Hey Jods,
Another hearty welcome to BF!
Haven't tried the baby Kowas, but you might want to read allbinos' review while waiting for other comments to be posted:
http://www.allbinos.com/182-binoculars_review-Kowa_Genesis_8x33.html
One comment that's important to note in this review, and something that I have taken issue with in Arek's reviews, is his use of the phrase "well-corrected distortion" as an optical attribute to be desired with bins used for terrestrial hobbies.
"Well-balanced distortion" would be a legitimate term for a bin where angular momentum distortion and pincushion were in a good balance, but that wouldn't apply to the 8x33 Kowa since it has very low distortion, something Arek likes, but that I don't, because significantly more AMD than pincushion can create a "rolling ball" effect -- if you are susceptible.
Most people aren't, so you probably won't have to worry about this, but it still helps to "Try before you buy" or find a store with a generous return period because if you do see "rolling ball," it might take some time to adjust to it.
"Rolling ball" is where the image appears to roll over a positively curved surface as you pan or tilt with the binoculars. If you see it, it can be very distracting since it makes you aware of the optics, and ideally, you want to see birds that look like they do through your eyes, but 8x closer, rather than birds that look like they're reflected in a Funhouse mirror.
If you're new to optics, what I just wrote probably sounds like gobbledegook. It simply means that when optics are made for terrestrial use, the designers usually add some degree of pincushion, which bends straight lines inward, so that the landscape looks natural while panning with the bins.
Too much pincushion or way too little and you might see a "rolling motion" when you pan. Since your eyes contain pincushion, you are more likely to note when there's too much pincushion rather than when there's not enough.
Some people (me included) who don't have enough distortion in their eyes will not be able to compensate for the lack of it in optics, and will see the "rolling ball effect" where the image will appear to roll over a positively curved surface, similar to a globe, as they pan the landscape with the bin. This is also called the "globe effect". Here's more info about it if you care to delve deeper.
It's a technical report, but don't get scared off by the equations, Holger's illustrations make clear what he's talking about.
http://holgermerlitz.de/globe/distortion.html
Ideally, you'd like to have the distortion in bins well balanced so the image neither rolls under or rolls over a curved surface, but appears as it does to your eyes. But since people's eyes differ, what's ideal for one person isn't necessarily ideal for another, but there is a typical range, as Holger shows.
The other issue with the 8x33 Kowa is fairly common with midsized roofs, and that is truncated exit pupils (exit pupils are the light cones coming from the eyepieces to your eyes). This cutoff is usually due to the prisms being undersized so as to keep the bulk and weight more manageable. But if the exit pupils are vignetted, you're not getting all the light to your eyes that you should with this size configuration.
Compare the Kowa's exit pupils to the Zeiss 8x32 FL in allbinos' review of that bin, and you'll see that despite the bin's small size, the cut off of the exit pupils is minimal.
http://www.allbinos.com/191-binoculars_review-Carl_Zeiss_Victory_8x32_T*_FL.html
The FL costs about $400 more than the Kowa, but from all the rave reviews on these forums, and its reputation as being the brightest 8x32 roof on the market, it would seem worth the extra $$$$ if you can afford it and are looking for a compact-sized 8x32 that delivers sharp, bright images.
I suggest you check out the 8x32 FL in the BF reviews section and also on the Zeiss forum and more importantly compare it with the 8x33 Kowa at a store.
There's more than exit pupils and distortion levels that makes one bin better than another for any given individual - ergonomics, handling, eyecup comfort, diopter control, and focusing - among others.
What looks better on "paper" doesn't always translate to what looks better to your eyes or feels better in your hands. But reviews at least give you a starting place to find out which bins you want to try.
Brock