There are a lot of binoculars available for around $150, and the majority of them are poor-performing compact models. If you're thinking of getting some relatively inexpensive binoculars, please avoid all of the compact models with 25 or 30mm objectives. They are universally disappointing in this price range.

A full-sized pair of 8x40 binoculars will generally give a much more pleasing and comfortable view, and among those models less than $150 the Nikon Egret II is one of the best. I've seen others from Bushnell, Bausch and Lomb and less well known brands, and I don't recall any of them being better than these Nikons.

1. The Egrets have a very forgiving and comfortable view. They bathe your eyes in light--unlike many other binoculars, you don't need to have your eye lined up with the eyepiece precisely in order to get a good view.

2. They have very good color saturation, sharpness, and contrast. I was looking through them in comparison to the Leica 8x42s, Canon 10x30 IS, and Nikon 7x50s. The Egrets bettered all but the 8x42 Leicas, but of course they cost less than 10% of the price of the Leicas! The Leicas may have been an improvement, but not a 10 fold improvement (so it goes with optics and stereos).

3. They have a slight pincushion field curvature. This is not a big problem. You'll notice it as you pan around, but it doesn't diminish the view for bird watching, sports, or other typical uses.

Overall these are a best buy and would be a nice loaner for friends or a good first pair. I wouldn't be terribly upset if these were the only binoculars I had. I might get interested in something better after side by side comparison, but I wouldn't note any horrible flaws or disappointments in day to day use.