A younger person with good eyes can do fine spending $600 +/-.Over the hill, spend more. The improvement in glass decreases with money spent until you're not getting much more even though you are spending a lot more. However, when your eyes need all the help they can get, just to do what was no problem thirty years ago, those small gains mean a lot.
To the discussion I will ad that "buy once, cry once" does not apply to optics. Coatings age. Technology advances. Buy what you need to last several years, then expect to buy again to stay in the same tier.
Unfortunately, this is the reality for me these days. I struggle with cheap and mid range scopes that used to be fine. I need the best glass I can afford now in my binos and scopes. As for the reticle, give me a single precise aiming point. I can range and dial if needed but that would be rare for me.
