A review in Better View Desired said, “the 8X32s may just be the best all-around birding binoculars currently on the market. The combination of features -- exceptional resolution, contrast, and color fidelity; adequate brightness for almost any field condition; ideal power for holdable detail; a wide, natural field of view; smooth, quick, precise, close, focus; eye relief that places the eye at the optimum point for the easiest, widest view; complete fog and waterproofness; extreme ruggedness; excellent holdability, balance, and weight to bulk ratio; minor, but very well thought out, design innovations; and that indescribable sense of satisfaction that comes from owning and using a no-holds-barred, cost-is-no-object, precession instrument -- make the 8X32 Ultras all but irresistible. They are a joy to own, a joy to use in the field, and, just by being what they are, they add to the already great joy of watching birds. In my mind, that is the highest accolade that any piece metal and glass, and any sample of the opticians craft, can achieve . . . Binoculars choice is, of course, an intensely personal decision and, despite all our attempts at science, still a very subjective one. Given that, I am ready to say, that unless your birding style, habits, or needs are considerably out of the ordinary, the Leica 8X32 Ultras will satisfy you for years to come.”

This in one of the binoculars I've bought for my own binocular collection. My wife thinks it has the best optics she's ever seen in a binocular that she finds comfortable to carry and use for long periods.

Features of this binocular . . .

H-body roof prism with internal center focus.

Rugged die-cast aluminum body with noise- and shock-absorbing black polyurethane armoring.

Optics are fully multicoated with unique Leica HDC antireflection coatings for maximum light transmission. External lens and eyepiece surfaces have additional special hard coatings for added protection from the environment – from scratches, dings, acid rain, enraged warblers . . . all the hazards today’s birders face.

Nitrogen-filled and O-ring sealed to be fogproof in all temperature extremes and waterproof to a depth of 5 meters (16 feet) for a period of one hour. Inert nitrogen filling also prevents the internal formation of fungus in high humidity climates, such as rain forests. Designed to operate reliably over a temperature range of -13 degrees to +131 degrees Fahrenheit – from Attu to Death Valley, from the Serengeti Plains to Costa Rica.

Silver coated roof prisms for superb light transmission. The inert nitrogen filling the binocular keeps the silver surfaces from tarnishing, so the binocular will stay bright for a lifetime.

P40 phase-correcting prism coatings provide very high contrast and resolution, particularly visible when looking sunwards, where more color and detail is clearly visible in the shadowed areas of backlit or silhouetted birds.

Pop-up rubber-rimmed eyecups retract into the binocular body for eyeglass use, rather than rolling down, eliminating the possibility of the eyecups drying out and cracking with age and use, as with conventional rolldown eyecups.

Less than one turn of the comfortably-large focus knob moves from an 8’ near focus to infinity. The two halves of the focus knob pull apart to adjust the eyepieces individually to compensate for eyesight differences, then snap together to lock in the diopter correction.

This genuine Leica import qualifies for the unique Leica Lifetime Sport Optics Passport Plan available only to registered owners of Leica products that have been legally imported by Leica USA. In essence, the Passport Plan says that if you register your Leica product with Leica, no matter what happens to that product for as long as you own it, you can send the pieces back to Leica (including the piece with the serial number) and they will repair it or replace it for only a $35 shipping and handling charge. Certain restrictions apply. Click on the “Warranty Information” link to the left and then click on the “Leica” link in the warranty page that opens up for the full details of the Leica Lifetime Sport Optics Passport Plan.