MrJim
member
Reged: 08/24/09
Posts: 55
Loc: Mansfield, Texas
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My wife tells me that my new Canon IS 10x42L binoculars arrived today! Of course, I won't get home until after dark and it is overcast and raining. 
Stay tuned for a first light report (soon, I hope).
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Jim W.
CPC 1100
SV90TBV
PST
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dvb
different Syndrome.
Reged: 06/18/05
Posts: 3033
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Congratulations, Jim!
I'm still missing these from my IS collection, but I'm sure they will be excellent "Canon L" is very promising!
You've probably read the impressions of both Gary Seronik and EdZ - I'll look forward to your report!
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"But seeing through a telescope is 50% vision and 50% imagination." - Chet Raymo
Skywatcher 10" f/4.7 Newt on Matilda
Celestron CF 9.25"
Vixen CF 8" f/4 Newt
Meade 8" SN f/4
Celestron C6 SCT
Skywatcher ED100
Skywatcher ED80
EQ6 Pro "Matilda"
AT Voyager
Canon 15x50is
Mallincam HyperColor Plus
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MrJim
member
Reged: 08/24/09
Posts: 55
Loc: Mansfield, Texas
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dvb,
Yes, Gary's article was a big help in making my decision. I had a chance to do a little terrestrial low-light work with the binoculars last night before dark. Nothing astronomical because of a 100% overcast.
I was very happy with what I saw! It whetted my appetite for a proper shakedown, which is likely to come on Saturday. I am very happy with the build quality. Though I must say that I cannot figure out why Canon provided such a ridiculously inadequate strap for the case. The strap for the binoculars is very nice, but the one for the case is a joke. I'll be replacing it shortly. Because of the case design, the binocular strap cannot serve when using the case - it requires its own strap.
Have other users found the need to install UV or clear filters to protect the lenses?
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Jim W.
CPC 1100
SV90TBV
PST
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Les
professor emeritus
Reged: 04/22/06
Posts: 730
Loc: Maryland
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While the strap for the binocular is adequate, I've found using a nice padded camera strap saves my neck from all that weight. I've added standard camera lens covers (pinch type) to replace the binocular objective end covers. Best of luck with your new binos.
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Les
Canon 10x42L IS
Oberwerks BT80/45, Helix Hercules mount on Oberwerks Standard Tripod
Swift 8x44ED Ultralite
Questar 50th Anniversary Model, 501 head on Manfrotto 475 tripod
Stellarvue SV90T 90mm Fluorite refractor Bogen 3236/Televue Tele-Pod Head
Questar 7 Astro
Vixen GP-DX on Baader Surveyor Tripod
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dvb
different Syndrome.
Reged: 06/18/05
Posts: 3033
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I always wondered how the IDAS LPS filters would work . . .
www.sciencecenter.net/hutech/canon/bino.htm
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"But seeing through a telescope is 50% vision and 50% imagination." - Chet Raymo
Skywatcher 10" f/4.7 Newt on Matilda
Celestron CF 9.25"
Vixen CF 8" f/4 Newt
Meade 8" SN f/4
Celestron C6 SCT
Skywatcher ED100
Skywatcher ED80
EQ6 Pro "Matilda"
AT Voyager
Canon 15x50is
Mallincam HyperColor Plus
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EdZ
Professor EdZ
Reged: 02/15/02
Posts: 14732
Loc: Cumberland, R I , USA42N71.4W
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I would NOT invest in light pollution suppresion filters for a binocular.
They will lower the light throuput by at least a full magnitude, which means they provide no help at all on stars.
edz
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Teach a kid something today. The feeling you'll get is one of life's greatest rewards.
member#21
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MrJim
member
Reged: 08/24/09
Posts: 55
Loc: Mansfield, Texas
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Ed,
Would you recommend the uv, the clear or no filters at all for the Canon IS 10x42L?
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Jim W.
CPC 1100
SV90TBV
PST
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Wes James
Post Laureate
Reged: 04/12/06
Posts: 3459
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Jim-
I know you directed the question to Ed, and I'm sure he'll weigh in...
There's a split camp on this subject, and you'll have to decide for yourself. Some feel that there's no need- that the front element is simply a protective glass element... so no additional protection is necessary. But if you scratch or damage it, it'd still have to go back to Canon for repair.
The other camp (in which I'm a member) says that protecting that clear outer glass is worth the effort- for if you have a filter on it- and you scratch it- or it gets dirty, no big deal. You clean it- or replace it, and the Canon's optics remain pristine.
Years ago, the rule of thumb with 35mm film cameras was that you kept a u/v filter on your lenses, simply for protection. Actually, now- they make totally optically clear filter elements for the singular purpose of protecting lenses. Here's one such lens protector from Hoya, Tiffen also make similar items.
In the end, you have to make the decision as to whether or not you want to leave the Canon's glass exposed or not.
Good luck! Great bino's...
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Wes
Atlantic Beach, FL
Some bino’s from Miyauchi 5x32 Binon's up through Garrett 20x110 Signature's,
Some telescopes from a Stellarvue 80mm NHNG up through a couple of 8” reflectors…
And a wonderful 4.25" Delmarva Shiefspiegler!
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
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EdZ
Professor EdZ
Reged: 02/15/02
Posts: 14732
Loc: Cumberland, R I , USA42N71.4W
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If you want to put protective filters on a Canon, think the same way you would for an expensive camera lens. Get a UV filter or Skylight filter. Do not get cheap filters. Consider something like Hoya SMC UV filters, rather than filters with no MC.
One thing to be aware of when putting thin filters on a binocular, (although It probably makes no difference with the Canons, since the front glass is nothing more than a thin optical window anyway). This glass window on a binocular acts just like the corrcector lens on the front of an SCT scope. They are dew magnets. I've had considerable problems with the 10x42 dewing up. Recently, when I have had 3 or 4 binoculars out for comparisons, the Canon 10x42 was always the first to dew up, rendering it unusable. FWIW, the Fujinon 10x50 was always the last to dew up.
edz
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Teach a kid something today. The feeling you'll get is one of life's greatest rewards.
member#21
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Solar B
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 02/28/07
Posts: 916
Loc: By Edinburgh , Scotland
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Very interesting,because i always used to put Hoyas immediately on my camera lenses,i had not till now considered the need for the binos.
Was wondering how many do indeed fit protective filters
to their pairs.
Brian
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" Gentlemen only ever use Refractors "
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Les
professor emeritus
Reged: 04/22/06
Posts: 730
Loc: Maryland
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Quote:
...the Canon 10x42 was always the first to dew up, rendering it unusable. FWIW, the Fujinon 10x50 was always the last to dew up.
Do you suppose this is because of the lack of appropriate reccessing of the window inside the objective housing? It is rather skimpy on the Canons.
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Les
Canon 10x42L IS
Oberwerks BT80/45, Helix Hercules mount on Oberwerks Standard Tripod
Swift 8x44ED Ultralite
Questar 50th Anniversary Model, 501 head on Manfrotto 475 tripod
Stellarvue SV90T 90mm Fluorite refractor Bogen 3236/Televue Tele-Pod Head
Questar 7 Astro
Vixen GP-DX on Baader Surveyor Tripod
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Wes James
Post Laureate
Reged: 04/12/06
Posts: 3459
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Quote:
Do you suppose this is because of the lack of appropriate reccessing of the window inside the objective housing? It is rather skimpy on the Canons.
Probably...
Wes
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Wes James
Post Laureate
Reged: 04/12/06
Posts: 3459
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I also have Hoya UV filters on my 3 lenses for my D90.
I would put them on anything I could. I'd rather replace a filter than have something scratched up that I can't easily fix.
Wes
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MrJim
member
Reged: 08/24/09
Posts: 55
Loc: Mansfield, Texas
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Thank you, edz!
I use Hoyas on my camera lenses, so that is what I had planned on using on the binoculars too. I would not want to introduce cheap glass to the optical train after paying for Canon's L optics. Thanks!
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Jim W.
CPC 1100
SV90TBV
PST
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Paul G
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 05/08/03
Posts: 2277
Loc: Freedonia
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I have Schneider B&W filters on mine.
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Gus
Tasco 4.5 Reflector EQ Telescope
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EdZ
Professor EdZ
Reged: 02/15/02
Posts: 14732
Loc: Cumberland, R I , USA42N71.4W
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Quote:
Quote:
Do you suppose this is because of the lack of appropriate reccessing of the window inside the objective housing? It is rather skimpy on the Canons.
Probably...
Wes
More likely due to the thin lens with a warmer dead space trapped on one side and a moist cold space exposed on the outside. The transfer across the thin lens causes condensation on the outside surface of the thin lens. SCT scopes are notorious for this. Refractors with their very thick objective lenses do not act the same. Binoculars with thick objective lenses act more like refractors.
edz
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Teach a kid something today. The feeling you'll get is one of life's greatest rewards.
member#21
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Wes James
Post Laureate
Reged: 04/12/06
Posts: 3459
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Great comment, Ed... never thought of it that way. Which is basically the way a dew shield works- by trapping air that is just a bit warmer than the outer air...
Wes
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GaryS
super member
Reged: 10/30/06
Posts: 191
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Quote:
Quote:
...the Canon 10x42 was always the first to dew up, rendering it unusable. FWIW, the Fujinon 10x50 was always the last to dew up.
Do you suppose this is because of the lack of appropriate reccessing of the window inside the objective housing? It is rather skimpy on the Canons.
I suppose you could always get a pair of those rubber, collapsible camera-lens hoods if dewing is a chronic problem. That won't prevent it, but it should slow it down.
Personally though, if it's dewy out, I just keep my binos under my jacket when I'm not using them.
Gary
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Sky & Telescope Contributing Editor
SkyNews Columnist & Blogger
www.GarySeronik.com
A place for stargazing enthusiasts.
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GlennLeDrew
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 06/18/08
Posts: 1296
Loc: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
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Quote:
Great comment, Ed... never thought of it that way. Which is basically the way a dew shield works- by trapping air that is just a bit warmer than the outer air...
Wes
Wes,
I've seen this reasoning in print before, and am astonished that this myth is still circulating. Warm air cannot remain 'trapped' in an upward facing tube because it will immediately chimney up and out convectively.
Dew caps work by limiting the area of cold night sky into which the optic can radiate its precious heat. A front end, thin protective window as found on the Canon IS bino can radiate practically into a 180 degree hemisphere. Add a dewcap of length that's about 1.5 times the aperture and you restrict the area of sky as 'seen' by the optic *very* considerably (a 30-45 degree wide swath of sky encloses much less area than does 180 degrees). This in turn reduces the rate of heat loss and retards the onset of dew formation.
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Home-made 11X50 right angle bino, 8.1 deg. FOV
Modified 26X100 bino, 3.5 deg. FOV
Home-made Mk II RA bino, using interchangeable objectives and eyepieces
My Gallery
Mediocre minds discuss people. Good minds discuss events. Great minds discuss ideas.
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Wes James
Post Laureate
Reged: 04/12/06
Posts: 3459
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O.K., Glen-
Thanks for setting me straight! I guess I never really analyzed it... I certainly never questioned it! One of the things I love best about C/N- is all I continually learn. Thanks!
Wes
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Les
professor emeritus
Reged: 04/22/06
Posts: 730
Loc: Maryland
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Quote:
Dew caps work by limiting the area of cold night sky into which the optic can radiate its precious heat.
Yes, dewing is due (sic) to a radiative process not conduction (unless you view in the tropics and take your binos out of an air conditioned house). I suspect the small mass of the thin Canon window also contributes to the quick dissipation of heat that gets the surface temp below the dewpoint. Now if we just would keep those optics pointed at the ground we could solve this problem, but then we wouldn't see too many stars that way.
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Les
Canon 10x42L IS
Oberwerks BT80/45, Helix Hercules mount on Oberwerks Standard Tripod
Swift 8x44ED Ultralite
Questar 50th Anniversary Model, 501 head on Manfrotto 475 tripod
Stellarvue SV90T 90mm Fluorite refractor Bogen 3236/Televue Tele-Pod Head
Questar 7 Astro
Vixen GP-DX on Baader Surveyor Tripod
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DJB
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 02/23/05
Posts: 1590
Loc: Lisle NY
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Hi all,
I am from the old camp, and I always protected my expensive camera lenses with a UV or 1A filter, usually a HOYA brand.
Many in the camera field DO NOT want anything over their precious camera "objective." I do not agree, however.
Although, on two occasions, a filter has saved my butt. This is only my personal advice.
Best regards,
Dave.
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EdZ
Professor EdZ
Reged: 02/15/02
Posts: 14732
Loc: Cumberland, R I , USA42N71.4W
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Quote:
Quote:
Dew caps work by limiting the area of cold night sky into which the optic can radiate its precious heat.
I suspect the small mass of the thin Canon window also contributes to the quick dissipation of heat that gets the surface temp below the dewpoint.
That's the main point. heat transfer across a thin lens mass means the outer surface of the thin lens gets warmer quicker then the outer surface of a thick lens.
FWIW, I would find taking the binoculars off target to stick them under my coat impractical. To many times during the night, I either move to another instrument, to either compare views or compare instruments, reference a chart, write down some notes, etc. Taking the binocular off the target would then mean the need to re-acquire the target would become a repetative activity of the night. Somtimes it takes 5 to 10 minutes just to acquire the target, not something I'd want to keep repeating.
I suppose sticking them under your coat is reasonable if you are using the binoculars as a finder scope. I've done that with other binocs when I was at my scope and wanted to keep the binocs close at hand. But then, in those cases, I'm not binocular viewing.
edz
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Teach a kid something today. The feeling you'll get is one of life's greatest rewards.
member#21
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NoiseJammer
super member
Reged: 09/16/07
Posts: 185
Loc: Gone walkabout
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I've tried a pair of lens hoods on my 10x42 IS binos - I found that there wasn't really enough thread available to allow them to screw securely onto the enternal thread. Otoh, I do think that a pair of sacrificial filters are an excellent idea! Many years ago, one saved my butt on an expensive zoom lens.
Clearest
Bruce, Toronto
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178 square inches of mostly shiny glass, one biph
... and way, way too much light polution.
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GaryS
super member
Reged: 10/30/06
Posts: 191
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Quote:
FWIW, I would find taking the binoculars off target to stick them under my coat impractical. To many times during the night, I either move to another instrument, to either compare views or compare instruments, reference a chart, write down some notes, etc. Taking the binocular off the target would then mean the need to re-acquire the target would become a repetative activity of the night. Somtimes it takes 5 to 10 minutes just to acquire the target, not something I'd want to keep repeating.
edz
Yes, clearly tucking them under your coat isn't practical if the binos are mounted -- I was making that suggestion in the context of image-stabilized binos, which you take off target every time you stop looking to consult a chart or make notes.
As an aside, I find that once I know my route to a given target, reacquiring it takes only a moment after the first time. Of course, everyone will have a different take on whether or not this is going to soak up too much time in an observing session, but it certainly can add up. That's one of the advantages of mounted binoculars. Of course, if your binos dew up, it's going to take time to get the lenses clear again, so something's got to give. As I said, for my part, I find the best strategy is to avoid the dew in the first place -- and that's where the under-the-coat trick works well as a preventative measure.
The bottom line in all this is if you have dewy conditions, don't just leave your binoculars lying around in the open! If tucking them under your coat isn't practical, take a towel out with you and throw that over the binos when they're not in use (mounted or not). That'll at least help a bit.
Gary
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Sky & Telescope Contributing Editor
SkyNews Columnist & Blogger
www.GarySeronik.com
A place for stargazing enthusiasts.
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EdZ
Professor EdZ
Reged: 02/15/02
Posts: 14732
Loc: Cumberland, R I , USA42N71.4W
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Quote:
If tucking them under your coat isn't practical, take a towel out with you and throw that over the binos when they're not in use (mounted or not). That'll at least help a bit.
that's a trick I use often.
edz
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Teach a kid something today. The feeling you'll get is one of life's greatest rewards.
member#21
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