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Advice on IS binoc. with more mag. (1 Viewer)

G

Granpoli

Well-known member
Spain
Hello,
I have an old Canon 12x36 IS, and I need to buy another IS binocular, but I would like it with a bit more magnification, enough to notice the difference, in your opinion an 18x50 is better than a 16x42...??
they are the two binocs. that have higher magnification... right?
Best regards,
GranPoli.
 
Sig Sauer Zulu 6 16x42 or Sig Sauer Zulu 6 HDX 20x42. I have all the Canon's and the Sigs have better optics with better contrast, they are brighter for the comparable aperture, they have less CA and the IS works slightly better, but the big difference is they are way lighter and smaller than the Canons. The bigger aperture Canons are bricks. The Sig Sauer Zulu 6 16x42 weighs 20 0z. It is the best binocular I have ever used for long range birding and wildlife observation.
 
[email protected] said:
Buy it and let me know what you think of it. Can you imagine the reach and detail you can see with a rock solid 20x.:)
Click to expand...

I'm tempted (I have a package forwarding service in Portland, Shipito, that is quite good and will group parcels to save on international shipping fees, and I have some unrelated purchases under way). I just spent a sizeable sum on a Nikon Z 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 VR S lens at Birdfair, am saving up for a Z8 and also looking to buy a house, so more optics will have to wait. I have no doubt you will have purchased one within weeks anyway (sorry, I know I shouldn't be goading you).

As you pointed out in another thread, high-mag binoculars are slower to target because of the narrow FOV. At 20x, the Sig will need a red-dot finder.
 
fazalmajid said:
I'm tempted (I have a package forwarding service in Portland, Shipito, that is quite good and will group parcels to save on international shipping fees, and I have some unrelated purchases under way). I just spent a sizeable sum on a Nikon Z 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 VR S lens at Birdfair, am saving up for a Z8 and also looking to buy a house, so more optics will have to wait. I have no doubt you will have purchased one within weeks anyway (sorry, I know I shouldn't be goading you).

As you pointed out in another thread, high-mag binoculars are slower to target because of the narrow FOV. At 20x, the Sig will need a red-dot finder.
Click to expand...
They are not as bad as you would imagine. I used my SIG Sauer Zulu 6 16x42 in Yellowstone National Park and I could scan and get on wildlife and birds quite quickly because it actually has a wide AFOV. I followed two cub Black Bears and the mother sow through the timber with no problem, and they were moving fast and when you got on them, it was amazing how much detail you could see and how close you seemed to be to them.
 
[email protected] said:
Buy it and let me know what you think of it.
Click to expand...
I just got my Zulu6 HDX 20x42 from Amazon (Optics Planet wouldn't ship internationally, or even to my freight forwarder). It's night and I haven't had the opportunity to put it through its paces yet, but from indoors viewing, even in scanning mode it's way more stable than the Kite 16x42 APC. let alone target mode, and boy is it small and light!

The eye guards are complete junk, and there are no objective protectors, however. The case is grossly oversized and the binoculars bang around in it, I will need to find a suitable replacement, which might be a challenge as it has the height of a x42 and the width of a x32. One out of left field is the Swazi binocular beret. The Peak Design Field Pouch also fits, but is not ideal because of its velcro closures and it's fairly bulky.

Eye relief is marginal and eye placement is finicky, but no more than with the SFL 8x30. On the plus side, it doesn't exhibit the very visible CA of the Kites. Made in China.
[email protected] said:
Can you imagine the reach and detail you can see with a rock solid 20x.:)
Click to expand...
Yes, I can see it replacing the spotting scope for a number of intermediate cases. Thanks for the recommendation.

By the way, if there was any doubt they are actually made by Kamakura Koki, looking up the patent number embossed on the body dispels that:

US9395551B2 - Optical image stabilizer - Google Patents

An optical image stabilizer for a telescopic instrument having an objective lens, an erect prism, and an eyepiece lens arranged in this order which is capable of compensating for image deteriorations of an observed image due to external vibrations. The optical image stabilizer has a gimbal...
patents.google.com
 
Last edited:
I have the Canon 12x36 1 and the Fujinon 14x40 TS-X.
The fujinon give a much better view of birds,
at the cost of increasing weight and decreasing FOV.

Worth it-I think so but opinions vary.

edj
 
@edwincjones This is very interesting. The Fujinon seem to always gather a lot of praise and by most account offer really great views. I'd be very grateful if you could post a picture of the 12x36 and 14x40 together (a little first hand experience would't hurt either :D I don't know if you've already done this in any thread, in that case, I'd be over the Moon to read it). Thanks a lot!
 
yarrellii said:
@edwincjones This is very interesting. The Fujinon seem to always gather a lot of praise and by most account offer really great views. I'd be very grateful if you could post a picture of the 12x36 and 14x40 together (a little first hand experience would't hurt either :D I don't know if you've already done this in any thread, in that case, I'd be over the Moon to read it). Thanks a lot!
Click to expand...

My limited computer skills do not include posting a picture-sorry.

In contrast to most posters, I have never been able to bond with the 12x36 -1. It works well, nothing objective, just me I guess.
I really enjoy the Fujinon 14x40 TSX and its higher mag, but wish it has a wider FOV. Quality of construction and optics are very good.
I do wonder if the Canon 10x42 with its wider FOV would be worth the lower mag.
Looking at a RedTailedHawk or Eagle with the 14X and IS is wonderful, missing a fast moving bird with the 4 degree FOV is not.

edj
 
edwincjones said:
I have never been able to bond with the 12x36 -1. It works well, nothing objective, just me I guess.
Click to expand...
I can totally understand why, it is by no means an "easy" binocular, it took me quite a while to finally bond with it, for a while I just wanted to return it, I found it was a terrible idea altogether, so I can see your point.

Thanks for the comments about the Fujinon. The Allbinos review for this model is pretty impressive in the main optical areas: astigmatism, coma, CA, distortion, blur, etc.

Fujinon TechnoStabi TS-X 14x40 - binoculars review - AllBinos.com

The best binocular tests on the net. The comprehensive database of binoculars with their parameters and users opinions. Interesting articles and comparisons.
www.allbinos.com www.allbinos.com
 
fazalmajid said:
The eye guards are complete junk, and there are no objective protectors, however. The case is grossly oversized and the binoculars bang around in it, I will need to find a suitable replacement, which might be a challenge as it has the height of a x42 and the width of a x32. One out of left field is the Swazi binocular beret. The Peak Design Field Pouch also fits, but is not ideal because of its velcro closures and it's fairly bulky.
Click to expand...
Totally agree! That bag is ginormous - it seems like its 2x as large as it need be.

The NL x32 ocular covers fit perfectly and the Kowa x32 covers are a bit oversized.

The Swaro field bags (the ones that come with the NL or the CL Companion) fit but the bags do seem a bit wider than necessary still, I feel like the NL field bag works a bit better.
fazalmajid said:
Eye relief is marginal and eye placement is finicky, but no more than with the SFL 8x30. On the plus side, it doesn't exhibit the very visible CA of the Kites. Made in China.
Click to expand...
Funny - that hasn't been my experience. I did find the 8x30 SFL didn't work for me, and surprisingly I also didn't get along with the NL 10x32 I tried either, but these work very well for me (with or without sunglasses on).
fazalmajid said:
By the way, if there was any doubt they are actually made by Kamakura Koki, looking up the patent number embossed on the body dispels that:


US9395551B2 - Optical image stabilizer - Google Patents

An optical image stabilizer for a telescopic instrument having an objective lens, an erect prism, and an eyepiece lens arranged in this order which is capable of compensating for image deteriorations of an observed image due to external vibrations. The optical image stabilizer has a gimbal...
patents.google.com
Click to expand...
Nice find!
 

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