Many consider the 8x32 EL SV to be the finest 8x binocular currently on the market, myself included. I recently had both the EL and Zeiss 8x32 FL for a few weeks and thought the EL was best in most respects.
This year I switched to 8x32 binoculars after using 10x42 for almost 8 years. Overall I prefer the 8x. More specifically, I prefer the smaller package, lighter weight and reduced hand-held shake. The only time I miss the 10x is when I have my binoculars on a tripod. Holding with just my hands, I can see everything with 8x that I could with 10x, and sometimes more when my heart rate is up from hiking or buck fever. Dropping from a 42 to a 32 does reduce low light performance. However, IMHE it's only a small difference (5 minutes if I had to guess) with high quality glass at the very very last/first light.
