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Message: <blockquote data-quote="spyglass" data-source="post: 1628314" data-attributes="member: 18470">Well, Ron, if I remember right, I got the IS in about Apr of 03. Actually, it's only on the left side that it's loose.....the rt has the button housing that kinda stabilizes things over there. When ya grasp it firmly, you can feel the armor gap a little. But remember, this thing has been used a lot. The eyecups cratered after about 2yrs of use, so were trimmed level with the ep's (just enuf where there's still a neoprene contact with my specs).I wasn't inferring the Canon was superior to the Swaro....it's just that in the tests I was able to do (i.e., reading boat registration numbers across one of the fingers of a manmade lake at a laser-rangefinder measured 830 meters-letters usually no more that 4-5" tall-one glass could do nothing the other couldn't do equally well, braced across the hood of my pickup.) I chose the 15x version after trying the 12x & 18x as well, because it seemed the best combination of aperature & magnification. The 12, I don't think had quite enuf aperature for really long distance use, and the 18 I felt just stretched it a little too much, at least on the targets I was able to try in about a 15 min comparo. It also has the biggest exit pupil, which makes it more pleasant to use. The Swaro I felt was at a disadvantage due to relatively short eye relief (about 12-13mm).I bought it even tho I had the 12xSE because I was doing a lot of lakeshore birding (I'm 2 blocks away) and often upon driving up to one of the observing spots I wanted to get into action quickly. If there was a stiff wind or gusts, the 12 required bracing or I had to dig the scope out. The 15 could go into action right now, and the IS could defeat most of the weather effects. (So my scope almost atrophied from disuse).That's my story.</blockquote>

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