioned in their USA Website:
http://www.usa.canon.com/cusa/consumer/products/binoculars/image_stabilizer/12_x_36_is_iii#Features
But then, if you look over the entire website, you will see that the 10x42 IS is not mentioned either and I don't think Canon has dropped it.
Bob
I can't find a mention of UD glass in the 12x36 is lll on any other Canon website either. B&H site is probably inaccurate again.
If there is an improvement over the mkll it is more likely to be due to better lens coatings.
Stan
EnjoyTheView
Well-known member
True, but until we have evidence otherwise it is the best authority.
UPDATE: It looks like that one release I read was wrong, trying to track it down again I believe it was from Canon Japan. I checked Hong Kong and UK and they don't mention any UD glass in the the new 12x36 III. So far I only see it mentioned in the Singapore news release that I originally viewed: SINGAPORE, 20 May 2015. I don't really see any other sites mentioning any optical changes for the mk III, not even coatings.
View Google Translate, this is what Canon Japan says about the Optics. Unlike the new electronics it does not mention anything about the optics being new for this release.
Realization of a clear view by excellent optical technology
The optical technology of EF lenses also applied to binoculars, we have to achieve high resolution. In addition it uses a field flattener lens to suppress the field curvature in the field of view periphery, by optimal lens placement, and has realized the clear view over the entire field of view.
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I have the 12x36 II (not the III) and the 18X50 ( similar but 18X instead of 15X). I really like them both for what they do. But if I were to buy another, having an 8X already, I would go with the 12X36.
What I do is when I travel, I take my Leica 8X20 Ultravid compacts, which are excellent, and the Canon 12X36 II. They are a great combination. I don't take the 18X50s as they are very heavy. I use them for seascape work and they are fantastic for that.
What I do is when I travel, I take my Leica 8X20 Ultravid compacts, which are excellent, and the Canon 12X36 II. They are a great combination. I don't take the 18X50s as they are very heavy. I use them for seascape work and they are fantastic for that.
