Input on magnifier purchase: Luxo G2 magnifier

[salvagedcircuitry]

Hi Guys,
I'm looking for some input on the Luxo G2 magnifier. I have not seem many reviews of this unit. I could not find anything on eevblog or youtube. Does anyone have one? Any complaints?
I have several architecture style luxo lamps and I enjoy them very much. The 45in arm length seems perfect for my uses.
I'm debating on getting the g2 magnifier or a used luxo wave, which has a slightly larger rectangular lens.

Luxo G2 5 diopter:
https://www.digikey.com/en/products/detail/vision-engineering-inc/LFG028215/11479686

Luxo G2 3 diopter:
https://www.digikey.com/en/products/detail/vision-engineering-inc/LFG028214/11479687

luxo wave 5 diopter:
https://www.digikey.com/en/products/detail/luxo/WAL025971/5416086

luxo wave 3.5 diopter:
https://www.digikey.com/en/products/detail/luxo/WAL026408/5416087


If anyone has any input, I'd be glad to hear. Thanks!

[tooki]

Following, as I’m also looking to get a magnifier lamp.

[janoc]

I don't have this model but I do have a similar lamp on this sort of "pantograph"  stand. It works - but my biggest beef and the reason why I have stopped using it is that the long arms of the stand are not rigid enough and tend to "wobble" around for a long time after you move the lamp into new position (or bump the table).

For a lamp that is not a problem but when looking through the lens that is moving in front of your eyes at every bump of the table it is hugely distracting and annoying. Also, at higher magnifications you need to move the lamp quite close to your work and it gets in the way constantly.

I have found one of those head-mounted magnifiers or a microscope for really small SMD work much more useful.

Or possibly this sort of "table-style" fresnel lens setup could be better:

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32880739565.html

[tooki]

I don't have this model but I do have a similar lamp on this sort of "pantograph"  stand. It works - but my biggest beef and the reason why I have stopped using it is that the long arms of the stand are not rigid enough and tend to "wobble" around for a long time after you move the lamp into new position (or bump the table).

For a lamp that is not a problem but when looking through the lens that is moving in front of your eyes at every bump of the table it is hugely distracting and annoying. Also, at higher magnifications you need to move the lamp quite close to your work and it gets in the way constantly.

I would think that, aside from the optics, the stability of the arm would be exactly where you'd see huge differences between expensive and cheap ones.

[janoc]

I would think that, aside from the optics, the stability of the arm would be exactly where you'd see huge differences between expensive and cheap ones.

I would think so too but you can do only so much there - realize you have a relatively heavy lamp + glass at the end of a long lever. That is always going to have a tendency to be more a pendulum than something rigid. The problem is not the mechanical play in the joints but the movement of the entire contraption relative to your desk.

And you don't need much for it to be annoying - having the glass move around 2-3mm (which it will easily achieve at the end of that long arm) is more than enough to be extremely annoying at 3x magnification and borderline unusable at 5x. Maybe if you clamp it to a shelf attached to a wall instead to your desk (which gets bumped constantly while working) would help, I don't know. I didn't have means to use it like that.

I would say - go and test such lamp before you buy. Perhaps those Luxos are different. Or maybe it is acceptable for you. But given my experience with these pantograph stands I doubt it.

[ebclr]

There are much cheaper options

The ones you suggest is a steal

https://www.amazon.com/LANCOSC-Magnifying-5-Diopter-Adjustable-Work-2-25X/dp/B07YZQDVKK/ref=sr_1_2_sspa?dchild=1&keywords=magnifier+lamp&qid=1611437385&sr=8-2-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUExM1dQTTRKRk1OOVRaJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwNTAwODQwT1RITTVGNEtNVjNBJmVuY3J5cHRlZEFkSWQ9QTAwNjUzNzcxN0NOUk9KSE0zODgyJndpZGdldE5hbWU9c3BfYXRmJmFjdGlvbj1jbGlja1JlZGlyZWN0JmRvTm90TG9nQ2xpY2s9dHJ1ZQ==

[tooki]

There are much cheaper options

The ones you suggest is a steal

https://www.amazon.com/LANCOSC-Magnifying-5-Diopter-Adjustable-Work-2-25X/dp/B07YZQDVKK/ref=sr_1_2_sspa?dchild=1&keywords=magnifier+lamp&qid=1611437385&sr=8-2-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUExM1dQTTRKRk1OOVRaJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwNTAwODQwT1RITTVGNEtNVjNBJmVuY3J5cHRlZEFkSWQ9QTAwNjUzNzcxN0NOUk9KSE0zODgyJndpZGdldE5hbWU9c3BfYXRmJmFjdGlvbj1jbGlja1JlZGlyZWN0JmRvTm90TG9nQ2xpY2s9dHJ1ZQ==

FYI, the English phrase that an item for sale “is a steal” means the customer is able to buy it for far less than it is worth. (As in, it’s almost as if the customer is stealing from the store.) I think that’s the opposite of what you meant.

With that said, cheap magnifier lamps suck. A $50 one is in no way comparable to a $500 one.

[tooki]

I would think that, aside from the optics, the stability of the arm would be exactly where you'd see huge differences between expensive and cheap ones.

I would think so too but you can do only so much there - realize you have a relatively heavy lamp + glass at the end of a long lever. That is always going to have a tendency to be more a pendulum than something rigid. The problem is not the mechanical play in the joints but the movement of the entire contraption relative to your desk.

And you don't need much for it to be annoying - having the glass move around 2-3mm (which it will easily achieve at the end of that long arm) is more than enough to be extremely annoying at 3x magnification and borderline unusable at 5x. Maybe if you clamp it to a shelf attached to a wall instead to your desk (which gets bumped constantly while working) would help, I don't know. I didn't have means to use it like that.

I would say - go and test such lamp before you buy. Perhaps those Luxos are different. Or maybe it is acceptable for you. But given my experience with these pantograph stands I doubt it.

So... you’re going by what you assume, without actually having tested an expensive one? 

Not sure what you mean about “the movement of the entire contraption relative to the desk”, but not from the joints... where else would the movement come from other than play in the joints?!?

[janoc]

So... you’re going by what you assume, without actually having tested an expensive one? 

So... you’re going by what you assume, without actually having tested an expensive one (that it is actually better than the cheap stuff)?  This smartass comment cuts both ways, you know?

Not sure what you mean about “the movement of the entire contraption relative to the desk”, but not from the joints... where else would the movement come from other than play in the joints?!?

You have obviously never used a lamp like this (even without a magnifier), have you? Look at the arm. It is attached to the table using a small clamp. The metal bars are not 100% rigid (it is just bent sheet metal), the point where the clamp is attached works as a pivot. When you bump your table, the entire thing starts to move and oscillate side to side because, you know, sheet metal flexes. At the end of that arm you get a fairly significant movement already, the more you extend the lamp, the worse it will be.

I have three different lamps like this, using this pantograph design. I believe the most expensive one was like 200 euro. All of them do it, even when the crappy clamp at the base doesn't give way (or the base crack over time - most are just plastic). Price is really not the indicator of how rigid (or not) this sort of thing will be.

[jonpaul]

Tooki:

I have bought and used Luxo type lamps for decades, today using  10 in my lab and office. Best task light ever!

1/ Vintage units made in USA by Luxo in Port Chester NY are FAR superior to the current manufacture Luxo, or the 100s of Chinese knockoffs.

The springs, arms, head, sockets, switches are excellent.

2/ The clamps are hard to find and the plastic ones are useless. Vintage clamps work fine, many types existed, the large screw and pad and changeable angle are the best clamps.

All the Chinese clones are junk.

3/ The magnifier uses an ancient 22W flouro circle lamp, inefficient and hard to find. Instead of the  magnifiers we use non-magnifier and a head jewelers loupe.

4/ Best head is the the   color correct which had both incandescent  lamp   and circle fluro. We remove the fluro and use an LED in the screw socket, the duo gives a larger shade and better light and glare shield.

5/ The springs rust on old units and Chinese, the good vintage have well designed springs that do not rust.

6/ The best one have knobs to adjust the joint tension.

Look on ebay but beware of shipping cost and damage.

We found most at flea markets and garage sales decades ago.

Bon Chance,

Jon

[Datman]

About 6 months ago I bought this:
https://www.ebay.it/itm/223973312558
5x was too much, then I replaced the lens with this 3x, the crystal clear one:
https://www.amazon.it/dp/B004NLQOUC/:

[tooki]

So... you’re going by what you assume, without actually having tested an expensive one? 

So... you’re going by what you assume, without actually having tested an expensive one (that it is actually better than the cheap stuff)?  This smartass comment cuts both ways, you know?

1. It wasn't "smartass", it was just a comment disagreeing with you.
2. The difference is that you've been speaking as if you were an authority, about how it couldn't possibly be better than the cheap ones, refusing to consider that the good ones might in fact be better. In contrast, my statement was couched with weasel words ("I would think that…"), precisely because I can't say with certainty.

You have obviously never used a lamp like this (even without a magnifier), have you?

I have, of course. But never a truly expensive one like a $600 Luxo.

Look at the arm. It is attached to the table using a small clamp. The metal bars are not 100% rigid (it is just bent sheet metal), the point where the clamp is attached works as a pivot. When you bump your table, the entire thing starts to move and oscillate side to side because, you know, sheet metal flexes. At the end of that arm you get a fairly significant movement already, the more you extend the lamp, the worse it will be.

Sure. But it's possible to design things better, with thicker metal, tighter tolerances, etc, despite still using the same fundamental technology.

I have three different lamps like this, using this pantograph design. I believe the most expensive one was like 200 euro. All of them do it, even when the crappy clamp at the base doesn't give way (or the base crack over time - most are just plastic). Price is really not the indicator of how rigid (or not) this sort of thing will be.

€200 isn't expensive. Hence the big question mark about how expensive ones perform. You don't know. (But act like you do.) I don't know (and insist I don't know, but that we should keep an open mind).

[georges80]

I have an older Luxo and also an OC-White. The arms stay put and don't bounce around and the table bracket is metal. The stuff is relatively expensive, but works very well and have been using them daily for about 10 years. So, amortized, they were cheap purchases

I have the little added magnifier (swivels) that gives 10 diopter total and it is very nice when you need to examine something close up.

cheers,
george.