- Location
- British Canuckistan
in some side conversations I'm having with a CGN member, we're discussing binoculars and their uses and what requirements/specs should be expected for a unit to use in the field.
size & weight are primary concerns I would think. Canon produces some industry leading image stabilized bino's and in astronomy they trump a lot of larger mounted bino's because they're light enough to hand hold and the fact that the IS feature removes the shake often introduced at higher powers (ie. 10x, 12x, 15x, 18x).
aperture would also be a factor to consider, because if the primary objectives are too small, you won't get a lot of light in, but increasing the size of the primaries up's the weight factor. so I am wondering what your thoughts are on 10x30 IS that weigh 600g or the 12x36 IS that weigh 660g would be just as good in the field, despite the smaller light gathering power, because the IS provided at the higher power trumps the aperture.
another major factor that works in the Canon IS's favor is the fact they are made out of some of the best optical glass on the market, with some of the best coatings. the 10x42L is among the best bino's out there, IS aside.
the fact that the 10x30 IS can be had for just over $300 in the US (check amazon.com) works more in their favor. the 12x36's unfortunately jumps about $200 on top of the $300 price tag of the 10x30's.
the only downside I'm seeing with this is the fact they require 2 AA batteries.
what are your thoughts on this? small, lightweight and relatively inexpensive. does the 10x tripod quality image trump the loss of aperture?
size & weight are primary concerns I would think. Canon produces some industry leading image stabilized bino's and in astronomy they trump a lot of larger mounted bino's because they're light enough to hand hold and the fact that the IS feature removes the shake often introduced at higher powers (ie. 10x, 12x, 15x, 18x).
aperture would also be a factor to consider, because if the primary objectives are too small, you won't get a lot of light in, but increasing the size of the primaries up's the weight factor. so I am wondering what your thoughts are on 10x30 IS that weigh 600g or the 12x36 IS that weigh 660g would be just as good in the field, despite the smaller light gathering power, because the IS provided at the higher power trumps the aperture.
another major factor that works in the Canon IS's favor is the fact they are made out of some of the best optical glass on the market, with some of the best coatings. the 10x42L is among the best bino's out there, IS aside.
the fact that the 10x30 IS can be had for just over $300 in the US (check amazon.com) works more in their favor. the 12x36's unfortunately jumps about $200 on top of the $300 price tag of the 10x30's.
the only downside I'm seeing with this is the fact they require 2 AA batteries.
what are your thoughts on this? small, lightweight and relatively inexpensive. does the 10x tripod quality image trump the loss of aperture?
