I get asked this all of the time by my group, so now I pass it on to you.
For $300 US would you rather have the Nikon 8x30 EII of the Swift Audubon 820 ?
I hardly ever recommend anything else in that price range because the image these porros give is untouched by $300 dollar roofs. For those who must have a roof I try to lean them towards the Discoverer 7x42 as I feel it's overall image and "ease of viewing" comes closest to matching the wide open views of the porros.
Any thought from the forum regarding the Nikon EII and Swift Audubon?
I use the 10x35 EII in the field for hard work every day, but i am familiar with the 8x30 and the Swift 820 (8.5x roof). The Nikon will last if cared for, i testify to that.The 8.5x offers a bit more magnification, is waterproof, and is really good overall.
The big difference is in the Field of View - excellent for Nikon, and only 330 ft for Swift.
The image quality is better in the Nikon .
So if i had to choose, it would be like this:
If you bird forests and parks, and don't need waterproof, go for Nikon.
If you need waterproof, and FOV is not an issue, go for Swift.
By the way, i compared the 10x35 EII for a whole day against a Zeiss classic C T* P* 10x40. Guess what, i liked the Nikon better in all respects. But it's not waterproof, and probably it is less durable.
FYI, the 820 is the current porro version.