Back in '71, I picked up a pair of roof prism Leitz Trinovid 10x40's when I was in Berlin. They have spotted a lot of game, and have been an excellent binoc for my entire life.
I used to be a life guard that searched a busy lake for a 2 hour watch. We used an old Leitz binoc because you could look through them for a long time without any eye fatigue because of their superior alignment and optics.
I am now a surveyor, and every surveyor knows that the best optics in our business is Leica. Our equipment is in the range of $20,000 to $30,000, so we're not talking cheap here. The 'scope's are in the 28 - 32 power range and the Leica optics are breathtaking.
I recently felt the need to replace my $100 Nikon binos I use for recon at work, and I got a pair of Lieca 8x30s. They are really good and the Nikons can't even compare to Leicas, of course.
I don't often hear about the ability to resolve detail in binocs, but in my opinion, that is the most important quality. I use a distant tree and look at the leaves or branches. You should be able to distinguish veins on leaves with good binocs. Also look for how the glass handles black & white. Is there any chromatic aberation? Can you see the fine details of black or grey in the shadows? Can you see that detail out to the edges of the glass? Compare a cheap pair of 12 power binocs with a good pair of 8 power ones and you'll see what I mean. The 12s will magnify more, but the better 8s will allow you to actually see better, which is the point. I've thought about the other brands and when I purchsed the 8x30s, I compared all of them. I won't bash other brands, but just don't think they measured up.
My advice is to actively save your money and get a pair of Leicas. They will last you your entire life, and the money you spend will be a good investment instead of a compromise you'll regret. Be happy.
