Favorite jewelers loupe?

[george graves]

These seem to be dirt cheap on ebay.

What's your favorite magnification/size that you use the most?

10x. 20x, 40x?

Are the head mounted kind of any use?  What about eyeglass mounted ones?

[uwezi]

I use the dead cheap 30x -21mm foldable from eBay.

Never tried anything hanging in front of my face - since I also wear glasses I don't know if this would be working or comfortable.

[Dr. Frank]

Since the age of 45, I had no chance to solder SMD anymore with naked eyes.

The age takes its toll, since then I need glasses for short distances, anyhow.
Got an assortment of cheapy ones, from 1.0 to 3.0 diopters.

Finally got this one, Eschenbach 16364 binocular loupe, 4x, 200 and something bucks.
Galilei telescope principle, with diopter alignment for each eye.
Works great especially for fine pitch ICs and soldering junction inspection.
Components are really big with it.

After getting acquainted to, they are very comfortable for the eyes.

PS: Never burnt my nose during usage! (25cm working distance)
Frank

[PaulAm]

I got a cheap pair of galilean loupes that said they were 3.5X, but they're really more like 2X.  They're not bad though and I use them a lot.

I got another pair of Keplarian loupes that are 4.5X and the field of view is too narrow and the depth of field is about 1cm.  They're a major pain to use.  I would avoid cheap Keplarian loupes; they'll only give you a headache.

Galilean loupes tend to be short and use only lenses while the Keplarian ones are longer and use prisms as well.  The higher mag loupes are Keplarian.

I think 3-4X is about the right range to be able to see something along with a reasonable field of view.  Finding ones with a reasonable depth of field is important so you don't have to hold your head at an exact distance for things to be in focus.

[true]

I generally don't need them, but if I do use one to review work it is usually my 10x BelOMO triplet. Really nice for ~$30.

[PeterL]

I bought this one on a fleemarket for Radio amateurs. It's good for inspection, and perfect for reading those pain in the arse laser engraved markings on IC's.

[G7PSK]

These seem to be dirt cheap on ebay.

What's your favorite magnification/size that you use the most?

10x. 20x, 40x?

Are the head mounted kind of any use?  What about eyeglass mounted ones?

Those things are worse than useless. The lenses are not precisely matched but worse is they diverge and you can only look through one lens at a time, that is unless your brain and eyes work like a chickens. I bought a pair to try as the eye loupe I had was the same one I bought back in 69 or 70 when I started as a horologist and I now find that it is often not powerful enough. I took the loupes off the frame in the end and use one on its own on occasion I got one of these in the end as I can wear prescription glasses underneath.

  http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/10X-LED-Head-Headband-Magnifier-Magnifying-Glasses-Loupe-Repair-LED-Light-/200780437815?pt=UK_Jewellery_Watches_JewelleryBoxes_Supplies_CA&hash=item2ebf725937

They work very well and as the lens are  made in one section they don't diverge.

[ohmineer]

Those things are worse than useless. The lenses are not precisely matched but worse is they diverge and you can only look through one lens at a time, that is unless your brain and eyes work like a chickens. I bought a pair to try as the eye loupe I had was the same one I bought back in 69 or 70 when I started as a horologist and I now find that it is often not powerful enough. I took the loupes off the frame in the end and use one on its own on occasion I got one of these in the end as I can wear prescription glasses underneath.

  http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/10X-LED-Head-Headband-Magnifier-Magnifying-Glasses-Loupe-Repair-LED-Light-/200780437815?pt=UK_Jewellery_Watches_JewelleryBoxes_Supplies_CA&hash=item2ebf725937

They work very well and as the lens are  made in one section they don't diverge.

How is the working distance with those? I have a couple of models similar at work but of 4x magnifying power. Maybe they are worse than the ones you are linking above but I am not able to separate my eyes from the circuit more than 15 cm.

[mrflibble]

My favorite eye piece are the built-ins. So far I don't need a loupe for soldering. For inspection I find a usb microscope + laptop handier than using an eyepiece. But maybe that's just because I'm not used to glasses and the like.

Also, plenty of bright light from several sources (no shadows) makes things a lot easier.

[don.r]

Those things are worse than useless. The lenses are not precisely matched but worse is they diverge and you can only look through one lens at a time, that is unless your brain and eyes work like a chickens. I bought a pair to try as the eye loupe I had was the same one I bought back in 69 or 70 when I started as a horologist and I now find that it is often not powerful enough. I took the loupes off the frame in the end and use one on its own on occasion I got one of these in the end as I can wear prescription glasses underneath.

  http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/10X-LED-Head-Headband-Magnifier-Magnifying-Glasses-Loupe-Repair-LED-Light-/200780437815?pt=UK_Jewellery_Watches_JewelleryBoxes_Supplies_CA&hash=item2ebf725937

They work very well and as the lens are  made in one section they don't diverge.

I use those as well. Nicely adjustable magnification. Along with a couple of monocle loupes and a single illumnated 3X on an arm. its enough to do 0603 for me. I even have done some 0402 successfully (painful, but successful).

[pickle9000]

I have all of the above plus these.

http://www.ebay.ca/itm/Dental-Surgical-Medical-Binocular-Loupes-3-5X-Optical-Glass-Loupe-420mm-Red-/320948987086?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4aba0ce4ce

I basically switch between reading glasses, microscope and the dental loupe.

[robrenz]

How  well does the ebay item work?

[G7PSK]

The one I have allows me to work at about 300mm with the single lens 5X with two lens 10X its around 180mm  and with 3rd lens 20X the distance is 25mm. It allows me to work 0805 smd without trouble.

[pickle9000]

How  well does the ebay item work?

Dental Loupes,

The magnification is 3.5x (other magnifications avail), the lenses are coated and 100mm across, images are clear and as bright as the room lighting. The mount is far enough away that you can over and under it without having to touch it. They are highly  adjustable. The case is very good.

I use them when working inside a case, where a microscope won't go and reading glasses are not good enough. They are certainly worth the money, I wouldn't call them high end but not crap either.

You can buy a light for them but I have not found the need.

[netdudeuk]

I bought one of those magnifiers that looks like a VR headset, with the strap that goes around the back of the head.  They magnify but you can double up by dropping down from the inside, an extra set of lenses for even closer work.  There's also a single loupe that can be dropped down as we'll.  There's also a AAA powered lamp.  Really pleased with them.  The only down side is they do work loose from all the ups and down of the front part that holds the lenses.

[coldframe]

Hi, This is My Film Camera loupe
While once an important component in photograph.
These days, I use this loupe as a inspection solder joint

Pic1. SOT23-6 Tiny Chip & TO-92 Mr. Transistor (Diffcult see the SOT23-6 marking with the naked eye)
Pic2. 3.5 diopter magnifier + Zoom-in shot (Not so bad, if you are a young)
Pic3. 10X loupe + zoom-in shot
Pic4. this is the star of the day

Search thoroughly from garret to kitchen 
coldframe

[zapta]

I am using an OptiVisor. It comes with changeable lenses (sold separatly). Very handy.  You can lift it up when you want normal view. I do all my soldering with it.

http://www.doneganoptical.com/products/optivisor

[cybermaus]

My favorite eye piece are the built-ins. So far I don't need a loupe for soldering.

Show off! Just wait a few years.....

[mrflibble]

My favorite eye piece are the built-ins. So far I don't need a loupe for soldering.

Show off! Just wait a few years.....

I'm hoping for the few to be many. If my eyes age at the same rate as my father's I should be golden.

[george graves]

My favorite eye piece are the built-ins. So far I don't need a loupe for soldering.

Show off! Just wait a few years.....

Ha!  I recently turned 40 (although I act like I'm 22 on a good day....) - and yea, need for glasses are a must.  Actually I can see more with a good pair of reading glasses then I could when I was 20.   I hear that good welders (no mater their age or vision) use reading glasses while welding (behind a welding mask of course!) to help weld up those "roll of nickles" kind of welds and see details in their work.  That was new to me.

[krivx]

I believe there is a gap in current LASIK/LASEK technology for correcting this kind of deterioration as well, I'm hoping that can be sorted out by the time I need it 

[StevenB]

I am using an OptiVisor.

This is what I'm using as well and like it.  I think I'm using the 2.5x magnification.  You can also purchase a 3rd party light attachment for it.

[uwezi]

Ha!  I recently turned 40 (although I act like I'm 22 on a good day....) - and yea, need for glasses are a must. 

I have been myopic since my early teens. I could see everything near and far with my glasses on, but since I turned 40 I have to look over or under my glasses to read some resistors' color codes or even worse SMD markings. Still long until I need bifocals or anything like that - I hope...