Hey everyone. Hopefully this isn't a dumb question. I don't know anything about them. I've often considered buying one. What is a good quality one that you guys use and where's the best place to get one? What price should I expect to pay for a good one? Ebay has a bunch of them but I don't know if they're any good. I am interested to know what you guys use. Any advice welcome. Thanks.
Here are a few choices.... http://www.jpscorner.com/Magnifiers_and_Loupes.htm http://www.jakesmp.com/CSD_Magnifiers/CSD_Magnifiers_000_M.html The Hastings triplet is a great loupe. But some prefer a wider viewing area. Its all a personal preferance. I have a few B&L (Bausch & Lomb) 10X loupes and a Hastings Triplet, which is also a 10X. I like the B&L loupes alot better because of the larger field of view.
You will not be disappointed with a BelOMO loupe. Now, mine has a 10x magnification, which is a bit much for grading, but I don't use a loupe to grade. For seeing details like die cracks, mint marks, etc., it's the best. It has a large field of view and is crystal clear all the way out to the edges. It has the feel of a much more expensive loupe and it's cheap comparitively! I've had one for a couple of years now and am very happy. Here's a link to a page talking about them and here's a link to where I bought mine. They have a pretty good price.
I second the Belomo loupe. I bought mine from the same place tcore linked to and have been happy. The lanyard with the velcro feature has been useful too to keep the loupe closed when not in use. :thumb:
I have a Rodenstock 6x aspheric loupe that I originally bought to examine 4x5 transparencies. It's pricey (~$220), but offers a view that nothing else can match. Recommended.
Got it today. I'm amazed with it. It exceeded my expectations. The lanyard is awesome. I love how it works. Seems like a really great value. Hard to believe somebody's making a profit at that price.
