Canon 10×42 L Image stabilized binoculars Review (Waterproof)

When shaky views start getting on your nerves, switch to an image-stabilized binocular without a second thought. And if you don’t know which IS binocular to opt for, Canon is always a safe answer.

Canon Optics has excellent image-stabilized binoculars in different sizes so that you pick one that aligns with your plans. Canon 10×42 IS binocular is a handy, waterproof glass that doesn’t limit you to a particular region. Instead, you can take it anywhere without worrying about the weather.

To know what else this binocular offers, apart from reliable waterproofing, stay with me till the end, and let’s understand how it will help you.

Canon 10×42 L IS WP – a smart addition to your gear. 

If you’re a nature explorer, sticking to a mediocre glass is like killing half the fun of your missions. When you’re observing exotic birds or running animals and the views aren’t clear, a stable surface under the binocular helps. But, why carry a heavy tripod/stand around when IS technology is here?

Canon 10×42 L binocular offers excellent stabilization and immersive optical clarity, no matter the terrain/weather. Whether you’re in a windy region or there’s an ongoing drizzle, this smart binocular doesn’t let the environment disturb you.

Let’s now proceed and closely study this binocular’s technical specs to know if it’s worth the investment or not!

You Can Buy Canon 10×42 Here.

Technical features

• Magnification: 10x
• Lens size: 42mm
• FOV: 341.2ft. at 1000 yards
• Exit pupil diameter: 4.2mm
• Battery: 2AA batteries
• Inter-pupillary distance: 55-75mm
• Eye relief distance: 16mm
• Close focus distance: 8.2ft.
• Weight: 38.4oz

Pros

• Ultra-low dispersion lenses
• Excellent exit pupil diameter
• Ergonomic build
• Waterproof
• Good close focus distance
• Sturdy metal housing 

Cons

• Sloppy lens cap
• IS quickly drains the batteries

What’s in the box?

• Canon 10×42 L IS WP binocular
• Padded case with strap
• Neoprene strap
• 1-piece rain guard
• 1-piece lens cap
• 2AA batteries

Magnification

This Canon binocular comes with 10x magnification, which is suitable for most outdoor activities. This 10x power suits hunters, sailors, and birders alike, eventually making their activities more manageable.

If you’re an outdoor hobbyist, you’d agree that focusing on distant objects is difficult. And when the target object is moving, i.e., a bird, it’s even harder to observe its details. But luckily, this 10×42 binocular paired with electronic image-stabilization doesn’t let you face that trouble.

This 10x power is ideal for observing small and distant targets that are otherwise affected by light glare/shakiness. You’ll always enjoy remarkable optical clarity and 10x magnification without stressing about balancing the views.

Optical performance

No matter how smart-looking or stabilized a binocular is, if its optical performance is not par excellence, something will always be missing from your views.

Like all other Canon binoculars, this 10×42 L glass wins at optical clarity too. You’ll never struggle with blur edges or incoherent colors with this one, that’s for sure.

This binocular’s wide 42mm lenses are made from ultra-low dispersion glass, which offers excellent light transmission. These UD lenses control reflected light and ensure that a sufficient amount of ambient light is always there to brighten your views. 

Next to the UD lenses, we have doublet-field flatteners to straighten a field of view’s edges. When you get to see a broad region without ambiguous/unclear edges, your missions become even more exciting.

These field flatteners help outdoor and long-range activities where you need clear views throughout your optical path. When paired with Canon’s classic Porro prisms, these field flatteners produce exceptional views even in lowlight settings.

This binocular promises no (or minimal) chromatic aberration, which is evident by the exclusive super-spectra lens coating. This coating protects the lenses and offers impressive color-differentiation, eventually showing bright, well-defined views.

Image-Stabilization

Reliable Image-stabilization can easily turn a previously challenging activity into an enjoyable one. Almost all Canon binoculars have good IS features that don’t lack in any category.

This Canon 10×42 binocular has electronic motion sensors that quickly detect movement so the stabilizer can work with it. After the motion sensors identify jitters/movement, the Vari-angle prisms quickly bend the light path to compensate for the shakiness.

Since these Vari-angle prisms and electronic sensors respond quickly, you don’t have to wait for a view to stabilize.

You can turn on the stabilization feature with the push-button, situated next to the right eyepiece. Unlike other binoculars, you don’t have to hold this button to keep an image well-stabilized. Instead, a single push is enough.

You get a 5-minute stabilization time after activating the button, which is perfect when you’re busy. Press the button and enjoy stabilized and well-defined views with no distracting jitters.

This bino’s image-stabilization mechanism offers quick compensation to the jitters and makes on-the-go glassing more comfortable for your eyes.

Whether you’re a sailor afraid of motion sickness or a desert wanderer, this binocular will ensure you always enjoy stable views.

Field of view

A narrow field of view limits you to a certain distance, beyond which you cannot enjoy glassing. But since this Canon 10×42 IS WP binocular comes with a whopping 341.2ft FOV, you’ll never struggle with these limits.

If you prefer broad, hard-to-access regions, this field of view will assist your plans for sure. This binocular’s high-quality UD lenses offer impressive depth in the field of view that produces close-to-reality imagery.  

This binocular’s excellent light transmission provides nice lowlight performance so that you don’t have to worry about the ambient light. 

When this wide field of view is paired with the doublet-field flatteners, you’ll enjoy remarkable imagery with sharp edges and well-differentiated colors. 

The UD lenses ensure you don’t see edge distortion and always enjoy coherent views, regardless of the surrounding light.   

Eye relief distance

Eye relief distance is a weak link in most binoculars. When a glasses wearer feels uncomfortable while holding a binocular, he cannot fully enjoy an adventure.

However, this Canon 10×42 IS WP binocular solved that problem by offering a 16mm eye relief distance. With this significant ERD, you can wear your spectacles/sunglasses and focus on your aimpoint without tiring your eyes.

A 16mm eye relief distance is good-enough to enjoy effortless glassing, as you won’t have to stand too close to the eyepieces. The soft rubber eyecups also ensure your eyes don’t get stressed as you focus somewhere.

So, put on your glasses, stand straight, and enjoy impeccable views through this IS binocular.

Exit pupil diameter

A wide exit pupil is the highlight of this 10×42 IS binocular. Where most binoculars are stuck below 3mm exit pupil diameter, this one comes knocking down with its 4.2mm EPD.

This 4.2mm path lets in a significant amount of light to brighten the entire field of view. Even when you’re out in low light, this exit pupil diameter greatly compensates for low ambient light.

Moreover, having this broad exit pupil diameter means you won’t have to squeeze your eyes while focusing. This binocular’s eyepieces perfectly align with your eyeballs, letting in a sufficient amount of light for effortless viewing.

Close focus distance

The close focus distance is important for close-range glassing activities. When you wish to magnify an object near to you, a narrow close focus distance is unavoidable.

Like many other excellent features, this Canon 10×42 IS WP binocular offers a reliable close focus distance too. Its 8.2ft CFD is ideal for bird and nature lovers who love to magnify nearby objects.

Since most image-stabilized binoculars come with wide close focus distances, this one is truly a not-to-miss glass.

Whether you’re a balcony birder or prefer clicking pictures with your binocular’s help, this close focus distance will be your buddy nevertheless.  

Interpupillary distance

Since everyone has different face sizes and dimensions, there’s no standard binocular size that fits all. A binocular with adjustable interpupillary distance is ideal for comfortable and regular usage.

You can easily adjust this Canon 10×42 IS WP binocular’s distance between 55-75mm, and align it with your face. When you apply slight pressure on this bino’s barrels, they move, letting you set the size.

Once the eyepieces are at your desired distance, you can leave the barrels there, and they won’t move. This bino’s sturdy outer frame ensures you don’t have to change this IPD repeatedly.

Battery

The Image-stabilization feature requires battery backing, and you should keep at least two battery replacements in the bag while you travel.

This binocular’s IS system runs on two standards AA batteries, which are quite reliable. You’ll find the battery compartment at this binocular’s rear side.

However, note one thing this binocular’s image-stabilization drains batteries pretty quickly. So, you must have a backup to go by. Also, this Canon 10×42 binocular works perfectly fine on the standard mode after you turn off the IS mode.

Ergonomics

Canon binoculars are well-known for their sturdy designs and smart features because these things determine a glass’s practicality. When you head out with a sloppy or hard-to-handle binocular, it becomes a liability instead of a helping hand.

If you’re passionate about binoculars, never compromise on ergonomics and get a glass that’s reliable in all categories. So, let’s discuss this bino’s ergonomics before we proceed:

• Weather resistance

Only a few image-stabilized binoculars offer waterproofing, and luckily, this one is one of them. If you’re concerned about taking your binocular out in harsh weather, this one is the solution.

This is Canon’s first IS waterproof binocular, which is a huge relief for outdoor hobbyists. This bino doesn’t get fogged in moist weather conditions and performs equally well everywhere.

If you happen to drop this binocular in water, it won’t get damaged much, all thanks to its watertight metal chassis.

Although you should protect your Canon 10×42 binocular from water as much as possible, but if you can’t do it, you’re still good-to-go.

• Design

When a binocular doesn’t offer a good grip or is too large/small to handle, it’s always a nuisance. But with a Canon 10×42 binocular, you’ll always feel comfortable.

This binocular has a metal chassis that shelters the glass parts from external harms. And since a metal frame doesn’t provide a stable grip, this bino has a rubber armor to compensate for it.

The textured rubber armor doesn’t let the binocular slip from your hands and helps you maintain a steady posture too.

Canon Optics has packed this 10×42 IS WP binocular in a nice carry case, easy to haul and store.

The soft neck strap lets you take this binocular wherever you go without getting tired by its 38.4oz weight. Other accessories that come with this bino are an eyepiece cover and a rain guard so that you can safely store your glass with other gadgets/gear. 

• Interface

There is an accessible push-button on your Canon 10×42 binocular where your right forefinger rests. Once the image-stabilization is turned on, you can enjoy it for 5 minutes with no interruption. And to switch to the standard glassing mode, press the same button, and you’re done. 

This IS WP binocular doesn’t add to your burden and proves to be a truly reliable gadget in every activity; try and see yourself.

Is this binocular always helpful?

Even when a binocular has excellent specifications, it cannot suit everyone’s requirements. Some glassing adventures require a wide field of view, while others need good lowlight performance. To know where does this binocular fit the best, let’s discuss a few top glassing activities:

Sailing

Enjoying mighty waves, boats, and seabirds is a relaxing pastime activity, but not when you end up with motion sickness. Most sailors struggle with shaky views because that’s hard to avoid on a moving boat.

But with a Canon 10×42 IS WP binocular, you can easily control those jitters and enjoy your sailing stints. This binocular remarkably stabilizes your views so that jitters are always at bay.

Moreover, its armored chassis provides a sturdy grip, which is essential for sailors. You can comfortably stand on your boat and explore marine life without facing blur or shaky views, thanks to this bino’s dependable image-stabilization.

Astronomy

Astronomy binoculars mostly come with up to 15x magnification. But since this is a 10×42 binocular, you cannot rely on it for astronomy. Although it’s good-enough for casual sky watching, you’ll need a model like Canon 15×50 for prolonged astronomy sessions.

Hunting

Hunters seek stability and precision; this binocular has both. With its 341.2ft wide field of view and high-quality UD lenses, your hunting mission will become more apt.

Once the image-stabilization feature is active, you can easily chase a running target and pin it down with your firearm. This bino is also ideal for scanning broad hunting regions when you cannot risk going near the targets.

This bino provides brilliant optical performance that makes early morning and lowlight hunting more manageable.

So, grab your gun, and a Canon 10×42 IS WP binocular to collect those exotic trophies this hunting season.

Birding

A birdwatching binocular must have superb color fidelity and light transmission because without these, you cannot appreciate the feathered beauty much.

Canon 10×42 IS binocular has UD lenses and super-spectra coatings to make birdwatching a truly relaxing hobby for you. This bino’s close focus distance is another advantage for balcony birders, as they can closely observe nearby birds with the 8.2ft close focus distance.

Whether you observe seabirds, those visiting your gardens, or go out to explore wild birds, this binocular will always be your helping hand.

Traveling/sightseeing

Nature’s marvels are everywhere; you should have an eye to explore them. If you often travel, having this Canon 10×42 binocular by the side will make sure you never miss a worth watching site.

From desert safaris to lush green nature parks, this binocular will always double the fun of your travels. Its superb image clarity and ergonomic design never limit your traveling soul to a certain environment.

Final words

If you need a once-and-for-all solution for shakiness in your views, investing in an Image-stabilized binocular is the best way out. Once this Canon 10×42 L IS WP binocular is with you, you can keep your hand tremors and vibration from affecting the final views.

This Canon binocular is a smart and reliable gadget that doesn’t give in to harsh weather conditions. To make your hunting, sailing, and birdwatching adventures more enjoyable, try this binocular, and you’ll love it for sure.

Get yourself the best IS binocular, and never look back to those uneven and jittery views!

Photo by Dmitriy Ganin from Pexels.

Last update on 2024-04-13 at 07:14 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API