I'm new here and certainly a novice when if comes to bins, but in the last few weeks, I've tried out about two dozen smaller pairs, including offerings from Zeiss, Bushnell, Nikon, Pentax, Olympus, Steiner, Viking, Celestron, RSPB and Delta. Apart from reverse porros, I thought none of the sub £200 were worth considering at all. The two standout pairs were the Zeiss Victory 8x20 and the Bushnell Elite (Custom) 7x26.
They are very different beasts, but I can see why they both have fans. Technically I think the Zeiss had the edge. Marginly more resolution (and I do mean marginly), flatter field of view, sharper edges and perhaps a slightly more natural colour balance. However, I liked the Bushnells a lot more. Almost the resolution, a lot brighter, wider fov, better depth/3D perception, more vivid (but still natural looking) colour, better exit pupil, enough eye relief for glasses, more comfortable in the hand, and more natural focus. Of course it's a lot heavier, not waterproof, and a bit less pocketable. It's also half the price.
To me it's a bit like high end hifi. You know that vinyl reccords and valve amps don't give the most accurate sound reproduction but many love the flawed but lush sound. However the imperfections will irritate the hell out of others.
I'm a vinyl and valve man, and loved the little imperfections (or intentional design characteristics) of the Bushnells. I thought they enhanced the viewing experience. If you're a digital kind of person, you'll probably hate them.
David