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Canon 10x42 L IS bins for birding? (1 Viewer)

Helios

Well-known member
Does anyone use the Canon 10x42 L IS bins for birding, and know how they compare to the other top range 10x bins such as the Leica Ultravid, and Zeiss FL?

For birding, is the IS a deciding advantage over the rest, especially with the x10 magnification?
 
I did look at them before settling on 8x42FL as a replacement for 10x40 Dialyt.
Reasons for not getting them were, in order of importance
1) guarantee only 1 year (If I'm paying that much, I'd want 10)
2) they had all the ergonomics of a housebrick, to my mind
3) heavy

I felt that the advantages of IS weren't sufficient to outweight the disadvantages.
 
I, for one, use the 10x42 IS L for birding.

The image is bright (factually not quite as bright as Zeiss FL or Leica Ultravid models, but to my eye they feel just as bright), has outstanding contrast, is virtually immune to sun-induced flare, no matter what the time of day or the angle of the sun relative to your viewing direction, the center of the field has even less chromatic aberration than the Zeiss FL, the sweet spot is large, edge resolution unparalleled among wide-angle binoculars I have tried, and there is almost no astigmatism even at the very edge of the field. Without the stabilization on, I find the image actually slightly better than in the best 10x42's I have tried. With the stabilization on, it loses a tiny bit of sharpness if you don't hold it very still, but in terms of what you can see, identify, count, resolve or just plain enjoy I find it superior to any conventional binocular.


The image stabilization works amazingly well when the binocular is held properly and you do not move too much, but there is some lag for the stabilization to center if you move the binoculars, and occasionally it is worthwhile to "reboot" the stabilization by switching it off and on again. Yes, it uses batteries, but I have now had the same pair of NiMH 2700 MaH recharceables (Varta) in them for some three weeks without recharging, and the spring migration is still ongoing here.

It is a brick, though. It weighs about the same as most 10x50 roofs, but it is pretty nice to hold when I cup my palms below the body. The strap is just wide and comfy enough to make it pretty okay for me to carry for several hours at a time, but I can easily see someone else counting them out by the weight alone. Also, the eyecups are ridiculously oversized and have a sharp rim, the focus wheel is slow (I like it for precise focus, but it takes time from very close to normal distances), sits too far back and is hard to reach with small hands. For optimal image, it also requires rather precise setting of interpupillary distance and diopter setting (which is nothced, but since you can leave the adjustment ring in the "adjust" position, you can use it at intermediate settings as well, which I consider a plus), but retains the settings very reliably.

I know from experience that it is not for everyone, though. Many birders have tried my pair, and while some are awe-struck by the image and the stabilization, others dislike it, immediately downplay the value of the stabilization mechanism and find some convenient reason (size, weight, reliance on batteries, price...) to discount it altogether. Those who bother to give it enough time under real field condition usually come to appreciate the image as well as the stabilization, but for some the size and weight and quirky design overall is still too much to take.

I also need to mention that I have seen too much image quality variation between different units, and would not recommend buying these without the chance to try the very pair you would get or, at the very least, the possibility of returning them for a full refund if you found the image poor.

Kimmo
 
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