With all optical instruments, including binoculars, you get what you pay for. That said, these are actually not bad for routine viewing. Just don't pretend that they are the equal of a $250 or $2000 set, and set your expectations accordingly. They are quite sharp and clear, and if you don't have a $2000 pair that you are comparing back and forth to, they are entirely adequate for normal 10x viewing needs. I just last night and this whole week was looking at Comet NEO-something in the western night sky, here in Arizona, and the quality of the image was very good. Not as good as a $3000 pair of Zeiss binocs, but, hey, $35 lets me see this comet right up close with excellent night viewing and no rainbows or distortions. The spectacle was so gorgeous that I stayed out for 30 minutes, when I normally just look for 5 or 10. Visible without the binoculars, but OMG, once you see it at 10x, you are mesmerized. I also looked at Jupiter's moons (the largest four "Galilean" moons) with these, and I could totally see them, tiny pinpricks of light in a line across the brilliance of Jupiter's full face, at its closest point to Earth right now. I've seen the moons with better optics, and I can agree that they can be clearer with a $250 or higher pair, but still - I can see them just fine with this $35 pair of binocs. I saw them last night, and took my daughter out and showed her. Based on her level of excitement, I will be buying her a pair of 10x50s, and I will probably spring for the extra $100-200 for her present, since she'll be using them for. These are fine for common use, but a nicer, better quality set would certainly be preferred as a gift, since it reflects the regard in which you hold the recipient... Anyway, 4 stars because I've used and owned better, but I definitely recommend these as a first set, or if your budget is under $50.