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Message: <blockquote data-quote="KorHaan" data-source="post: 1535867" data-attributes="member: 49910">An update on my 18x50 IS's.I ordered a Fujinon SMTRX rainguard some ten days ago. Received it today.To say it fits over the oculars doesn't do it justice; it swallows the oculars half. It is huge, the biggest rainguard I've ever seen. But easy to remove and put back on, and that's what counts.Haven't had the time to take the 18x50's out much, lately. But I'm still very much in love with them. The 10x30 IS's I don't use much. Only in dense woodland, and this time of year I'm not spending much time there.To make things a little easier in the field I bought a Giotto monopod. I can screw it into the 1/4'' thread underneath the 18x50's. When standing it is tall enough to look comfortably through the Canons.But I have my doubts about its usefulness. It seems harder to hold steady especially the horizontal movements are a little frustrating. It does a good job in taking the weight of the bins, but to go seawatching with the Canons on a monopod is perhaps not a good idea. Still got a good tripod for that, fortunately.Maybe it takes getting used to, I'll try the monopod out on my next outings.I bought a new walkstool that is a little higher than my old one, so I can sit and rest my elbows on my knees. This is by far the most comfortable way to use the 18x50's, giving prolonged, effortless and steady views without a tripod. I changed the strap a few days ago, by a longer and wider carrying strap. It is more easy to wear the bins in a diagonal bandoleer-style.I will probably go and find some harness system instead of a strap, but for now it's fine.  The rechargeables I use will work for about four or five days ( depending on their capacity, the newer ones haven't yet reached full capacity loading).That's better than the Duracell alkalines I had to change every other 1 and a half days.Regards,Ronald</blockquote>

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