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BINOCULAR MAGNIFIERS

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THE RULES

The stronger the magnification the closer the magnifier has to be to the object. This is the 'working distance'. A general purpose folding magnifier of 4X magnification would give a working distance of 3.5 inches (90mm), at 10X this becomes 20mm, and at 30X a totally useless 2mm. Now imagine wearing a binocular magnifier and viewing an object from an inch or two away - you will not be able to use both eyes, you will be too close, you will loose binocular vision, there will be no point in using a binocular magnifier. That is why most of the magnifiers on this page are between 1.25X and 2.5X magnification.

These are the rules. They are not my rules. They are the rules of nature, there is no way round them IF YOU WANT A MAGNIFIER MADE WITH SINGLE / SIMPLE LENSES - but it is possible to get magnifiers made out of "little telescopes" (the type that surgeons use) which give a long working distance and relatively high magnification, as I will explain shortly. Read more about How to Choose a Magnifier


THE MAGNIFIERS

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The most basic is a double lens that clips onto spectacles, like a pair of add-on spectacle lenses, they are easily flipped up out of the way when not in use, magnification 2X, working distance about 7 inches. They are OK, they work, the quality is nothing special, the price is £4.00.



This is a standard head-worn magnifier, lightweight, fixes around the head with an elastic, the magnification is 3.4X, quite adequate for the occasional repair job, simple construction, moulded plastic, certainly good value at just £8.50 but not the best optical quality.



A good choice for spectacle-wearers, lightweight, comes with four lenses, 1.7X, 2X, 2.5X and 3X mag. Easy to clip onto the spectacles, easy to adjust, sensible (low) magnifications mean that there is no problem with alignment (you don't go 'cross-eyed') £9.50



As above but made by Zeiss, so it is the best optical quality, clearer image, wider viewing area ('field of view'), solid construction, just one magnification: 1.4X. Not only is the quality Zeiss but so too is the price, £65.00.

They make the same lens built into a headband magnifier but I've discontinued them because they were just a bit too cumbersome and expensive [that means nobody would buy them] at £69.00...but available to Special Order if you really want one.


 This popular model is worn round the head on a wide headband, it has an adjustable light and four sets of interchangeable lenses which can be used singly or in pairs - so you can combine them to give almost any magnification from 1.2X to 5.3X, This gives a working distance of between 12 inches and 2 inches (though stereo vision doesn't actually work if you get too close). Can be worn with or without spectacles, £15.00.


You get a selection of lightweight lenses with this one (1.25X, 2.5X and 3.5X magnifications), they clip to spectacles and there is a built-in high-power LED light. Remarkably, the light adds virtually no extra weight (it's LED, powered by button batteries), £15.00







The only way to get high magnification and a long working distance (apart from using a microscope) is with two tiny monoculars, like little telescopes. This one can be zoomed from 2.8X magnification (working distance of 36", though for what purpose I'm not sure) right up to 3.3X (working distance 12"). It is permanently fixed to spectacle frames. Price is £75.00 - remarkably good value considering that this type ("surgeon's type") normally sell for over £500.00. The quality really is good (amazingly good!)...but they are very fiddly to set up and uncomfortable to wear. If you have the patience to fiddle and don't mind the discomfort, you have the most incredible lenses for only £75.00. [Out of stock as of xmas 2008...not sure if I will be getting any more].


This page is merely an 'elaboration' on the subject of Binocular Magnifiers, to see the items in our Shopping Basket system (so that you can buy them) click here.


So how do they compare?

The first two at £4.00, and at £8.50 are very basic in quality, the equivalent of a child's first toy, they 'work' fine, they are 'good value', do buy one of these if you 'need just little help'...just very occasionally, and really don't like spending money. The larger 'headband' version at £15.00 is a good choice if you like 'flexibility' because it comes with a box of lenses (choice of magnifications) and because of the built-in light. It is a bit over-the-top if you just want a magnifier for reading the paper, but engineers like them, they give a 'safe' enclosed feel when working machinery. I also sold a few to a team of electricians who work in switching rooms with the power off.

If you wear spectacles you can clip a magnifier to them. There are two qualities, standard at £9.50, and Zeiss at £65.00. The £9.50 version is £9.50 because we import them from the factory, it is a good lens. The Zeiss is £65.00 because it is Zeiss. I have spent some time comparing these two and the more I used them the more I liked the Zeiss - its optical quality, its build-quality, it is the difference between a small run-about car and an up-market high-performance car. We also import one with a light at £15.00. Does the light make a difference? If you're working in dim conditions, then yes of course, but if you can sit comfortably at your desk or workbench and use another light (any light)...then you don't need a light in a magnifier.

I gave the three (above) to two partially-sighted people to test. One said, "I don't like them, they are too fiddly, all of them, and the light makes no difference". The other said, "They are fantastic, they're much better than handheld magnifiers, I can lie in bed and read and the light makes a huge difference, it's really good, but don't tell your customers that because I have cataract and need a strong lens and bright light and so I'm not normal like your customers" ...which rather missed the point of me giving it to her to test.

Finally, the "Surgeon's Magnifier" at £75.00. If you really do need unparalleled quality combined with relatively high magnification and long working distance, then this is the one to go for. But, as I said above, they are horribly fiddly to set up and uncomfortable to wear. I use mine for something very specific. I go to a watchmaking class and the tutor often shows me things in tiny watch movements, and I wear one of these to see what he's pointing at, otherwise we would both have to get so close that we'd be bumping noses (or bumping our watchmakers eyeglasses). I can also see a use for these in museums when you want to examine specimens in showcases and simply can't get close enough. And, of course, they would be good for tiny repairs - but not for prolonged use.

Is there anything better? I have, at last, resigned myself to the fact that the above quality in a lightweight design does cost a few hundred pounds, and I will be looking around for one to sell shortly.

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