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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Troubador" data-source="post: 3456877" data-attributes="member: 109211">I can agree with almost all of what you say John and when I am watching Otters through my cheapest pair of bins they are definitely my favourite bins.The status theory is something that puzzles me though. I don't go to reserves much and don't hang out with any birders so there is nobody that I can display for example my SFs to in order to boost my ego. And when you bought top Zeiss models did you really find it boosted your own feelings of self-estimation or ego? Since Swaros have been (with excellent reasons) the bins to have for several years now, if one is seeking an image booster you would have to have Swaros. Maybe things are changing with SF and Noctivid but does anyone really believe that the bins you carry can give your self-esteem a shot in the arm?Maybe what you are saying is that since the top alphas hardly bring a sufficient increase in bird spotting efficiency in relation to their cost, the only possible reason to buy them is for reasons of status.Well, I will beg to differ on this one. There are sufficient complexities to the concept of 'pleasure of ownership and usage' that one doesn't need to include self-esteem or status in reasons for purchase, although since nature observers are probably as prone to all human vices as other groups no doubt some folks are prone to self-image concerns too.And there are some technical aspects of some alpha models that go beyond the subtle differences that you rightly point to as barely significant. For example Swaro's flat field approach has given some folks the opportunity of letting there eyes roam around a sharply presented landscape, while Zeiss's SF has significant handling and wide field of view characteristics that are not subtle in the least. We may find that Noctivid brings something new to the table too. And while none of these things may increase your rate of identifying birds, there is more to nature observation than this.You posed an interesting question in an interesting way John.Lee</blockquote>

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