Yes it was a suprise, when I recived the Galileo 300X it looked Great. so I unpack it and find that it wasa lot of plastic the base is a metal of some sort, The ajustment controls was very lose and sloppyand the camera set up was to say intresting,All and All for a child it would be the ideal thing, and the cost is well I will let you be the judge of that,As for myself this is one I will have to deal with, I will have a lot of fun with it with my Grandkids and my Great Grandkids but for what I needed if for well I guess I will just have to start saveing agian for onea little better then this one. just hope I live that long haha.Ok folks here it is Get it for the kids it is a great learning Microscope. and they will learn .woollybear65