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Magnifying lamps
Posted: Wed Mar 04, 2020 9:54 am
by PeterW
Howdy,
I searched on the forum for threads regarding Magnifying lamps and found some stuff a few years old.
Just wanted to ask what would the 'experts' out there currently recommend?
I'm guessing a LED ring arrangement is best, but is there an optimum magnification factor? Most seem to be 2x, is that enough?
Are some brands better quality than others and worth shelling out for?
Cheers guys (and gals)
Peter
Re: Magnifying lamps
Posted: Wed Mar 04, 2020 1:11 pm
by MrBowcat
In my personal opinion, you are better of with an Optivisor rather than a magnifying lamp, I could never get on with them.
Re: Magnifying lamps
Posted: Wed Mar 04, 2020 4:05 pm
by ForbesHutton
MrBowcat wrote: Wed Mar 04, 2020 1:11 pm
In my personal opinion, you are better of with an Optivisor rather than a magnifying lamp, I could never get on with them.
This. The lamps are a pain to use, to maintain focus your work, the lamp and your eyes must always be the same distances apart. With an optivisor the distance from your eyes to the lens always remains the same, removing one of the variables.
Re: Magnifying lamps
Posted: Wed Mar 04, 2020 4:55 pm
by PeterW
Thanks for the feedback guys. Presumably the visors accommodate variable eyesight?
Would you recommend any particular brand?
Cheers
Peter
Re: Magnifying lamps
Posted: Wed Mar 04, 2020 5:38 pm
by PeterW
PeterW wrote: Wed Mar 04, 2020 4:55 pm
Thanks for the feedback guys. Presumably the visors accommodate variable eyesight?
Would you recommend any particular brand?
Cheers
Peter
Ah-ha just realised Optivisor is the brand, doh
Cheers
Peter
Re: Magnifying lamps
Posted: Wed Mar 04, 2020 10:39 pm
by digger303
There is cheap Chinese knockoff which is quiet good and comes with all the lenses
Re: Magnifying lamps
Posted: Wed Mar 04, 2020 10:45 pm
by RangerNeil
Re: Magnifying lamps
Posted: Thu Mar 05, 2020 4:40 am
by digger303
This is the one I bought. It is a direct copy of the optivisor and the lenses will fit a original USA optivisor. I have both and can vouch for that. I don't get any eyestrain so it must be of a acceptable quality. I believe the headband adjuster to be better than the amazon one you posted other than that I can't comment.
https://www.ebay.com.au/p/27021406572?i ... nsEALw_wcB
Re: Magnifying lamps
Posted: Thu Mar 05, 2020 11:12 am
by PeterW
digger303 wrote: Thu Mar 05, 2020 4:40 am
This is the one I bought. It is a direct copy of the optivisor and the lenses will fit a original USA optivisor. I have both and can vouch for that. I don't get any eyestrain so it must be of a acceptable quality. I believe the headband adjuster to be better than the amazon one you posted other than that I can't comment.
https://www.ebay.com.au/p/27021406572?i ... nsEALw_wcB
Once again, many thanks for the advice. Good to hear the cheaper ones are as good, there is a massive difference in price.
Cheers
Re: Magnifying lamps
Posted: Thu Mar 05, 2020 3:09 pm
by MrBowcat
I could be wrong (maybe Digger can confirm) but the cheaper brands tend to have plastic lenses whereas the Optivisor has ground glass lenses. Whether this makes any actual difference to vision quality of longevity, I have no idea.
Re: Magnifying lamps
Posted: Thu Mar 05, 2020 4:27 pm
by PeterW
MrBowcat wrote: Thu Mar 05, 2020 3:09 pm
I could be wrong (maybe Digger can confirm) but the cheaper brands tend to have plastic lenses whereas the Optivisor has ground glass lenses. Whether this makes any actual difference to vision quality of longevity, I have no idea.
I noticed some of those, Bowcat, but found one where it is specified as ground glass.
I'll let you know tomorrow when it arrives.
Peter
Re: Magnifying lamps
Posted: Mon Mar 09, 2020 10:40 pm
by Kruppstahl
MrBowcat wrote: Wed Mar 04, 2020 1:11 pm
In my personal opinion, you are better of with an Optivisor rather than a magnifying lamp, I could never get on with them.
This is what I was going to mention as well. With a magnifying lamp, you have to constantly work in the right location under the magnifier, bringing your work into that position. Then move it around to focus it, etc.
I use the Tamiya magnifying glasses that you wear on your head. I love them and consider them one of the most indispensable modeling tools I own.
I initially used them only for small, delicate work. I then quickly realized that EVERYTHING you do is better/easier when you can see things extremely well via magnification.
As a result, I now pretty much do everything looking through the magnifiers. Once you get used to them you do NOT want to go back to regular (human eyeball) magnification standards!
It's so nice (and much easier!) to see things in extreme detail with the magnification.
I think I would much prefer wearing the magnifiers, though, than having to look through a stationary object like a magnifying lamp.
This is what I use:
Re: Magnifying lamps
Posted: Fri Mar 20, 2020 11:08 am
by PeterW
Kruppstahl wrote: Mon Mar 09, 2020 10:40 pm
MrBowcat wrote: Wed Mar 04, 2020 1:11 pm
In my personal opinion, you are better of with an Optivisor rather than a magnifying lamp, I could never get on with them.
This is what I was going to mention as well. With a magnifying lamp, you have to constantly work in the right location under the magnifier, bringing your work into that position. Then move it around to focus it, etc.
I use the Tamiya magnifying glasses that you wear on your head. I love them and consider them one of the most indispensable modeling tools I own.
I initially used them only for small, delicate work. I then quickly realized that EVERYTHING you do is better/easier when you can see things extremely well via magnification.
As a result, I now pretty much do everything looking through the magnifiers. Once you get used to them you do NOT want to go back to regular (human eyeball) magnification standards!
It's so nice (and much easier!) to see things in extreme detail with the magnification.
I think I would much prefer wearing the magnifiers, though, than having to look through a stationary object like a magnifying lamp.
This is what I use:
Thanks for that. My cheap ones arrived and look almost exactly like the Optivisor models. Obviously a rip-off copy.
Pleased to report they also have glass lenses, so seem fine to me.
Cheers
Peter