Image Stabilized Binos

[CabinFever]

Anyone have any experience with image stabilizing binos? I was in the Tetons last week checking out some bears and a fella next to me let me check out his Canon IS 10x30's. I'd never looked through any before, and don't hear much talk about them in the hunting world, but I thought they were the absolute bees knees and wondered why not every binocular used that technology. Searching this forum I could not find any mention of them. There must be a reason they don't seem to be used in hunting??

 

[zfountaine55]

The bee's knees, huh...can't say that I've heard that expression much in the huning world either

 

[CabinFever]

Cat's meow?

 

[MontanaWild]

It's the same technology that their Canon IS lenses use to stabilize an image when you take photos. Never heard about the binoculars though.

 

[CabinFever]

All I know is they were sweet, and really not terribly expensive so I couldn't figure out why I don't see or hear of them anywhere.

 

[bighouse]

I looked at these last night and it looks like only the new 10x42 are waterproof, and since thes use batteries I think this would be needed to use for hunting purposes. 10x42 have a MSRP of $2000

 

[jryoung]

It's probably a glass issue, they are most likely using a lower quality glass which won't perform in low light.

Additionally, there may be further light transmission loss on the IS process.

I'd be curious to see how they performed at dawn and dusk and compared to others ranges of non-IS binos.

 

[Jon Boy]

My buddy has a pair, cant remember which brand. Either way his optics were garbage compared to my ED3s and they were constantly fogging up. Clunky, heavy and awkward as well. Needless to say he doesnt have them any more.

 

[Dinkshooter]

A tripod or hiking stick is my image stabilizer.

 

[whiskeydog]

i prefer my knee to stabilize...looked up some of the info on these and from what i read they are marketed for bird watchers. battery life seems to be questionable, can't take any moisture, and if they take more than a slight bump you may be looking for a new pair

 

[CabinFever]

I suppose that might make sense. Wife likes em so we might end up with a pair anyhow.