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Anonymous
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I happened to be downtown so I stopped by a major camera store to try out some binocs. After trying various Nikons, Vixens and a few others, it was obvious which gave the best view - the Canon image stabilized binocs! It seemed clear to me that even with small lightweight 8x and 10x binocs, the limiting factor in image quality is vibration, not optics.
I came home with the 10x30 IS and I just had a quick look at M45 and the moon. Just incredible. I don't think of the little button as the stabilizer's ON switch anymore - it's the OFF switch for hand shake. When I hit the button, it seems like I can see at least one magnitude fainter stars. (That's just an impression, not a quantified test result.) It truly is one of the "how the *$@! did I get by without one?" products.
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wilash
Fairy Godmother
Reged: 09/30/03
Posts: 5746
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So Ken, tell me again, what was your equipment budget? 
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craig_oz_land
sage
Reged: 01/21/04
Posts: 343
Loc: Sydney, Australia
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Ken,
Glad you are happy with the Canons.
They have very good colour correction, flat fields and the advantages of the stabilisation are without saying.
Personally I found the larger models not to have much snap to the image. I have heard the smaller models are better in that regard.
I too agree with the increase in resolution when the image is still. Even my 7x50s benefit greatly from a monopod over handheld. The increase in detail is quite noticeable. However the downside is a lot more equipment compared to the IS models.
If I had plent of money I would have one of everything. Just remembered i didn't buy my Lotto ticket tonight 
Regards, Craig.
--------------------
Takahashi FS-102
Fujinon FMT-SX2 7x50
Takahashi Astronomer 22x60
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Anonymous
Unregistered
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Quote:
So Ken, tell me again, what was your equipment budget?
If you must know, my budget is whatever I can get on Yahoo Auctions by selling equipment from other hobbies. I'll be selling one of my bikes or perhaps one of my antique press cameras (I have two Speed Graphics and a Crown Graphic) to pay for the credit card bill. Also my complete lack of a social life in the past year has been very good for my finances...
Edited by Ken_K (03/08/04 08:01 AM)
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Anonymous
Unregistered
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Image stability definitely plays a big part. It is not as if an additional magnitude of stars appears with the IS on, it is that you can notice them now. I have experienced this with my Vistas when they are on and off the tripod. Enjoy your vibration-less viewing!
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wilash
Fairy Godmother
Reged: 09/30/03
Posts: 5746
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Quote:
Quote:
So Ken, tell me again, what was your equipment budget?
If you must know, my budget is whatever I can get on Yahoo Auctions by selling equipment from other hobbies. I'll be selling one of my bikes or perhaps one of my antique press cameras (I have two Speed Graphics and a Crown Graphic) to pay for the credit card bill. Also my complete lack of a social life in the past year has been very good for my finances...
You are a credit and inspiration to the amateur astronomy community. And you answer clealy shows you don't have a problem, just an addiction. Of course, when you sell your parents car on ebay without them knowing about it to support this hobby, THEN you have a problem.
I sometimes sell a few things on Yahoo Auction. My wife usually takes care of the shipping because I'm at work. I sometimes joke that when she sells a piece of equipment she should tell the buyer that it is her husband's stuff, but don't contact her directly because he doesn't know she is selling it - Honey, have you seen my 40mm XW Pentax eyepiece? But that may make a lot of Japanese businessmen a little nervious every time they see their wife with a new piece of jewlery. As well as give a lot of Japanese housewives some ideas.
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Garfield
sage
Reged: 02/02/04
Posts: 210
Loc: South-Western ON Canada
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Welcome to the IS club, Ken! I love my Canon 10x30's as well - in fact if I could only have ONE pair of binos, the 10x30's would be it! They are my most used binos by far.
Gary
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AT66ED
Pentax Papilio 6.5x21 ●
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