Hi Henry,
I use Canon IS binoculars when I require more resolution than a standard hand held binocular can give.
The 18x50 IS and others have a great deal of false colour particularly when the IS is working near their off axis limits.
But this false colour does not mean that they don't far outresolve standard hand held binoculars.
If someone wants to see bad false colour look through the Nikon 10-22x50 at 22x.
I sometimes use this at 22x as it shows the gap between Saturn and its rings even better than the Canon 18x50IS, so long as I brace the Nikon against the window glass and the window frame.
For me it is the observation that is important not the optics quality.
So long as the optics deliver what I am looking for, I will put up with errors in optics.
That is also why I would not consider a near perfect 8x56.
I use 12x56, 13x56 Minox and 15x56 or 15x58.
For my observations a heavy 8x56 is not the way I would go. I would use at most 8x42 or 8.5x44 Swift.
However, I understand that bird watchers require very good colour fidelity, which I don't really need.
So for bird watchers CA may be a problem.
However, I hate my sample of the Nikon HG 8x42 because the false colour near the edge and horrible flare are not what I want from an £800 binocular.
It does however show shadow detail that is just not visible in my other binoculars.
Later ones seem to be a lot better than mine.
I use Canon IS binoculars when I require more resolution than a standard hand held binocular can give.
The 18x50 IS and others have a great deal of false colour particularly when the IS is working near their off axis limits.
But this false colour does not mean that they don't far outresolve standard hand held binoculars.
If someone wants to see bad false colour look through the Nikon 10-22x50 at 22x.
I sometimes use this at 22x as it shows the gap between Saturn and its rings even better than the Canon 18x50IS, so long as I brace the Nikon against the window glass and the window frame.
For me it is the observation that is important not the optics quality.
So long as the optics deliver what I am looking for, I will put up with errors in optics.
That is also why I would not consider a near perfect 8x56.
I use 12x56, 13x56 Minox and 15x56 or 15x58.
For my observations a heavy 8x56 is not the way I would go. I would use at most 8x42 or 8.5x44 Swift.
However, I understand that bird watchers require very good colour fidelity, which I don't really need.
So for bird watchers CA may be a problem.
However, I hate my sample of the Nikon HG 8x42 because the false colour near the edge and horrible flare are not what I want from an £800 binocular.
It does however show shadow detail that is just not visible in my other binoculars.
Later ones seem to be a lot better than mine.