Cameras and Lenses
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Now its ok spending lots of money on binoculars if you have the money. 3yrs ago bought a pair of binoculars from Aldi's 10 x 25 they supprised me, how good they were, they still supprise me, went back and bought another pair for my girlfriend. Was in Aldi today and they have binoculars in again 12 x 32, £5.99, yes, bought a pair, can get them in black or silver. Get them while you can.
Now here's one of my favourite little bug-bears so excuse me if I let the side down again but:
My first pair of binoculars were given to me by an uncle when I was about eight. 8x30's very old - brass fittings etc. They did the job for an eight year old.
They did for me until I was about fourteen when, with my newly acquired income from Saturday work at a local farm, I purchased a pair of "Boots Pacer" 8x30's for about £10.00.
A few years later they got bent and so I decided to splash out on a pair of Ziess 8x30's at around £120 thinking that I was "moving up in the world" (a complete fallacy of course).
At the same time I started to experiment with 10x50's and despite more common opinion; I've actually come to prefer 10x50's over 8x30's (no doubt; I should be flogged for this herecy).
About five years ago I purchased a pair of Simmons 10x50 in a closing down sale, they should have been around £70.00, I got them for £49.00.
I very quickly started leaving the more expensive Zeiss 8x50's in the cupboard and using the far cheaper Simmons 10x50's.
Since then I've tried very many different types of binoculars as used by other birders right up to the extremely expensive equipment.
My Simmons 10x50 were in a car that was stolen three years ago but shortly afterwards I spotted a pair of "Ying-Yang-Yong" 10x50 selling for £15.00 in "Lidle", is this another cause for great shame? These looked almost identical to my lost Simmons apart from the name, they had the same old fashioned sturdy design, the same comfortable soft rubber eye-cups, the same coated lenses and the same level of clarity.
Anyway; I brought a pair and have used them ever since.
A few months later I saw yet another pair in another shop, identical but for name and again selling at £15.00 and so I brought a pair for my son (I suspect it's a standard design made under licence in China by several companies).
Two weeks ago I was rummaging about in a crappy little tourist tat shop in Barmouth when I spotted yet another pair, identical in all but name and so I brought them just for the hell of it; fifteen squids; what's to lose.
Now here's my point; Having also used binoculars owned by others and costing over £300 in some cases and then comparing them to my lowly Chinese £15 jobbies; I fail entirely to find £285 pounds worth of difference in clarity or versatilty.
Also; I can very happily leave my binoculars in my car at all times, I take them out in the rain, snow, fog and hail. I let them swing casually from my rucksack, bash them against rocks and trees with impunity, get them splashed with salt water and covered in sand with and.....it doesn't matter, because if they do get wrecked (and they haven't yet) then I can simply replace them with another pair of Chinese Ying-Yang-Yongs setting back that enormous 15 squids.
Here's the contentious point; whilst I'm sure that your £300 all singing all dancing bino's are superior to my £15 Chinese interlopers, I'm equally convinced that my birding pleasure is not minutely compromised or dimminished by this fact and that your £300 jobbies are not £285 better than mine.
I'm almost tempted to make an obviously erroneous assumption of a slight optical snobbery and this temptation is somewhat increased by your complete lack of reponse to Ray's very worthy thread in favour of what might at first glance and to the underclass to which I obviously belong, of your possibly geekish discussions regarding your better bred binoculars.
.....and yes......my tongue is very firmly in my cheek........
I have got to admit I am open minded about the price of bins. Is it quality before money not the other way around. 
To me, it is not the price that counts, it is more to do whether the equipment is any use at all
My OH is in the mind that the more expensive the better the product 
We own a pair of RSPB bins, 8x40's which where quite expensive, but I have to say they are the best bins I have ever used. They are more compact, easy to transport, and the quality of vision in super.
I thought 'brand' names came in to it a bit here, but I believe that the RSPB have wildlife watchers interests at heart anyway.
The second pair of bins we possess are a large pair of Miranda 10x50's. They seem inferior, they bulky to carry around, and they are not so good. Also the fact that they have used to death. We use these for around the house and they are never taken out at all.
Knowing my OH he will buy bins that are dear. I have never managed to talk him around to my way of thinking yet.
Having said this, RSPB bins get my thumbs up 
I will show him this thread and see what he thinks. The information is very interesting to read and I will look forward to reading more comments here
Peewit