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if i were you i would purchase the 8x56 ($180) orion bino's in the classifieds for sale section here -they will be a step above the entry level chinese ones you might have been thinking about form andrews, the pentax is another good recommendation but they usually are around 250 for a PCF waterproof 10x50. I have the 10x50 ultras from andrews (279) & they are excellent.
i would jump on the orions - they are heavy but you should be easily able to hand hold 8x, with very little shake
as for 7x vs 10x i would say it is a significant difference - the 10x shows a bit more on dso's but then there is also extra shake - you have to develop your own technique how to hold them. Comparing both i prefer the higher mag of 10x - but others will like 7x - its a personal choice
mounting 10x isn't really necessary - i only do it when i want to sketch
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