Canon 12x36 IS III specs and field of view
Its 23.3 oz weight sits below the 41.6 oz of the 50 mm Canon IS models, while the 12x magnification gives a 287 ft (at 1,000 yd) field. The focus is listed as center.
- Field of view
- 287 ftat 1,000 yd
- Eye relief
- 14.5 mm
- Close focus
- 19.7 ft
- Weight
- 23.3 oz
- Exit pupil
- 3 mmcalculated
Why pick it
- Image stabilized
Who the 12x36 IS III suits
The 20.8 calculated twilight factor and 3 mm calculated exit pupil suit hillside and shoreline watching in good light, with 14.5 mm of eye relief.
Close focus is 19.7 ft, so nearby birds and insects stay out of reach, and the 5 degree field is tighter than the 10x models.
12x36 IS III aside, the most popular models of all sizes are in our best binoculars comparison.
12x36 IS III specifications
12x36 IS III figures as Canon prints them; rows marked * are calculated from the 12x36 size.
| Magnification | 12x |
|---|---|
| Objective lens | 36 mm |
| Prism type | Porro |
| Field of view | 287 ft at 1,000 yd (96 m at 1,000 m) |
| Angular field of view | 5° |
| Apparent field of view | 55.3° |
| Eye relief | 14.5 mm |
| Close focus | 19.7 ft (6 m) |
| Weight | 23.3 oz (660 g) |
| Image stabilization | Yes |
| Focus system | Center focus |
| Exit pupil | 3 mm * |
| Twilight factor | 20.8 * |
| Relative brightness | 9 * |
* Calculated from the size, not printed by the maker.
Other sizes of the Canon IS
Canon makes the Canon IS in 10 sizes; a larger front lens adds brightness and weight, and more magnification narrows the view.
| Model | Size | Field of view | Eye relief | Close focus | Weight | Exit pupil |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Canon 12x36 IS III | 12x36 | 287 ft | 14.5 mm | 19.7 ft | 23.3 oz | 3 mm |
| Canon 8x20 IS | 8x20 | 345 ft | 13.5 mm | 6.6 ft | 14.8 oz | 2.5 mm |
| Canon 10x20 IS | 10x20 | 279 ft | 13.5 mm | 6.6 ft | 15.2 oz | 2 mm |
| Canon 10x30 IS II | 10x30 | 315 ft | 14.5 mm | 13.8 ft | 21.2 oz | 3 mm |
| Canon 10x32 IS | 10x32 | 315 ft | 14.5 mm | 6.6 ft | 27.5 oz | 3.2 mm |
| Canon 12x32 IS | 12x32 | 261 ft | 14.5 mm | 6.6 ft | 27.5 oz | 2.7 mm |
| Canon 14x32 IS | 14x32 | 225 ft | 14.5 mm | 6.6 ft | 27.3 oz | 2.3 mm |
| Canon 10x42 L IS WP | 10x42 | 342 ft | 16 mm | 8.2 ft | 39.2 oz | 4.2 mm |
| Canon 15x50 IS All Weather | 15x50 | 237 ft | 15 mm | 19.7 ft | 41.6 oz | 3.3 mm |
| Canon 18x50 IS All Weather | 18x50 | 195 ft | 15 mm | 19.7 ft | 41.6 oz | 2.8 mm |
12x36 IS III questions
12x36 IS III: does it work with glasses?
12x36 IS III has 14.5 mm of eye relief, under the 16 mm the RSPB advises for people who wear glasses, so the edge of the view may be cut off with glasses on.
12x36 IS III: what does 12x36 mean?
12x36 IS III magnifies 12 times through 36 mm front lenses, which works out to an exit pupil of 3 mm, the width of the beam of light that reaches each eye.