The new Zeiss Victory II 8x40 are the best all around binoc on the market...in my opinion. I have owned many pair in the past including Swarovski SLC' s, Leica BA and BN' s, Pentax, Leupold, you name it. Sierra Trading Post is offering the Victory II for $799 right now. I know that sounds high compared to some of the middle of the road optics, but the Zeiss blows them away when compared side-by-side. They are brighter, lighter in wt, wider fov, and are just the " easiest" binocular I have ever looked through.

And as for the cost, I have over $850 in my hunting setup that will probably be worth $200 in a couple years so I can certainly justify paying top $$$ for optics that will be with me 20-30 years.