54 replies to this topic

[denis0007dl]

Lets see how these binoculars finally compare 😎

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[denis0007dl]

...pictures are bit too big to upload few of them at one post, so here it is fron side...

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Edited by denis0007dl, 26 May 2020 - 05:16 AM.

[denis0007dl]

...objectives...

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[denis0007dl]

...eyepieces from close...

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[denis0007dl]

...Swaro beautifull box...

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[denis0007dl]

...more...

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[denis0007dl]

...some of observed daytime interesting targets...+ some ships which comes across FOV often...

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[denis0007dl]

Ok, daytime testing is done!

 

First about binoculars built, feel and comfort:

 

Swaro sits in hands somewhat better, more naturally somewhat.

 

Built quality is great on both, but Canon feels just bit sticky becasue sticky rubber of body, whil in Swaro no that feel.

But after years, Canon sticky feel slowly dissapear....

 

Swaro have more usable eye releaf, when eyeguards on both are putted in max down position. I wish Canon have not so wide rubber eyeguards, and thats main reason Canons usable eye releaf is not so much accesibile, while for me its enough comfortable while I dont wear eyeglasses.

 

Now lets talk about optical comparation:

 

Test is done when binoculars are mounted here, and NO Image Stablisator is used on Canon!!!

 

What I see first, Canon field stop is much sharper than in Swaro. I mean, in Swaro seems sharp, untill you compare it vs Canon. Nothing bothersome for me, but difference is there.

 

Canon have definetly much flatter image, and in Swaro, image starts degrade/narrowing from approx 75% AFOV +/-, which is noticable if I scan fast left/right/up/down from center, and Canon shows superiority in that regard, with much flatter image.

What kind of optical "degradation" is it, didnt bother to revealing right words for it, while I am not expert in that regard.

 

Image quality is excellent on both.

 

Swaro shows somewhat brighter image vs Canon, but Canon show bit more magnification, so in any object I observed, Canon goes deeper, and more details are revealed on all observed objects with Canon.

Some times seems Swaro shows tiny bit more false colours when observing objects out of center of FOV, tiny bit more than Canon, but not bothersome at all, and dont know if its worth to mention at all, but it is there.

 

After approx 2.5 hours of constant observing, I could feel something strange: every time when I looked through Swaro, especially noticed when I observing longer, my eyes/brain like feel some semi pain, dont know how to explain, no matter if I observe only via 1 eye, or both, and both binoculars are collimated perfectly!

 

Then I go back with my memmories, what I had experienced before, with all roof type binoculars in past: its seems my eyes get bit sensitive to unnatural, complex, roof prism design, and each time when I get back to Canon, that feel/semi pain/strain, completly dissapear, and I really, actually, CAN FEEL that difference!

 

Its somewhat what I actually could compare with very slight eye strain when I observe via not well commimated binocular with both eyes, but as I already sayed, I can feel almost same strange thing, when I observe with one eye only as well on Swaro, so my eyes definetly feels something there, which is not easy to explain.

 

If I dont have Canon in comparation head by head, I would think its normal thing....but I remember well I felt same in past when I had many other roof binoculars and comparing them vs "normal" porro binoculars.

 

At end, I decided also take binoculars in hands and see difference: yeah, once I turn ON IS on Canon, views are much more satisfying, with much more details revealed/seen on Canon.....as expected for me.

 

I now wait street night lights, to see if Swaro will show for me annoying spikes, like I expecting, and experienced with older Swaro 15x, and all other roof type binoculars, which I had years before.....

 

Night test later if weather will permit....

Edited by denis0007dl, 26 May 2020 - 07:52 AM.

[DeanD]

Thanks Denis! looking forward to the night test.

[denis0007dl]

✌️
I expect Swaro to show few stars more...

[Grimnir]

... Canon feels just bit sticky becasue sticky rubber of body, whil in Swaro no that feel.

But after years, Canon sticky feel slowly dissapear....

 

 

Not on my Canon 10x30 IS it hasn't! The rubber coating has dissolved into a sticky hand-staining gunge over the years rendering the bino unusable without surgical gloves.

 

Graham

Edited by Grimnir, 26 May 2020 - 09:30 AM.

[KennyJ]

Thanks for the write up, Denis.

 

I was wondering if you ( or any others users, of which there seem to be many here ) find, like I've done with several Canon IS models, that the image with the stabilisation feature ON does not appear quite as "tack sharp" as it does when switched off?

 

Kenny

[denis0007dl]

Not on my Canon 10x30 IS it hasn't! The rubber coating has dissolved into a sticky hand-staining gunge over the years rendering the bino unusable without surgical gloves.

 

Graham

I know there are older and newer versions, when we talk about 15x50 and 18x50.

Older ones have black rubber, latest greenish.

Mine greenish doesnt seemd problematic at all, and as I sayed, seems like its better now than when I bought it, less sticky.

[denis0007dl]

Thanks for the write up, Denis.

 

I was wondering if you ( or any others users, of which there seem to be many here ) find, like I've done with several Canon IS models, that the image with the stabilisation feature ON does not appear quite as "tack sharp" as it does when switched off?

 

Kenny

Thats correct, but do trick: turn on, and off IS few times, and then its get better pict quallity.

 

All in all, with IS ON, I see MUCH more than when its OFF.

[PEterW]

My 12x are >15 yrs or so, begin to be bit tacky, so out with the baby powder and Armorall, seems to have put the problem on hold though the bins now look a bit “ghostly”. Lovely views of the moon last night though I though they’d died when the stars started to shake randomly. Changes the lithium batteries and normal service resumed. Given new lithium AA have a >2037 date on and the one I pulled out had a 2020 date, who know how long they’d been running for.
Peter

[Caliban_42]

Dennis, as a new person here and of course under lockdown in the UK, I’d like to say thank you very much for your detailed review. Looking forward to the next part of the review.

 

Best regards 

Ivor

[denis0007dl]

You are welcome Ivor ☺️

[denis0007dl]

Excellent weather on my place, on beautifull Adriatic sea coast!

You can see Moon up ☺️

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[denis0007dl]

...one more look...

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[denis0007dl]

I telsted also optics interior by phone LED light, thats my PRO deformation I doing every time on every optics which passing through my hands LOL.

Swaro interior, just one side, looks like that, from different angles, while other side looks perfectly clean.

Of course you can not notice that with naked eye in daytime look.

 

All Canons I had, 10x42, 15x50 and 18x50 interior looks perfect on all sides!

 

To mention, all Canon above mentioned binoculars inside looks much more cleaner vs Swaro which have bit more dirt/poarticles of dust, but nothing bothersome, just my perfectionism

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[denis0007dl]

Ok, and finally nigh test report!

 

First observed target is Moon, all binoculars mounted.

 

Yeah, Canon definetly goes deeper, and more details, and easier all details I was able to see with it than with Swaro.

I notice Swaro shows more false colours when Moon comes more off center to edges.

On Swaro, Moon when shifting from center to edges, becomes smaller, and bit degraded, while its always same great in Canon, and its was immeadiately noticable.

 

Very bright stars on Saro, when comming to edges, shows false colours, and becomes comets.

Canon is much flatter and sharper to edges than Swaro, noticable more.

 

With Swaro, as I expected before, I could detect fainter stars tiny bit easier than in Canon.

But Canon shows MUCH more contrastier image, with much blacker background, and some double stars are easier to spot/separate/detect with Canon.

 

Whats unexpeted, I detected very noticable edge of field brightening in Swaro, especially after when I got back near street lights, while in Canon there is ZERO/NADA edge of field brightening detected.

 

One more huge advantage for Canon in my opinion.

 

Then I tried to play by handhelding Canon with IS ON, vs Swaro: yeah, it was very obvious, Canon is MUCH, MUCH better in stargazing when handholding, and thats what I want, I dont want bothering with taking my tripod with me with binocular, when going to some trip, short vacation, excursion etc.

 

As I sayed somewhere earlier in some other thread, if I want to observe using tripod, I will raher take some small telescope equipped with binoviewers, and changable eyepeices!

Edited by denis0007dl, 27 May 2020 - 05:28 AM.

[denis0007dl]

...and for end, lets put picture of something I was commented earlier: Swaro shows unnatural spikes aroung very brigt objects like here in example far light from marine for ships, and I can there see and feel some lines of complexity how all roof binocular prisms are made....

Thus, Swaro does show least amount of them of other roof binoculars I tried.

 

In live, spikes are not so much presented like on pict attached in post, but they are also not very far away from that.

 

For example, Canon dont show any of these for me annoying spikes, and here is one more huge advantage for Canon, for mine optic perfectionistic eyes, and mind.

 

Hope you enjoy reading extended review, equipped with lots of pictures, which I always include

 

Kind regards and all best

CS
Denis, binoviewers expert

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Edited by denis0007dl, 26 May 2020 - 04:02 PM.

[ArsMachina]

Thanks Denis!

 

I really love the Canon IS but I did not expect that it could hold up or be even superior to a mounted Swaro.

My feeling always was the Canon is good but not perfect

For some time I did also own the 10x42IS and the optical quality was noticeable better than the one of the 15x50, but I loved the bigger mag and aperture more, so I sold the 10x42 again

I really would like to see a modern upgrade with even better glass by canon to the two 50mm models ...

 

Jochen

[KennyJ]

Does anyone know if Canon have made any signficant optical improvements to these image stabilised binoculars since around 12 years ago?

 

All of my viewing experiences with the various models led me to be less impressed than our friend Denis so clearly is.

 

Kenny

[Caliban_42]

That is a very good question, I’m assuming R&D on binoculars runs on a completely different timescale than say smart phones, where updates and revisions happen every year due to market forces.

 

When I researched the Canon 18x50 IS I was shocked that this model has been discussed here on this forum going back at least five years.

 

On that model at lest there doesn’t appear to be an update. Optics is one thing due to the delicate manufacturing process involved but I would have the thought the IS technology would have advanced.

 

Maybe Canon needs a return on its investment before upgradeing?