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Magnifying Lights for modelling


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39 minutes ago, Crepello said:

I'd appreciate some recommendations on the best brands to buy please. Free-standing on the dining table; nicely stable and definitely no clamps. TIA.

I gave mine away because firstly the lens was not very good (fringing) and second it is not stereo vision and so no depth perception.  I went for a good strong fluoro, back in the day when LEDs weren't yet available, plus stronger reading glasses.  I find with this combination I can work longer before strain sets in.  For non spec wearers just buy a pair of reading glasses +2 dioptres should do it.  I would buy from an optician (c£20) as the newsagents £2 jobs are a bit pants.  BTW the blue plastic visors that you appear to screw to your head just give me a headache.

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I agree. I went to the local opticians and bought two pairs (special offer) of powerful prescription lenses (+3.5) for real close up work as I found the quality of light was secondary to seeing clearly. Had them for several years now and well worth every penny.

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I went to my optician and described what I needed, he made me up a stronger pair of reading glasses.   As my eyes each need different prescriptions this was better than buying cheap specs from a supermarket.

 

For light I use an anglepoise (I've had it over 40 years) now fitted with a daylight LED, 100W equivalent.

 

I do have an inexpensive Aldi magnifying light with a circular fluorescent tube.  To be honest I use it mainly when I am trying to extract splinters.

 

David

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I concur. I have an Anglepoise lamp and a fluorescent. Usually good light is all I need despite wearing glasses.  If I need extra magnification, I have a magnifying lens which clamps onto my glasses and there is also a magnifying lens attached to my helping hands.

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I can recommend this company, Craftlight, a family firm that displays their range at IPMS shows, so will be familiar with the requirements of modellers.  Perhaps not the cheapest, but their service is excellent.

 

Regarding the comments on the headband style magnifiers, although I have a pair, I feel they have an intrinsic flaw.       

When you buy a pair of spectacles, the optician will measure the distance between the centres of your irises.         image.png.ad4ca0ce95d07076b55a1c09efd8ddaf.png

 

Yet, on these magnifiers that distance is usually fixed, so unless you are lucky not ideal.

 

There are adjustable magnifiers, basically Chinese copies of the sort of expensive ones that surgeons use.

image.png.8b8426f6f6279ff2efdd0cc5ad5e0014.png 

I feel that the problem is that no one solution suits all applications.

 

jch

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