I'm looking for a good quality magnifier, one i can keep in my pocket
or key chain. My instructor uses a Bausch and Lomb Hastings{triplet}
20x but the lens is too small for me. Is there one with a slightly
bigger lens of the same quality small enough to keep in my pocket? It
will be used for id of weeds, pests,etc. Thanks.

On 31 Aug 2006 20:15:49 -0700, wrote:

I'm looking for a good quality magnifier, one i can keep in my pocket
or key chain. My instructor uses a Bausch and Lomb Hastings{triplet}
20x but the lens is too small for me. Is there one with a slightly
bigger lens of the same quality small enough to keep in my pocket? It
will be used for id of weeds, pests,etc. Thanks.


Bausch and Lomb is usually rather expensive, I wish I knew if the
exttra cost is worth the price. Generally the higher the power the
smaller the lens diameter

B and H photo video has some 20 power units

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/cont...arch&Q=&ci=987

I bought one from Contenti

http://www.contenti.com/products/mag...hand-held.html

In message .com,
writes
I'm looking for a good quality magnifier, one i can keep in my pocket
or key chain. My instructor uses a Bausch and Lomb Hastings{triplet}
20x but the lens is too small for me. Is there one with a slightly bigger
lens of the same quality small enough to keep in my pocket? It will be
used for id of weeds, pests,etc. Thanks.

I have Hilkinson 8X and 20X which are very good, and easily small enough
to fit in a pocket.

cheers,
robin

--
www.newforestartgallery.co.uk
www.badminston.demon.co.uk www.robinsomes.co.uk
www.robinsomes.co.uk/oz www.robinsomes.co.uk/greece03
Trust me, I'm a webmaster...

schreef
I'm looking for a good quality magnifier, one i can keep in my pocket
or key chain. My instructor uses a Bausch and Lomb Hastings{triplet}
20x but the lens is too small for me. Is there one with a slightly
bigger lens of the same quality small enough to keep in my pocket? It
will be used for id of weeds, pests,etc. Thanks.

***
Such questions are not easy to answer, as many factors are involved
(personal habits, size of hands, size of pockets in typical garment, etc).
Personally I find a good field of view most important, which means a wide
diameter lens. I have always been happy with a basic (and cheap) 8x lens,
and went through several of these before they went out of production. When I
needed a replacement, last year, I went to my optician who sold eschenbach
hand lenses. After a quick comparison of all the magnifications in stock I
had no hesitation in buying the 8x lens, this offered much more viewing
field than the next higher magnification (I forgot what it cost, although I
do remember it was not cheap). I have a wide diameter 15x lens here
somewhere, but I cannot say I am using it much.

I suggest you go to a shop with a good selection of lenses and make a direct
comparison (it is a good idea to bring an object to look at, with lots of
interesting detail). Then watch for the amount of distortion towards the
edges of the lens.

A quick google turns up http://www.kooters.com/sezlens.html (it is linked to
a webstore) which offers useful comments.

Hope this helps,
PvR

I had a nice old Hastings Triplet 10x and the B&L 20x on a lanyard and lost
them last spring in the Smokies, so I had to replace them. I like having
both magnifications but found the tiny size of the B&L made it very
difficult to use for most people. I met a myxo specialist last month in the
Smokies who had the most amazing 20x hand lens and I just had to have it,
regardless of cost. Here's the info:

Iwamoto achromatic 20x, 16mm lens diameter, with a focal length of 10mm.
Chrome plated housing, with a leather carrying case.

It's expensive at $87.60, but if you want superior optics and a wide field
that makes it easy to use--even for folks not used to them--this is THE hand
lens to get.

I also bough the Meiji 10x, 21mm lens diameter, with a focal length of 17
mm, metal frame with leather case. This one is pricey at $62.25, but is
extremely high quality and the optics are incredible.

http://www.minerox.com/index.cfm?fus...TOKEN=47303943

I use them for botany and geology. The 20x was used by 10 different people
last Saturday on a botany/geology field trip and even those who don't use
hand lenses found the 20x usable. Of course I had to teach some how to use a
hand lens.

Scott Ranger

We'll be returning to Zambia in 2007. Join us!
Habitat for Humanity Global Village Home Page http://www.habitat.org/GV/
Habitat Zambia http://www.habitatzam.org.zm

"Under democracy one party always devotes its chief energies to trying to
prove that the other party is unfit to rule--and both commonly succeed, and
are right" H.L. Mencken

"P van Rijckevorsel" wrote in message
...
schreef
I'm looking for a good quality magnifier, one i can keep in my pocket
or key chain. My instructor uses a Bausch and Lomb Hastings{triplet}
20x but the lens is too small for me. Is there one with a slightly
bigger lens of the same quality small enough to keep in my pocket? It
will be used for id of weeds, pests,etc. Thanks.

Thanks for the advice. It looks like i have a few to pick from. I'll do
a search and check' em out. Regards, Bob.
Scott Ranger wrote:
I had a nice old Hastings Triplet 10x and the B&L 20x on a lanyard and lost
them last spring in the Smokies, so I had to replace them. I like having
both magnifications but found the tiny size of the B&L made it very
difficult to use for most people. I met a myxo specialist last month in the
Smokies who had the most amazing 20x hand lens and I just had to have it,
regardless of cost. Here's the info:

Iwamoto achromatic 20x, 16mm lens diameter, with a focal length of 10mm.
Chrome plated housing, with a leather carrying case.

It's expensive at $87.60, but if you want superior optics and a wide field
that makes it easy to use--even for folks not used to them--this is THE hand
lens to get.

I also bough the Meiji 10x, 21mm lens diameter, with a focal length of 17
mm, metal frame with leather case. This one is pricey at $62.25, but is
extremely high quality and the optics are incredible.

http://www.minerox.com/index.cfm?fus...TOKEN=47303943

I use them for botany and geology. The 20x was used by 10 different people
last Saturday on a botany/geology field trip and even those who don't use
hand lenses found the 20x usable. Of course I had to teach some how to use a
hand lens.

Scott Ranger

We'll be returning to Zambia in 2007. Join us!
Habitat for Humanity Global Village Home Page http://www.habitat.org/GV/
Habitat Zambia http://www.habitatzam.org.zm

"Under democracy one party always devotes its chief energies to trying to
prove that the other party is unfit to rule--and both commonly succeed, and
are right" H.L. Mencken

"P van Rijckevorsel" wrote in message
...
schreef
I'm looking for a good quality magnifier, one i can keep in my pocket
or key chain. My instructor uses a Bausch and Lomb Hastings{triplet}
20x but the lens is too small for me. Is there one with a slightly
bigger lens of the same quality small enough to keep in my pocket? It
will be used for id of weeds, pests,etc. Thanks.