Canon 18x50IS VS Canon 14x42L IS

Looking to buy retirement binoculars for husband for star gazing, ship, dolphin, & wildlife watching. Which of these two would you recommend? Thanks!

Hi

If steadiness and weight are issues and they tend to be as we age (I'm in my 60s) the smaller and lighter 14x42 would be my choice. Even with IS technology, 18x is a lot to steady. The 14x will also have a wider field of view, so finding things will be easier. Not going to be a huge difference between what a 14x and 18x can see, anyway. In other words, the 14x42 will definitely be easier to use, though the 18x50 will have a slight edge on performance, assuming he can hold them steady enough. If not, he may be able to actually see more detail with the 14x.