Canon 12x36 Image Stabilization II Binoculars w/Case, Neck Strap & Batteries

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Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 9 x 7 x 4 inches ; 1 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S. and to APO/FPO addresses. For APO/FPO shipments, please check with the manufacturer regarding warranty and support issues.
• ASIN: B0001XH6G2
• Item model number: 12 x 36 IS II
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (40 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #845 in Camera & Photo (See Bestsellers in Camera & Photo)

  Popular in these categories: (What's this?)

  #53 in	Sports & Outdoors > Outdoor Recreation > Field Instruments > Binoculars
  #65 in	Camera & Photo > Binoculars, Telescopes & Optics > Binoculars
  #89 in	Sports & Outdoors > Hunting & Fishing > Hunting > Hunting Optics

• Date first available at Amazon.com: May 5, 2004

Product Description

Amazon.com Product Description

Amazon.com Product Description Canon's 12x36 Image Stabilization II binoculars incorporate an optical image stabilizer for shake-free viewing with minimal eye fatigue. This technology was first developed for Canon video camcorders and is now available in many of Canon's binoculars. The system employs a Vari-Angle Prism, dual transparent plates, independent vertical and horizontal sensors, and a dedicated microprocessor to continuously adjust the prism to maintain a steady image.

These 12x36 Image Stabilization II binoculars feature a water-resistant rubber coating for nonslip holding. If you get caught in light rain, you don't have to worry about the optics fogging up or getting ruined. These binoculars deliver high magnification, long eye relief, and wide-field viewing. Controls for focusing and image stabilization are centrally located and are accessible by both hands.

Improvements to the objective lens assembly have resulted in the binoculars being approximately 26% lighter and 10% smaller than the previous 12x36 IS model they replace. And reductions in power consumption mean a massive 270% increase in battery life of up to four hours using two AA-size alkaline batteries.

Image Stabilization and More
With any high magnification binoculars, most users will experience frustrating image shake. Unless fixed to a tripod, image shake can render high magnification binoculars useless. Canon's IS technology is remarkably effective at eliminating this problem and is widely used by the television industry with Canon's professional broadcast quality video recording equipment. A special VAP (Vari-Angle Prism) corrective IS system sits between 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 activates the IS mechanism. The VAP shape alters to refract or 'bend' the light path by precisely the right amount, thus fully compensating for the vibration. It is this essentially immediate response that effectively suppresses image shake. The binoculars' compact design is based on Canon's popular 10x30 IS model. Curved surfaces mean easy handling, while nature lovers will appreciate the low-reflectance exterior and low gloss front covers, which help to avoid disturbing birds and other

What do the numbers mean?
15x50? 8x25? The two numbers used to describe 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 larger the first number is, the larger the object will appear to be in the objective lens. For instance, if you use a 10x lens and look at an object that is 100 yards away, it appears to be the same size as an object located just 10 yards away. The second number, the size of the objective lens, is important because the larger the objective lens, the more light it can admit for brighter, more detailed images, and the better suited they will be for lowlight situations.

A look inside

Product Description

Light, sleek and powerful, this advanced binocular features Canon's Image Stabilizer technology to keep the image steady even when you are not. High magnification multi-coated lenses deliver a wide, extra-bright field-of-view. The Doublet Field Flattener keeps images sharp from edge-to-edge. An enhanced power-saving technology coupled with optional lithium AA batteries provide up to 12 hours of continuous use. All Canon binoculars feature a center focus for easy one-handed operation, and the 12 x 36 IS II has a water-resistant, non-slip rubber coating that ensures secure handling in a wide range of environments

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

82 of 85 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Maybe the best birding binos I've ever owned, January 15, 2007

By	Timothy B. Riley "Traveling Fool" (San Antonio, TX USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 100 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

Amazon Verified Purchase

As an experienced brider (bird watcher to some) I've owned some of the world's greastest optics, the type of European "alpha-glass" that top tour leaders wear with pride.

I bought the Canon 12x36 almost 2 years ago based mostly on my respect for the Canon L lenses with internal stabilization that I use on a regular basis for bird photography. All I can say is... Wow!. These light-weight, high powered lenses have become my favorites in the field for wildlife observation, especially when viewing wild birds.

At first they took a little time to get used to. They really don't have the feel of a top-of-the-line pair of binos (they are somewhat darker than most and setting the eye-peices for your own interocular distance is a little strange compared to the roof prism glasses that many of us have become accustomed to), but they are what they are. These are not your daddy's binoculars. However, if you are looking for state-of-the-art high tech optics, look no further.

When a subject is focused you see the type of image shake that one would expect at 12x magnification. Then I depress that wonderful little button that activates the image stabilization feature. All of a sudden I feel as though I am now looking at the bird face to face, like I'm just THREE FEET AWAY! It's as if I was studying the bird in a book. I can see details and field marks that others only wish that they could. It has helped me to make some really tough indentifications for my life-list that I might not have recorded otherwise.

After being so pleased with the 12x I decided to buy the 18x50's. I've owned them both now for a while and I find that I take the 12x36's out much more often that the larger, heavier 18x. I highly recommend the Canon 12x36 for serious nature (and or sports) observation.

22 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Where were these when I was young, September 9, 2008

By	Charles A Jennings, MC, LPC (Mesa, AZ USA) - See all my reviews

While attending an astronomy club's night out, one of the members offered to show me a globular cluster using his image stabilized binoculars (brand unknown). As I brought the portion of sky into focus, I pressed the button and -- WOW! I could clearly see the cluster, not because it was highly magnified, but because my eyes had a chance to focus and process the image. Thoroughly impressed, I walked over to my wife and told her of the experience. A few weeks later, we had a pair of 12x36 Canons, and were counting the moons of Jupiter. My wife wanted her own pair so we would not have to readjust them when sharing. She complained about having to hold down the button all the time, something that I don't mind doing as I have long fingers. She also wanted a pair that would focus closer.

SOLUTIONS: We bought her a pair of 10x30's, and to hold the button down, we simply wrapped a strong rubber band, compliments of our postal letter carrier, around them and stuck a short piece of 1/2" dowel rod between the rubber band and the button. The dowel rod is connected to the focus knob by a piece of thread so that, when we do not want the button pushed, the dowel rod does not become lost. We have opted to use lithium cells, rather than alkaline, as they are lighter and last longer, and using our rubber band system will likely mean using the IS much more.

Some reviewers complain that the image still moves as you move. Yes it does, gracefully. What the Canons do well is take out that itty bitty shake that makes things difficult to concentrate on well enough to observe details. Now I can aprreciate eagles as I smoothly track them in flight, or follow the antics of a chipmunk, or count some of Jupiter's 63 moons.

Some complain about the small size of the "exit pupil." Being that my wife and I are in our 60's, a 3mm exit pupil is just about all our eyes can accomodate. They do not seem to be difficult to hold in such a way as to see the whole image. Both of us can leave off our glasses (she is near sighted and I am farsighted), which makes the image even more pristine.

Thanks to one report of the storage case strap breaking, we have opted to use the strap directly connected to the binocs while they are in the case. We simply zip up the case with the straps coming out the top and have had no problem with that system as of yet.

I expect these to require far more protective treatment than our backpacking binocs, and I am quite pleased that they come with a 3-year warranty. I noticed how carefully the astronomy club members treated their equipment and, given how wonderful these Canons are, we will do the same with them. The bottom of their case is padded but, knowing that we will more often than not set them down on that padded end, I have installed a piece of very stiff fiberboard (like the cover of a 3-ring binder) in the bottom of the case to resist anything that might try to poke its way into their objective lenses.

No matter how good the manufacturing, optics are always a compromise and, because of that, someone who does not know any better will always have a critical comment. You simply cannot have it all, at any price. I have been an amateur photographer for over 50 years and consider the optical quality of these to be superb. There is little if any distortion or light loss for nearly 85% of the field of view. Only as the viewed object approaches the last 15% of the field (near the edge) does distortion become noticeable, certainly not objectionable. And why would I focus my eyes on something near the edge when I can move the binocs to bring the object into the center? The nice thing about these, in that regard, is that the distortion is so slight as to not bring attention to itself when viewing a central object.

I should add, at this point, that my first pair of 12x36s did have a defect in the left ocular. Amazon swapped them out so quickly that the binocs practically passed each other in shipping. Good price, good service, and good viewing.

19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One Month Review, December 22, 2007

By	David E. Richardson (Sunland, Ca. USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I have enjoyed looking through some of the finer binos out there and was really taken back by the quality of the Canon 12x36 IS II binos. They feel solid and well made. The controls are well placed and the cups feel good. The IS button is well placed and comfortable to use. I wish it had a lock-on feature so I could move my hands around. Battery life seems reasonable to me. The case lacks padding, but this is a minor issue.

The size of the binos is a compromise between capability and size. They feel a little bulky, but this is expected with the IS feature. It is very easy to adapt to the feel of these binos and they balance well.

They provide a sharp and crisp image and the IS feature is amazing. It does not compensate for the larger hand movements, but does stabilize all the minor shakes that come from hand holding a 12x bino. I was even able to use them when moving in a car. It took some practice, but after some practice reducing the larger bumps I could easily read license plates hundreds of yards down the road. This feature is well worth having. I find that 12x makes viewing nature all the more enjoyable. After all, the purpose of a bino is to magnify detail and a 12x bino does it better than a 8x bino. When you see a steady 12x image and compare this to a slightly sharper brighter image of a top of the line 'alpha' bino, you might agree that the Canon IS with 12x makes more of a difference to your overall bino experience than the superior image of the higher end bino. To me it was not close.

Some have complained about them being dark and while I agree that they do not match up with binos costing $1500 and more. It is really not an issue for me. The fact that you have a 12x magnification is going to make them a little darker and they are not 42mm glass but 36mm which again means a slightly darker image. The coating are not on pare with the 'alpha' class binos, but for the vast majority of users this will not be an issue. Do not be misled these are bright binos for what they are and I find they work well in low light. They have a nice flat field and the details are sharp across the field.

Would I buy them again? Yes I would not hesitate to do so. This is a high quality bino with some trade offs, but overall for ~$500 it is a great, if not exceptional, bino value. The ability to have a steady 12x is amazing and takes the bino experience to a new level. I wish Canon would have included integrated front caps and I would have liked to have this pair waterproofed, but then the cost would increase.

Based on overall value I feel this bino deserves 5 stars.