In this up-and-coming review I’ll be offering my thoughts on the Canon 10 x 30 IS II and 12 x 36 IS III image stabilised binoculars.

Tune in soon for full details…….

De Fideli.

The Canon IS 8 x 20 package.

A Worked Commenced January 21 2022

Product: Canon IS 8 x 20

Country of Manufacture: Taiwan

Field of View: 115m@1000m (6.6 angular degrees)

Exit Pupil: 2.5mm

Eye Relief: 13.5mm

Coatings: Fully Broadband Multi-Coated, Super Spectra Coating

Dioptre Compensation: +/- 5.9 

Water Proof: No

Nitrogen Purged: No

ED Glass: No

Close Focus: 2m advertised( 2.02 m measured)

Dimensions: W/H 11.8/14.2cm

Weight: 420g(without battery)

Supplied Accessories: Soft carry case, padded neck strap, instruction manual, 1x CR123A lithium battery, eyepiece covers, warranty card.

Price(UK): £425.70

In a recent blog, I outlined my experiences of an older model Canon IS 10 x 30. I was impressed by the image stabilisation technology on that unit and described its optical quality as very good but not outstanding. These tests got me curious about two smaller models recently introduced by the giant Japanese camera manufacturer; a 8 x 20 IS and 10 x 20 IS, which promised even better ergonomics than the older generation 8 x 25 IS and 10 x 30 IS models. So I decided to buy and test the smaller 8 x 20 IS, the subject of this new review.

First Impressions

The Canon 8 x 20 IS arrived neatly boxed away inside its soft carry case, together with a comprehensive user manual, lithium ion battery, and warranty card. Weighing in at 420g without the battery, the binocular has a tough, grey coloured plastic chassis which I immediately found much easier to handle than the larger 10 x 30 IS, which tips the scales at 660g in comparison.

Like the older generation models, the new Canon 8 x 20 IS has soft rubber eye cups that can be folded down for use with spectacles. Turning next to the objectives, I was quite surprised but very happy to see that the 20mm objectives on the Canon were very deeply recessed; far more deeply in fact than any other binocular I’ve thus far encountered. Doubtless, this helps quite a lot in keeping stray light, dust and rain at bay; a good thing surely, as these units are not waterproof.

The small, 20mm objectives on the Canon IS 8 x 20 are very deeply recessed to protect them from the elements and stray light.

The focus wheel on the Canon IS 8 x 20 appears to be made of metal. It has very good grip and is large enough to access and manoeuvre even while wearing thick winter gloves. The dioptre compensation is achieved in the traditional way, by rotating the base of the right eye cup until you achieve your desired setting.

The single CR123A lithium ion battery is easily installed in a pull-out compartment located under the focus wheel. The image stabilisation is achieved by pressing a small button offset onto the right barrel of the binocular, causing a small green LED to light up while it is being activated. The instruction manual states that the battery has a lifetime of about 12 hours at room temperature but is reduced to just 8 hours at -10C. During my tests I never encountered any problems using the image stabilisation function, which involved a few hours of testing at temperatures ranging from +20C to -2C.

The objective lenses on both the ocular and objectives have very nice and evenly applied anti-reflection coatings. The objective coatings have a pale, greenish tint while those on the eyepieces appeared magenta in daylight.

Note the magenta coloured anti-reflection coatings on the ocular lenses. One can also see the rectangular shaped battery compartment on the instrument immediately under the focus wheel.

Ergonomics

In comparison with my experiences with the older generation Canon IS 10 x 30, the smaller 8 x 20 model was much easier to use in my medium sized hands. For example, it was considerably easier to hold it with two hands, and accessing the off centre stabilisation button did not present any problems.

The large, centrally placed focus wheel turns very smoothly, with excellent inertia and with no play while rotating clockwise or anti-clockwise.

The textured, metal focus wheel on the Canon IS 8 x 20 rotates smoothly with no backlash, stiction or free play.

The rather old-school, flexi-rubber eyecups proved reasonably comfortable when they were pressed against my eyes. When I folded them down to test the eye relief for spectacle wearers however, I found it difficult to image the entire field of view using my varifocals. I think this an area that Canon can improve on in the future.

The old school soft rubber eyecups fold down for use with eye glasses.

Playing around with the Canon IS 8 x 20  in my hands, and comparing it to a conventional 8 x 20 pocket binocular, I felt the latter was much easier to achieve a stable, comfortable grip with. So, while the newer 8 x 20 IS units are a big improvement  over say a larger 10 x 30 IS, they are still nowhere near the comfort levels I experience using a conventional, dual-hinge 8 x 20 glass.

The Leica Ultravid BR 8 x 20 (left) is much easier to handle than the Canon IS 8 x 20(right).

Optical Assessment

I was quite impressed with the optical quality of the older generation Canon IS 10 x 30 but my tests on the newer IS 8 x 20 showed it to be a good deal better again. Conducting a bright light torch test showed no annoying  internal reflections, diffraction spikes or diffused light. Indeed, it was a good step up from the results I achieved with the older, Canon IS 10 x 30 in this regard. No doubt, this is largely attributed to the improved ‘Super Spectra’ coatings applied to its optical elements.

Looking through the Canon IS 8 x 20 during dull, overcast winter weather, I was  immediately impressed with the excellent sharpness, contrast and brightness of the image from edge to centre. Like the older models, these smaller Canon IS binoculars have built-in field flattening lenses which reduces field curvature and other off axis aberrations when viewing a target away from the centre of the field.

Indeed, in low light tests I conducted alongside my excellent Leica 8 x 20 BR Ultravid, I judged the Canon IS 8x 20 be equally bright, but just falling short of the sharpness of the Leica. Glare suppression however, was noticeably better in the Canon though. This is probably attributed to the very deeply recessed objective lenses on the Canon IS binocular in contrast to the Leica, the objectives of which are not at all recessed( maximising its compactness) and so are at the mercy of intrusions of stray light.

One aspect of the view was less engaging with the Canon IS 8 x 20 over the hand-held Leica Ultravid 8 x 20 though. Despite having a slightly larger field of view(6.6 vs 6.5 angular degrees), I felt the field was significantly more immersive in the Leica compared with the Canon 8 x 20. It almost felt as if I were watching a scene on a movie screen in the latter compared with the feeling of being much more ‘in the image’ using the Leica.

Chromatic aberration was an absolute non-issue in the Canon IS 8 x 20, unlike the larger and older Canon IS 10 x 30. Indeed, it was fully the equal of the Leica Ultravid 8x 20, with only the extreme edges of the field showing up the merest traces of secondary spectrum whilst glassing high contrast daylight targets.

Close focus was found to be very good in the Canon IS 8x 20 too. I measured it at just over 2 metres, in accordance with the stated numbers issued by Canon. Still, the Leica Ultravid 8 x 20 BR was noticeably better at 1.8 metres.

Depth of focus proved excellent in the Canon IS 8 x 20. Indeed, it was even a shade better than my Leica 8 x 20 Ultravid BR. This was largely to be expected, as the Porro prism design of the Canon has long been known to create better depth perception in comparison to their roof prism counterparts.

All in all, I judged the Canon IS 8 x 20 to have excellent optics, as good or better in many respects to the best roof prism instruments models available today.

Engaging the IS Technology

The real magic of these binoculars takes place when you press the image stabilisation button. Like the larger 10 x 30 IS I tested some weeks back, the smaller Canon 8 x 20 IS works brilliantly. Aim at your target, focus as sharply as you can and press the IS button. You can immediately see finer detail that is quite invisible in the non-stabilised views. The stabilisation function works in two modes: sporadic and continuous. Most of the time, I used the button to stabilise the image for a few seconds before dis-engaging. But the IS function can also be used continuously for up to five minutes. I got on less well with the latter mode, as I felt a bit queasy moving the binocular from one target to the other, and watching the images ‘swim’ into  stabilised mode.

In another test, I compared the stabilised views on the Canon 8 x 20 IS to a tripod- mounted Leica Utravid 8 x 20. Carefully going back and forth between the instruments, I discerned slightly more details in the tripod-stabilised Leica than the Canon 8 x 20 IS. This is in keeping with my results with the older generation 10 x 30 IS. The tripod-stabilised view offers a little more in the way of resolution at the cost of losing portability.

In yet another test, I aimed the Canon IS 8 x 20 on the Pleaides star cluster high in the winter sky, comparing the non-stabilised view with the images served up when the IS function was engaged. The results were quite dramatic; many fainter stars popped into view when the IS button was engaged. Very impressive!

Concluding Thoughts and Recommendations

The Canon 8 x 20 IS serves up very impressive views, even when the image stabilisation function is dis-engaged. These newer models have noticeably improved optics over their older counterparts, especially in terms of brightness and contrast, and in the control of stray light. Indeed, optically, they are very close to the quality served up by the world’s best pocket binoculars. Having said that, while I fully acknowledge that the smaller weight of these new Canon IS binoculars is a big step in the right direction in terms of ergonomic handling, they still fall quite a bit short in terms of how good they feel in my hands compared with my little Leica Ultravid. Indeed, I think the engineers at Canon could make some significant improvements in the shape of the chassis to allow a better grip in the hand. What’s more, their lack of waterproofing will put others off, especially if they intend using them for long periods in the field where the weather can change without warning.

So, all in all, a terrific product, but still some room for improvement.

Thanks for reading.

De Fideli.

The Canon IS 10 x 30.

A Work Commenced December 29 2021

I’m fortunate enough to live in a small, rural village, where I can get to know many of my neighbours and learn of their interests. For example, just a stone’s throw away from my home lives a young man who works for the RSPB, and who routinely employs binoculars and a high-end spotting scope. Further up the village, I know a keen deer hunter who’s allowed me to test drive his very impressive Swarovski EL Range 10 x 42 on a number of occasions. And not far from him lives a retired psychiatrist who enjoys using image stabilised binoculars. One day, when I was out for my long daily walk, I met up with him as he walked his dog, and asked if I could borrow one of his Canon IS binoculars for testing. He agreed, and offered me the choice of a 10 x 30 or a smaller 8 x 25. I chose the larger 10 x 30 model, as I wanted to test the image stabilising technology at the higher power of 10x. What follows is a brief review of how it performed, based on a few days of use.

Ergonomics & Handling 

The Canon IS 10 x 30 is an earlier model and is about 8 years old. It has now been replaced with the Canon IS II 10 x 30. I was quite taken aback by the size of this instrument. Weighing in at 660g(without its strap) it is very big and bulky. For a size comparison, the picture below shows it alongside my GPO Passion ED 10 x 32.

The Canon IS 10 x 30( left) alongside the GPO Passion ED 10 x 32 (right).

I found the handling of this binocular to be quite difficult and awkward. It was hard to find a comfortable position in my medium sized hands. The objective lenses are well recessed – a good thing as the unit is not waterproof or dustproof. They do have rather nice, dull greenish antireflection coatings applied which do not show much signs of degrading over the years.

The nicely recessed 30mm objectives on the Canon IS 10 x 30.

The ocular lenses also show nicely applied antireflection coatings but the eye cups are old-school soft rubber – you know the kind that fold down for use with eye glasses.

The ocular lenses also have good antireflection coatings applied but the eyecups are the old style soft, foldable rubber.

The focus wheel is on the small side and I found the turning to be very smooth but somewhat stiff. It takes a bit of getting used to compared with my 10 x 32 ED which is very fast and easy to turn in comparison. Moving from close to far away focus takes a wee while to get there, so maybe not ideal as a birding binocular.

The centrally located focus wheel is accurate, smooth but a bit on the stiff side.

The dioptre setting is conventional. Located under the right ocular; it is very stiff and hard to rotate – just what you want if you don’t have a built-in locking mechanism.

Optics

My first impressions of the Canon IS 10x 30’s optics were very good. The 6 degree field is very sharp, nearly all the way to the edge of the field, thanks to built-in field flattening lenses. Contrast is good, although I did detect some weak internal reflections when I pointed it at a bright waning gibbous Moon and some street lights at night. I experienced no blackouts with this model. The view is very comfortable and quite immersive, with a beautifully defined field stop. The eye relief proved perfect for my needs. Glare suppression is also good. By pressing the small button just ahead of the focus wheel, the gyroscopes are activated and the magic begins. The small shaking movements in your hands are cancelled out and even more details pop into view. It’s quite amazing!

I compared the views of the Canon IS 10 x 30 with my GPO Passion 10 x 32 ED in un-stabilised mode, which has the same size field(6 degrees). Going back and forth between the images for a few minutes revealed the latter to be the superior optic. Chromatic aberration could be clearly seen in the Canon on high contrast targets against a grey, overcast December sky. The GPO displayed virtually none in comparison. Furthermore, the GPO displayed noticeably better contrast and a significantly brighter image to boot.  That said, once the IS button was activated, the Canon showed more than the GPO, with very fine details jumping out of the image! The stabilised image clearly resolved finer details on all the targets I tried it on. I would say that the effect was immediately noticeable and dramatic. To verify that the increase in resolution was attributed to the stabilisation, I placed the GPO 10 x 32 on a tripod and compared the images; sure enough, I could see the same additional details- and a bit more besides –  on the same targets, only that they were brighter, better contrasted, and presenting with a little more colour ‘pop’.

Turning to the Pleaides star cluster well placed in the evening winter sky, I compared the non-stabilised view to the IS-activated view. Just pressing the button showed faint stars popping into view which were quite invisible in the non-stabilised image. Consulting some older literature on the effects of image stabilisation, I read that some observers report a gain as much as one stellar magnitude. I wasn’t able to confirm this but I don’t doubt the claim. Again, very impressive!. I would say that the stabilisation makes the small 10 x 30 optics behave more like a significantly larger un-stabilised instrument, like a 10 x 40 or some such.

Looking at a last quarter Moon also showed me more details than the 10 x 32 ED when the IS button on the Canon was engaged. I could resolve finer crater detail, although it did show up more chromatic aberration than the GPO control binocular.

Concluding Thoughts

So what did I think of the Canon IS 10 x 30?

In a word, Groovy!

Sure, it’s not got the best ergonomics and is big and bulky for its aperture, but there is no doubting the technology behind the instrument!  If you can live with its less than ideal handling and lack of weather proofing, you most certainly will be very impressed with it. The optics are very good but maybe not excellent  but when that stabilisation button is activated it leaves even top-rated 32mm models in the dust. Stabilised images just show you more details!

Overall, my experiences of the older Canon IS 10 x 30 was very favourable. Indeed, it has gotten me curious about two smaller models that were released by Canon just a couple of years ago; the Canon IS 8 x 20 and 10 x 20, both of which are significantly smaller and lighter than the 10 x 30. The small exit pupils on these sub 500g models are no deterrent for me either, as I’ve come to appreciate the coupling of good optics with the best part of the human eye. Stars should be beautiful pinpoints in these models!

So, there it is!

Thanks for reading!

De Fideli.