A Work Commenced October 25 2026.

Product: Artesky 15 x 42 ED IS

Country of Origin: China

Chassis: Magnesium alloy with rubber armouring

Exit pupil: 2.8mm

Eye Relief: 13mm

IPD Range: 57-76mm

Correction Angle: +/-3 degrees

Field of View: 75m@1000m(4.3 angular degrees)

Power Source: 2x AAA batteries(user supplied)

ED Glass: Yes, FK-61

Waterproof: Yes IPX-7 specification

Fogproof: Yes

Weight(without batteries): 790g

Operating Temperature Range: -20C to +55C

Accessories: Rain guard, objective lens covers, neck strap, lens cleaning cloth, soft carrying pouch, user manual.

Price(UK): £599.00

The low-cost, high performance binocular revolution continues apace, with new models made in the far East  now competing favourably with established European brands. This not only applies to traditional binoculars but also to the image stabilised binocular market. Here I showcase a remarkable new model from Artesky featuring highly portable 15 x42 ED optics in a fully waterproof chassis and retailing for well under £1000. 

Artesky is an Italian company founded back in 2014 by Stefano Seveso and based in the northern Italian town of Brenna, Lombardy, where it specialises in selling high-end astronomical equipment for amateur astronomers and astrophotographers across Europe and beyond. Stefano’s son, Luca, reached out and invited me to conduct a review of their Artesky 15 x 42 ED image stabilised binocular. After perusing its specifications, I wholeheartedly accepted the invitation.

First Impressions

The unit arrived well packaged. The instrument was found inside a nicely padded Cordura soft case. It’s a convenient size, having the weight of a typical 8 x 42 binocular. The Artesky 15 x 42 ED IS has a magnesium alloy chassis overlaid by a grippy rubber armouring that affords great protection from the elements. This type of armouring is far superior to the rather smooth and slick sand brown substrate found on the Sig Sauer Zulu HDX series, for example.
On the underside of the binocular you’ll find the battery compartment.Unlike the flimsy covers seen on the Canon and Nikon stabilised binoculars, the Artesky protects its battery compartment using a sealed cover that screws in by hand and which maintains its IPX-7 rating.  

The focus wheel sits in the middle of the bridge. It operates very smoothly and precisely with no free play, taking two full turns anticlockwise to go from closest focus to just beyond infinity.

The eyecups on the Artesky 15 x 42 ED IS are very nice indeed: comfortable to press your eyes against and are readily adjusted for eye relief. They twist up and hold their positions very rigidly. Eye relief for the bespectacled among us is tight however: I was not able to access the entire field with my (non-progressive)glasses on. 

To activate the IS mode, you turn the lever to the ‘on’ position. Conveniently, a green light between the eyepieces lets you know that electronic stabilisation is active.  

Tipping the scales at just over 800g with two AAA batteries installed, the Artesky is light enough to carry round your neck for long periods of time. It feels great in the hands: indeed, it has far nicer ergonomics than any of the Canon IS binoculars I’ve tested in the past! Sure it takes a little practice to position your fingers right but after a few minutes you’re off to the races. 

Impressive Handling in Adverse Conditions
Because waterproofing will prove to be an important reason why many outdoor enthusiasts will buy this product, I spent a lot of time testing its performance in rainy, even stormy conditions.

As it happened, not one, but two Atlantic storms graced our shores over the weekend of October 23-25, providing ideal conditions to test its mettle. Well, I can report that the Artesky 15 x42 ED IS performed handsomely! Exposing the instrument to a few hours of driving rain and high winds failed to show any issues with the optics or the stabilisation. I’m confident this instrument will not let you down in the field.

The objective lenses of the Artesky 15 x 42 ED IS are deeply recessed, helping it with stray light and offering some protection from the elements. The lenses have a lovely deep purple bloom in daylight. Indeed the brightness of the images garnered by the instrument convince me that all the lenses are indeed fully multicoated.

Optics

The Artesky 15 x42ED IS scored high marks in my tests, carried out under a variety of lighting conditions, from dull overcast days, bright sunny afternoons and, as disclosed earlier, in windy and wet conditions. The first pleasant surprise I got was when I directed a bright light through the instrument. Only a few very subdued internal reflections were observed, as well as a weak vertical diffraction spike betraying the roof prism design of the instrument. I would rate this result as excellent. Indeed the diffraction spike I recorded was noticeably less intense than in a Leica Noctivid 10 x 25 tested alongside it! (horizontal in comparison).

The view is very good; sharp, high contrast, and accurate colour rendition. The field stops are hard and beautifully defined, with no sense that you are being hemmed in. The viewing angle is quite wide actually. Indeed with a 65 degree apparent field of view, the Artesky produces the largest true field(4.3 degrees) of any of its competitors in the 14-16x magnification class. I would say the quality of the optics is similar to a good mid-tier instrument.
Chromatic aberration is also very well controlled. The objective contains an FK61 extra low dispersion glass(equivalent to Ohara S-FPL51) element that effectively reduces fringing to a minimum. Aiming the instrument at bare tree branches against a bright overcast sky only showed a trace of chromatic aberration in the outer 20 per cent of the field. That’s par for the course for a good ED binocular.

Off axis aberrations are also very well controlled in the Artesky 15 x 42 ED IS. Pincushion distortion is quite mild and only evident in the extreme outer field of view. Field curvature was also very subdued. Indeed, I felt the edge-of-field curvature was only very slight and my eyes were able to accommodate it. These daylight tests were also corroborated examining star fields at night. Placing the bright star, Capella, in the centre of the field and panning it all the way to the field stops showed a substantially flat field with only a trace of field curvature and astigmatism distorting the star slightly at the edge of the field.  This will make a very nice stargazing bino! More on that later!

The only minor issue I encountered with the Artesky 15 x 42 ED IS was some veiling glare when aimed near a low sun. That said, it wasn’t at all bad compared to some others I’ve tested in the past. All in all, the Artesky delivers all the optical quality you’re likely to need at 15x, especially when that magical stabilisation kicks in.

Stabilisation

The Artesky utilises a gyroscope with magnetic sensors to sense both horizontal and vertical jitters. These signals are then relayed to a pair of prisms that alter their tilt to compensate for jitter induced blurring of the image. This is a different stabilisation mechanism to that used by Canon image stabilised binoculars that employ a vari- angle prism. The biggest difference readily observed is a sharp, steady image without the annoying periodic ‘soft focusing’ encountered in the Canon instruments. Another notable difference between these stabilisation modes is the significantly larger correction angles achievable. In the case of the Artesky it is +\-3.0 degrees compared to the much smaller +\- 0.7-1.0 degrees typically used in Canon image stabilised binoculars.  In addition, the stabilisation adopted in the Artesky 15 x 42 ED IS is less demanding on battery power so that it remains functional for significantly longer periods of time. 
I elected to use two AAA Lithium ion batteries to power the Artesky 15 x 42 ED IS, as these perform better than regular alkaline batteries, especially in colder temperatures.

After spending several weeks using the Artesky 15 x 42 ED IS, I can report the stabilisation works extremely well. It is immediate and stunningly increases the amount of detail seen. I experimented with various modes of engaging the stabilisation. Perhaps the most natural way to use it is to leave it on during the entire duration of a walk. This works well bringing the binocular up to your eyes, focusing and then resting the instrument on your chest. Another strategy is to bring the instrument to your eyes, do a rough focus and then engage the stabilisation. This usually requires a small tweak in focus once the stabilisation kicks in but works equally well.

Most of the time the stabilisation on the Artesky 15 x 42 ED IS is instantaneous but occasionally the image will oscillate up and down when the stabilisation lever is activated. This is easily remedied by shutting it off and on a second time. 

The stabilisation is noticeably better on this unit than in a Canon IS 18 x 50 UD I tested, especially while standing upright and still. The pair of rechargeable lithium ion batteries held up during the entire testing period covering several weeks. Still, it’s always good advice to have a spare set handy should they begin to fail. 

Notes from the Field

To be Continued………

De Fideli.

A Work Commenced September 3 2026.

What could possibly be sweeter? A small, lightweight binocular, built by a leading global optics firm with built-in image stabilisation and a high magnification to boot? Well, as I was to discover, the Nikon Stabilized 10 x 25 proved far more frustrating than thrilling. To see why read on.

The Nikon Stabilized 10 and 12 x 25 promised a lot when they were first introduced back in the autumn of 2024. But as I considered a unit for review I was surprised by how little interest they garnered from the community. The reviews were all over the place. So, it was with some degree of trepidation that I bought in a 10 x 25 unit for testing. 

As usual with Nikon,  the binocular is everything! No fancy box, a cheap plastic eye guard and no covers whatsoever for the small objectives. A soft pouch was all there was between me and my binocular. OK, but Nikon usually deliver despite the plain jane presentation, right?

Wrong.

Yeah it’s cute: a tiny foldable binocular that has none of the weird bulkiness that attends pretty much all the other image stabilised brands. It actually looks like a regular 10 x 25- only very slightly larger. What betrays its outwardly appearance is the weight: 405g, which is significantly heavier than a regular 10 x 25 because of the additional electrickery packed up inside the chassis. 

It comes with a couple of 1.5V AA batteries that are inserted on the under side of the bridge. The plate that holds the batteries in place is of very poor quality: made of cheap flimsy plastic that is just capable of keeping them in place: at least for a while. 

The focus wheel is quite nice: a bit slow to turn but precise and without free play. The eyecups twist up but I consider them only of average quality. The black rubber armouring is grippy enough to hold the instrument steadily in hand.

The dioptre compensation is the traditional kind: located under the right eyepiece. It does its job adequately. But it was only when I had a look at the objective lenses that I became mildly alarmed:

Reflection upon reflection upon reflection……

Nikon state that they used a multilayer coating on the lenses. Yet, you can clearly see multiple reflections – something you only see on budget binoculars,not one that retails for about £500!

I then had a look at the exit pupils. The reader will note a truncated pupil in the left eyepiece and light leaks in the immediate vicinity of both pupils. Pointing the binocular at a bright light showed a prominent diffraction spike and a couple of strong internal reflections. All these concerns were realised when I looked through the binocular on a bright sunny day.  These are glare monsters!

Stabilisation is achieved by pressing a button located on  the front of the bridge. It works well: maybe even better than the Canon IS binoculars I’ve tested in the past. But with such poor optics, the stabilisation is far less enjoyable. 

I can’t recommend the Nikon Stabilized in good conscience. In this day and age, when you can enjoy excellent optics at very modest prices, Nikon has clearly put all their efforts into the stabilisation without giving much of a thought to the substandard optics built around it.

Nikon can do a helluva lot better than this!

Neil English is author of Choosing & Using Binoculars

De Fideli.

A Work Commenced September 25 2025

Over the last several years I’ve gained valuable experience with several Canon Image Stabilised(IS) binoculars, including the 8 x 20, 10 x 30 IS II and 12 x 36 IS III. In this review I’ll be test driving Canon’s largest and most powerful IS binocular: the 18 x 50 UD. 

Purchased second-hand from a reputable Japanese retailer, my unit was manufactured in Japan, whereas the newer models are now being produced in Taiwan. 

The Canon IS 18 x 50 is one hefty piece of kit, tipping the scales at 1180g. Lacking any central hinge, the inter pupillary distance is adjusted simply by rotating the eyepieces. The armouring is in good condition but is not as grippy as I would have liked. Indeed holding it properly is probably the biggest downside to using it and is definitely an acquired skill. 

The large 50mm objectives( 4 element)include an ultra-low dispersion(UD) element to minimise colour fringing. The objective lenses are mounting behind an optically flat window so are well protected from the elements. Indeed the binocular is classed as weather resistant(JIS level 4) so can be used even in rainy conditions. 

Focus is achieved by moving the objectives back and forth along the optical train.

The focus wheel on my unit still works flawlessly with no free play that I could detect. It operates smoothly and precisely even after all these years: a necessity at 18x since depth of field is very shallow at these high powers. 

The dioptre compensation(+\-3) is located under the right ocular lens and rotates smoothly with a decent amount of friction. Though I don’t wear eye glasses, I elected to observe through the eyepieces with the rubber eyecups folded down. Eye relief for the bespectacled is a little disappointing though. I was only able to access a little over half the field using my eyeglasses, for example, with the cups folded down. 

The eyepieces on the Canon IS 18 x 50 UD are a complex, 7-element design which includes a doublet field flattening system. Such a complex optical design requires excellent coatings to maximise light transmission. Thankfully this is guaranteed by Canon adopting their excellent Super Spectra antireflection coatings, as well as incorporating Porro II prisms into the optical design.

The Canon IS 18 x 50 UD can be affixed to a photographic tripod if need be. I found this to be useful when adjusting the dioptre compensation on the right eyepiece. 

Like the smaller Canon IS binoculars, these are powered by 2 AA batteries. I elected to use rechargeable lithium ions as I have found that they work better in colder  environments than their alkaline counterparts and are far less likely to leak even when left in the binocular for prolonged periods. It must be pointed out however, that the lid on the battery compartment must be securely fastened for the IS electronics to work. Indeed I got a bit of a fright during a night walk with the instrument, when the IS suddenly failed. When I got back home I realised that the lid was only loosely fastened, resulting in the batteries not connecting properly to the electrodes. Once tightened down, all was well with the IS system

Optical Evaluation

Whatever misgivings I might have had on the ergonomics of the Canon IS 18 x 50 UD, it more than makes up for them in terms of optical performance. The view is very good indeed; sharp, nice contrast, saturated colours, and a perfectly flat field, rendering excellent edge-to-edge clarity. Resistance to stray light is also well above average. Turning the instrument on a bright street light after dark showed very subdued internal reflections and no annoying diffraction artefacts owing to the high quality Porro II prisms inside. Off axis aberrations like pincushion distortion are very mild too. Looking at high-contrast targets showed excellent control of colour fringing in the centre of the field, but begins to show modest levels of lateral colour fringing outside the central 50 per cent of the field. Though it sports a small field of view of just 3.7 degrees, I never cultivated the impression that it was as narrow as it appears on paper. This was especially the case while keeping the rubber eyecups folded down, when the view felt quite immersive.

Notes from the field

Such a large and hefty binocular endowed with armouring that is not very grippy, requires a sturdy neck strap to avoid accidents. The dioptre compensation ring was adjusted while keeping the Canon IS 18 x 50 steady on a tripod. Close focus was estimated at just over 4 metres. The image stabilisation works very well, although it tends to overcorrect while looking through it, standing upright, leading to a slight blurring. I found re-engaging the stabilisation button helps to settle the image down. Stabilisation is much more consistent while leaning against a wall or a tree and, better still, while sitting down.  These minor quirks are much less apparent under a dark night sky though, where the instrument was predominantly used.  

That said, the Canon IS 18 x 50 UD proved to be an excellent long-range birding instrument, its powerful stabilisation coupled to its high magnification creating a lethal combination for teasing out small, timorous Warbler species from hedgerows in the distance. On one afternoon, I noticed a Buzzard being harassed by several Rooks, causing it to fly right over the house. Reaching for the big Canon glass, I managed to lock onto the bird, its anxious eyes staring right back at me and all the while seeing some incredible details of its plumage, quite beyond anything I had seen before. Though the apparition lasted but a few seconds- it was incredibly impressive, and left a lasting impression on me. 

Made for Stargazing

With large objectives and a whopping 18x magnification, this big Canon glass is made for stargazing. As I explained before, I have cultivated a strong preference for smaller exit pupils since this ensures that the sharpest part of your eye lens accesses the image. That said, the small field of view(3.7 degrees), makes this instrument more suited to experienced observers. Those less familiar with the night sky might better consider the 15 x 50, with its wider field of view. 

Starting with the Moon, the Canon IS 18 x 50 UD produces amazing levels of detail from slender crescent all the way to full phase. Crater fields are discerned in high resolution much more reminiscent of a low power telescopic view more than anything else. Placing the Moon in the centre of the field produces images that are essentially colour free. Moving a little off-axis does reveals some fringing but I didn’t find it distracting. Moving onto the deep sky, I enjoyed stunning views of the Double Cluster now positioned high in the autumn evening sky, flanked on either side by the lesser known clusters, Trumpler 2 and Stock 2 on the borders of Cassiopeia. Moving the binocular to a patch roughly midway between Algol and Gamma Andromedae, the open cluster M34 was very impressively resolved into a few dozen faint stars of the 8th magnitude of glory and fainter. 

The Canon IS 18 x 50 produced arguably the most magnificent view of the enormous Alpha Persei Cluster I have personally witnessed, with its constituent stars filling the field from edge to edge.

Kemble’s Cascade in Camelopardalis filled the field from top to bottom. The great globular cluster in Hercules, M13, presented as distinctly granular. Moving into Lyra, I was able to clearly make out the Ring Nebula as a slightly defocused star.  
The perennial favourite of stargazers – the Pleiades – was a sight for sore eyes in the Canon IS 18 x 50 UD, presenting as a maelstrom of young white and blue-white suns. This instrument afforded me the best view of the double star, Albireo I’ve enjoyed in a handheld binocular. Star colours are saturated and pristine. Turning the binocular to Herschel’s Garnet Star in Cepheus yielded a magnificent image, its intense red colour standing out like a beacon against the stellar hinterland. Observing the Andromeda Galaxy near the zenith produced a fantastic view, filling most of the field,  its bright core and sprawling spiral arms extending nearly 3 angular degrees across. Its fainter companion galaxies – M32 and M110 – were also easy to pick off. The much more challenging M33 in Triangulum was also easy to see in the 18 x 50, presenting as an enormous, luminous Zeppelin in the sky! Finally, in the wee small hours of a late October night, I got my first opportunity to view Orion with the Canon IS 18 x 50 UD. The three brilliant white belt stars, pure as the driven snow, filled the field of view. Pressing the stabilisation button caused innumerable faint stars to come into view giving spectacular views of this lesser known star cluster: Collinder 70. Later on, I was able to observe the Sword Handle in all its glory, with the Orion Nebula showing the young Trapezium stars at its centre.

This provides the merest flavour of  what you can enjoy with this big image stabilised glass under a dark night sky and I hope to use it regularly over the long nights of winter.

Conclusions

The Canon IS 18 x 50 UD is an excellent high-power binocular for both terrestrial  and astronomical use, though it’s definitely a bit of a challenge to get the very most out of it. Only the coveted Zeiss 20 x 60 IS binocular goes deeper on the night sky. 

Though I strongly suspect Canon’s  15 x 50 IS is more popular than the 18 x 50, owing to its larger field of view, the latter will resolve targets better during the day and in the night sky, where I personally use it most. 

Highly recommended!

Dr Neil English discusses many more binoculars for recreational use in his latest book, Choosing & Using Binoculars.

De Fideli.

A Work Commenced November 29 2024

A few months back I bought in two of Canon’s Image stabilised binoculars: the 10 x 30 IS II and the 12 x 36 IS III for testing and evaluation. Having been suitably impressed with the smaller 8 x 20 model, I was keen to see how these larger units would perform. Of the two instruments tested, one emerged as a firm favourite- the 12 x36 IS III.

Both instruments have nice ergonomics. Focusing is precise and backlash free. These instruments focus by moving the objective lenses back and forth. The rubberised armouring affords excellent grip too. By storing these instruments in water-tight Tupperware containers with about 150g of silica gel desiccant, I was able to quickly render them fog proof. The interiors become bone dry after a few days of storage, allowing me to use them for extended periods in cold weather.

The 10 x 30 delivers crisp images from edge to edge. It is small and lightweight, and provides a good magnification boost at 10x in a 6 degree field. In a series of handheld tests against my 10 x 50 SRBC, the 10 x 30 IS II was easily shown to deliver finer details of critical targets at distance while the stabilisation button was engaged. Contrast is good as is resistance to glare. Examining the entrance pupils of both instruments shows well executed control of stray light as the photos below attest.

Both the 10 x 30 and 12x 36 exhibit modest chromatic aberration on high-contrast targets, with the 12 x 36 IS III exhibiting substantially more than the 10 x 30 unit. In contrast, the world-class optics on the 10 x 50 SRBC APO delivers virtually no colour fringing all the way across its enormous 7.5 degree ultra-flat field. 

I noted no significant differences in the degree of stabilisation on both instruments, even though the 10 x 30 has a more generous range of stability at +/-1.0 degrees( as opposed to +/-0.9 degrees for the larger 12 x 36.  I did note a slight defocusing of the image on both instruments as the stabilisation button began to be engaged, but a few moments later, they would settle down to give a nice, sharp image of various field targets. As well as seeing finer details than any handheld 10x binocular, I found I could tweak the focus post stabilisation ever so slightly to get the finest images these instruments can deliver.

I would recommend the 10 x 30 as a fine ultraportable platform for casual bird watching or nature studies. It’s also quite decent on the night sky but ultimately it proved to be inferior to the views garnered by the 12 x 36 ISIII. 

I’ve been experimenting with various types of battery with these instruments. I found alkaline batteries to be troublesome to use on extended walks in cold weather when they would quickly discharge. I then switched to rechargeable lithium ion batteries. Despite warnings that they may overheat, I found them perfectly suitable for my purposes, delivering better cold weather performance in sub zero conditions, as well as longer lasting power delivery. I can also leave them inside the instruments while not in use without the worry of leakage and corrosion of the electrodes.  

The 12 x 36IS III is an excellent, all-purpose instrument, delivering good daytime views. Weighing only a little more than the 10 x 30, it can be carried easily over miles of countryside. The extra magnification comes in real handy for identifying smaller birds at distance, though it struggles a little under dull winter light with its small(3mm) exit pupils. 

What I absolutely love about the 12×36 ISIII is its astronomical performance. With the shorter days of autumn and winter, I’ve started night walks around Culcreuch Castle Estate, when I take along the 12 x 36 IS III to combine my love of stargazing with my enthusiasm for walking. In this capacity, the instrument gets regular use after dark. I have thoroughly enjoyed views of the showpiece glories of the night sky: with my eyes fully dark-adapted and away from village lights, I have soaked up magnificent views of the Pleiades, Hyades, the Double Cluster, the Alpha Persei Cluster, the Coathanger asterism and Kemble’s Cascade to name but a few. The 36mm objectives provide far more compelling views of fainter star clusters such as M36, M37 and M38 in Auriga than the smaller 10 x 30. M35 in Gemini and M34 in Perseus are well resolved. Collinder 70 is very impressively rendered, as is the Sword Handle of Orion. And while my 10 x 50 SRBC produces brighter images with more stellar sparkle, the smaller exit pupils of the 12 x 36IS III, serves up a darker hinterland, often producing more aesthetically pleasing views. Indeed the stabilised 12 x 36 shows me just as much as the larger 10 x 50 handheld.  

Views of the Moon are excellent in the 12 x 36, with its 12 x delivering stunning views of maria and crater fields. Though some chromatic aberration is present, I don’t find it distracting. Jupiter shows a nice, clean, yellow-white disk. The Galilean satellites are well resolved once adequately placed away from the glare of the planet.

I’ve visited many binocular doubles with the 12 x 36 IS III. For example, Albireo is very nicely resolved handheld, the green and golden components showing up nicely. And just southeast of Vega, I was able to cleanly resolve Zeta Lyrae, the components of which are separated by 44 arc seconds with one component over a full magnitude brighter than the other. This is a challenge for a non-stabilised binocular but rendered easy using the stabilisation button on the 12 x 36 ISIII. 
One final thing to mention: The Porro II optical design of these Canon IS binoculars render stars as very tightly focused and pinpointed, in contrast to what many roof prism binoculars serve up.

All in all, I’m thrilled to bits with the 12 x36 ISIII binocular. Any quibbles? Maybe just one: it’s less than stellar close focusing compared with many roof prism instruments I’ve enjoyed. It’s a small drawback for birding but not a deal breaker.

Read many more reviews of binoculars of all sizes in my book, Choosing and Using Binoculars: a Guide for Stargazers, Birders and Outdoor Enthusiasts.

De Fideli.

 

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 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.

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 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.

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.

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.