mrdantastic
journeyman
Reged: 10/25/07
Posts: 5
|
|
Forgive me if this has been covered before, but I haven't been able to find any threads about it. If there already is one, please post a link for me, or let me know where to look.
I have been trying to compare the 10x42 and the 15x50 Canon Image Stabilizing binoculars, but I can't seem to really find a conclusive answer to which one would be better for stargazing. One thing that has also baffled me is the price difference, the 10x42 is almost 300 dollars more expensive than the 15x50. I thought this would be backwards. Is the major price difference because of the L lense?
I'd be interested in hearing some pro's and con's of both compared to eachother. Thanks in advance!
-Dan
|
Wes James
Postmaster
Reged: 04/12/06
Posts: 5477
|
|
Dan-
I have looked through both of these, twice, side by side. I have the 10x42L's, prez of my astro club has the 15x50's. Looked through both again this past Saturday night. The 10x42L's are more expensive due to the L glass, Canon's premium. The 10x have a wider field of view, the 15x more mag. Sounds obvious, but that's about the sum of the difference I have been able to note. So I would say the 10x are better if you want to scan the skies, the 15x if you want to observe something such as the moon or other objects better. I did not do an in-depth as to what magnitude I could see with either, no noticeable difference. My understanding is the 10x are a little lighter, haven't compared weights, should be easy to find in specs. I've heard the 15x are a little more prone to the "queasy" sensation of slow movement, I didn't really notice it. Both have the "press & release" feature to enable the IS, you don't have to hold the button on to maintain its operation. Hope this helps. They're both great!
--------------------
Wes
Atlantic Beach, FL
Bino’s- Tak's, Fuji's, Nikon's, Canon IS and Garrett 20x110 Signature's,
Some telescopes from Carton & Zeiss 60mm's up through a couple of 8” reflectors… Orion 3.6" O/A- and a wonderful 4.25" Delmarva Schiefspiegler!
Some good friends, made here on C/N.
Oh- several cats and a wonderful wife!
Anyone want a cat???? :-O
"When your work speaks for itself- Don't Interrupt" -Gamble Rogers
|
horsenappen
member
Reged: 07/31/05
Posts: 14
|
|
Dan
My 15x50 IS just arrived today  . I was able to do some daylight testing, but the sun is behind clouds today, so a good color test was out. Anyway, I noticed no color on objects, and its been interesting to me to use them as conventional binoculars and attempt to aqurie the best image, then kick in that Turbo button  , and watch the 15x50 IS shine. Shop around some as I was able to save quite abit in doing so. Not so much with the 10x42L IS as most eversight I found is near the same price.
Mine Did not come with objective lens Caps  Anyone have any suggestions?? 
|
mrdantastic
journeyman
Reged: 10/25/07
Posts: 5
|
|
Thanks for the input so far.
I obviously don't know because I don't own any, but on amazon when I clicked on the 15x50s it was trying to pair the sale with 58mm lens caps. I don't know if those work or not (that would really stink if they didn't, and amazon was pairing them anyway), but maybe someone else will have experience.
|
mrdantastic
journeyman
Reged: 10/25/07
Posts: 5
|
|
Afterthought..
How much does the L lens affect the quality? In all the reviews I have read it is highly praised, but I can't remember if it was mentioned why?
|
Wes James
Postmaster
Reged: 04/12/06
Posts: 5477
|
|
On my 10x42L's, I ordered screw on UV filters and regular Canon snap-on lenscaps.
Wes
|
horsenappen
member
Reged: 07/31/05
Posts: 14
|
|
I don't want to sound cynical (but I'm old enough)  , but most changes in design are motivated to reduce cost, improvements in quality are generally secondary. I wonder if this is true with the L type lens, then leaving the rest to our sometimes over active imagination, and fantastic marketing skills of the educated, we can easily get confused.
Just a thought 
|
Rick
Post Laureate
Reged: 04/12/05
Posts: 3285
Loc: Tokyo, Japan
|
|
The "L lens" in this case is just a second UD element. Of course, at 10x there will not be much CA anyway to fight.
Unless you really just want the large FOV of the 10x, there is no "quality" reason not to choose the 15x, or even better the 18x, over the 10x, for astronomy and most terrestrial uses where targets are large, fixed or slow moving. The 15x and 18x will always show you more.
clear skies,
Rick
|
Harry Jacobson
super member
Reged: 09/11/07
Posts: 240
Loc: 42º29'32.03"N 71º34'59.85"W
|
|
Quote:
.....Mine Did not come with objective lens Caps Anyone have any suggestions??
Unless the design changed since I bought my Canon 15x50 IS six or seven years ago, the objective end is threaded for 58mm lens caps and filters.
Harry
[Edit] P.S. For whatever reason the Canon U.S.A. binocular page does not display the 15x50 IS.
Edited by Harry Jacobson (10/25/07 07:53 PM)
|
Doug D.
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 08/23/05
Posts: 2496
Loc: Virginia
|
|
Regular 58mm photo lens caps (snap on type) work just fine. You can get generic or snazzy Canon branded 
--------------------
Hooville
|
Joe Ogiba
Postmaster
Reged: 02/14/02
Posts: 5446
Loc: NJ USA
|
|
Quote:
The "L lens" in this case is just a second UD element. Of course, at 10x there will not be much CA anyway to fight.
Unless you really just want the large FOV of the 10x, there is no "quality" reason not to choose the 15x, or even better the 18x, over the 10x, for astronomy and most terrestrial uses where targets are large, fixed or slow moving. The 15x and 18x will always show you more.
clear skies,
Rick
Rick, I use my 60-110mm binoculars on my myriad of mounts when I want more than 15x. I think the 18x50's have a much more limited use than the 15x50's since the exit pupil and FOV is much smaller along with being harder to stay within the 18x50 IS correction angle of only ±0.7°.
Joe
--------------------
Pentax PF-80ED,Meade 102ED APO,Orion EON 72,120ST
Apex 127,C6 XLT,CR150,C9.25,XT10 ,Celestron Regal 100 F-ED, CT152
Zeiss 7x42 FL,Canon 10x42L IS WP,15x50 IS
12x36 IS II , Pentax 8x32 ED
Garrett Optical 28x110 HD-WP Signature Series
Oberwerk BT-80 45, Apogee RA-88-SA
Denk II Power x Switch binoviewer w/13mm Ethos, 20mm Pentax XW's, 20mm Widescan III's.
21mm Ethos,17mm Ethos, 22mm Nagler, 40mm Pentax XW, 14mm Pentax XL, 5.2mm Pentax XL, 8-24mm Pentax XL Zoom, 31mm Axiom LX
Member #17
|
Leonard Nielsen
journeyman
Reged: 10/22/07
Posts: 7
Loc: Arlington Heights, Illinois
|
|
I am in the same position of selecting between these two binoculars. I started MUCH cheaper but fell in love with the IS feature. I was going to get the 12x36 II because I thought my wife would think these were too heavy but we were able to try some 15x50s this evening and she liked them.
As Harry noted above, the 15x50 are no longer on Canon's website. There was another thread a while back where someone talked with Canon and confirmed that these are no longer being made and there has been no announced replacement. I am assuming that once they run out of stock we may hear of an upgrade. The IS technology has improved dramatically over the last 6 years and this is one of their older models.
To clarify an earlier post, according to the spec sheet, the 10x42 has 52mm threads and the 15x50 has 58mm threads so it all depends on which one you select.
I am still looking for a store where I can try these side by side.
|
Rick
Post Laureate
Reged: 04/12/05
Posts: 3285
Loc: Tokyo, Japan
|
|
Quote:
As Harry noted above, the 15x50 are no longer on Canon's website. There was another thread a while back where someone talked with Canon and confirmed that these are no longer being made and there has been no announced replacement. I am assuming that once they run out of stock we may hear of an upgrade. The IS technology has improved dramatically over the last 6 years and this is one of their older models.
NO NO NO NO! The 15x50IS is current and still in production. The direct link to the 15x50IS on the Canon USA site has been MIA for years. But if you use the Search function, you will find it.
clear skies and IS binos,
Rick
|
ragebot
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 08/26/05
Posts: 1852
Loc: Tallahassee, FL, USA
|
|
I have been to a couple of web sites and am not sure why the 18X50 are listed with a weight of 1180 w/o batteries as are the 15X50, the 10X42 are listed at 1030 gm (no mention of batteries). All this is from Canon USA. The 10X42 are waterproof.
I am still sorting out which ones I should get, and was kinda leaning towards the 18X50, but was concerned about comments about its weight. If the 18s and the 15s have identical weight as the Canon web page indicates I would definitely get the 18s.
Is the Canon web site right about the weight?
--------------------
Meade ETX 90, Meade AR5, Orion ED80, Atlas GT, 8 in Newt, Coronado DS SM40, Garrett 10.5X70, Sigma SD10, SD14, Canon 1D2, Xti, Nikon CP4500, C-14
|
KennyJ
The British Flash
Reged: 04/27/03
Posts: 20139
Loc: Lancashire UK
|
|
Ragebot ,
Is there any specific reason why you should think the 18x ought to weight any more than the 15x ?
IF ANYTHING , I might have expected the 15x to weigh SLIGHTLY MORE , due to the longer focal length eyepieces.
With all those scopes in your signature list , have you not noticed how much LARGER " lower magnification " e.ps tend to be ?
Just wondering -- ( ANYTHING to take my mind off chronic pain ! :-)
Regards
Kenny
--------------------
Milton Wilcox R.I.P
|
Rick
Post Laureate
Reged: 04/12/05
Posts: 3285
Loc: Tokyo, Japan
|
|
Quote:
Is the Canon web site right about the weight?
My Japanese catalog shows they both weigh in at 1180g.
clear skies,
Rick
|
ragebot
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 08/26/05
Posts: 1852
Loc: Tallahassee, FL, USA
|
|
Quote:
Ragebot ,
Is there any specific reason why you should think the 18x ought to weight any more than the 15x ?
IF ANYTHING , I might have expected the 15x to weigh SLIGHTLY MORE , due to the longer focal length eyepieces.
With all those scopes in your signature list , have you not noticed how much LARGER " lower magnification " e.ps tend to be ?
Just wondering -- ( ANYTHING to take my mind off chronic pain ! :-)
Regards
Kenny
Sorry about that. 
I have noticed low mag EP are bigger than smaller ones.
--------------------
Meade ETX 90, Meade AR5, Orion ED80, Atlas GT, 8 in Newt, Coronado DS SM40, Garrett 10.5X70, Sigma SD10, SD14, Canon 1D2, Xti, Nikon CP4500, C-14
|
mrdantastic
journeyman
Reged: 10/25/07
Posts: 5
|
|
By EP, do you mean exit pupil size?
|
horsenappen
member
Reged: 07/31/05
Posts: 14
|
|
Harry
Are the 58mm caps a screw on cap, or a friction fit inside of the housing or over the objective housing.
My 15x50 IS is also threaded on the inside, and measures about 58mm.
What web site peddles these caps 
thanks
Brian
|
GardnerPacificCA
sage
Reged: 07/26/07
Posts: 235
Loc: California, USA
|
|
I emailed Canon recently to ask why the 15x50IS was not on the website and also if they planned to add the 10x42L glass to the 15x50IS or 18x50IS line. They emailed back the following:
"Thank you for contacting Canon product support, and for your interest in
the 15 X 50 IS All Weather binoculars.
The 15 X 50 IS All Weather have been discontinued. At the moment there
are no plans to manufacturer them again.
We hope this information is helpful to you. Please write to us again if
you have any questions or concerns."
Could that reply have been a mistake?....
--------------------
All the best,
Gardner
|
Previous
Index
Next
Threaded
Edit
Reply
Quote
