RE: Help, leupold katmai binoculars??
For your intended application I think they will work out quite well. I owned a pair of the 8x32s before they added the phase coating on the roof prisms. Even then I thought they were an extremely handy, bright design. Phase coating can only add to the contrast and perceived sharpness so they must be even better now.
Probably the only thing that they are lacking in comparison to much more expensive models is the field of view. 330 and some odd feet at 1000 yards is probably the narrowest 8x32 model on the market followed closely by the 8x32 Pentax XP. If you can get over that one fact then you shouldn't have a problem with them.
Speaking of Pentax though, the 8x32 SP model is just a bit larger than the 8x32 Katmai but offers a significantly wider field of view (393 feet) and a more robust overall feel. The image quality has been commented on as being just a gnat's hair away from the high end European glass. There are a few reputable places on the net that sell them for about $350 though the regular retailers typically sell them at $500.
Others to consider would be the Nikon Monarch 8x36, Minox BD BL or BR8x32, Bushnell Legend 8x32 and Zeiss Conquest 8x30.
Oh, and Leupold is coming out with an 8x30 Yosemite porro that should sell for about $100. Image quality will be on par with the Katmai with a better field of view. If you can get over the slightly larger porro prism design then this model will offer exceptional performance versus cost.
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