Telescope Reviews: Canon 15X50 verses Canon 18X50

Well after looking at lots of posts about these two pairs of IS binoculars I was almost set to get the 18X50s. Then I started looking at the prices, and noticed there was about a $US200 difference.

I am still not sure which ones are best. Given that I already have a pair of Pentax 8.5X21 Papilios which are great for daytime birding and watching butterflys, and a pair of GO Signature 10.5X70 which are a really great pair of wide field night time binoculars it seems to me the 18X50s make more sense.

But I am still on the fence about this.

Any thoughts on how I should make this decision. I will be using these for the Messier Binoculars Certificate, to help with spotting for my bigger telescopes, quick grab and go stuff, and being carried in my car when I go birding and taking pix of birds and the 8.5X21 are too short.

After my last gaffe about thinking the 15X50 should be lighter than the 18X50, and having it pointed out that lower magnification requires a bigger EP than higher magnification it now almost seems like the $US200 price difference is hard to justify.

Another consideration is that I wear glasses. I have no problems with my current binoculars, but would like for some one to weigh in about eye relief of the 15X50 compared to the 18X50. The specs I am finding list them both at 15mm, which may be right, but I always thought higher magnification resulted in less eye relief.

Thanks in advance

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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