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Canon 10x42 L IS versus 15x50 IS (1 Viewer)

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I have had ever Canon IS but I decided to order a Canon 15x50 IS to compare it directly to my 10x42 L IS which I love so much. I picked a new one up on E-bay for $750.00. I am totally sold on the advantages of IS and I don't care what some detractors say about "artifacts" the fact is you can see way more detail with a Canon IS binocular than you can with anything else. When I get the the 15x50 IS I will see what the advantages and disadvantages are when compared to the 10x42 L IS which I own. Look for a review here.
 
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I have had ever Canon IS but I decided to order a Canon 15x50 IS to compare it directly to my 10x42 L IS which I love so much. I picked a new one up on E-bay for $750.00. I am totally sold on the advantages of IS and I don't care what some detractors say about "artifacts" the fact is you can see way more detail with a Canon IS binocular than you can with anything else. When I get the the 15x50 IS I will see what the advantages and disadvantages are when compared to the 10x42 L IS which I own. Look for a review here.

I got the Canon 15x50 IS's today and they really don't compare IMO to the 10x42 L IS's. They have a smaller FOV, are less bright, not as sharp, have way more CA and the IS system doesn't seem to as effective probably because of the increased magnification. I also get all kinds of blackouts and you have to roll the eyecups all the way down to get the full FOV which I don't like. I find it hard to believe some people like these more than the Canon 10x42 L IS's. I am returning them tomorrow. Just my take on the Canon 15x50 IS's. I guess I have reached the top of the mountain with the 10x42 L IS and I will have to wait for new models to come out that are better than these.
The Canon 10x42 L IS's are heavy and bulky but they produce the best view I have ever seen through any binoculars especially with the IS. You see detail that you have never seen before. For example, I can see heat rising off the ground in the morning and I have never seen that before. I can make out detail on birds and animals that I have never noticed before with any of the alpha binoculars including Zeiss FL's, Swarovksi EL's, or Leicas. So if you want the BEST view they are the way to go.
 
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great post, thank you, your experience helped me a lot, at this moment i am deciding whether or not to get the 15x50 IS, seems better not.
regards
 
great post, thank you, your experience helped me a lot, at this moment i am deciding whether or not to get the 15x50 IS, seems better not.
regards

It depends what you want to use them for. I've had both. The 10x42 are wonderful optically, but if you want to use them as "all-round" general purpose binos, beware of the chunkiness and weight. They have the ergonomics of a toaster and the weight of a brick. I traded mine.
The 15x50 might not be as good optically (they don't have the L-series glass), and they are not fully waterproof. They are easier to hold than the 10x42. I kept mine, and use them sometimes as a "scope-substitute" when I don't feel like carrying a scope on a long walk. Over long distance views like marshes and estuaries, they are lighter and easier to handle than regular binos plus scope. I also use them for seawatching, when my eyes get tired of scoping. 15x will never be an "all-purpose" bino, though. For this I prefer 8x.
However, the Canon IS 8x25 was presumably designed by an alien engineer who had never seen human eyes or hands, and who scoured the universe for the cheapest, tackiest plastic from which to construct binoculars, inserting into them the most useless, jumpy IS-system his deluded extra-terrestrial mind could conjure up. I have a pair. I gave them to my brother. He gave them back. I'm not sure if burying them on a moonless night with a stake through their IS-system will rid my mind of their horror.
I think if I were to rewind a few years, I would get the 12x36. These are probably the most versatile, and surprisingly comfortable in my hands. I had a pair but dropped them, thereby discovering another limitation of Canon IS binoculars - they are well-nigh impossible to repair, no matter how many times you send them back.
 
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If I could keep only 1 optical instrument out of my 6 bino & 1 scope inventory, the 15x50 would be the one (hard as it would be to come to terms with.....having only 1....that's an anathema to all us OCD-infested optoholics here). It covers a wider range of uses than anything else (I have 6x,7x,8x,10x, 15x& 20x binos and a PF65ED scope), and it does it very well indeed. I don't watch butterflies, look at my feet, attempt to read labels on items on the kitchen counter while sitting at the dining rm table, etc, so I don't need close focus under about 10meters. Now if I could keep the scope, and have just 1 bino, I'd probably rethink....but for just 1 optic, the big Canon wins the day.
 
The Canon 10x42 L IS's are heavy and bulky but they produce the best view I have ever seen through any binoculars especially with the IS. You see detail that you have never seen before. For example, I can see heat rising off the ground in the morning and I have never seen that before. I can make out detail on birds and animals that I have never noticed before with any of the alpha binoculars including Zeiss FL's, Swarovksi EL's, or Leicas. So if you want the BEST view they are the way to go.

Well put! Thank you for an excellent summary, which mirrors my own experience.
The Canon 10x42 is a superb birding glass, Its performance more than compensates for its weight and bulk.
Stabilized viewing imho is the most significant step forward in binocular design since the introduction of anti reflection coatings.
 
Hi

I am looking at getting the 15x50 IS's but after reading this it is making me think, am i better off paying another £250 ish for the 10x42L IS or is it not worth the extra money.

I love the sound of the 15x magnification as i would use them for birdwatching and identifying birds, if they were really close i would be photographing them anyway so the power of these binns seems a good feature for me. Also i do not have a scope and these seem to be a lightweight alternative.

I've no doubt that the 10x42L are fantastic binns, but im not sure whether i can justify paying more money for less magnification

Finally, i am looking to get these pretty soon, but i wanted to try some out but there are NO shops in the yorkshire area that stock these binoculars, so any info on general use, feel and experience with the 15x50 would be much appreciated.

Thanks
 
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