I will play it safe.
Kowa Genesis
Beyond that...
Zen Ray ED3
A question for the fun of it.
What binoculars that are not made by Zeiss/Leica/Swarovski/Nikon EDG II, i.e., "Alphas", do you consider to have a comparable optical quality to the "alphas"?
To answer, you should have actually used (not just looked through) one of more official alpha(s) since the advent of phase coating.
Also, the purpose of the use should be for handheld looking at birds, and they should be current production, and excluding compacts.
My nominees:
Nikon 8x32 SE
Swift Audubon 8.5x44 ED
Oh boy. You are opening a can o' worms with this one.
I will play it safe.
Kowa Genesis
Beyond that...
Zen Ray ED3
[QUOTE=jaymoynihan;2311049]What binoculars that are not made by Zeiss/Leica/Swarovski/Nikon EDG II, i.e., "Alphas", do you consider to have a comparable optical quality to the "alphas"?[/QUOTE]
I don't think the Nikon 8x32 SE should qualify as an "unofficial" alpha, it is an alpha porro sold by an alpha label. That said, for me it doesn't cut it as an alpha birding instrument--the focus is too slow, stiffens in the cold, and the hang is no good.
I know you asked about current production only, but I've asked myself the same question you're asking many times and my answer is that I have not found any. If the roof bin comparison is to current top level alpha-brand models, for me, the closest competitors are some of the alpha-brand top models of the recent past (e.g. Leica 8x32 BA/BN and Ultravid nonHD, Zeiss 7x42 Classic, Swarovski 8 and 10x42 EL nonSwarovision). Recent nonalpha roofs (esp. Chinese ED) are sometimes superior to yesteryear's alphas with respect to color neutrality, brightness, and CA control, but I haven't found one yet that in demanding birding situations (chasing sparrows through brush, wood warblers through leafed out trees, focus in cold weather) is as easy as those older alphas on the eyes and operates as smoothly. So if I had a choice between the best Chinese ED roofs I've tried to date versus a used former alpha such as the faster focus version Swarovski 8.5x42 EL, I'd choose the latter.
--AP