Good input.
The weight isn't a huge factor, I've just been wondering if I can get buy with a little smaller, little less weight, little less mag, and still be a happy observer and hunter. Probably the only way to know is to buy and try. Likely pick up a well known alpha incase I don't like what I see and want to pass them along in the classifieds.
While not wishing to muddy the waters even more, I'll throw this one out there - only because I traveled this route as well in my 7-8 year, never-ending quest to catch my tail.
The Leica 8x42 is the most compact of the full-size alphas. It'll check a couple of your boxes - just not the weight issue.
![[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]](https://i.imgur.com/X0n16mr.png)
