Winmagman,
Sorry that you get headaches using the Nikons . I admit that focus is critical but when you get it right it is " Right ".
I wear eyeglasses and I am no spring chicken myself ( 56 /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif ) I reckon the difference is that I do not get headaches , of any kind , at any time. Even when I was inclined to overindulge ( read : drink alcohol till I vomited massive streams ) I did not have a headache the next day .
The compacts you mention are good but even as superior glass they cannot give the light or resolution at the distances that the Nikons can.
I have tested this at 2 mile distances with Steiners fixed at 10 power and 50 mm and Swarovskis at 10 power at 50 mm and my little old Nikons at 20 power and 50 mm. I have nothing to gain by what I am about to say ..................
I could determine that the animals we were looking at were elk , not cows of the bovine sort and no one else could . At closer range ( one mile ) I could count points and the others could not .
What you must understand is that I am not sayng that the Nikons were superior to the other more costly binocs . Just saying that they were superior doing what I was doing.
I could crank up and down in the power range increasing my field of view to locate a specific animal or zoom close to judge his / her size and the others could not without using a spotting scope which brought on a new set of problems .
I tell you what , if some binoc mfg comes out with a high grade variable binoc in the 10 to 25 power x 56mm range they will rule the roost no matter the cost or weight . This is based on my own observation , others may and surely will have other ideas.
Jim B.