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.
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br /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.
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br /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.
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br /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.
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br /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.
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I purchased the Canon 12x36 IS II's a year ago and they still work with the original batteries. At 23 oz they are not as heavy as my Canon 10x42L IS WP's and can hang from my neck much longer without feeling heavy. They have a sharp 60° AFOV and are the only 12x binoculars I would want to take for birding or any other outdoor use. They are not waterproof so when I want a waterproof IS binocular I just grab my 10x42L IS WP's.

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.
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br /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.
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br /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.
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br /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.
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br /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.
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br /Based on overall value I feel this bino deserves 5 stars.
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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.

I was thinking of geting the 10X version. It made more sense to have image stabilization with the 12X version and I could not afford the Nikon 14X.
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br /I was happy to find out that the Canon 12X36 IS II takes AA batteries rather than the expensive 3 Volt Lithium batteries used in the older model. Everyone that had a look throught the Canon 12X36 IS II binoculars was impresed with the image stabilization. No regrets.

We purchased a smaller version last year, and they were great. I got these for my husband, after buying a telescope that he finds cumbersom. We have a Canon camera with stabilized lens also, and could not take the pictures we have without the stabilizer on the longer lens.
br /These are fantastic! The strength is such that we could see the mountains on the edge of a full moon. The stabilization makes them incredibly versatile. They are much easier to use and more portable than our telescope, so they will be used much more. We go exploring in the southwest deserts, and these are great for viewing petroglyph sites. So far, I have had no problems whatsoever with them. The only problem is that my husband now wants the biggest strongest version. I may have to do that, but that just means I will get to keep these for myself. Fine with me!

I love these binoculars. They are lightweight and have good magnification, a nice compromise. The optics are excellent and the stablization is rock hard. Very impressive. They arrived with a three year warranty, covers for the eye lenses, soft case and strap.

If you feel the need to spoil yourself once in a while; get the 12x36 model instead of the 10x30. They are more than one could ask for. If one is purchasing exceptional binoculars, why not purchase really exceptional binoculars?
br /After all, if it's the money, one should be buying binoculars at Big Lots.
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br /These glasses are amazing and everyone I have shown them to agrees.
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br /Nothing being perfect: they come without lens caps ???????

I like to view the mountains from 4 to 30 miles from my house and these are perfect for this. The IS works great, without it, I would need a tripod to see what I'm seeing. Also great for moon viewing.

These binoculars exceeded my expectations, they are powerful with great clarity of vision even in relatively low light conditions. They are comfortable to use and lighter than any quality binoculars that I have used.
br /And then we have the image stabilisation - absolutely brilliant.
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br /If you are looking for quality and ease of use and don't mind paying for it, go for a pair of these.

These things are simply amazing. Things are bright and sharp without stabilization, but turn it on and over about a second or two it settles in and... wow!. You can read small type on a distant sign that you just would not have been able to make out otherwise. It would have been sharp, but too shaky to read. Details on wildlife are totally distinct, it's almost like the binocs are on a tripod. It really is astounding, everyone that tries them is knocked out.
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br /A couple other points: The brightness is completely fine in my book - I have had absolutely no issues in that regard, even at night. The eye relief is sufficient for wearing glasses, but I've never found binocs that really work for me with glasses on - I think I just prefer having my eyes right in the eyepiece. Also, the rubber eyecups need to be flipped/forced back to really work with glasses which isn't very convenient, and I feel they would eventually suffer from the wear. The eyecups on the Nikon, for example, twist into different depths which is a better way of adjusting. The overall size is pretty good, definitely not as small as a good standard pair, but not giant or cumbersome at all either.
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br /I think this model is a great middle ground. Lots of power at 12x, good brightness, medium sized, and that amazing stabilization. I'd definitely buy them again.
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br /Oh one thing I would add, these only focus down to about 19', so consider if that is an issue for you...

These binoculars are by far the most superior I have ever looked thru. My brother the hunter purchased sawarski's some years back 10 power, they have very good optics (like mine) but they don't have the magic button!!! It's with this that the magic starts! Everything comes into prespective, as if you are standing there five feet away. The clarity of these canon's are the best for the money I paid, nobody could beat amazon's price! I have 7x25 wide angle, 10x50's, which I don't always use because of the shake at high power. Yes I know you have to take very good care of them and they use batteries, but I do the same with my other binoculars, as with my digtal camera. I strongly recommend these 12x36 for their weight, power, but most of all Image Stabilization. I took them to the 2008 sony open and was looking at the scorecard carrier's walking on other fairway's and relaying the info to my wife and friend (who's name, what their score was) following the ball was alot easier! It is great to look at stars at night, or the landscape during the day. I can hardly wait to get with my brother and compare!!!!

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.
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br /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.
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br /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.
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br /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.
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br /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.
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br /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.
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br /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.
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br /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.

Canon's 12x36 IS II Binoculars are well worth the investment. After lugging around an old 12x50 non-IS for 20 years, the Canon is lighter, brighter, better balanced and better contoured. The IS is impressive to say the least, and so easy a caveman could do it! Lots of Pros for this one. The only Con are the lens dust caps, or more accurately the eyepiece dust caps. We managed to lose one of them in the first half hour on the trail. They don't grip real well. Now when we use the binocs we carry them in their soft case at all times, leaving the caps behind in the truck so they don't get lost. Best binocs I've ever had, and I've had quite a few over the years. Can't go wrong with this one.

Though a little larger than is sometimes convenient, the quality of the image makes these binoculars worth carrying.
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br /The stabilazation makes all the difference in the world - wouldn't be without it.

I have a full view of a boating and shipping lane area from my office, and these glasses have redefined the way I view various boating and fishing activities. Most attractions start at approximately 500' and extend to infinity. I can discern the type of vessel and activity up to an estimated 8 to 10 miles. The "IS" function is a definite must in this environment.
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br /I can recommend these binoculars without reservation.
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Excellent product with good dollar value. Excels in magnification, lens quality, solid construction, light gathering qualities and minimal weight results in easy portability and use. Image stabilizer feature works flawlessly and has highly acceptable use longevity when powered by lithium batteries.

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.

I bought the binoculars for the Olympics. They worked great. The image stabilization was a big help.

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

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!!

I purchased these binoculars for my husband about a month ago, as a gift. He is thrilled with them. The distance, clarity and stability is outstanding.

These are quite something. I gave them to my bird watching wife and she is very pleased. The Image Stabilization is almost like magic. She hasn't had them long but so far they have performed well.

After personally using a camera (I do more of the photographing) with an image stabilized lens, I knew my wife would definitely want the same capability in her binoculars... I was proven right. She loved them. The ease of use, the improved usefulness of a higher power in a hand-held magnifying unit because of stabilization, the excellent light gathering capabilities of this unit in dim light, had my son and his wife clamoring for a chance to share them as well on a recent trip to the cloud forests of Costa Rica. This pair has already been used 4 times as much as other binoculars we've had and still have that don't have stabilizaton. The slight extra weight and size are well worth it.

I've researched IS binoculars for some time and finally took the plunge on these as a gift for my wife for Christmas. The IS features is great for bird watching. They're compact, reasonably light weight and the optics are really good. Definitely worth the money.

Canon 12x36 Image Stabilization II Binoculars w/Case, Neck Strap Batteries I ordered these for wildlife viewing while on vacation this year. The image stabilization works exceptionally well. The stabilization allowed me to see wildlife at great distances. The only drawback was that these binoculars work so well that I had a hard time trying to get them back from my traveling companions. I am going to buy another pair of these for a gift and Amazon's price is hard to beat.

Two years ago when I purchased a pair of the 10x30IS binocs Canon 10x30 Image Stabilization Binoculars w/Case, Neck Strap Batteries for my wife, this particular model was not available; the next size up (15x50IS) were significantly larger and heavier. The 12x36's are an excellent alternative to the outstanding 10x30's. They are virtually the same size and weight yet provide a noticeably larger image than the 10x30's. The stablization is equally superb and worth the money. The only problem is that my wife gave me the 10x30's and adopted the new 12x36's for herself!

br /I bought this item for my brother. I have not used it but he said it worked fine for him