I just got this scope for wildlife viewing and birding in the Canadian Rockies. So far after two outings, it has proven to be a great addition to my birding toolbox. The wide field of view at 12x power makes finding the subject easy and then zooming in to full 36x power is fairly easy. I find that the zoom eyepiece is a bit stiff and you have to hold the main body of the scope to change the magnification. The focus is also a bit stiff, but easy to opperate with one hand. Took some great pictures with my digital camera too. All in all it is a pretty good scope, not as easy to view through as some of the more expensive models, however when you put it in your backpack, you hardly know its there. Super light and easy to pack. Great for travel and strenous backpacking trips. Also good for day hikes and jaunts when you think you might see something interesting.