| | |  | Binoculars | Home » » » » Canon 12x36 Image Stabilization II Binoculars w/Case, Neck Strap & Batteries | | | | | | | 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 | | | Features: | |
• 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
| | | Product Details: | | | Product Length:
| 9.0 inches | | Product Width:
| 7.0 inches | | Product Height:
| 4.0 inches | | Product Weight:
| 1.0 pounds | | Package Length:
| 8.7 inches | | Package Width:
| 6.2 inches | | Package Height:
| 4.0 inches | | Package Weight:
| 2.35 pounds | | Average Customer Rating:
|  based on 63 reviews |
| | | | Customer Reviews: | |
Average Customer Review:
 ( 63 customer reviews )
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
142 of 147 found the following review helpful:
Maybe the best birding binos I've ever ownedJan 16, 2007
By Timothy B. Riley
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.
60 of 61 found the following review helpful:
Where were these when I was youngSep 09, 2008
By Charles A Jennings, MC, LPC
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.
38 of 39 found the following review helpful:
One Month ReviewDec 22, 2007
By David E. Richardson
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.
18 of 18 found the following review helpful:
Well worth the moneyJun 18, 2009
By Rick
I have used a pair of Cannon 15x50 IS binoculars for about 2-3 years in my job doing environmental field work. Most of the work is performed surveying lake and river shorelines from a 14ft boat with an outboard motor running. We are on the road for about a month and a half during the summer with less intense work in the fall and spring. I have logged hundreds of hours per year with the 15x50 to my eyes. Although they don't smooth out the large jolts of one foot waves or larger at 15-25 mph, it does take out the constant vibration and shake produced from the outboard in the small boat.
We have just purchased the 12x36 IS II for a co-worker as he does more work on land than I and he needed something more portable. He loaned them to me to try out, and they are quite fine . . . much lighter and easier to carry around. The stabilization is as good as the 15x50s. Just hold down the button and the image "floats" rather than shakes all over the place. I haven't tried them long enough to check out the battery life. The specs say they will last twice as long (4 hours) as the 15x50s (2 hours). I go through about two or three sets of batteries per day with the 15x50s so their estimates are probably close as I probably have them engaged 6-8 hours per day. I highly recommend using Eneloop rechargable batteries, and have a set or two charged up for spares if you use the stabilization feature a lot.
The one thing about the 15x50s that is much better is the ability to "lock" the stabilization for 5 minutes (automatically disengages after that time) with a single click of the button (or you can click and hold like the 12x32s). Sometimes in a rough environment, it's tough to keep your finger on the button all the time. With the 12x32s, you must constantly hold the button down when you want stabilization engaged. It's not the most terrible thing in the world, but just not as convenient.
Biggest complaint . . . . where are the lens caps? Even my cheap pair that I use in my kayak have lens caps! But the 15x50s don't come with objective lens caps either. What gives? I am as careful with these as possible, but they are subject to some unforgiving condiions (still haven't dropped them, yet). Lots of rain and rough water but still no problems with the 15x50s. I wouldn't expect less from the 12x32s although they aren't officially rated "All Weather" as are the 15x50s.
Another thing that I noticed is that they don't have a tripod mount. It would stand to reason that you wouldn't need one if you have the stabilization feature, but I could imagine that there would be times where a bird watcher might be set up where a tripod would be adventageous. In my line of work, it doesn't make sense, but it is worth mentioning. The 15x50s are threaded for a mount.
An additional note . . . . a few years ago, I was using my 9x35 Leupolds and saw a plant that I needed to identify on the other side of a shallow weed infested stump field. The plant turned out not to be what I was trying to find, but I still had to shut off the engine, and push and pole the boat through some nasty stuff in hot weather before I could get close enough to make a positive ID. After I got the 15x50s, I was able to view the same plant from open water while my assistant kept driving the boat. I could easily ID the plant without breaking stride. No need to stop or get close. The difference was amazing.
In summary, both the 12x36 and the 15x50 are worth the money in my book, and, if I didn't have the money, I would save my pennies or sell something to get it.
18 of 19 found the following review helpful:
WOWJun 17, 2007
By LeRoy Pugh
"AZ Woodworker"
I just do not know what to say. I really checked this one out. A lot of money for Binoculars I thought. It better make a big difference. WOW. It DOES. You have to see it to believe it. The write ups are right. I am now saving for the bigger ones. VERY WORTH the price. And mine came with a 3 year canon warranty. Not the one year it says on Amazon.
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