I want to buy a magnifier for looking for varieties. Which one do you think would be the best. I want to spend at most $20.
It was a 30x triplet cheap loupe from China but works great for me. Lighthouse are great and not expensive. Here's 2 models, about $10-$15 each, first is 20x second is 10x. German company
Don't skimp on a magnifier. It will last a lifetime and will save your eyes - a cheap one will ruin your eyes.
You can argue the benefits of buying expensive loupes if you want, but a cheap one is definitely not going to ruin your eyes. The things aren't like a pair of glasses, you aren't wearing them all the time. Myself, I have two that I use and have for years. One is a Bosch & Lomb 5x Packette which is what I consider to be among the best there is for general use. It has the largest field of view of all the pocket or neck loupes, decent quality lens, lens is protected when closed, and it cost all of $8. The other is an Electro-Optix 10x with a built in push button incandescent light - the best kind of light for viewing coins - and decent lens. And it came with a protective case which is small enough to carry in your pocket. Cost - $10. The point is you can spend a lot of money on a loupe, but it is most definitely not necessary. You can get perfectly serviceable and functional loupes for not much at all.
I forget the one I bought. Oh a Belomo or something like that. Works well and I bought it off of eBay for around $25
all you need is a 10x. i bought one that has an led light on it and i think it helps me a lot, honestly. It's an h.e. harris. Got it at the local Hobby Lobby for $9 i believe.
I use the same 5x B&L that GDJMSP uses and it is a great lens that is wildly affordable. The other lens I use is a 10x Zeiss that costs twenty times as much as the B&L. It is definitely better glass, but I only use it to scrutinize surfaces closely.
I agree that a cheap lens won't ruin your eyes, but it also usually not give your the best images. Any quality lens should have a focal length long enough that the magnification factor is accurate for the resolution. The focal length indicates how close you have to hold the object from the lens for correct focus. A 10X lens with a focal length of 3/4" may seem fine if you only use it occasionally, but it will soon be uncomfortable to get enough light around your fingers , whereas a 10X lens with a focal length of 1.25 in. seems like no problem to examine coins. Of course longer focal length lens have a more expensive type of high refraction glass with coated material to reduce false color, etc. Also take into consideration the diameter of the glass, the wider, the better~ but some imports are wide , but the lack the fore mentioned attributes. For the price, Belomo optics are top grade for under $50 and come in various configuration. Amazon and others carry the product. It is built like military goods , because it once was. http://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&ke...vptwo=&hvqmt=b&hvdev=c&ref=pd_sl_46az6p258a_b Like others, I have accumulated several types along the way ( I prefer a stereoscopic inspection microscope at home) and my long focal length 10X, textile thread counter, which I bought from Edmunds 30+ years ago and never let out of my hands. I carry a 'China' $2 magnifier to lend out to club members or some one standing next to me in a show
Well yeah, good quality lenses aren't that expensive. I use the B&L 5x 95% of the time. As for cheap, I'm talking about $3 plastic lenses made in China. I've used them and after a short time of that blurry view, my eyes hurt and I've had headaches from them. I'm not an optometrist, but I can't believe that's not hurting your vision. Hey, maybe they should call those cheap China lenses, MS70 Lenses, because they make all coins look like MS70's.
What about those Leuchtturm (Lighthouse) Digital microscopes? Leuchtturm makes products for numismatists, and they sell this product: Lighthouse Digital Microscope Camera 20x to 200x Looks like this is what I'm going to buy next time I shop for magnification! http://www.amazon.com/Lighthouse-Di...r=8-1&keywords=lighthouse+computer+microscope
I can't imagine paying over $10 for a magifier. I have never owned one and I've been in this hobby for a few years, but I sure could use one. Being into astronomy, we deal with a lot of glass and such, the price for a simple magnifier should not be that high. Our coin store has these folding ones that worm nicely for like $10, I don't even need to buy one they have several to use in there.
Would this be the one you are talking about? http://www.amazon.com/Bausch-Lomb-A...d=1395342407&sr=8-1&keywords=bausch+&+lomb+5x
Thank you, I bought one of these from amazon for $1.81. http://www.amazon.com/SE-Doublet-Ch...rds=triplet+30x-21mm+magnifier#productDetails
