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Question on the 10x30 IS (1 Viewer)

I had a brief indoor look with a 10x30 IS Canon today. The edge sharpness was very good, but not nearly as good as in the 10x42 IS L or the Swarovisions. There is a little bit of field curvature, so the edges of a centrally focused image could be made sharper still by focusing a bit more towards the infinity. But, even when the focus was set for optimum center sharpness, it was possible to resolve the largest patterns of the Edmund USAF card at the very edge. This was done at a distance of some 6-8 meters, don't know the exact distance.

Obviously, I cannot say anything definite about the optical construction of the eyepiece, but comparing it to other binoculars I have used with various types of eyepieces, the image looks like that of a singlet field flattener design such as those used by Nikon. The view is easy and natural, but not particularly bright.

The stabilizer engages in about a second, and stabilized very well. Bar code numbers on binocular boxes that could only be seen as numbers, but not read, with a 8x30 E II Nikon could easily and quickly be read with the Canon once the IS was depressed.

Kimmo
Good test. Henry's assumption does make sense because the Canon 8x25 IS doesn't state it has field flatteners at all and it has a 4 element eyepiece, whereas, the 10x30 IS and 12x36 II IS state they have doublet field flatteners but yet they only have ONE more element in their eyepiece at 5 elements. It is not till you get to the 10x42 IS L and the 15x50 IS and the 18x50 IS that the eyepieces have 7 elements. If the 10x30 IS and the 12x36 IS have a doublet field flattener they would have to have TWO more elements in their eyepieces than the 8x25 which has none. They would have to have 6 elements instead of just 5. I think Henry is correct. The 10x30 IS and the 12x36 IS have single field flatteners. You can always see more detail with a steady binocular. Either on a tripod or stabilized like the Canon IS.
 
Regarding the normal artefacts you see with these image stabilised binoculars, they are mainly due in my opinion to the rainbow or prismatic affects when the variable prisms go away from the centre and especially when they reach the end stops.
It is very simple to overcome this. You just release the button for one or two seconds and reapply after centring the object. If you pan smoothly or look at something carefully it is possible to keep the variable prisms more or less centre and then the star images, or in the daytime, terrestrial images look very good.

This is how I did it with the 15x50 and my first pair of 10x42 IS L. My second pair of the 10x42 tracks much better and its vari-angle prisms have almost no tendency to wander away from centered optical axis. The little bit they do, as soon as you stop the panning movement they re-centre again. Therefore, with this pair there is no need to switch off the stabilizer for centering. The only downside to this is that sometimes there is a slight jerk to the image when you start or stop panning, but these are so quick and brief that they do not bother me. The considerable upside is markedly reduced wedge artifacts.

Kimmo
 
I had a brief indoor look with a 10x30 IS Canon today. The edge sharpness was very good, but not nearly as good as in the 10x42 IS L or the Swarovisions. <snip>
The stabilizer engages in about a second, and stabilized very well. Bar code numbers on binocular boxes that could only be seen as numbers, but not read, with a 8x30 E II Nikon could easily and quickly be read with the Canon once the IS was depressed.

I'm not worried about the edge sharpness myself, so I don't particularly care if they have 1, 2 or 5 field flatteners. Good edge sharpness, that's good enough for me. But the observations about the stabilizer, that's what makes the Canon so interesting.

Thanks, Kimmo.

Hermann
 
That's the bottom line, the field.
Since the Nagler, telescopes have 'flattened' the field by dodging the level of abberation where that occurs.
The Plossl plays the curvature of two fields against each other to flatten the field...mostly.
A field flattener lens simply concentrates the job in one place, like in a field lens.
As the element count goes up it becomes less relevant. A 'flattener' or an 'aspheric' is supposed
to achieve great results without higher expense and weight. It is not the one reason for living,
just the latest trick. It's a 'flattener' when you spend more than $500 and an 'aspheric' if you spend less.
 
If you are using Canon IS II 10x30 and find it with insufficient diopter correction, you can adjust it. The following only works for the new (ie current) version!

When you take away the right rubber eyecup, there is a pin holding the eyepiece. You can take out the pin by pressing two flat head drivers on opposite sides of the pin, and then tweaking up several times. Then you can adjust the diopter position of the right eyepiece. After that, just put the pin back by pushing it down. A 10 minute fix.
 
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I have ever disassembled the Canon IS 10x30 completely. I removed the IS module and left with a 10x30 bins without IS. Gorgeous, the optics is wonderful. It is very bright and sharp, much better than the original bins with IS. However I can only barely focus it at infinity (I have perfect eyesight without the need of glasses at all). The IS module is a set of moving negative lenses. Without it, the focal length of the objectives reduced slightly.

See here:
http://www.astromart.com/classifieds/details.asp?classified_id=838599
 
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If you are using Canon IS II 10x30 and find it with insufficient diopter correction, you can adjust it. The following only works for the new version!



You seem to suggest by your numbering that there is a mark ll version.

Can you (or anyone else) provide some more details; such as the optical and physical differences, particularly how to tell the difference and the date of any change

I have read some reviews and it appears that there is possibly some problem with the body armour softening after a few year, so any information about that from anyone would also be helpful.

Stan
 
If you are using Canon IS II 10x30 and find it with insufficient diopter correction, you can adjust it. The following only works for the new version!

The new version? Do you know what they changed from the older to the current version?

When you take away the right rubber eyecup, there is a pin holding the eyepiece. You can take out the pin by pressing two flat head drivers on opposite sides of the pin, and then tweaking up several times. Then you can adjust the diopter position of the right eyepiece. After that, just put the pin back by pushing it down. A 10 minute fix.

That sounds like an easy fix. Thank you very much ... :)

Hermann
 
The new version I mean is the current version. The old version has hard eyecups. My fix dont work on older version.

Yes, the plastic case of the current version will become soft under heat etc.
 
The new version I mean is the current version. The old version has hard eyecups. My fix dont work on older version.

Yes, the plastic case of the current version will become soft under heat etc.

Thanks for the clarification.

Do you know when the change from hard to soft eyecups was made.

Stan
 
I dont know the time of changing, but the old version look completely different, like the one in the photo I attached (that one is 12x36 mk1 though). The old version is rarely seen now. Hope this help.
 

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Just to bring this thread to a conclusion, albeit one that's not really satisfactory: All Canon IS binoculars have a limited diopter range of +/- 3 diopters. I need more than that, something like -4 diopters. After a discussion with my ophthalmologist I decided the various ways of dealing with this problem are not really workable in the field, so I'll have to stay away from the Canon IS technology.

Oh well.

Hermann
 
In Canon IS threads the worry of having to do expensive repair is often seen. I bought a used pair of 15x50s five years ago and never had any problems.
Well, a tiny one perhaps. They don't switch off by themselves after five mins. They just stay on. Thus I have to make sure I switch them off, otherwise the batteries get drained. Anyone else heard of this issue before?
 
. Hi Wolf Beam,
I have heard of this problem, but my 18×50 switches off after maybe 5 to 7 minutes.
it has worked very well for maybe 10 years or more.
I always try to listen to the binocular close to my ear before putting it away to make sure it is off. There is also the light indicating if it is on or off, but if I hear no sound at all then I presume it is working properly and switched off by itself.
 
Hi Wolf Beam,

I've no experience of Canon Is binoculars yet (but my sister bought a 10x30 yesterday which I'm really looking forward to trying out when I see her next month). Just wondered what's your impression of the 15x50 and what you mostly use them for. It occurs to me that the higher power Canons offer something quite unique - a steady image at high magnification - handheld. Encouraging that a second-hand pair is still going strong after a further 5 years use and of course Binastro's are 10yrs and counting - any idea how old yours were when you bought them?
 
Hi Wolf Beam,

I've no experience of Canon Is binoculars yet (but my sister bought a 10x30 yesterday which I'm really looking forward to trying out when I see her next month). Just wondered what's your impression of the 15x50 and what you mostly use them for. It occurs to me that the higher power Canons offer something quite unique - a steady image at high magnification - handheld. Encouraging that a second-hand pair is still going strong after a further 5 years use and of course Binastro's are 10yrs and counting - any idea how old yours were when you bought them?

Hi,

I mainly use them for wetland and lake viewing. I also have a small and very good scope, Nikon ED50, which mainly stays on the shelf nowadays. Just like with a scope the 15x50s are not used alone. I often bring my lightweight Pentax Papilios with the Canon. Both worn with neck straps. One short and one long. Convenient.

When I bought the Canons they were 5 years old. So the age is 10 years.
 
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