Given how harsh the battlefield conditions are in Afghanistan where they are being used by American soldiers (you can find videos of them in use), I seriously doubt that you would put them through more abuse than those guys.
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10X42L IS Pros/cons... (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter chill6x6
- Start date
Given how harsh the battlefield conditions are in Afghanistan where they are being used by American soldiers (you can find videos of them in use), I seriously doubt that you would put them through more abuse than those guys.
Thanks, Phil and Kimmo. I didn't mean to imply any sort of lack of durability, I just didn't know how they'd stand up, so it is good to see posts contradicting my thought process. I still do not like the short-term warranty period, but if they are as robust as you two mentioned, I'm sure I'd have no problems. The weight is the other negative, to me, but with a good harness I'm sure they'd be fine in most situations.
Theo98
Eurasian Goldfinch
JR,
Over the past 6 weeks, mine have been out in the rain, on dusty shell roads in an open 4-wheel Ranger, frigid mid-teen temperatures, around my neck for 8-10 hrs a day and have come through unscathed! They got dirty, dusty, cold and were bounced around a bit, but haven't missed a sighting, always holding their IPD, diopter setting, eye cup extensions and mid-range focus!! IS engages quick and has worked flawlessly, giving me details that no 10X non-stabilized instrument has before. I have SV's and a FL and find the 10x42L IS optics leave me wanting for nothing more! The Canon accessories (case, rain guard, objective covers, bino strap) are also just as well made and very functional. So far, their weigh hasn't been an issue for me (nice Cannon neck strap) and although their warranty is short, have read here and other forums that their long term service is reliable!
Canon USA website is now displaying the 10x42L IS at full retail, but out-of-stock. B&H is still advertising 50% off the Canon USA's MSRP and I figured with their generous 30-day return policy (was 90-days for holiday returns), I just had to try their IS binocular system. I spoke with Canon USA Customer and Tech services yesterday and to date, the current 10x42L is Not discontinued and they have NO information that a Mark II version is about to come out. Time will tell on all of these questionable inquiries, but just glad I got this opportunity to evaluate them for myself!
To answer your un-asked question...Yes, they are Keepers!!!
:king:Ted
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To answer your un-asked question...Yes, they are Keepers!!!
If Canon made them with a wider diopter adjustment range, I would have got them long ago. I need -4 diopters, they only have +/- 3 diopters.
Nothing, I repeat nothing, beats them in the field - despite their more than awkward shape ... :-C
Hermann
HighNorth
Well-known member
Well, now I can also count myself as a happy Canon 10x42L owner! I had the fortune of passing through London a couple of months ago and got a good deal on one due to the collapsing pound.
I immediately took them on a trip to Ethiopia, and I must say; it was wonderful watching those Lammergeiers soar above the churches of Lalibela at nearly 3000m above sea level! :-O
The Canon 10x42L has somewhat more CA to my eyes than my Zeiss 8x42 SF, smaller field of view and much poorer economics, but it more than makes up for it with the IS and the detail it is able to show. Weight isn't an issue for me, as I wear all my binoculars "bandolier-style" now (i.e. in a strap over the shoulder), and the Canon 10x42L isn't that much more hefty than a run-of the-mill 50mm binocular.
All in all, I can definitely see the Canon 10x42L becoming my default "go-to" binocular for birding, and I think a replacement with even better optical/IS performance, better ergonomics and lighter weight might perhaps be the perfect 10x binocular!
Cheers,
HN
I had the fortune of passing through London a couple of months ago and got a good deal on one due to the collapsing pound. I immediately took them on a trip to Ethiopia, and I must say; it was wonderful watching those Lammergeiers soar above the churches of Lalibela at nearly 3000m above sea level! :-O
The Canon 10x42L has somewhat more CA to my eyes than my Zeiss 8x42 SF, smaller field of view and much poorer economics, but it more than makes up for it with the IS and the detail it is able to show. Weight isn't an issue for me, as I wear all my binoculars "bandolier-style" now (i.e. in a strap over the shoulder), and the Canon 10x42L isn't that much more hefty than a run-of the-mill 50mm binocular.
All in all, I can definitely see the Canon 10x42L becoming my default "go-to" binocular for birding, and I think a replacement with even better optical/IS performance, better ergonomics and lighter weight might perhaps be the perfect 10x binocular!
Cheers,
HN
Theo98
Eurasian Goldfinch
Hermann,
I'm lucky with equal eyesight...all of my optics need no diopter corrections! However, It would be great if in a Mark II release they would increase that range of adjustment to accommodate more users!
Ted
Theo98
Eurasian Goldfinch
Well, now I can also count myself as a happy Canon 10x42L owner!
I immediately took them on a trip to Ethiopia, and I must say; it was wonderful watching those Lammergeiers soar above the churches of Lalibela at nearly 3000m above sea level! :-O
The Canon 10x42L has somewhat more CA to my eyes than my Zeiss 8x42 SF, smaller field of view and much poorer economics, but it more than makes up for it with the IS and the detail it is able to show. Weight isn't an issue for me, as I wear all my binoculars "bandolier-style" now (i.e. in a strap over the shoulder), and the Canon 10x42L isn't that much more hefty than a run-of the-mill 50mm binocular.
All in all, I can definitely see the Canon 10x42L becoming my default "go-to" binocular for birding, and I think a replacement with even better optical/IS performance, better ergonomics and lighter weight might perhaps be the perfect 10x binocular!
Cheers,
HN
Agreed HN,
With Great Optics plus IS control, they also seem to be my "go-to" birding\outdoors instrument of choice! If\when Canon introduces overall optical\weight\focus improvements, they could become one of the top 10X choices in the market place!
Ted
Theo98
Eurasian Goldfinch
Good & Bad!
Firstly, the Good!
Back on the Natchez Trace this past weekend. Wow, when I needed the details, it was all there. I know the Pileated Woodpecker is a regular sight along the SE Trace, but my first spotting was a stunning 20-24" female (HUGE) from about 100m away as she was easily stripping bark off a 25m tall pine, feasting on fresh insects (ants, beetles, etc.)! It was a WOW 10-15 minutes with her bright red-crested crown and definitive bright white headdress stripes, flowing from above\below her bill all the way down her wing tips...Gorgeous!
Then from 25m away appeared a stunning male Blue Jay whose size resembled the big Crows in the area. As he preened in the morning sun, the many blue hue colors, specialized plumage arrangements and even the lice\mites he was removing appeared in natural, sharp details and resolution (okay, may be not the small parasites).
Many other local species of avian came and went, including soaring raptors riding effortlessly on thermals, spotted Kites helping themselves to innocent rodents and Red-Tailed Hawks enjoying the unusually warm Winter weather, awaiting their next meal. Colors and plumage's details easily fell under the spells of the Canon IS system as the static-like images gave way to pic-perfect ID's. However, most of these views were in open meadow\field areas, thus the slow-to-focus 10x42L was very workable. Into the woods and among the shallower FOV's, lower light and the slow 10X optics, it became a challenge to spot and stay on small birds. With summer undergrowth, I'd really need to drop down to my 8X or less binos.
I'm very thrilled with the Low-battery consumption. Initially, I installed 1.8V Energizer 20-yr shelf life Lithiums. I've figured I now have 25-30 hours of IS glassing activity (about 4X that non-IS usage) and have dropped down to just 1.72V...IMO, these batteries are the only way to go!!
Now the bad...I've had and used my 10x42L pair in the field for the past 7 weeks and have come to realize an operational anomaly has appeared. If it was there before, I was too enthralled with the IS benefits to notice. After careful analysis, I discovered that the focus has developed "2 sharp focal points" that are 60 degrees apart, with the range in-between "out-of-focus"!? This occurs at any focal range (close focus to infinity), equally in both barrels and with or without image stabilization...ODD!?? One of these sharp focus areas display some slight distortion artifacts in the image, creating the need to keep re-focusing to obtain the most accurate focal point.
Good Again!
B&H is shipping out (2nd day air) an immediate new order (exchange would take them receiving mine, 3-4 days processing, then another few days of shipment of the new unit), thus I'll have both in hand by Wednesday to compare and insure the replacement is good to go, then return the 1st 10x42L for full and equal credit! If this issue is just a one-off (haven't read it happening before-maybe related to original shipment), then I'll be a permanent Canon IS proponent!!! :king: :t:
Ted
Firstly, the Good!
Back on the Natchez Trace this past weekend. Wow, when I needed the details, it was all there. I know the Pileated Woodpecker is a regular sight along the SE Trace, but my first spotting was a stunning 20-24" female (HUGE) from about 100m away as she was easily stripping bark off a 25m tall pine, feasting on fresh insects (ants, beetles, etc.)! It was a WOW 10-15 minutes with her bright red-crested crown and definitive bright white headdress stripes, flowing from above\below her bill all the way down her wing tips...Gorgeous!
Then from 25m away appeared a stunning male Blue Jay whose size resembled the big Crows in the area. As he preened in the morning sun, the many blue hue colors, specialized plumage arrangements and even the lice\mites he was removing appeared in natural, sharp details and resolution (okay, may be not the small parasites).
Many other local species of avian came and went, including soaring raptors riding effortlessly on thermals, spotted Kites helping themselves to innocent rodents and Red-Tailed Hawks enjoying the unusually warm Winter weather, awaiting their next meal. Colors and plumage's details easily fell under the spells of the Canon IS system as the static-like images gave way to pic-perfect ID's. However, most of these views were in open meadow\field areas, thus the slow-to-focus 10x42L was very workable. Into the woods and among the shallower FOV's, lower light and the slow 10X optics, it became a challenge to spot and stay on small birds. With summer undergrowth, I'd really need to drop down to my 8X or less binos.
I'm very thrilled with the Low-battery consumption. Initially, I installed 1.8V Energizer 20-yr shelf life Lithiums. I've figured I now have 25-30 hours of IS glassing activity (about 4X that non-IS usage) and have dropped down to just 1.72V...IMO, these batteries are the only way to go!!
Now the bad...I've had and used my 10x42L pair in the field for the past 7 weeks and have come to realize an operational anomaly has appeared. If it was there before, I was too enthralled with the IS benefits to notice. After careful analysis, I discovered that the focus has developed "2 sharp focal points" that are 60 degrees apart, with the range in-between "out-of-focus"!? This occurs at any focal range (close focus to infinity), equally in both barrels and with or without image stabilization...ODD!?? One of these sharp focus areas display some slight distortion artifacts in the image, creating the need to keep re-focusing to obtain the most accurate focal point.
Good Again!
B&H is shipping out (2nd day air) an immediate new order (exchange would take them receiving mine, 3-4 days processing, then another few days of shipment of the new unit), thus I'll have both in hand by Wednesday to compare and insure the replacement is good to go, then return the 1st 10x42L for full and equal credit! If this issue is just a one-off (haven't read it happening before-maybe related to original shipment), then I'll be a permanent Canon IS proponent!!! :king: :t:
Ted
Ted,
I'm not exactly sure I understood your explanation of the problem you are experiencing. However, it sounds a bit like astigmatism, and makes me wonder whether this is the binoculars or your eyes. With stabilization, it is much easier to see optical defects, and this applies just as much to those in our eyes as to those possibly in the binocular optics.
When my eyes were younger, they had essentially no astigmatism, but now that I'm less young, there has gradually developed about 0.4-0.6 dpt of astigmatism to both eyes. I see the effects now in my Canons whereas did not use to a few years ago.
With astigmatism, whether it is the optics or your eyes can be determined by viewing with one eye at a time and rotating the binocular to different orientations around its optical axis. If the anomaly rotates with the binocular, the flaw is in the binocular, and if it remains in the same orientation, it is, unfortunately, your eyes.
But perhaps I misunderstood your explanation of the problem.
Kimmo
I'm not exactly sure I understood your explanation of the problem you are experiencing. However, it sounds a bit like astigmatism, and makes me wonder whether this is the binoculars or your eyes. With stabilization, it is much easier to see optical defects, and this applies just as much to those in our eyes as to those possibly in the binocular optics.
When my eyes were younger, they had essentially no astigmatism, but now that I'm less young, there has gradually developed about 0.4-0.6 dpt of astigmatism to both eyes. I see the effects now in my Canons whereas did not use to a few years ago.
With astigmatism, whether it is the optics or your eyes can be determined by viewing with one eye at a time and rotating the binocular to different orientations around its optical axis. If the anomaly rotates with the binocular, the flaw is in the binocular, and if it remains in the same orientation, it is, unfortunately, your eyes.
But perhaps I misunderstood your explanation of the problem.
Kimmo
Theo98
Eurasian Goldfinch
Hi Kimmo,
Thanks for your suggestions. Maybe to be a little clearer, the "60 degree variance of sharpness" comes during close to infinity or inf. to close focusing. When I hit a sharp image, then continue in the Same direction with the focus wheel, I'll go through 60 degrees more of turning (steadily getting out-of-focus), then quickly hit another sharp focus point, thus my analysis of "2" focal points 60 deg. apart! This situation happens with or without IS engaged and appears simply as a second full FOV sharp image. Mechanically, this shouldn't appear and I'm not sure what this particular binocular is\isn't doing, but a replacement is already on the way.
I believe my eyes as the culprit is suspect, as with my other "7" porros and "4" roofs I have No visual focusing issues what so ever. Once my focal point is locked in, changing focus in or out without changing the subject always results in a smooth OOF transition, just as it should...will "SEE"! :t:
Ted
Theo98
Eurasian Goldfinch
RB Reservoir...Sure is! We usually head on up to French Camp and the Chapel Hill Wildlife Mng. area...Beautiful hard wood and pine forest regions with bountiful birding and wildlife!
How did your 10x42L's work out, Chuck?
Ted
Have you set the dioptre setting correctly ? If it's out the focus point will be different for each barrel which gives the effect of sharp soft sharp as you keep turning the focus wheel.
(close right eye and focus on an object. Close left eye and without touching the focus wheel bring the image to the sharpest point using the dioptre ring with your right eye)
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Theo98
Eurasian Goldfinch
Great point, Maico! I did check the diopter setting (just like you suggest), which for me is zero adjustment. What ever focal point range I'm aiming for, both barrels are either equally sharp or equally OOF.
Thanks,
Ted
chill6x6
Well-known member
I've used them a little bit....I'll say more late after I've used them a little more...
Theo98
Eurasian Goldfinch
Binastro,
IS off (or On)-Any orientation-Any focal distance-Perfect diopter setting ([email protected] Zero)=Exactly the same dual sharp focus points about 50-60 degrees apart between focus adjustments! :-C
"Spurious effects" are Extremely minimal in Any viewing configuration (IS on - right side up\upside down). What "little" appears (and I have to really concentrate on it to notice) settles down and locks in a Sharp steady focus (no artifacts or visual distortions) within 1 second of initiation! IS clarity and resolution is Amazing! I can hand hold my 10x50 SV's very steady, but not This Steady!! :t:
My -new replacement delivery- is pushed back to tomorrow. :-C
Ted
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Thanks Ted.
In the meantime maybe look at the planet Venus, now high and very bright using unaided eyes or glasses. In focus, out of focus.
I see all sorts of spikes, deformations etc.
There is slight astigmatism, but the whole picture is much more complex than just a simple elongation.
The T.V. ready light I find is a good object, in and out of focus.
In the meantime maybe look at the planet Venus, now high and very bright using unaided eyes or glasses. In focus, out of focus.
I see all sorts of spikes, deformations etc.
There is slight astigmatism, but the whole picture is much more complex than just a simple elongation.
The T.V. ready light I find is a good object, in and out of focus.
Theo98
Eurasian Goldfinch
Oh Well....
The new 10x42L IS was delivered Thursday 19th. To my dismay, this pair also displays My described "two independent sharp focal points that are set about 50-60 degrees apart". I had my best half look through both the original and the new binos...she Does Not detect Any dual sharp focal points in either (like I do), just One focal point! Canon USA Tech verified mechanically, they could look at these to determine a cause, however, they have no idea what could be the issue?
Thus admittedly, what I see is probably just, What I See, it's all in My Head (or maybe my Restor brand -Myopia\Hyperopia- corrective Artificial Lenses)!! :eek!: At least this perceived double sharp focus situation doesn't seem to detract from my enjoyment in using the Canon 10x42L IS's. I know they are bulky, heavy, have a slow focus speed, lack excellent ergonomics and come with a short, non-transferable warranty. But they do possess excellent optics (very, very close to my 10x50 SV's), and with their image stabilized feature engaged, the detail, resolution and clarity of FOV makes even my glassing non IS steady hands obsolete!
Ted
The new 10x42L IS was delivered Thursday 19th. To my dismay, this pair also displays My described "two independent sharp focal points that are set about 50-60 degrees apart". I had my best half look through both the original and the new binos...she Does Not detect Any dual sharp focal points in either (like I do), just One focal point! Canon USA Tech verified mechanically, they could look at these to determine a cause, however, they have no idea what could be the issue?
Thus admittedly, what I see is probably just, What I See, it's all in My Head (or maybe my Restor brand -Myopia\Hyperopia- corrective Artificial Lenses)!! :eek!: At least this perceived double sharp focus situation doesn't seem to detract from my enjoyment in using the Canon 10x42L IS's. I know they are bulky, heavy, have a slow focus speed, lack excellent ergonomics and come with a short, non-transferable warranty. But they do possess excellent optics (very, very close to my 10x50 SV's), and with their image stabilized feature engaged, the detail, resolution and clarity of FOV makes even my glassing non IS steady hands obsolete!
Ted
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Ted,
I did think that it was an individual visual phenomenon.
Probably only some children and lucky adults have 'perfect' vision, with no spikes or artifacts.
Some can see the crescent Venus or even Saturn elongation without aid, or even Jupiter's moons.
These observations have been well documented.
Enjoy the Canon 10x42 L.
Using the 10x42L, I identified 4 Jupiter moons this morning, although Jupiter itself was slightly deformed by my eyes.
The 18x50 shows about the same, although better for close separations.
I did think that it was an individual visual phenomenon.
Probably only some children and lucky adults have 'perfect' vision, with no spikes or artifacts.
Some can see the crescent Venus or even Saturn elongation without aid, or even Jupiter's moons.
These observations have been well documented.
Enjoy the Canon 10x42 L.
Using the 10x42L, I identified 4 Jupiter moons this morning, although Jupiter itself was slightly deformed by my eyes.
The 18x50 shows about the same, although better for close separations.
