I'll preface this review by saying that I've never owned a piece of night vision tech before this one, so I didn't really know what to expect nor do I have any reference points in terms of comparing it to other options out there on the market.That being said - this thing is pretty dang cool! I was not expecting this level of clarity and brightness in a pitch-black environment. The digital zoom is also pretty impressive - much better than the digital zoom of my ~5 year old phone. I've only taken a few photos and videos, but I've been impressed with the quality of those as well. Automatic focus would've been nice (you adjust the focus by turning the lens at the end clockwise/counter-clockwise, similar to binoculars) but I expect that would've driven the price up a bit. For what this costs, it's a pretty neat toy that can serve a definite purpose for hunters and outdoor enthusiasts (or aspiring private investigators).

Has a clear picture. Works well in the dark and the zoom. It is a little hard to hold with one hand and touch all the buttons. Takes (5) AA batteries which add to the weight alot. Also, when using in the dark the buttons don't light up so you have to remember where and what they are.

Bought as a basic night vision unit to test, so not expecting much here...here's my take:plus:all parts came, all parts work, like how IR lights up pitch black spaces. The digital zoom works well and is a solid feature. Viewer is basically a small TV - to move your head back from it, yet still see image crisply is nice/convenient/user friendly. It has a low light (optical) mode (default startup mode) with good image quality if you hold it very still, which is nice but with almost zero magnification so it's not as good as my 12-42 day/low light binocs, so stick with the night mode. If something is moving within 100 yards, you can see it nicely in IR mode.minus:If you want to use this out of the box, one needs to buy a micro SD card, though the unit advertised it came with one. They actually give a "get 1 free" card if you submit a review, like this. Since the unit really doesn't want to work without a Micro SD card inserted, this marketing scheme could be better. The free offer is for Kingston memory, which is great, but again, you have to wait 1-2 weeks after submitting a review and claim...to get it in your hands.Summary:Goal of this buy was to gain hands on experience using night vision - it's performed that function nicely, helping me determine certain features to seek in next buy: better optics; higher recording resolutions; more rugged housing - unit is plastic so if you drop it once, probably kaput; better battery housing connector arrangement. If you want a basic night vision setup to grab experience with...that's not pricey, maybe try these.

It's a little pricey for what is offered. Wished it was more optical rather than digital zoom. Also since it is digital, why not auto focus? Plus need optical adjust for eye piece.

The Night Vision was way better than I expected and it can do a lot. Video recording, night vision, and a 10x optical zoom all in a single package. This is the perfect thing to take along when going camping, hiking, or just being out in the wilderness especially at night. You can see all sorts of night creatures that you normally don't get to see during the day.

I had mixed feelings on this viewer, it didn't do what I expected. But then, I decided to look at it WITHOUT my preconceived expectations. Found that I REALLY DO LIKE this thing.First. This is NOT a monocular viewer. You can't put this up to your eye. Instead, it has a mini View Screen, more like you'd find on a small camcorder. I kept wanting to put my eye right up to it, but that doesn't workAs a day scope, you turn the front focus ring, similar to fine adjustment on binoculars, until the item is clear. THEN you can use the digital zoom to move in close. 3 buttons on top. Zoom In, Zoom Out, take Picture. Default seems to be video so you have to remember to punch a button on the side to go to single photo.This will be the 4th night vision device that I have owned. The first 3 use the typical GREEN view. THIS uses a nice Black & White, has 3 levels of brightness, and is simple to use (once you figure out how to turn that part on, using the Zoom In button) I haven't figured out how to turn that off again, so I just turn off the device, and restart. Default is Night Vision OFF. I probably should read that instruction booklet. . .If you are going to be doing much in Zoom mode, you really need some way to stabilize your hand, or this is all over the place. There is a place on the bottom to screw on to a tripod, but I just put my hand on the car roof to stabilize, and all set to record.I LOVE the fact that this uses AA batteries. No oddball, hard to find batteries! It does use 5 of them, but that's fine since this thing still fits well palmed in your right hand. The holding strap IS for RIGHT HANDED people, so you lefties will probably just want to remove it. (velcro, easy)The instruction booklet is in VERY GOOD Chinglish. Unlike most others, this one is pretty clear.Quality SEEMS to be really good so far. Micro SD card loads easily, although you CAN put it in upside down, but it just won't click in place, so you flip it over and SWEAR you will remember which way it goes for next time. Which I didn't, when I popped the card out and put into my computer for viewing, then replaced in the camera.SO, overall, I'm very pleased with this.It is NOT a monocular or spotting scope, but it IS a wonderful hand held camcorder with AMAZING Night Vision.

I am very pleased w/ this! It's made of quality material & seems durable. It has a great picture & is easy to use.