DESC: 12x36 IS II Image Stabilisation binoculars... Improvements to the objective lens assembly have resulted in the binoculars being approximately 26% lighter and 10% smaller than the 12x36 IS model they replace. And reductions in power consumption mean a massive 270% increase in battery life of up to four hours using two AA-size alkaline batteries. With any high magnification binoculars, most users will experience frustrating image shake. Unless fixed to a tripod, image shake can render high magnification binoculars useless. Canon's IS technology is remarkably effective at eliminating this problem and is widely used by the television industry with Canon's professional broadcast quality video recording equipment. A special VAP (Vari-Angle Prism) corrective IS system sits between the objective lens group and the porro prism on each side of the binoculars. Within thousandths of a second of the binoculars being moved from their optical axis by vibrations, a detection system activates the IS mechanism.