Rating: Summary: Amazing Pair of Binoculars Review: I bought this pair of binoculars after reading the reviews of several different pairs/brands. I bought them for an Alaskan cruise I just came back from. I cannot say enough about how great these binoculars are. The IS techncology is particularly amazing cause most of the viewing I did was on a moving vessel. The IS technology greatly compensated for any movement from my less than steady hands, and even when supported on the side of the ship, they eliminated much of the jitter from the moving ship. These binoculars really made my trip to Alaska that much more enjoyable. Aside from the IS technology, the Canon lens provide an incredibly clear and crisp image to rival binoculars that cost hundreds more. I did get a chance to see through a pair of $1000.00 Zeiss binoulars while on my trip and they were not noticably any better then the Canon binoculars and lacked the IS technology. The IS really makes a big difference.
Rating: Summary: Excellence in Action Review: I had my eye on these binoculars for months now. When I saw them on sale at Amazon, I jumped. Amazon was only about $150.00 cheaper than a store I was planning to buy at. When they came, I couldn't believe how well the Image Stabilizer works. I remember my Dad's Binoculars as a kid. Man! Did the image look shakey! With Canon's I.S. technology, with a push of a well located button, the image stabilizes perfectly! These are great for watching wild life, birds, boats or in your neighbor's window (just kidding). I like them so much, I am saving up money now to buy the next higher up magnification for more intense bird wathcing at greater distances. I would highly recommend these sturdy, well engineered binoculars to anyone. They are EASILY worth every penny.
Rating: Summary: Nikon to Canon Review: I have been using Nikon for years but now that I own the Canon 10X30 IS they have become primary for Hunting. The Canon's are great and easy to handle.
Rating: Summary: The Stabilization system really works!! Review: I have used many pair of Binoculars in my life. One limitation was that over 7-8 power glasses could not be used without mechanical support. The Canon 10x30 IS binoculars refutes that statement. Even when traveling in a car, the image is remarkably stable. The all too frequent motion sickness is also (thankfully) absent.
Rating: Summary: Amazing! Review: I just bought this pair of binoculars and I am already planning to get the higher-end 18x50 Canon IS. I did a considerable amount of research and compared several models (both IS and non-IS) before I bought this pair and they are just incredible. I plan to use them primarily for astronomy. The optics are excellent.pros: - Need i say more. If the budget suits you, I'd recommend the higher-end 18x50s. cons: - I think the price is still steep at ~[$] for a 10x30. The only reason I gave this a fourstars. - The IS button must be held down for the stabilizing to work. This is actually good as it stops you from hoggin' up batteries. However, if I am tracking something and I want IS, I noticed that it is very inconvenient (if not difficult) to hold the button and refocus. - There are no lens caps - Batteries Batteries Batteries...buy a charger
Rating: Summary: 3 Year Warranty Review: I just received my 10x30IS, my first pair of high quality, made in Japan binoculars, and found out about the 3 year warranty provided by Canon USA. I bought it thinking it had just 1 year. This makes for a very sound investment in a marvelous technology. It works great on regular AA rechargeables. No expensive proprietary li-ion packs or hard-to-find batteries to deal with here.
Rating: Summary: Absolute joy to use Review: I just received these binoculars yesterday and am already enjoying them immensely. They are without a doubt the best binoculars I have ever owned or looked through, and at a great price compared to many high end brands. The image stabilization is just magical (I also have this technology in my camcorder and digital camera) and with it on, the image is rock solid and crystal clear. I even jiggled the binocs on purpose and the image was stable, but moved wildly when I turned off the stabilization. I am getting older and my hands aren't as steady as they used to be but I feel like I have the hands of a brain surgeon when I use these.
Tip: when you first press the stabilizer button after it hasn't been used for a few minutes it takes a few seconds (5 or 6) for the stabilization to engage and you may think it isn't working. After the initial warm-up, if you continue to use the button every few minutes the stabilization is instantaneous. I wasn't surprised as it takes about the same amount of time for my camera optical image stabilizer to start working after I turn on the camera.
Rating: Summary: Excellent, though with some quirks Review: I like these binoculars a lot, and the image stabilization does the job well. You must hold down a button on top of the binoculars to keep the image stabilization engaged, and as soon as you touch the button, you see the image in the binoculars jerk once, then steady itself. Holding down the button isn't difficult or a big deal, by the way, and it does save batteries. If your batteries are dead, or you are concerned about minimizing battery use, the binoculars work fine without the image stabilization engaged. The effect of the stabilization isn't quite what I expected beforehand--In long viewing sessions, there is less fatigue from hand movement thanks to the stable image, and I expected this. But the big benefit is that you can see much more detail in the steady image--In effect you have an increase in magnification! You can see a lot more with image-stabilized binoculars. Now for the quirks--First, the small aperture and high power mean the image isn't very bright. This isn't a problem in many applications (for whalewatching in bright Sun, the binocs were wonderful!), but it means these binocs may not be the best choice for low-light applications--birding in deep woods, for instance. Second, the IS mechanism is slightly fragile. Don't drop 'em! Third, the binocs do use batteries. I recommend Lithium, particularly if you might let them set unused for quite awhile. They cost more upfront, but cost the same or less in the long run due to their greater lifespan. Also, the long storage life means you won't hike out in the boonies and find your only set of batteries is dead! Fourth, the binocs aren't light. They aren't monstrously heavy, but they they do weigh a bit. The 8x25 binocs may not be as bad in this regard, but they were released just after I bought my own pair, so I haven't tried them. Fifth, panning with the Image stabilization engaged may confuse the binoculars a bit. Let up on the button to turn off stabilization a moment before panning. I do sweeping searches with stabilization off, then turn on stabilization when I find what I am looking for. If you decide to buy, look for a rebate coupon from Canon. Canon frequently seems to have a $50 rebate on these binoculars (I applied for and received the rebate for my pair). Recommended, but keep those quirks in mind....
Rating: Summary: Awesome! Review: I ordered these on a whim as I needed a pair of binoculars for watching ships and birds. The binoculars are nice and when you press the button to kick in the image stabilization feature you see this technology shine. These are absolutely fantastic for long range work as the image stabilizer easily compensates for the motions of your hands as you hold the binoculars. These are also good for close up work. I was watching birds with them today and they're nice as they stabilize the image and allow you to focus on details you can't perceive when you are trying to hold a pair of binoculars steady.
Rating: Summary: cool but not that great Review: i tried these in a store the other day. they are cool, but not worth the money. the image stabilization wile it does make a shakey image stable, its no where near as stable as the people in the above comments claim. there is a noticeable improvement, but not $600 worth of improvement. id wait awhile and see what the next generation of this technology has to offer before comminting to purchase.
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