"scott" jsodellatgmail.com wrote in message
...
I've used the Canon 15x50 and they work just fine on land or if the boat
is relatively stable, eg on the ICW -- good optics and sharp images - I
like them a lot. Offshore, forget about it unless it is almost a flat
calm -- out there I still prefer plain old 7 x 50's, any decent brand.
Is it Fujinon that has a model with much more active stabilization
designed for rougher conditions? That might be worth a try but I would
like to try them out before laying out that kind of $$$!
Scott
"just me" wrote in message
. ..
Does anyone here have and use them? I'm looking at Fujinon 14x40 and
Canon 15x50 and 18x50. Input and experiences appreciated.

I've had my Fujinon 14x40 "Techno-Stabi" for several years, and do find them
useful at sea. I haven't tried the Canons, but the stabilizer on the Fujis
works well enough under most conditions. I still reach for my unstabilized
7x50 binocs most of the time, but if I want higher magnification the Fujis
have been useful. The optics are quite good, and the stabilization handles
the boat motion, even in fairly rough seas. There have been times when the
motion was too much for them, but there is some operator technique involved
as well. They do burn through batteries pretty quickly (the 4xAAs last for
a few hours of active use).

If my budget were tight, I would really consider how much I needed them
before spending the considerable cash. Depending on where and how you sail,
they might be just the ticket, or they might be an expensive plaything (not
that there's anything wrong with that!). The stabilization is good, but it
won't work miracles.

Regards,
Paul