What Binoculars Do You Prefer?

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Can't go wrong with Zeiss or Swarovski

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Your default choice should be 8x42. I find that I prefer 10x50 for pesting but it comes at the cost of being harder to hold steady and less field of view and dimmer at low light. I have both sizes in Athlon Midas from a cost/benefit point of view they are great. Of the ones I looked through at a store the Nikon EDG was very impressive at 3+x the cost of what I paid for each of the Athlons.
 
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Just a few comments on binoculars : there are just a few lens makers for a whole lot of bands. quality control is important .if you can, go to a store and look threw several of the same brand. there can be a difference in lens clarity. about fifteen years ago i bought marine binoculars from west marine, ( 10x42 ) their brand. the lens are coated dark. a must for being





used on the water. the lens are very clear. they are waterproof, rubber coated, nitrogen filled (fog proof), screw out cushioned eye pieces, lens covers front and rear, shock resistant and a thirty year guarantee. i think i paid a hundred dollars. my point is i got lucky with good lens. i really like these binoculars. they are great early in the morning, at dusk and sighting in shadows. in bright sun light, glare can be a problem. after i bought these binoculars, i found out bird watchers like them. i have taken good of these binoculars and they work as well as the day i bought them, please excuse the spacing.


 
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To me, I'm getting to the point where smaller is better.

- As in, the wife's Minox 8x32 are getting more use than my 8x42 because they pack smaller... The Leica Ultravid 8x20 is getting pretty high on my wish list.

OP, any birding groups nearby? If so, it might be worth your while to visit them. They usually are one picky bunch when it comes to optic, and just like shooters, they (usually) enjoy talking about their equipment and what they like/dislike about it. And they'll usually be more than happy to let you try what they've brought. That's how I ended up doing last time I was looking for a larger spotting scope.

Also, CameralandNY (a site sponsor I believe) often has great "demo" sales. Real friendly folks.
 
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I have used the vortex diamond hd with zero issue and bet they are as good as any $500 binocular out there . You can take the best binoculars money can buy and a pair of athlon cronus are not far off them...its a fact. At some point the return diminishes on how much color/clear you get out of a pair of binoculars. If you call Doug at cameraland he will explain and keep in mind he has all the brands sitting in front of him.
 
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If you do not wear glasses and have a narrow IPD as you mentioned then try Nikon EII 8x30 anniversary addition. Wide field of view and they have one of the narrowest IPD on a good pair of binoculars I have ever seen. Longtime birding favorite. Got a pair for my wife for birding and she loves them. She never could use other bins because of the IPD. I wear glasses and find they do not have enough eye relief for me. Vixen 7x50 foresters are great also if you can find them. ED glass at reasonable price. I tend to like Porro design better. If you are using a lot in the field though they typically are not waterproof.

Good binoculars will last a lifetime. 
 
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With binoculars it depends. 



For most applications I like 10x for mobile purposes. 



If I'm sitting in my house or in a car or otherwise sedentary I'll buy 16 power.



But this is a strange subject. How far are you expecting to use binoculars on a x (undefined object)? 



Object could be a deer, squirrel, elk, coyote. 



I'm thinking walking around is great at 10x but double up from the living room or truck
 
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