Just thought I´d post a few observations about comparing these two, for prospective buyers. I´ve had the EL 10x for a few years, and recently bought the Canon IS 12x. I´d always been a tad suspicious of IS, given Murphy´s Law...more technology means more stuff to go "Fubar". And I was happy with my EL´s. Why did I buy the IS? A recommendation from an expert, and a pair came up very cheap in a store.
To cut to the chase, when mounted on a tripod, the EL´s win hands down. Sharper, brighter, etc. etc. But I don´t want to carry my bins on a tripod, I want them around my neck.
The IS are darker, not as sharp (less resolution from 12x than from 10x in any case?), and IS focussing is less precise. More flare. Not waterproof (although rubber-armoured and "splash-proof"....how big is a splash?). Also, the 1-year guarantee does not inspire confidence (compared to EL´s 30 years!). The rubber eyecups are fine for my eyes (I have deep eyesockets and the eyecups pop into them), but they might not suit everyone. The diopter moves according to its own whims (easily rectified by coiling a thin bit of Duct Tape around it). They are much lighter than the EL´s (about 750 grams), but also feel flimsier, as though they wouldn´t stand up to a serious knock. At first, there is a slight dreamy "woozy" feeling when you pan with the IS button pressed (but a lot of people pay good money for that illegally!). The IS are comfortable to hold, but not as solid as the EL´s, and they lack the famous EL ergonomics.
And then, you press the IS button, and the world changes. Despite all the optical shortcomings compared to the ELs, the IS wins when hand-held. Instability, I realised, was the factor that most inhibited my getting a clear sighting of a bird. It is SO much easier to discern detail, all kinds, with IS than without, even if the optics are second-rate. If in doubt, try a pair on a flying bird....it is simply a different viewing experience that is so hard to put into words. I´ll accept that some people might have steadier hands than others, but strangely what seems to cause the "shake" when I´m holding bins is my pulse. I´ve tried all the techniques I learned years ago when in a target-shooting rifle club, but nothing seems to work. Except IS. Put simply, I can see the bird far better with Canon IS 12x36 than with Swaro EL 10x42 when the bins are hand-held. Period. And they cost one-third the price of the ELs.
I´ve never seen the 10x "L" series Canon IS, that boasts high-end optics. It´s a lot more expensive than the other IS configurations, and I look forward to trying it sometime. For the moment (and the next few years), the Canon IS 12x36 will be my standard bins of choice, the ones I take on dedicated outings and the ones I grab when heading off for a walk with the kids or whatever.
To cut to the chase, when mounted on a tripod, the EL´s win hands down. Sharper, brighter, etc. etc. But I don´t want to carry my bins on a tripod, I want them around my neck.
The IS are darker, not as sharp (less resolution from 12x than from 10x in any case?), and IS focussing is less precise. More flare. Not waterproof (although rubber-armoured and "splash-proof"....how big is a splash?). Also, the 1-year guarantee does not inspire confidence (compared to EL´s 30 years!). The rubber eyecups are fine for my eyes (I have deep eyesockets and the eyecups pop into them), but they might not suit everyone. The diopter moves according to its own whims (easily rectified by coiling a thin bit of Duct Tape around it). They are much lighter than the EL´s (about 750 grams), but also feel flimsier, as though they wouldn´t stand up to a serious knock. At first, there is a slight dreamy "woozy" feeling when you pan with the IS button pressed (but a lot of people pay good money for that illegally!). The IS are comfortable to hold, but not as solid as the EL´s, and they lack the famous EL ergonomics.
And then, you press the IS button, and the world changes. Despite all the optical shortcomings compared to the ELs, the IS wins when hand-held. Instability, I realised, was the factor that most inhibited my getting a clear sighting of a bird. It is SO much easier to discern detail, all kinds, with IS than without, even if the optics are second-rate. If in doubt, try a pair on a flying bird....it is simply a different viewing experience that is so hard to put into words. I´ll accept that some people might have steadier hands than others, but strangely what seems to cause the "shake" when I´m holding bins is my pulse. I´ve tried all the techniques I learned years ago when in a target-shooting rifle club, but nothing seems to work. Except IS. Put simply, I can see the bird far better with Canon IS 12x36 than with Swaro EL 10x42 when the bins are hand-held. Period. And they cost one-third the price of the ELs.
I´ve never seen the 10x "L" series Canon IS, that boasts high-end optics. It´s a lot more expensive than the other IS configurations, and I look forward to trying it sometime. For the moment (and the next few years), the Canon IS 12x36 will be my standard bins of choice, the ones I take on dedicated outings and the ones I grab when heading off for a walk with the kids or whatever.