Hi, my name is Brad and I have been buying and collecting binoculars for over last 20 years, since I was about 12 years old, when my father and I would use binoculars on hikes and deer hunting trips.Always with guaranteed steady image, easy to use and lightweight, Canon 12x36 IS earned the right to be one of best selling binoculars on a market. One of the most significant features of The Canon 12x36 IS II is Canon's Image Stabilizer Technology. As with all high-magnification binoculars, unless you are using a tripod, it will be extremely hard to get a shake-free viewing. However, with the press of the Image Stabilizer button (which is centrally located), your image will come into focus almost immediately.
With the high magnification multi-coated lenses, you will not only get an extra wide field of view, but also an extra bright field of view. And with the Doublet Field Flattener your view will be clear from edge to edge.
The Canon 12x36 IS II has far surpassed its predecessor in several areas. But two very noticable areas is that the 12x36 IS II is about 26% lighter in weight and 10% smaller in size due to the improvements of the objective lens assembly. And with the enhanced power-saving technology, you get about 12 hours of continued use.
Another great benefit of the Canon 12x36 IS is the rubber coating exterior. Not only is it water-resistant, but it also does not reflect like other finishes. The binoculars are much easier to hold onto (wet or dry) as well as not having to worry about your lenses fogging up or getting ruined. Nature lovers really like the fact that it is low-reflective which lowers the chance of disturbing the wildlife with the sun reflecting off the binoculars.
Maybe you are not familiar with what the numbers mean on binoculars or how to chose between the numbers. Some of it depends on what your personal needs are and how you will use them.
Basically, the first number (8x42 or 10x42 or 15x50) is the magnification of the binoculars. The larger this number is then the larger your image will appear to be. An example would be if you use an 8x lens and your subject is 100yards away, it will appear to be about 12.5 yards away.
So now look at the second number (8x42, 10x42, 15x50). This is the size diameter of the lenses. So the 8x42 would be a 42mm lens diameter, and so on. What this means is the larger the lens diameter, the more light will get in the lenses which will give you clearer and brighter images. It also allows you to view images in low-light situations, because more light will be able to pass through.
A general idea to keep in mind is the higher the magnification power of your binocular, the more you will need a binocular with Image Stabilization, as Canon 12x36. This will help you to avoid hand shake blurring when using high magnification binoculars without a tripod.
To conclude, no matter what you use binoculars for, this model is absolutely great. You wont miss anymore of those rare wildlife moments, or most amazing combination at your favourite sporting event.