I'm kind of an afficionado and have five pairs of binoculars. For birding and general usage, these Swift 8.5x42 are the ones I always bring with me and use. The wide field of view is wonderful for keeping track of birds on the move. Porro prism gives a greater 3-D perspective too. This gives one a sense of immersion into the view/field.
Pros: Super wide field of view, Sharp optics, Brilliant image
Cons: Heavier than Roof-Prism binoculars
This review was written in the old system and had content requirements that are different than reviews written today.