Magnifiers

Hi Guys and Gals
What type of magnifier do you use and what power. I have a large magnifiging glass 4x but I would like something stronger. Would 5 be ok what would you recommend.

Thank

Not as convenient, but when I want a nice, big close-up, I use my scanner at 1200 dpi. This has the advantage that I can keep the image.

Hi,

I use "Linen Testers". They fold up and are very convenient. I have 2, one is 5x and the smaller one is 10x. So far they have been adequate. I had a friend who used the eyepiece from a Norden bombsite. Talk about seeing fly specks.

Here is a link for them: http://pgiinc.com/folmagloupli.html

Mine are similar to Item 1500, but not exactly.

Jerry B

a Norden bombsite---really??

My little stamp world changed when I was given a digital magnifier.
Now I can kick back instead of being hunched over to look at a stamp.

I have a large magnifier 4x with a stronger 10x on the same face but just off centre. Excellent for day-to-day stuff. Got it from Gibbons in London many years ago and it goes everywhere with me, even shopping. [I kid you not]
For real close-up stuff like microprinting and the like, I have a Lumagny 30x illuminated. It is superb and I sometimes spend too long with it !

Like Tony, I use the scanner too. It's good to save scans of detail on the computer and this is an excellent way to do it.
I also have a magnifier with my Windows programme and I often use this when browsing to see stamp details. It is a very valuable tool for me. I only found it by chance some time after installation !

Londonbus1

Hi rohumpy,

I am not kidding about the eyepiece. This thing was heavy and large. He generally used regular magnifiers.

Jerry B

One word: Mega-loupe.

Picked this up at my local surplus store. Durable plastic body with fine glass 10x lens. It's 16cm long when fully deployed which is just perfect for my large hands. The large lens size means ease of use.



I also have a 20x loupe of normal proportions which I use mostly for coins, but will haul out to examine fine detail on stamps occasionally.

That looks a great lens, smauggie - haven't seen one like it in the UK.

But I like a lens with a built in light, helps with the details as I do most of my stamps in the evenings.

For fine detail I use an old microscope eyepiece lens - often easy to find, I got mine from a hospital that had some broken microscopes but still with decent lenses.

I've mentioned it before; but since the subject is up again, here goes take 2:

Key-word "Magnifier" on ebay brings you lots of choices.

My best buys are out of Hong Kong.

I recently got two magnifiers. One is a double loupe 10x and 20x metal/glass construction. The other is a 45x plastic magnifier with 2 LEDs.

Total cost for both delivered and taking into consideration the exchange rate is C$7.30.

Several of our local club members ordered theirs with my order and it kept individual costs down.

I have also recently ordered, from same source, an Optex magnifier which connects to computer which gives 200x images. And it can be used to make jpegs and videos of the magnified objects.

It costs US$1.00 + US$24.00 shipping. I assume he low initial price makes the customs declaration low so the buyer saves big-time.

This is the same one that is on sale this week at London Drugs, in Canada, for $69.99.

Again, use key word "Magnifier" on your ebay search.

CAUTION, don't buy the first one you like which is listed.......go down the list and there is usually more of the same one at cheaper prices.

I can't seem to find the Optex magnifier x200 for the price you mentioned and I scrolled down 6 pages. "It costs US$1.00 + US$24.00 shipping."

They all go for $69.99, $99.99 even $119.99

Is ours exactly the same as the expensive ones or is it a cheap knock off which will fall apart in a week?

I use this, very powerful as its primary use is for looking at circuit boards so I can resolder chips and transistors on them.

has a nice little tray, the claws are not for my stamp however just the electronics.

That's a nice "weapon" Edwin.

Lithograving-

Try putting this number into ebay search window: 250715065625

The price for this one has gone up by 25 cents. It's $1.01 + 24.24 shipping.

The picture of the box it comes in, (which btw includes usb cable and cd) is exactly the same as the one I saw last week at London Drugs.

Is it a knock-off which will fall apart in a week?.........like anything, anywhere.....buyer beware.

You can pay 70 bux + tax and travel cost to the store, (which puts the price at $80+) here, or take a chance for $25.25 delivered to your door in about three weeks.

I'm guessing on delivery time. When I ordered a dozen of the other magnifiers, it took 3 weeks. But, when I ordered two more, it took only 5 days.

Thanks XNBer, I found it, even though its in Spanish.