I can't really answer your question, but curious about what you consider good binoculars. I'm a bit of a birder, although my "life list" is a bunch of informal notes in my guide.

I'm entranced right now with the birds on the gulf coast of Florida; got myself a new guidebook even. Plus I'm going on an Alaskan cruise in 2012 so I'm thinking of bettering my nice old 7x35 Bushnells, which have served me well for almost 40 years.

Wendy
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Booked: Uniworld Egypt, 2015
Tauck Amsterdam to Budapest, 2016
Paul Gauguin, Societies & Tuamotus 2016