Image stabilized binos

[Scarface26]

Gents,

I've heard about image stabilized binoculars. Haven't seen much on here about them, but a while back there was a guy talking about how great his 15X were. Maj John Plaster recommends them in his book.

Questions:

Are they worth the hype?

Does something like the 10X Leica range finding bino's use this technology?

Be nice to have as many devices in one as possible to preclude being a yard sale at the range.

Thanks and God bless America

 

[Mopar man]

i used a set of 15x and 18x cannon is binos last weekend they both are awesome i liked the 18x better saving my money for a set now

 

[White Mamba]

I have a pair of 18x56 since they first came out. Fantastic optics, the glass is not as good as Leica or Swaro but the image stabilizer more than makes up for it. I Can hand hold the 18's and if I put them on my knees with the image stabilizer its better than most with a tripod.
The ability to spot game and extended distances makes up for the extra weight. Might not be worth it for the lower mag binos unless you stand and glass a lot. If the 18's came in the L series glass I would buy another pair

 

[oinco]

Just because something isn't talked about here doesn't mean much. If you want critical details on binos- birding and stargazing forums will offer far more finite comments and tests than I could ever find on this type of forum. However; think of the end user- birders care about color rendition far more than I could imagine worrying about- and stargazers seem to worry about things I am not even sure they could describe that they are worrying about...

That said, check out the Canon 10x42L IS WP binos- bring your friends with Leicas or Swaros for fun. Take video, report back.

 

[SporterII]

I need to send my boy a is bino. He works sport fishing out of Oahu. The Cannon 10x 50 sounds like good purchase. Reviews googled are positive.
I hope they are not too heavy, ergos appropriate for work on board small craft (34'Bertram).

 

[Hairball]

I have a pair of Canon 18x50 IS and while I don't find them heavy, not sure many would select them as a hunting bino as some find them to have too much weight for carrying all day. If you go the Canon route, they come with caps for the eye cups (rather loose and fall off easily) but not the objective lens (at least the ones I received) so don't forget to also order objective caps.

 

[earthquake]

I too just got the 18x Canon IS binos. They are really great! They help me a lot at matches finding steel that's against a hillside and has had all the paint shot off.
I also find it weird they didn't come with lens caps for the objective lenses.