Magnification Options?

[Firedrake Cordova]

Hi all,

 

I'm getting towards "that age" where the little models seem smaller (although I'm also painting AI models, so they are getting smaller ), so I'm looking for something to make things look a bit bigger.  To make things slightly more complicated, I have to wear glasses (due to astigmatisms).

 

I was wondering if anyone had any similar experiences, and/or recommendations?  I know Trovarion has recommended a couple of glasses-style and headband-style magnifiers, although I'm not sure if they're "glasses compatible".  I've been using an RS magnifying lamp to help check mould-line removal on some of the smaller parts, but using it for painting is a non-starter due to a lack of working distance and fairly wild off-centre distortions.

 

Thanks

 

(and yes, I will talk to my ophthalmologist about reading glasses)

[Bung]

I have to wear glasses, so the headband option is the only way to go for comfort in painting / building sessions.

[Lovecraft0110]

Hey Firedrake,

 

I had the same issue in the sense of needing magnification for small details, but I don't wear glasses. I got some glasses-style magnifying lenses from a German hardware store and it's really helped me. Huge difference with the lamp unit I used to use.

 

This is from the German Amazon, but I have found you a unit with great reviews where several people (all modellers) said the could use them with prescription glasses. Hope this helps!

 

https://www.amazon.de/dp/B007CDJKM2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_fab_kDTyFb8QMG28J

[Mandragola]

If you don't want to wear something on your head, you can get a desk lamp with a magnifier. 

 

Search for a daylight magnifying lamp. There are loads of different designs. My brother is a jeweller and he got me one for a birthday one year. It's really helpful, whether I'm actually using the magnifier or just using it as a desk lamp.

[Firedrake Cordova]

This is from the German Amazon, but I have found you a unit with great reviews where several people (all modellers) said the could use them with prescription glasses. Hope this helps!

 

https://www.amazon.de/dp/B007CDJKM2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_fab_kDTyFb8QMG28J

Thanks - that's much appreciated, and the "works with glasses" bit is encouraging, as it's what I was worrying about!  It's available on Amazon UK too

 

If you don't want to wear something on your head, you can get a desk lamp with a magnifier. 

I'm happy to have something on my head - my concern was that I need to wear glasses, and given that a lot of them look like glasses, my gut said "you won't be able to wear both at the same time as they won't fit"

 

Search for a daylight magnifying lamp. There are loads of different designs. My brother is a jeweller and he got me one for a birthday one year. It's really helpful, whether I'm actually using the magnifier or just using it as a desk lamp.

I've got an RS one, and it's really useful (just not enough distance between the magnifying surface and the model for painting)   Unfortunately, it's really "distorty" away from the centre of the lens, although I'm sure a better quality one would not have this effect (and would be a useful thing to have).

Edited September 17, 2020 by Firedrake Cordova

[summercampcrush]

https://www.nor-vise.com/store/p12/lamp-magnifier.html

 

I looked on the fly-tying forums for the mag-light the people over there recommended. ya gotta go check with the old school hobbyist.

Edited September 17, 2020 by summercampcrush

[Sword Brother Adelard]

I have something similar to this: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07X5N5MHV/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_fab_1UAzFb4KD59F1

 

Fully posable with a large magnifier. Can't paint without it.

[Rik Lightstar]

My preferred way to deal with this after a few false starts with a magnifying lamp and a magnifying head lamp affair was to get a few pairs of reading glasses at different strengths (super cheap) and use a decent quality worklamp.

 

Rik

[Arkhanist]

I am short sighted with a pretty hefty prescription so I got an official optivisor. Plenty of room to wear my glasses, and the band goes round my forehead. I did try a cheap knockoff first which worked decently, but the pleather 'headband rest' really made me sweaty, so I upgraded - the official optivisor is much more comfortable, and better build quality on the hinge (when you swing it up out the way, it stays there!). The knockoff lenses are fine though and still glass, though I've largely settled on leaving the 2x magnification size in for normal use, as it leaves a decent space for the paintbrush.

 

Optical glass lenses in the visor are significantly better than cheap plastic ones - as you've discovered with a desk mount, you can get signficant distortion if you're not looking straight through, and glass is clearer. I did try a big desk magnifier first, years ago, but found it awkward to fit my brush in, plus the distortion so it didn't last long. (High-density optical plastic can work, my glasses have it as the lenses to reduce thickness and weight, but it's also super expensive so unlikely to be in a cheap visor rather than basic acrylic)

 

The other advantage of the head visor is I can look at the mini through it, and then 'underneath' past the lenses to see my palette (by my stomach) when filling my brush without needing to move my head - my desk is well out of focus when looking through the visor lenses.

 

Other things to watch out for when picking a visor when wearing glasses; several types use a nose rest or grip on your temples, neither of which work when wearing spectacles, as i discovered when I tried the cheap option first (I sent it back). Headband style is the only way to go.

 

The biggest issue is my wife struggles to avoid sniggering when I've got it on after watching Stranger Things.

 

Edited September 19, 2020 by Arkhanist

[Firedrake Cordova]

Thanks for the input and suggestions, everyone - it's been very helpful, and is much appreciated!

 

I have something similar to this: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07X5N5MHV/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_fab_1UAzFb4KD59F1

That looks like a cross between an angle-poise lamp and an improved version of the magnifying lamp I have - looks pretty nice

 

My preferred way to deal with this after a few false starts with a magnifying lamp and a magnifying head lamp affair was to get a few pairs of reading glasses at different strengths (super cheap) and use a decent quality worklamp.

I've seen a few people wearing a pair or two of reading glasses over their normal glasses (most notably, the people in The Repair Shop), but hadn't put 2 and 2 together.   I always thought it looked like it should be uncomfortable, but it obviously mustn't be. (I have an Ikea Tertial with a 1,500 lumen daylight LED in it for illumination, so I'm fine for that)

 

I am short sighted with a pretty hefty prescription so I got an official optivisor. Plenty of room to wear my glasses, and the band goes round my forehead. 

Ah, yes - reading a few of the Amazon reviews led to me seeing those.  They look nice.

 

I've largely settled on leaving the 2x magnification size in for normal use, as it leaves a decent space for the paintbrush.

I was thinking 2x seems like the best option, looking at them - a nice comfortable working distance, and a good level of magnification (my magnifying lamp is 1.75x, which feels comfortable in terms of image size).

 

Optical glass lenses in the visor are significantly better than cheap plastic ones ...  (High-density optical plastic can work, my glasses have it as the lenses to reduce thickness and weight, but it's also super expensive so unlikely to be in a cheap visor rather than basic acrylic)

"ooh, glass lenses" was my initial thought when seeing it.  I did a lot of photography in a previous life, and remember the price difference between LEE's plastic filters (), and their glass ones ( )   I also remember the difference between cheap filters, and good ones ...

 

Other things to watch out for when picking a visor when wearing glasses; several types use a nose rest or grip on your temples, neither of which work when wearing spectacles

Indeed - that's something I noticed with a lot of them that I'd seen on YouTube, Amazon, etc, hence asking here.

Edited September 20, 2020 by Firedrake Cordova