Canon binoculars figure - Canon's 18x50 IS binoculars incorporate an optical image stabilizer for sway-free viewing and minimal eye weariness. This technology was first formulated for Canon video camcorders and is now present in many of Canon's binoculars. The system uses a Vari-Angle Prism, independent vertical and horizontal detectors, double transparent plates, and a dedicated microprocessor to continuously correct the prism to maintain a steady image.



The 18x50 IS binoculars feature a shock resistant, water resistant rubber coating for a nonslip grip, improved durability, secure handling, and for protection against rain & splashing water. You don't have to worry about the optics clouding up if you get caught in the rain and still need to view. These binoculars render high magnification and wide-field viewing. Controls for focusing and image stabilization are centrally placed and accessible by both hands. These binoculars provide long eye relief for added comfort and allows the use of eyeglasses without vignetting of the image.

What is an Image Stabilizer?

The more powerful the binoculars, the more shakings are magnified. As an effect, even a slight sway of your hands will shake the image in the binoculars a lot. Commonly, we can endure this image shake with binoculars up to 7x magnification. The image shake would quickly get intolerable With higher-magnification binoculars.

However, with Canon's Image Stabilizer switched on, the image shake becomes tolerable even at magnifications of 15x and 18x. Such high magnifications were previously unthinkable in a pair of binoculars without the use of a stand. The Image Stabilizer stabilizes the image outright and brings out the first-rate optical performance of the lenses.

Image Stabilization and More

Canon's IS technology is remarkably effective at eliminating the sway problem and is widely employed by the television industry with Canon's professional broadcast quality video recording equipment. A particular VAP (Vari-Angle Prism) corrective IS system sits within the objective lens group and the porro prism on each side of the binoculars. Within thousandths of a second of the binoculars being moved from their optical axis by vibrations, a detection system sets off the IS mechanism. The VAP shape modifies to refract or 'bend' the light path by precisely the right amount, thus fully compensating for the vibration.

Super Spectra Coating

Numerous optical elements affect the brightness of an image, including the sum of incidental light that is reflected by the lens. An uncoated lens will reflect away as much as 8% of the incidental light, significantly blurring the image. Canon's Super Spectra Coating prevents that reflection.

What do the numbers mean?

8x25? 15x50? The two numbers used to distinguish any pair of binoculars are their magnification ? 8x, 12x, 15x and so on ? and the diameter of their objective lenses ? 25mm, 36mm, 50mm, and so on. The bigger the first number is, the bigger the object will appear in the objective lens. For instance, if you use a 10x lens and look at an object that is 150 yards away, it appears to be the same size as an object placed just 10 yards away. The second number, the size of the objective lens, is important because the bigger the objective lens, the more light it can allow for more brillaint, more detailed images, and the better fitted they will be for low light situations.