Ziggy, if I only had $500 and I were headed out hunting I would probably look at something like the Nikon Monarch 7. Gets good reviews, I've had good luck with Nikon durability. Sure, the glass won't be as good as alpha, but if you listen to some around here you'd think you should never go hunting without SwaroZeissLeica around your neck and you might as well stay home if you don't have the coin for those.
At $1K I would consider the Zeiss Conquest HD or a Cabelas Euro. Or you might find something used for $1K in the used alpha category.
