• Light and compact Image Stabilizer binoculars featuring Canon's Vari-Angle Prism
• High magnification (12x), long-eye relief and wide-field viewing optics with wide, extra-bright field-of-view
• Multi-Coated Canon optics including Doublet Field-Flattener for excellent edge-to-edge sharpness and contrast
• Power-saving design allows for up to 4 hours of continuous use
• Water-resistant non-slip rubber coating

• Adorama Professional Lens Cleaning Kit
• Quantaray - Lens Cleaning Set
• Adorama Blower Brush - Small
• Zeiss Lens Cleaner, 3 oz Spray, Ammonia Free, Safe for Multi-Coated Lenses.
• 3-Year Extended Service Plan - Covers Electronic Items $501-$1000 - Repair

12x36 binoculars with image stabilizer
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

Customer Rating:
Summary: Where were these when I was young
Comment: 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.

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Customer Rating:
Summary: close up with no shakes
Comment: Canon 12x36 Image Stabilization II Binoculars w/Case, Neck Strap & Batteries Great binoculars. The clarity and easy stabilizing make it very enjoyable. Light enough to be able to use for a decent amount of time. I've been using a 7x30 Bushnell which is fine but the Canon gives me greater magnification and light. Fine optics and design.

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Customer Rating:
Summary: Liked the binoculars.
Comment: I bought the binoculars for the Olympics. They worked great. The image stabilization was a big help.

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Customer Rating:
Summary: A very good pir of binoculars
Comment: I've had these for four years now, and they are the simply great. There is a slight color distortion, but less than I have seen even in other (high end) binoculars. The image stabilization? Well it just works, and has continued to do so through four years of active use. The combination of 12x magnification and IIS is incredible, and enhances the usefulness of these binoculars a lot.

The only downside I have found is that the individual focus on the right eyepiece is a bit hard to adjust.

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Customer Rating:
Summary: Exceptional binoculars!!!
Comment: This is our second pair--exactly the same, but this pair were a better price. If one uses binoculars and has never tried the image stabilizing product, you're really missing out. These are fantastic!!

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