It has been my experience that in optics, one nearly always gets what one pays for. Ireckon's remarkable experience being an exception to that rule.

One question to ask, is how good of optics do you need? I like to be able to observe the Alaska wildlife that I see when out hiking and whatnot. As I noted above, for me Steiner 8X30 Military/Marine binos are a good compromise between quality and price I can afford. They are more than adequate for watching bears from a safe distance. I bought them for about $250 or so.

Others may have different needs. An old friend of mine is a very serious birder, serious enough to have been president of a large east coast birding group. He uses Swarovski binoculars that cost several thousand dollars. They are indeed somewhat sharper and brighter than my Steiners. For him the extra edge the Swarovskis provide is worth the extra money. For me not so much.

Others will choose a different point on the price vs quality spectrum. It all depends on what you need and what you can afford.