Hello everybody! Sorry for creating the new thread, the old one (canon 10x30 vs others) isnt available for posting. I need some advice. I'm thinking of buying Canon 10x30is, i've already had Nikon 7x50 CF and i find it quite good for me. I think it's very sharp in the center, very clear picture. I read some articles and it was said that Canon 10x30 has kind of fuzzy image when stabilizing. Who has both of them? I'm wondering if the Canon 10x30 is also that sharp and clear as Nikon 7x50 CF? As it's said Canon 10x30is has flat field and sharp image up to the edges, but how the image changes when the stabilization is on? Are any distortions very noticible when stabilizing?
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Canon 10x30is (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter galaxym
- Start date
brocknroller
porromaniac
galaxym,
By Nikon 7x50 CF do you mean the "OceanPro"? Probably not too many birders who own that model.
As far as the 10x30 IS, I've tried two of them, owned one. The one I owned was the best of five that someone else tried, in fact, he later had seller's remorse and hounded me to buy it back and I finally sold it back to him (with $100 seller's remorse fee, no just kidding).
There are three things to note on with the Canon IS bins, one is sample variation from unit to unit in terms of stability. Each model also has a different degree of stability in regard to the other models.
The second thing is your susceptibility to the "swimming" motion that some users see in Canon's IS bins.
With one unit I tried, the moon was slowly "swimming" around the field of view. Made me nauseous. With my sample, the moon had much less "sway". With the other, I was singing, "Would you like to swing on a star, carry moonbeams home in a jar..." Frankie, that really goes back.
The third thing is what reviewers call "artifacts". If you pan too quickly on the night sky, stars can streak. You see them look like comets for a second and then the normal view is replenished. As if it had to "buffer" to catch up.
I've also seen this phenomenon with birds. I was watching some swallows chase down bugs over the field and when they started really zigzagging, they exceeded the "speed limit" of my IS to keep up, and I got streaking birds. And mine you, this was the most stable out of five tested units.
So they are not perfect, but if you don't pan too quickly, you can avoid most of the artifacts, but the "swimming" is something you won't know how you're going to react to until you actually try one.
That said, the 10x30 IS is more stable than the 10x42, which is more stable than the 12x36, which is more stable than the 15x50, which is more stable than the 18x50.
The 8x25 might be the most stable, but it uses special batteries, and unless you really got the shakes bad, it's worth going up to the 10x30 IS.
Unlike the 10x42 and other larger models, you have to keep your finger pushed on the button for the IS to engage. My batteries lasted a long time (lithium), but cold weather will make then run down faster, and you will start noticing artifacts and swimming was the batteries die down. So always keep a spare set, JIC.
The edge sharpness is quite good, but my unit showed more CA than the 10x42 SE.
One more thing... stablization shows "atmospheric disturbances" more than a non-IS bin. Those heat waves that you can't see in a non-IS bins will be picked up on a hot day or when cold air mixes with warm.
Like I said, it's not perfect, but it beats viewing @ 10x with the DTs.
m31
By Nikon 7x50 CF do you mean the "OceanPro"? Probably not too many birders who own that model.
As far as the 10x30 IS, I've tried two of them, owned one. The one I owned was the best of five that someone else tried, in fact, he later had seller's remorse and hounded me to buy it back and I finally sold it back to him (with $100 seller's remorse fee, no just kidding).
There are three things to note on with the Canon IS bins, one is sample variation from unit to unit in terms of stability. Each model also has a different degree of stability in regard to the other models.
The second thing is your susceptibility to the "swimming" motion that some users see in Canon's IS bins.
With one unit I tried, the moon was slowly "swimming" around the field of view. Made me nauseous. With my sample, the moon had much less "sway". With the other, I was singing, "Would you like to swing on a star, carry moonbeams home in a jar..." Frankie, that really goes back.
The third thing is what reviewers call "artifacts". If you pan too quickly on the night sky, stars can streak. You see them look like comets for a second and then the normal view is replenished. As if it had to "buffer" to catch up.
I've also seen this phenomenon with birds. I was watching some swallows chase down bugs over the field and when they started really zigzagging, they exceeded the "speed limit" of my IS to keep up, and I got streaking birds. And mine you, this was the most stable out of five tested units.
So they are not perfect, but if you don't pan too quickly, you can avoid most of the artifacts, but the "swimming" is something you won't know how you're going to react to until you actually try one.
That said, the 10x30 IS is more stable than the 10x42, which is more stable than the 12x36, which is more stable than the 15x50, which is more stable than the 18x50.
The 8x25 might be the most stable, but it uses special batteries, and unless you really got the shakes bad, it's worth going up to the 10x30 IS.
Unlike the 10x42 and other larger models, you have to keep your finger pushed on the button for the IS to engage. My batteries lasted a long time (lithium), but cold weather will make then run down faster, and you will start noticing artifacts and swimming was the batteries die down. So always keep a spare set, JIC.
The edge sharpness is quite good, but my unit showed more CA than the 10x42 SE.
One more thing... stablization shows "atmospheric disturbances" more than a non-IS bin. Those heat waves that you can't see in a non-IS bins will be picked up on a hot day or when cold air mixes with warm.
Like I said, it's not perfect, but it beats viewing @ 10x with the DTs.
m31
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Oskar Moilanen
Well-known member
I got my 10x30 IS yesterday and today I got the first opportunity to have a look through in sunny conditions. I was at a lake just a couple kilometres from where I live which is known as a nesting place for a variety of birds. I sat on a bench by the lakeside as I saw a Great Crested Grebe came swimming in my direction. I put the binoculars to my eyes and enabled the IS.
I saw eyes of ruby in a beautiful reflection and the characteristic mane of a male bird. Suddenly the bird dove. As it broke the surface tiny ripples edged out in all directions, stirring the calm, cottony clouded mirror of the lake. I could follow the position of the grebe beneath the surface from the bubbles that came up. The grebe broke surface again, revealing itself. It shook its body and cast out marbles of water droplets that shone in the sun, all in brilliant clarity.
This was my first experience with image stabilization and it convinced me. From now on, when I have handheld, I will have IS. I think everybody should give it a try before knocking it off.
This was my first post, I hope to enjoy my stay at BirdForum!
I saw eyes of ruby in a beautiful reflection and the characteristic mane of a male bird. Suddenly the bird dove. As it broke the surface tiny ripples edged out in all directions, stirring the calm, cottony clouded mirror of the lake. I could follow the position of the grebe beneath the surface from the bubbles that came up. The grebe broke surface again, revealing itself. It shook its body and cast out marbles of water droplets that shone in the sun, all in brilliant clarity.
This was my first experience with image stabilization and it convinced me. From now on, when I have handheld, I will have IS. I think everybody should give it a try before knocking it off.
This was my first post, I hope to enjoy my stay at BirdForum!
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brocknroller
porromaniac
Välkommen Oskar!
And a fine first post it was!
"It shook its body and cast out marbles of water droplets that shone in the sun, all in brilliant clarity."
"As it broke the surface tiny ripples edged out in all directions, stirring the calm, cottony clouded mirror of the lake."
I wish they taught English as well in the rural regions of my state as they apparently do in Gävle, Sweden, if your writing is a typical example.
Too bad Alula is now defunct, you could written for that magazine.
A member of Cloudy Nights (an astronomy forum) was so impressed with his 10x30 IS, he started buying other Canon IS bins, and now has all of them. The only non-IS bin he owns is the Zeiss 7x42 FL.
Besides sample variation, there are two issues with IS bins: (1) except for the Canon 10x42 IS, the exit pupils are only around 3mm (some people have reported the 10x42 to be less than 4mm, that is, the aperture is less than 42mm), and (2) once you get beyond the 12x36 IS, weight becomes an issue. Just ask Dennis.
But the 10x30 IS is lightweight, and providing you get a good sample, the stabilization is also better than the 42mm and higher powered models.
I wish they added ED glass since it had more CA than I would have liked, but other than that, the sample I had was quite good. I regret trading it (see my post on the "Seller's Remorse" thread).
A 5-minute delay button like the larger models would also be a welcomed addition to the 10x30 model so you don't have to keep the button pushed down continuously, but perhaps that would add weight/bulk.
I look forward to reading more of your posts.
Brock
Oskar Moilanen
Well-known member
Välkommen Oskar!
And a fine first post it was!
"It shook its body and cast out marbles of water droplets that shone in the sun, all in brilliant clarity."
"As it broke the surface tiny ripples edged out in all directions, stirring the calm, cottony clouded mirror of the lake."
I wish they taught English as well in the rural regions of my state as they apparently do in Gävle, Sweden, if your writing is a typical example.
Too bad Alula is now defunct, you could written for that magazine.
A member of Cloudy Nights (an astronomy forum) was so impressed with his 10x30 IS, he started buying other Canon IS bins, and now has all of them. The only non-IS bin he owns is the Zeiss 7x42 FL.
Besides sample variation, there are two issues with IS bins: (1) except for the Canon 10x42 IS, the exit pupils are only around 3mm (some people have reported the 10x42 to be less than 4mm, that is, the aperture is less than 42mm), and (2) once you get beyond the 12x36 IS, weight becomes an issue. Just ask Dennis.
But the 10x30 IS is lightweight, and providing you get a good sample, the stabilization is also better than the 42mm and higher powered models.
I wish they added ED glass since it had more CA than I would have liked, but other than that, the sample I had was quite good. I regret trading it (see my post on the "Seller's Remorse" thread).
A 5-minute delay button like the larger models would also be a welcomed addition to the 10x30 model so you don't have to keep the button pushed down continuously, but perhaps that would add weight/bulk.
I look forward to reading more of your posts.
Brock
Thank you for the warm welcome and compliments!
In general Sweden has a better than average education in the English language, but I don't think there is any major difference of our respective homesteads. People here do still have trouble speaking and writing correct Swedish, which is kind of worrying when the knowledge of our native language is degrading in our youth. I can assume it could be likewise in your region.
But I'm not going to be too negative. The English knowledge is good here, but the use of delicate language can not be seen as common. I just have a liking towards describing nature (particularly) in words, a kind of recreating the moment, describing the beauty if you will. Hence my "sort of poetic" manner of writing. If it is not to anyones disliking.
But on to the main subject.
I have probably read some posts of that member on Cloudy Nights, and he shares my enthusiasm. The reason I chose the 10x30 is the need to have a light-middle weight pair of binoculars for general daytime viewing and to accompany a spotting scope. That immediately ruled out the heavy 10x42, 15x50 and 18x50. The reviews of the 10x30 were generally positive and seemed to fit the bill, thought a while of the 8x25 but they seemed to have a hard plastic feel and lacking robustness.
I do also as you, wish that there would be a 10x30L with ED glass and a one touch button. That would be the ultimate binocular for my uses, so I will remain hopeful. I did also notice a little CA, but not to my disturbance. I'm very new to birding and optics in general but am very eager to learn.
On a side note. I'm picking up a Swarovski AT80 HD at my local postal service tomorrow, the mate to my binos. So I'll spend some time cleaning up the lenses and will test the scope in field this weekend.
Can't wait!
brocknroller
porromaniac
Thank you for the warm welcome and compliments!
In general Sweden has a better than average education in the English language, but I don't think there is any major difference of our respective homesteads. People here do still have trouble speaking and writing correct Swedish, which is kind of worrying when the knowledge of our native language is degrading in our youth. I can assume it could be likewise in your region.
But I'm not going to be too negative. The English knowledge is good here, but the use of delicate language can not be seen as common. I just have a liking towards describing nature (particularly) in words, a kind of recreating the moment, describing the beauty if you will. Hence my "sort of poetic" manner of writing. If it is not to anyones disliking.
But on to the main subject.
I have probably read some posts of that member on Cloudy Nights, and he shares my enthusiasm. The reason I chose the 10x30 is the need to have a light-middle weight pair of binoculars for general daytime viewing and to accompany a spotting scope. That immediately ruled out the heavy 10x42, 15x50 and 18x50. The reviews of the 10x30 were generally positive and seemed to fit the bill, thought a while of the 8x25 but they seemed to have a hard plastic feel and lacking robustness.
I do also as you, wish that there would be a 10x30L with ED glass and a one touch button. That would be the ultimate binocular for my uses, so I will remain hopeful. I did also notice a little CA, but not to my disturbance. I'm very new to birding and optics in general but am very eager to learn.
On a side note. I'm picking up a Swarovski AT80 HD at my local postal service tomorrow, the mate to my binos. So I'll spend some time cleaning up the lenses and will test the scope in field this weekend.
Can't wait!
Oskar,
I'll PM you with my cultural comments.
I think you will be well pleased with the AT80 HD. I tried the 65mm model and was surprised how much I liked it, more than I did the Zeiss Diascope 85.
I really like the band focuser vs. the more typical little knob that's pointed in the wrong direction. The views were sharp and contrasty and sharp almost to the edge.
The Zeiss scope's views were very bright, but too much so, to the point where the brightness overwhelmed the contrast. There was also noticeable "fuzziness" at the edges (though the view was wider than the Swaro).
IMO, the Zeiss EP was too wide. Two small children could probably look in it at the same time. It lets a lot of stray light in because the eyecup can't shield light since you'd need a face like Humpty Dumpty to cover it.
Felix
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