Canon 18x50 IS All Weather Image Stabilized Binoculars

The binoculars functions are outstanding. Good clear resolution and easy to use. The clarity is especially impressive at low light levels. This is my second pair, which brings up my reason for the lower level on my review. My first pair broke fairly quickly due to the engineering and quality of the battery door. This unit goes through batteries fairly quickly, so there is a need to replace batteries often. The design and durability of the door is poor and cheaply made for a product that is relatively expensive. Otherwise it is a full 5 stars.

I’ve had these binoculars for a couple of years now and absolutely love them! If all of my observation equipment, I use these more than anything else. I can easily take them anywhere and I frequently use them to identify objects to look at later with a telescope. The image stabilization feature is fantastic and word very well so that I can easily get away with the 18x magnification. The glass is clear without any aberration providing a crisp clear view. Love them!

Though these refurbished binoculars look and work like New, they sure don’t cost less than new ones. Not sure why but I certainly can attest to their quality.

The binocs are all I hoped for. This is a particularly good time to view Jupiter, Saturn, Venus and Mars. Weather is clear and planets are close and bright. I can explore in my backyard and bip from one planet to another without lugging a telescope on a tripod around. Moon detail is outstanding! There is absolutely no substitute for image stabilization. 18 x 50 is the ideal magnification.

The best binoculars I’ve ever used. All I can say is, if you want the best, these 18x 50 will not disappoint.

Excellent product! Exactly what I need for my upcoming mountain goat hunt.

I have had my 18x50 IS binoculars for four years. They chew through batteries fairly quickly but I am happy to pay that price for the performance. What I'm not happy about is the phenomenon called 'melting'. Part of the rubber coating deteriorates to a sticky goo which now requires a hand washing after each use. My understanding is that this is a known and reasonably widespread problem and Canon are either not interested in addressing it or are doing the duck and cover. For that reason alone I can't recommend the product and will not go to Canon again.

I use my 18*50s for star gazing. I own a meade 8" Schmidt cas and these binocs are my joy when under the stars. Don't let the weight scare you. Clear perfect views..... You bet. Comfortable to hold. Would not be happy without them.

The 18x50 binocular is a powerful and portable instrument. When coupled with the image-stabilization capability I was able to see galaxies, double stars and so much more than I had expected. It has been my main observing tool for several years. It continues to amaze me with it's power and portability.

These binoculars are outstanding. They would get a 5-star across the board from me if it were not for the cheap-cheap-cheap case and strap included with the binoculars as well as the lack of a cover for the lenses, necessitating the purchase of UV protector filters. For an item of this cost, I do expect better quality in the extras that come with the product. Aside from the filters that I had to purchase, I will have to buy a decent strap and probably sew a fully protective case. All that said, the binoculars themselves are marvelous. We use them for stargazing, bird watching, and freighter watching here on the Great Lakes. The image stabilization is well worth the cost. We have two other Canon binoculars as well as Canon camera lenses with the same feature, and we would not do without it.

I do not mine spending the $$ for a good piece of gear, whether camera or binoculars. When I got these Binoculars, I took a chance based on reviews. I figured if the binoculars worked half as good as a camera lens stagilizer, I would be ahead of the game. I WAS WRONG, these Bino's are UNBELIEVABLE PERFORMANCE PHENOMINAL producing results that will astound you! First trip we took them to Alaska, in Denali Park on one of the excursions into the back country on the tour bus, I spotted a Blond Grizzly Bear through my camera with a 600mm zoom lens, about 1500 yards away from us. My better half with the Bino’s spotted the two cubs with the Grizzly(a Mom). Even our guide was skeptical, he thought we were giving him a hard time, until he saw the digital pictures; his initial question was how did I know it was a Grizzly? I told him, I shot one back when I was younger, you don’t forget what they look like. Without these glasses I would not have seen the cubs and I had unbelievably expensive cameras and lenses. I finally got the picture after looking to see where I had to shoot! Earlier in the trip we spotted Humpback whales, Orca’s, Eagles, iceberg’s forming and more. The 2nd trip was to the West Indies, again, just too good to believe! The Moon, Jupiter and land sights we saw when others just asked to see what we were seeing, their bino’s could not see what we were seeing. Recently we have seen the Moons around Jupiter (5 at one time!), the Rings of Saturn (ROUGHLY 750 MILLION MILES FROM EARTH) and the Space Station as it passes! After seeing the real results with Cannons 18x50 Binoculars, I searched for a better pair; I have not found anything to even come close. What is missing is the adaptor to my camera body using these Binoculars! A couple of other points, when looking at Saturn or Jupiter, use a mono pod while seated in a comfortable chair! You are not going to see that far without Cannon Stabilization on and a relatively stable surface, in other world you have got to steady yourself. A sea captain friend of mine tried them and immediately put this Cannon Binocular on his wish list to his better half, he now owns a set and we have a blast talking and watching the stars. Heavy, not really, wife is a petite woman and I cannot pry them away from her on trips. RESPONSE IS USUALLY; “Get Your Own!” The lugging (love) of these are worth the weight in “sights to be seen!” Who knows, maybe the Aliens will take me and end my Cannon Stabilizer Binocular needs!

I have used my 18x50s primarily for hunting since I purchased them ( six years ago I think). They are too heavy to carry when on foot but I found them an excellant replacement for a spotting scope. While they do not have the magnification of many spotting scopes the ability to use both eyes greatly reduces eye strain and the stabilization more than makes up for lower power. I carry them on horseback and they are suprisingly tough. They are very useful for spotting game long range and in heavy timber. There are a couple of improvements that could be made and the number one is the eye cups are too stiff and would be much better if molded with shields on the side for light blocking and better fit to your eye. I have cut mine and it greatly improved them for fit and reflections. I am on my second pair of eye cups and was hoping they were improved but are not. The battery life is short and the use of larger batteries would not hurt the product and produce longer viewing. Overall a great buy and I am very happy with them.

I purchased these for my wife because she enjoys looking at wildlife on our mountains. These binoculars are incredible. The images are very bright and clear. The IS works perfectly. It's amazing to just push the button and watch the image go completely stable. I don't have any complaints about the battery life. You will want to purchase some filters for protecting the lenses. I bought polarizing filters and they work great. We have used these for watching elk and deer up on our mountain, birds at the bird feeder, a cow moose in a beaver pond up our canyon, the moon (incredible), Jupiter at night (could see 5 moons. We could see 6 moons with our telescope on the same night, so this was a nice surprise), and have taken them from a warm room into 5 degree temperatures with no fogging, etc. We have several other binoculars, including a nice 12X, and I'm sorry I waited so long to buy the Canon 18X IS. Kind of a funny story: my wife saw a man break into a vacant home just above us and the 12X were handy but she couldn't get the license number with them because of shake. She ran downstairs and got the Canon and got the license number no problem. The police found him later and arrested him. I have seen some reviews mention the weight, but we don't find it a problem at all - and my wife is small. They really don't seem any heavier than our 12X. If you're on the fence, wondering whether you should spend the $, remember that Canon quality and the great memories you'll create make it very worthwhile.

I use these binoculars for home inspections, particularly for very large homes where roof access is not practical. I am able to clearly see details in the granular surface of shingles, the degree of splitting, decay and algae in wood shakes. For masonry chimneys I can easily see loose mortar, hairline cracks, loose and separated flashings as well as any spalling in the bricks. The image stabilization is excellent regardless of the distance. For my applications these glasses have exceeded my expectations. I've also used them in Alaska where distances are vast - phenomenal!

Image Stabilization causes minor chromatic aberration, (turning IS off eliminates CA) which can be an issue when trying to identify subtle color markings on birds for example. Battery life is not wonderful, but I carry a pair of AAs for backup. The view is incredible. I can identify birds my Swarovsky brethren can't even find. The high power, stable field means I can study carefully what they can't see.

I bought a little Meade telescope for planet gazing, but the setup took so long I hardly ever used it. So I sold it and bought the 18X50 IS binos...and they're superb. Just point, press the button, and the image is rock solid. I've seen 4 moons around Jupiter, the rings of Saturn. I also use them for wild life watching - and they're just marvellous. A couple of small minuses: 1) I think (and I could be imagining it) images have a faint yellow cast 2) Against some backgrounds (eg birds against cloud), I can see a yellow edge to dark objects. But overall, the convenience, simplicity and quality have made me totally happy with these.