Thread: Binoculars

Hey..., any of you guys use Binoculars that can zoom digitally? I want a pair that can put me 3" off a roofs surface from 100+ feet away. Such a thing exist?

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• Need new binoculars, any suggestions?

I use a digital camera with 12X optical zoom.
12X zoom gets me in there and up close
Optical zoom has better resolution that digital zoom.

Marc,

I use Canon's 10x18 image stabilized binoculars. Be ready to pay through the nose for one of these. Camera is also Canon with a 40x zoom and is stabilized - its given me some pretty amazing images for the distance.

I also use the 10x18 IS Canon, greatly reduces user fatigue after the first few minutes.

About the closest you can come to your specifications within the price range of ordinary mortals is the Canon 18x50 IS:

Canon 18x50 Image Stabilization All-Weather Binoculars

Regular "Bird Watchers" are IME the best resource for experiened input upon the latest and greatest, yet tried and proven, durable, and value oriented, reliably available upon a moments notice, quick targeting, immediate focusing, clear imaging, low fatigue, fine detail, distance viewing that "can do" intense use or standby, reliably for a long day, every day desired to perform.

Since you're subject to a more moderate climate I'm not so sure the fully waterproof qualities are as important. Keep in mind both the xL42 and xL50 require some modification and "accessorizing" to make them H.I. duty rugged, both have some drawbacks.

Anyway, most of the "tips" regarding accessorizing, protecting, and making the Cannon binoculars HI "duty ready" for the 10x42L IS and some things to consider, are the same as with the 10x50L IS and are covered in the review/report I've linked to below.

Consider the following a thoughtful, fair and balanced report with specifics in addition to what you might expect from the Cannon 10x30 IS (lesser optics but IS (link): Canon 10x30 and 10x42 Image Stabilized Binoculars - Review

HTH.

H. G., have you ever used image stabilizing binoculars? They focus as easily and quickly as any others, the stabilization kicks instantly as soon as you push the button, the optics are very good (should be, for the price), mine have been operating reliably for five years ( I change the "AA" batteries about twice a year), and the difference in clarity is very substantial, especially after you've been using them for a few minutes and/or you are using them single-handed when you take notes into digital voice recorder or some similar use.

The only downsides I can see to mine are 1) price and two 2) that they are not waterproof or even (likely, I'm not up for giving it a try) very water resistant.

For wet days I bought a 8x waterproof binocular (don't remember the brand, it was whatever was rated best on Amazon for under a hundred dollars ) and every time I use them I find myself thinking: "Damn, I sure wish these were IS...", and if my never fail I'll be replacing them with the same.

I stand corrected Michael - I got the numbers screwed up. The pair that you linked to, the 18x50 IS, is what I was trying to refer to. They are astounding and probably a bit much for inspecting but brother do they put you up close. I also have the 10x30 IS binoculars which also are a great pair for much less money.

I've taken the 10x50's on cruises, particularly Alaska, and they absolutely proved to be worth their cost. They do crunch on the batteries though which are used only for the stabilization.

M.T.

Yes. While you were posting to me, I was enhancing my prior post.

Many birders have and continue to use IS.

The review article I linked to was one I found to be in agreement with my experience with both the less-than birder quality optics but IS 10x30 Cannon and the WP 10x42L IS. I have not owned a Cannon 18x50L IS binocular but have tried them.

As you have already lamented, the water resistance of your 18x50L IS is questionable and not something you wish to "test". The 10x42L IS WP is water proof, and IME meets the needs described by Marc M; however, perhaps in his climate and use patterns, Water Proof may not be as important as it would be for others' and the obviously additional enjoyment uses.

Canon U.S.A. : Consumer & Home Office : 10 x 42 L IS WP

I would not consider anything that had only "digital" zoom. You will want Optical zoom done with the lenses not by manipulation of the data in software.

Digital zoom just takes the same amount of pixel resolution and blows it up.
Example: if you have a 100x100 resolution it equals 10,000 pixels. (lame but it's an example) If you use a 5x digital zoom you get that same 10K px stretched out NOT 50K px. It's like putting a picture on a balloon and then blowing it up.
Looks like crap. Optical zoom is the only way to go.

ok... so is there such a thing as weatherproof binoculars with 18 X 50 optical zoom with image stabilazition which also takes digital pics (all in one) ?

Originally Posted by Joe Klampfer

ok... so is there such a thing as weatherproof binoculars with 18 X 50 optical zoom with image stabilazition which also takes digital pics (all in one) ?

To expect a binocular to be able to take digital images doesn't make sense - just which image would you be photographing? You've got two images you're taking in or viewing, and your brain does the work to create one "image" so to speak, in your mind.

You adjust a binocular to your own physical needs to get each of those delivered to each of your eyes, correcting for all except perhaps astigmatism, to send information from each of those images to your brain.

Perhaps a binoviewer - or for that matter use camera equipment to perform the visualization if you want to capture images at the same time.

Although I thought the point was hand held - I might have missed, but I don't recall Marc wanting to dually photograph with the same equipment but to inspect/view in detail from a remote distance; and if otherwise, I don't believe he would have been discussing a binocular in the first place.

On a side note - and back to the original discussion - remember I'm old - so these pupils don't have the blackout issues with the 10x42 that a younger person might experience in less than full daylight. (older you are the less your pupils diallate).

Originally Posted by Marc M

<snip> I want a pair that can put me 3" off a roofs surface from 100+ feet away. <snip>

As I reviewed the original post again, I caught Marc wanted three-inches off not three-feet off the surface of the roof- from 100+ ft. Sorry I misread that initially. Not sure about how young you are Marc, or rather how youthfull your eyes/pupils behave. I haven't seen anything clearly from a distance of ONLY three inches in over fifty years without optical corrections! My impression is that M.T. might still have rather 'youthful' eyes, in that regard as well as "youthful" fuller pupil diallation in low light.

Originally Posted by H.G. Watson, Sr.

To expect a binocular to be able to take digital images doesn't make sense - just which image would you be photographing? You've got two images you're taking in or viewing, and your brain does the work to create one "image" so to speak, in your mind.

You adjust a binocular to your own physical needs to get each of those delivered to each of your eyes, correcting for all except perhaps astigmatism, to send information from each of those images to your brain.

Perhaps a binoviewer - or for that matter use camera equipment to perform the visualization if you want to capture images at the same time.

Although I thought the point was hand held - I might have missed, but I don't recall Marc wanting to dually photograph with the same equipment but to inspect/view in detail from a remote distance; and if otherwise, I don't believe he would have been discussing a binocular in the first place.

On a side note - and back to the original discussion - remember I'm old - so these pupils don't have the blackout issues with the 10x42 that a younger person might experience in less than full daylight. (older you are the less your pupils diallate).



As I reviewed the original post again, I caught Marc wanted three-inches off not three-feet off the surface of the roof- from 100+ ft. Sorry I misread that initially. Not sure about how young you are Marc, or rather how youthfull your eyes/pupils behave. I haven't seen anything clearly from a distance of ONLY three inches in over fifty years without optical corrections! My impression is that M.T. might still have rather 'youthful' eyes, in that regard as well as "youthful" fuller pupil diallation in low light.

HG,
I feel old somtimes, 40. So my eyes are nearing the end of their useful life. Anyhow, I was only trying to make my point through exaggeration, however, I would like to be able to see very close to teh surface.

Marc:

Check out Orion's website Orion Telescopes: Save on Telescopes & Binoculars! - Telescope.com and you may find what you are looking for. Ive purchased items from them before to feed one of my geeky hobbies and have been impressed with their optics. I have never used any of their binoculars before, but they also feature Celestron & Bushnell products.

There are photographic binoculars, but from what others have told me the camera/binoculars do not perform very well.

Check with a local astronomy club.

Originally Posted by Thomas Jones

Marc:

Check out Orion's website Orion Telescopes: Save on Telescopes & Binoculars! - Telescope.com and you may find what you are looking for. Ive purchased items from them before to feed one of my geeky hobbies and have been impressed with their optics. I have never used any of their binoculars before, but they also feature Celestron & Bushnell products.

There are photographic binoculars, but from what others have told me the camera/binoculars do not perform very well.

Check with a local astronomy club.

Very cool site...thanks so much.

Those cheap combo digital cameras with binoculars are just that. cheap, and independant optic systems that are not related regarding the optics for the two devices.

The digital imager/camera does not use the BINOCULAR (oculars two) it has its OWN ocular/optics.

There are three optics sets - what you see through the eyepieces and the binocular optics is indepenant of what the "camera" optics.

As I said before - a binoviewer perhaps, otherwise a monocular (scope, telescope, etc.) combination, or for that matter use a "camera".

Originally Posted by Thomas Jones

Marc:

Check out Orion's website Orion Telescopes: Save on Telescopes & Binoculars! - Telescope.com and you may find what you are looking for. Ive purchased items from them before to feed one of my geeky hobbies and have been impressed with their optics. I have never used any of their binoculars before, but they also feature Celestron & Bushnell products.

There are photographic binoculars, but from what others have told me the camera/binoculars do not perform very well.

Check with a local astronomy club.

If you have a digital camera and a 200 mil lens you can zoom in to a handful of shingles, if you can get the right angle of view. But, you will never see the entire roof efficiently enough so you might as well say that the roof was inaccessible and you did not inspect it. In those cases I have taken some decent pictures but state exactly that I inspected it from the ground and from what I could see I found no concerns but i was only able to see a certain percentage of the roof and the portion I could see was .......

I use a Canon 550D digital SLR camera with a 28-300mm telephoto macro lens. That way I can take every picture imaginable that I might need at the inspection.