Optivisors

[CJ57]

I'm wondering if anyone has a preference on a good optivisor. I've looked at cookies at around £40 but wonder if it's a case of the more you spend the better they are or does a cheap one do

[caroleallen]

I don't know if the cheaper ones are any good. I've had my optivisor for about 15 years and it's still going strong so I guess it's money well spent.

[CJ57]

Thanks Carole

[Nick martin]

Hi Caroline,

I also bought a £40-50 Optivisor from Cooksons and I find it essential for flush setting small stones, so its money well spent for me too.

Nick

[paintboxcrafts]

I am looking to get one from Cooksons, having got fed up with my cheapo one that keeps falling off my head every time I bend down to pick up the stuff I've dropped.
I'm not really sure which magnification to get though, any recommendations please?
Cathy

[ps_bond]

I have an OptiVISOR - plastic lenses rather than glass, LX4 so 2x magnification and a 10" focal distance. TBH - while I use it a lot - the focal distance is a bit short and I have to watch out for hunching over things when I'm using it.

The solution, obviously, is surgeons' loupes... The cost is quite high though.

[paintboxcrafts]

Thanks Peter, I tend to hunch anyway!

[Moon Willow]

My Optivisor has been gathering dust for the last few years and I've just been using the bog standard 3 x magnification glasses
you can pick up from the chemist for £10, these give me far more latitude with the focal length than as Peter says stuck at 10 inches.
(Using them to sawpierce )

Carlton

[CJ57]

Thanks All useful info just need to decide what magnification I need now. Glasses wouldn't be much good on top of my own specs so think it will have to be a visor

[paintboxcrafts]

I already wear 3x reading glasses just to locate my workbench! - so I need a visor on top.

[art925]

I have an OptiVISOR - plastic lenses rather than glass, LX4 so 2x magnification and a 10" focal distance. TBH - while I use it a lot - the focal distance is a bit short and I have to watch out for hunching over things when I'm using it.

The solution, obviously, is surgeons' loupes... The cost is quite high though.
Or swap the lenses Peter...

[enigma]

I have the ones that go over your glasses as I can't wear anything around my head ( long story..) they come with 3 different lenses.
Also have a magnifying lamp which is quite useful and a Leica microscope for when I need more like stone setting.

[Aurarius]

The ones Peter is referring to are the ones we all need really; it's just the £500+ price-tag that holds us back.

The most critical difference between Optivisors and dental loupes is the working distance, as Peter has pointed out. A 2.5X dental loupe will have a working distance of 400-500 mm, which means you can sit upright in your chair and not have to lean in unergonomically to within a few inches of your work. Other big advantages of the dental loupes are generous depth of field (how big a chunk of distance is in focus) and width of field (how big an area remains in view at one time).

I've got two Donegan Optivisors: the DA5 and the DA10. The latter is 3.5X mag. and has a working distance of only about 4 inches, but to be honest when I'm cutting seats in small prongs I really can't see what I'm doing properly with lower magnification. For the moment the neck has to suffer. A dental loupe and a microscope are on the list though.

I've found Moleroda to be the most competitive place to get your Optivisors from.

[Patstone]

I have got two pairs of Optivisors and find that I normally wear glasses for reading etc, so wear them with x 3.00 magnification glasses on top, so in effect wear two pairs of glasses, my smallest stones set so far this way was 1mm diamonds in 1.5mm wire ends, so it works. Sorry picture is a bit blurred, but there are 6 diamonds set altogether.
7287

[Dennis]

The advantage of the dental headband loupe, is that they are light in weight and less sweaty in the summer. Having tried them all, I would recommend the 4x, which gives you a comfortable working distance and good magnification.

The cheapest source I have found is Hemming Healthcare, who will order them in for you and they cost about £40 inclusive, but less for quantities:

Lactona visor loupe 4x, LAC55054.

As with all plastic lenses in a gritty environment, they are best not rubbed, but brushed with a soft brush as used for make up, or washed with liquid soap, using the same brush and shaken dry.

[CJ57]

The advantage of the dental headband loupe, is that they are light in weight and less sweaty in the summer. Having tried them all, I would recommend the 4x, which gives you a comfortable working distance and good magnification.

The cheapest source I have found is Hemming Healthcare, who will order them in for you and they cost about £40 inclusive, but less for quantities:

Lactona visor loupe 4x, LAC55054.

As with all plastic lenses in a gritty environment, they are best not rubbed, but brushed with a soft brush as used for make up, or washed with liquid soap, using the same brush and shaken dry.

Thanks Dennis. Have had a look and the structure doesn't seem as claustrophobic and sweaty ( not that I do of course :) ) as the optivisor. They don't appear to charge delivery either so think I may go down this route

[Wallace]

very similar to mine - which are optisight with a variety of lenses. Similar available: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Donegan-Optical-OptiSIGHT-Magnifying-OSCBLU/dp/B002Z37WPQ

[CJ57]

very similar to mine - which are optisight with a variety of lenses. Similar available: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Donegan-Optical-OptiSIGHT-Magnifying-OSCBLU/dp/B002Z37WPQ

Gosh Wallace they just get cheaper, Thankyou x :)

[Aurarius]

Lactona visor loupe 4x, LAC55054.


What would you say the working/focal distance is on those, Dennis? If it's 4X mag it suggests it would be about three inches away. Mind you they also seem to do a 6X version as well, which would give a working distance of about 1.5 inches. That's assuming the magnification claims are correct.
Mark.

[Dennis]

Hi Mark, they have a good depth of focus so, wearing my reading/working glasses as well, my work can be between 150 and 210mm distant as measured from the bridge of my nose.

The magnification of the 4x is more difficult to assess, but looking at squares using one eye with and one eye without, I would put it at a little less than 1½ times. So the term 4x has some optical connotation I don't understand.

What is more, the Lactona 2½ times is virtually useless to me, being too weak. Dennis.

[metalsmith]

I've been looking to acquire one of these (whichever) for a while, so this discussion is helpful. I can see perfectly at short distance, but have noticed that the time spent concentrating at short distances is seeing my long distances suffer, which isn't helpful seeing as my other hobbies include murdering innocent bits of paper (targets to the average person) by one method or another. I've noticed that there hasn't been a great sway away from the lower budget end, which is great, cos my budget is low - but what price do you put on your eyesight? Especially when hitting the middle of bits of paper is somehow important to you. The long and the short of it is that I've opted for http://www.amazon.co.uk/Andoer-Handsfree-Headband-Magnifier-Jeweler/dp/B00C83I8DI, which has to be an improvement over my Aldi head torch since the Mrs recently broke the clamp on my £16 Argos clamp-light ... grrrr!

[WitchfordSilver]

I got one for my mum to sew with for Christmas, my brother decided that one would help him! so he got one on ebay from china £12.5 with a lens set.

When it arrived he said it looks just like the optivisor that cost me £35 with only one lens. He also pointed out that the main difference is the lens. the lens itself is glass but the way that it's held into the carrier is a cheaper method than the original but holds the glass just fine.

I'm thinking of getting one myself so I can carry the cheap one around to evening classes and got get the expensive one broken.

Neil

[CJ57]

I've ordered the Amazon one so will let you know how I get on!