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Message: <blockquote data-quote="UTCbirder" data-source="post: 1557111" data-attributes="member: 65449">Once again i absolutely agree!just returned from 9 days of combat birding on the e. slope of ecuador, and in addition to adding immeasurably to the overall enjoyment of the birds, IS was critical on a number of occasions not just in making the ID, but in seeing the critters at all!  staring into a dark bank of jumbled vegatation, i found eliminating most every trace of hand shake vital in picking out the bird, even when the guide was circling it with a green laser. would've missed both a perched, singing rufous-vented tapacalo and one of the gnateaters had it not been for IS.  those weren't the only ones.  a displaying male white-backed fire-eye, trying to arouse his harem i guess, when viewed thru IS was one of the trip's highlights!  i wanted to tote the -30 to save room, but was put off by the Canon reps remarks about "bubbles forming in the prism when rapidly changing altitudes", a comment i couldnt find in the enclosed lit that came w/ the -40 L's.  That plus the -30's are not waterproof.    No problems up at Antisana (around 13K feet), or descending rather quickly to Guango lodge with the L's.  Yep, they were heavy, but after awhile i just didn't notice the wt., only the view!  one night while at wild sumaco lodge, the skies cleared and i got a chance to do some star gazing, with Scorpio right side up, overhead, and both hemispheres of the galactic hub clearlly visible, along w/ stunning views of degree upon square degree of dark material, Omega Centarui, M6, M7 and the highlight of the evening, NGC 6231, the "sword of scorpio" I think it's called...  essentially a near religous experience...chalk up another one (or two...) for Canon IS!!!kind regards to all,UTC</blockquote>

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