| Brand: | Canon | ||
| Average Rating |
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Canon’s range of binoculars brings the world within your reach. High-quality Canon optics in every model provides excellent edge-to-edge contrast and sharpness. All models feature environmentally friendly lead-free glass and a rubberized non-slip grip for easy handling, indoors or out.Designed for professionals and uncompromising enthusiasts, Canon’s IS high-magnification binoculars set new performance standards. With wide 50mm objective lenses and high magnification, these rugged all-weather Canon Image Stabilizer binoculars set a new benchmark for image brightness, clarity and design. more info
{ 25 comments… read them below or add one }
An Interesting High-Tech Toy
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
I bought the Canon 18x image stabilizer binoculars a month ago and I love them.
The reason I bought these high-powered binoculars is I want to identify all the major landmarks in the San Jose South Bay area. My wife and I ride up to the mid-hill of Mt. Hamilton once a month. Most of the time before we are ready to turn back and coast down the hill, we spend a fair amount of time looking at the spectacular scenery of the San Jose and South Bay area. We want to identify as many landmarks as possible. With our compact Minolta 10x binoculars, we get a clear look at downtown San Jose and of course the Lockheed aircraft hangers. But we could not find the San Jose airport. With the new Canon binoculars, we can identify the airport and many other places. We can even find the street intersection that is only one street away from where we live. The interesting thing is once we identify a place, we can also use the compact Minolta to see the landmark, although with smaller vision. These Canon binoculars make excellent spotter.
The image stabilizer is an interesting high-tech feature. It helps to get a clear and stable view if you press the stabilizer button. However, the binoculars weight 2.6 lbs. I am tired after holding them for two to three minutes. Last time we rode up Mt. Hamilton, we bought a regular camera tripod with us. These Canon binoculars come with a built-in screw thread that can accept a standard tripod quick-release plate. With the binoculars mounted on the tripod, we spent a good half hour looking down the beautiful landscape. The obvious question is, does the use of the tripod defeat the purpose of paying extra for the image stabilizer? How much something is worth is a very personal question. It differs from person to person. I am not going to attempt to answer this question.
We are very happy to own these binoculars. This is a very pricey toy, but we love it. I first saw the Canon 15x image stabilizer binoculars at Wolf’s Camera web site and they have a price tag of around $1,200. I was shocked by the price. I told myself some day I might buy it. A year later, amazon.com was carrying this 18x version at a much lower price. I was overjoyed and broke down and bought this toy the following month.
Cannon 18×50 IS binoculars
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I was very pleased with the Canon 18×50 IS binoculars. We took them to the Galapagos Islands and they performed well. Teh IS really assists with ship rocking and minor shakes. I have a few thoughts that would make these binoculars more user friendly.
1. Try to make them lighter. My wife found it difficult to carry them for extended periods of time.
2. Please add fip open ocular and objective lens caps rather than the loose caps. These get lost and the ones tied to the binocular body make it easier to cover the lneses in inclement weather.
3. Making the units water proof and not just resistent would be a big factor for those of us who use the binoculars in nature photography especiall in a canoe or kayak.
4. Having an optional camera adaptor would be great for photography buffs.
Overall this binocular is a great addition to the human eye.
Nice Binoculars!
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I really like these binoculars. Please read the other reviews to gain knowledge on the product’s high points. Also note, I have not found any of the low points mentioned to be present or affect my viewing in any way.
Great but has some design flaws costing another $350 in repair
Rating:3 out of 5 stars
Right out of the box, these binoculars, no doubt are one of the best pair of optics I have ever purchased. The Image Stabilization feature is what makes the bincoluars so attractive…and expensive.
They work great on the water or in situations that will reduce hand shakieness.
I own a pair of 10×30 Canon and wanted to upgrade having liked them.
With the 18×50 I got what I expected with the 10×30 model, but the weight of these bincolars is a bit of a draw back. At least they have a tripod hole for support if you need it.
The weight also creates another draw back.
**** Be aware, there appears to be a design flaw with the top eye peice portion. Due to the heavy weight of these 18 x 50 binoculars, one must be careful how you handle them.
These binoculars have a different method for their case carrying strap then the other Canon image stablization binoculars. Other models have a strap for the case and another neck strap for the binoculars themselves.
On the 18 x 50 model it uses the same neck strap, for both the bincoular and the case. Simply, the case has no strap and you place the binoculars in the case and pull neck strap out from the case, over the top case flap and use it as the case’s carrying strap.
On first look, it seems like a better idea.
The neck strap attaches to the eye peice portion of the binoculars, while the other ‘lighter’ models have the neck strap attaching to the body itself. This causes the weight of the entire units to be supported on the eye piece portions.
Having only had these 18×50 IS binoculars less than three weeks from purchase, I pulled the binoculars out of the case when the top eye piece portion separated from the main body. This was with little pressure and being careful everytime I handled them.
I figured it was a simple fix, perhaps snapping pieces back in place. This was not the case. On closer inspection the fastening screws, which held the eye piece portion to the main body, were still in tack, but the screw holes, which kept the main body to the eye peice in place, appeared not to be strong enough to handle extra pressure.
The outer loop of the screw holes on two of the three screw holes broke away.
The screws are set too close to the outer part of the eye peice base for strong enough support and the material supporting the screw holes are too weak to support the existing body weight and pressure exerted on it over time.
This breakage came with little effort and pressure or from abuse.
I thought about repairing them myself, but figured it still was under warranty (only 3 weeks old) and the cost of $1,100 should be enough excuse to send them to Canon Repair for a quick fix.
BOY WAS I SADLY MISTAKEN. Canon Repair charged me another $350 to repair it and it’s now over 4 weeks and I have not seen them yet. I’ve owned them less than 8 weeks and more than half of that time is in repair!
I just wonder if anyone else has had this problem as it certainly appears it’s a design flaw because of the overall weight.
So to review them I would say great binoculars but becareful on how you handle these items, if you need a good pair of binoculars, I would say go with the lower models of the Canon IS series as they are more durable!
Great except for rubber eye cups!
Rating:3 out of 5 stars
I love these binoculars — they do everything they promise
and the performance is spectacular. My only complaint is
that the rubber eyecups are furiously uncomfortable. I
guess I have deep eye-sockets. The eye-relief is much too
much which greatly reduces my field of view and I find
myself smashing my eyes against the cups. The cups are too
large in diamater to fit comfortably against my eyes. If I
roll the cups down, the rolled down portion of the cups is
very thick and I can’t get my nose between the eyepieces…
Haven’t found any sort of replacement — may start hacking with
scissors soon!
Great, But Not My Favorite Canon IS Binoculars
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
I have been an avid birder watcher for several decades. I’ve owned most of the top-of -the-line European binoculars (Zeiss, Leica, etc.) over the years. I purchased the Canon 12×36 IS binocs over 2 1/2 years ago and I love them. However, thinking that more magnification would be better, I ordered the 18×50 IS pair a year later. I have since sold them and use mostly the Canon 12 power. Here are a few reasons why they were not right for me:
* Bigger is not always better. The extra weight and size caused me to leave them in the closet and take the 12x36s, one of my other pair, or worst, no binoculars at all. Even the best optics are no good if you don’t have them with you when you need them.
* Smaller field of view. It takes some practice seeing a bird with your naked eyes and then swinging the binoculars up smoothly so that you keep the bird (or any other small subject) in line with your vision. As experienced as I am at this I found it harder to accomplish with the narrow view of these powerful optics. Sometimes all you get is a few seconds to spot and identify a rare bird. Quicker is better.
* Shallower depth of field. With greater magnification the accuracy of your focusing becomes more critical due to a reduced range of focus. With distant objects I found myself fiddling with focus knob more than I would like to.
* Less than the best optical performance. Don’t get me wrong, these are very sharp, high quality glasses, just not the best. When viewing objects against the sun you can get a color flare, or ghost image (chromatic aberration). Only the highest quality optical designs get close to completely eliminating this problem. When you are trying to tell one bird from another closely related species, color is often all than you have to go by.
I am still a big fan of the Image Stabilization technology and I still use my 12×36 IS binoculars daily, however, the idea that more magnification is always better, especially for birding, is misleading. I am planning to buy the Canon 10×42 L series binos. In the past this magnification has been my favorite and the added benefit of IS will make it an even better choice. The biggest reason for this decision is the superiority of the L class optics. I own several L lenses for my Canon digital SLRs and they are superb.
If you don’t mind the size and weight, or you really need the extra power (like for astronomical observation) these are great binoculars to add to your collection. If you looking one pair to use on a regular basis and you want the best optical quality combined with image stabilization, I would go with the 10×42 IS L glasses and save yourself the time and expense of buying the wrong pair. But that’s just my opinion. If you can, take a look at both of them in person before you buy one.
Canon 10×42 L Image Stabilization Waterproof Binoculars
failed stabilization
Rating:1 out of 5 stars
When I push the ‘stabilize’ button, one ‘eye’ stabilizes – the other doesn’t – resulting in 2 out-of-sync images. Canon had me send them to their repair center, then e-mailed me: “We are returning your BINOCULAR 15X45IS to you un-repaired. We regret that we could not be of further assistance.” After calling their 800 number they explained that after 7 years they were at the ‘end of life’ and the parts were not available to repair them. The 15x45IS’s appear the have the very same body as the 15x50s – hopefully they’ve learned how to make them more reliable…
Great Binoculars
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I bought the Canon 18×50 mage Stabilization binoculars to use at football games and at golf tournaments. The image stabiliation feature is fantastic. At football games you can look right at a couple of players. It may have to much power for a football game if your seats are close. At golf tournaments it is great to concentrate on one player. I would buy them again. I wish binoculars had a zoom in zoom out feature.
Excellent Product
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I needed a good set of binoculars for my wife & me. We are in excellent bear & deer country in Wisconsin and like to ride around watching the wildlife. I am a disabled Vietnam Vet and my hands shake a lot. Spotting scopes and high powered binoculars never worked well for me in the past. You touch them and everything goes out of focus. These image stabilizers work great! For the first time I can really zoom in and see clearly. They are a little heavy and you wouldn’t want to carry them around your neck long. But overall I love them.
Absolutely the best binoculars I’ve used
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
The problem with high power binoculars is that humans can’t hold them steady, and that jitter makes it impossible to really look at something without a tripod. The image stabilization in this pair solves that problem and holds things rock steady. This is an expensive product that clearly distingues itself, and one of those products that technology makes seem a little magic.
I have only two small complaints: First, for a product this expensive they should pre-install the neck strap for you — not a big deal, but it would be nice for the customer. Second, I wish the lens cap covers were higher quality and attachable to the unit so they wouldn’t get lost. Again, not a big deal.
These are without a doubt the best binoculars I’ve ever used.
Holy gazookas!
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I bought these for an upcoming alaskan cruise and boy and I glad I did. We had some other 10×25 binocs that I used for years and wanted an upgrade to something more substantial. These are amazing! They are so clear and the stabilization is the most impressing aspect of them. I have used them at least once a day since buying them for bird watching, astronomy (the moon looks amazing) and for watching a new housing development go in about 3 miles away. My parents are considering getting a pair for the cruise too, I plan to share but I don’t think I’ll want to be without these for long. Wonderful product that I plan to use for years to come.
Hi-tech solution for the gitters
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
This is only the second pair of binoculars I’ve owned but I’ve used many pairs before from low end to relatively high end ones like Nikons and Leicas. I can say without hesitation that the Canon 18X50s have met all my expectations for clarity, build quality, and ease of use. They are still quite heavy so, you won’t be holding them too long in one position but, the stabilization feature provides a stable, gitter free image. In my opinion, this feature makes up for optics that may not be in the same league with the high end stuff: the Canon 18X50s have more usable magnification for the money for non-tripod, hand held applications.
While this is not a scientific comparison, this is an example of the useability and magnification: I was at the beach looking at a parasailer in the distance – with the naked eye (20/20 for the record), I could see the chute pattern and a black speck below it; with my old Minolta 10X50s (jittering in my hands)I could make out shapes of heads and legs; with the Canon 18X50s, I could clearly see two people, a man and a child as well as the chute’s cords – pretty impressive.
My only two gripes that have also been mentioned before are: no lense caps and the eye cups are stiff, fit poorly (to my face any way) and are uncomfortable. I find it better to fold the cups back for “eye glass” use even though I don’t wear glasses. Other than that, I am very pleased with this purchase and would also highly recommend purchasing from Adorama Camera – they are quick, accommodating and responsive.
Super Stable product
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
Buy these if you are into bird watching (any type) live sports, or just want to hear you friends say “WOW!” when you turn the image stabilizer on when they are looking through these binoculars.
Worth every penny!!
Stabilization Matters
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
The stabilization of the view is mind blowing.
I was a bit concerned about spending this much money on a pair of binoculars. We love to casually birdwatch and my wife and I live for most of the year on a catamaran sailboat and the rolling of the deck can create some steadying issues using our standard binocs. Since not only pleasure but our safety was on the line, I was willing to give it a try. The end result is nothing short of amazing. Important safety details such as daymarker numbers or reefs can be picked up at about twice as far away as with our marine standard binocs but best of all is the steady sure confidence imparted to the product from the image stabilization feature.
I highly recommend these puppies to anyone wanting a quality pair of binocs.
Awesome
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I purchased these for astronomy/observing and I have not been disappointed. As some of the other reviews have pointed out, they can pull in the moons of Jupiter quite well, among other items. Perhaps the most impressive feature is how well the image stabilization works– no need of a tripod even at 18x magnification.
The only ‘cons’ I can think of might be price, and perhaps field-of-view (if you want to sweep large areas of sky). I think the weight is reasonable for the degree of magnification that is offered.
Every day you don’t own a pair is a day’s viewing missed
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
First, I couldn’t decide between Fujinon and Canon and then I was never able to take them outside and try them out and/or compare them. So, I finally just bought a pair of Canon 18x50s and hoped for the best when they arrived and I looked thru and pushed the IS button.
Boy, what a waste of several years. Why didn’t I buy a pair when they first came out? I could have been using them all this time. Instead, I dithered over cost vs. results and really regret the fun I missed in the meanwhile.
The only difference in these versus regular binocs is one button. When you push it, there’s a little click and from then on, WOW. After investing plenty in telescopes, computer tracking mounts, etc., these should have been a much higher priority. Oh yeah, they’re light enough to take anywhere and the viewing fatigue is really that much less than with others (especially since my hands are really pretty shaky anyway and I drink plenty of coffee).
Shake Free Viewing
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
These are my second pair of Canon IS binoculars. The 1st were the 12×36′s. There is simply no comparison between the image quality of Canon Image Stabilized binoculars and even the best manufacturer’s non-stabilized versions. The current generation IS is simple to use and compensates for significant user shake. My new 18×50′s hold an image relatively still even better than my 12x pair.
The field is extremely flat and crisp with zero visible distortion from edge to edge. Another useful feature is the ability to easily adjust the interpupilary distance so the two fields merge into one. Color is excellent and so is contrast. Canon optics are very good indeed.
18x power binoculars open a whole new vista into night time sky observation….the edge of the Milky Way looks absolutely incredible, you can see crystal clear views of moon craters, etc. All this viewing can be done without preocupation to hold the binoculars still and refocus all the time. Your observation time is actually spent looking at moons, double stars, and clusters.
I am very glad I decided to spend the extra money these cost. The image quality and stabilization definitely make these binoculars worth it.
great binoculars for looking up at night
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
As a novice astronomer I really enjoy the sharp, steady view with these binoculars. The view is fairly steady even with the I.S. off – depending how stable you are of course. My binoculars cost more than my telescope !! And my telescope is a decent one too. But I think they are worth it. You see so much more in the night sky than what the naked eye can see – by far. They are of course great during the day too. Their weight is not much of an issue for me, although each person is different depending on their viewing habits. I think a hard carry case would have been the best but it’s not a big deal for my use. I recommend this pair of binoculars to anyone who is serious about great quality and performance.
Canon 18×50 – IS All-Weather Binoculars
Rating:3 out of 5 stars
I just bought these Canon binoculars 18-50 at Amazon.Com. Optically they are fantastic and I would rate them with 5 stars..but for the following poor design issues.
When using the holding strap it can and will damage the rubber eye pieces.
Canon designers put no thought into this.
The front lenses are too close to the front edge of the body. As a result the lenses can be easily scratched .
Canon designers put no thought into this.
If Canon increased the throat dept on front lens, they would have assured adequate scratch protection for the lens.
Canon designers put no thought into this
Lastly the protective lens caps are worthless.
Canon designers put no thought into this either.
Why do Canon design people, develop a first class pair of binoculars with world class optics , and then do a cheap crap design to the finished product . Beats me!!
Good but far from great
Rating:3 out of 5 stars
I’ve owned my 18×50 binocs for two years now, and have used them mainly for astronomy. Perhaps my expectations were too high, but…
(1) I found the image to be less stable than expected. It’s certainly better than with no IS system at all, but not as solid as you’d get from using a good tripod. Of course, using a tripod near the zenith is a problem, but there are solutions for that, such as the Sky Window system (the binocs look downward, at a mirror). After an hour’s observing, you’ll definitely notice how heavy these binocs are.
(2) I found a large amount of residual color on bright objects…red on one side, blue on the other. I attribute this to the prisms used in the IS system.
(3) The maximum interocular distance is just barely wide enough for my eyes. The diopter adjustment has considerable stick and slip. I’d rather wear my glasses than mess with the diopter, but the eye relief isn’t sufficient.
(4) The binocs come without lens OG lens caps, which is strange, considering how expensive they are.
I suggest you NOT buy this binocs online. Go to a store that will let you take them outside. Examine a star-like object, such as sun glint off a power line insulator. Check out the IS, the residual color, and the weight. See if the store will let you have them “on approval,” and try them out at night.
And don’t forget, you can buy a pretty good apochromatic telescope for $2000.
Roger Rensvold
Hong Kong
one of life’s must haves
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
These are great ! I keep mine on my boat, and they are absolutely indispensable. Even on a steady surface the stabilization is necessary due to the high magnification. I keep the rubber lens cups turned back, I find the field of vision is unrestricted this way. I think these are the best binoculars available, a superb product, one of life’s must haves !!
Superb Bino!!!!
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
This binocular is a gem. The optics are great, the IS system works very well. They perform as advertised! Why Canon does not provide objective lens caps is a mystery to me. I purchased Canon’s 58mm UV haze filters and 58mm snap on lens caps to complete the package (so…I spent more money on Canon products…hmmm…above mystery solved!). These really are spectacular binos and are manufactured to a very high quality standard. As in any best of the best product sometimes you pay appreciably more to get small noticeable improvements. These binos are no exception to the rule, but IMHO worth every cent.
Great binoculars when you don’t want to take out the telescope
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
We use these mostly for viewing the night sky…lately Jupiter and it’s moons, which are visible with these binoculars. The only thing I don’t like about them is that they are a little heavy for me to hold up for any length of time but my husband has no complaints.
Worth the money!
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
These are GREAT binoculars! Worth the money!
I agonized and agonized. Should I buy the 15x50s? Some purchasers said the 18x50s don’t TOTALLY stop the image from moving around, but the 15x50s will. What will I do if I don’t like these things? Is $1,000 just too much money? Will I use these things or will they just sit in the closet?
Well, I took a chance, knowing Amazon’s reputation for great customer service. One guy who bought these things said he didn’t like them, returned them to Amazon with no problem. Well, I got ‘em and… I LOVE THESE BINOCULARS! They’re WORTH the money! The jitter is TOTALLY GONE from the image. TRUE, the entire image itself DOES move around a little with the movement of my hands, BUT I CAN LIVE WITH THIS in exchange for the FAN-FLIPPING-TASTIC views of aircraft, wildlife and the moon! I like to use binocs while lying down on a chaise lounge, so I just support my elbows on the chaise’s arms. Even when I hold them in my hands, the image doesn’t wander all that much. I can live with it. My arms DO get tired after about 5 minutes of using these binocs, but who cares? I’ll get stronger arms!
I bought two Canon lens caps and two Hoya 58 mm UV filters. Yes, the Hoyas are more expensive than the recommended filters but, hey, if I’m gonna spend $1,000 plus for the binocs, why should I skimp on anything else?
A point here: I’m not a rich guy. I saved money to buy these things. And again, to ME, they’re WORTH the money! Do what you need to do for you, but, for me, they were an essential purchase!
If you choose, buy these and HAVE FUN!!!!!!!!!!!!1
Love My Binocular!!!!!!
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
These are a great binocular. A little pricey, but give exceptional optics with rock solid stability for viewing.