What would you suggest as an alternative to the 8x30 M7 kkokkolis? Name anything that would be a better small bin alternative at the price that's currently available. I suspect there is nothing.
In fact please if anyone can suggest something better then please let me/us know.
I am considering my "final" (wishfull thinking) binocular in the 8x30 format now, since my earlier quest a month ago concluded to the Zeiss Conquest HD 8x42 and not the 32 as I intended. Let's summarize it.
1. Zeiss Conquest HD 8x32: Great optics, familiarity with the brand, adaptability of my eyes between two models of the same line (42 and 32), available locally for cash, great reviews, legendary brand, likeable covers, perfect focuser, perfect glare control, good field of view, ignorable residual color, adorable Doric aesthetics. BUT: not that small and light, expensive
2. Kite Lynx 8x30: Good reviews, great field of view, nice form factor, nothing else I know really. BAD: Not that cheap
3. Maven 8x30: Good reviews (but not from Europeans), good field of view, nice form factor, customization, nothing else I know really about it. BAD: Shipping and tolls might make them expensive
4. Zeiss Terra ED 8x32: Good optics, familiarity with the brand, adaptability of my eyes between two models of the same line (42 and 32), great eye friendliness, perfect glare control, available locally for cash, good reviews, legendary brand, likeable covers, perfect focuser, adorable Doric aesthetics, cheap for a Zeiss BAD: I now tried the Conquest line and Terra can't match it sometimes (in bright light they are almost identical though, and Greek Light is BRIGHT!)
5. Sightron Blue Sky II: Cheap, nice optics BAD: Cheapy, didn't like aesthetics and ergonomics
6. Nikon SE, EII 10x30: Great reviews, cost effectiveness BAD: Porro
7. Swarovski Habicht 10x30: Great reviews, BEAUTIFULL BAD: Porro
8. Swarovski CL 8x30: BAD: Lukewarm reviews, expensive
9. Leica Ultravid 8x32 Zagato: Are you kidding me?
10. Leica Ultravid 8x32: BAD: Out of reach
11. Zeiss Victory FL 8x32: BAD: Out of reach
12. Swarovski EL 8x32: BAD: Out of reach
13. Nikon EDG 8x32: BAD: Out of reach
14. Meopta Meostar 8x32: BAD: at Conquest's price I'd choose Zeiss blindly
15. Pentax SP 8x32: BAD: at Conquest's price I'd choose Zeiss blindly
16. Meopta Meopro SD 8x32: BAD: Never heard of it
17. Kowa BD 8x32 XD: I really thought about it a lot of times. BAD: Field of view
18. Steiner, Omegon, Eschenbach, Carson, Vixen, Bar and Stroud, Bushnell, Tasco, Bresser, Celestron: They don't appeal to me, except:
19. Celestron Granite ED 8x33: I am curious about these but might I dare to test them?
20. Minox HG 8x33 BR: BAD: at Conquest's price I'd choose Zeiss most surely
21. Minox BL 8x33 HD: I know really nothing about them, double hinge isn't what I want at this size
22. Nikon Monarch 7 ED 8x30: I summarized them already. Good optics, field of view, reasonable price BAD: aesthetics, glare (but not that bad I was expecting after reading all these in the forums, Terra is better in this regard though).
What would you choose?