Canon Image Stabilized Binoculars

I'm thinking of getting some Canon IS binos. I'm having trouble deciding between the 12x36 and the 15x50. I know the 15x50 will see more, but they also weigh more (and cost more). A lot of my observing is done in my backyard in the middle of a city of 1/2 million people, so light pollution is a factor. I do get out to dark skies once in a while.

Any input from people who have used either or both of these binos, or another IS bino, will be very welcome. Thanks.

I just got the 12x36 IS for Christmas, and am quite pleased. Cost and weight were key factors for me. I already have 15x70's and a parallelogram mount, so the 15x50's seemed duplicative of those. I wanted something for quick looks with greater resolving power than my 8.5 x 44's, and the 12x36's filled the bill nicely.

OTOH, my personal opinion is that 15x is where many celestial objects start taking on individual personalities, rather than just being dim fuzzies, so it is a tough call. However, the IS bins work great in daytime also, and the extra weight of the 15x15's could get old fast on a nature hike.

In summary, I'd say it depends on the other binoculars you have and how you intend to use them.

Hugh Bartlett
Oakland, CA

I decided on the 12x36. I find that to be an excellent balance between power and compactness. I've never used the 15x50 but a couple that I know that have reported that it is more difficult to hold them steady at this power. Other than that, they were not dissapointed in their performance. If you have never used IS binoculars, they don't really make the image rock steady, but "smooth out" the jerks making it easier for the eye to focus and follow the image. With a little bit of practice I can just get the 12x36's to get very steady where any motion is barely noticeable. Some people have steadier hands than others so YMMV as they say. The image is tack sharp with very little color abberation. I once resolved Venus into a distinct half disc during daybreak. I was able to follow and resolve Venus until well past 10 AM.

David E

I've used both the 10x30 and 15x50. The 10x30 are a
joy to use -- IS works great, light weight.

The 15x50 are a bit more effort to use. Simply
hand-holding them while standing leaves some
annoying residual vibration. Laying down or leaning
them against something solid seems to work best.
Also work very well on a parallelogram mount, but
then become much less spontaneous. Too heavy to
hand-hold for more than 5 minutes at a stretch.
Though all of this probably varies from person to
person.

In terms of joy per dollar, the 10x30 are
hard to beat.