Dental loupes are awesome!

Popped in to say that dental loupes are awesome!
I’ve just received a set of 3.5X 420mm dental loupes with an LED headlamp, and it’s a fantastic tool.
No more having to work 5cm from the object with close to zero depth of field, no more having to precisely position a light source in the exact angle so that it won’t be blocked by my head or hands and won’t blind me, this thing is just perfect.
I actually bought it for my new hobby of watch repair, but I think it would be equally helpful for soldering.
I think I should’ve ordered a 320mm working distance, but the magnification is spot-on, and I’m very happy with my new close range binoculars. :slight_smile:
Optical quality is very good, construction quality also quite good. The headlight screws dug too much into the plastic and it’s a little bit wobbly, but that’s nothing a little superglue can’t solve. DOF and FOV are both about 5-7cm, which is more than enough. They’re quite heavy but with the head strap tightened it’s no problem at all.
Cost 55$ and worth every cent. (Bought from medexcellence on eBay, but I think all the eBay cheap versions are made at the same factory and maybe even sold by the same seller or a very small group of sellers with different shops)
My girlfriend laughs at me when I wear them, and they are indeed very geeky, but she agrees with me that they’re awesome. And when the SWMBO approves, you know you did something right… :slight_smile:
(btw, I still use my simple LED lighted 20X/10X magnifier when I need to examine very small details, but the dental loupes replaced all other magnifiers I’ve been using before)

Sounds great. You got a link to a decent on?

Is that enough magnification to work with SMD components? If so, I’ll try a pair. Those SMD components are so darn small I usually have to take a close-up photo with my digicam to really see the quality of the solder joint.

I bought these: http://www.ebay.com/itm/110777835090
I thought the metal frame would allow me to fit them better to my face, but I didn’t need to make any adjustments at all eventually.

I think it is, I can easily read the numbers on resistors from 33cm away. The headlight makes it so much easier, but without the magnification I need to put the board about 10cm from my eyes in order to read the numbers.
I can also almost make out subpixels on my monitor from the same distance, and the pixels themselves are clearly separated.

Which brings me to the focal distance matter - I bought the 420mm model, but I think I got the 320mm one.
I measured my work distance with the loupes and it is about 33-37cm. I thought maybe it’s because I have prescription glasses. I’m near-sighted, so shouldn’t make a difference, and it really doesn’t - with my prescription glasses on it’s still the same focal distance.
But 33cm is very good for me, although I would have preferred it to be maybe 5cm less. Or maybe it’s just that my tables are too high. :slight_smile:

s. there are 4X, 5X and 6X magnification loupes, but they’re much more expensive, have much smaller DOF and FOV and are heavier, so I’m not sure these would help.

Thanks for answering these questions Haggai. This might solve a few problems. Are you able to attach the loupes to your own eye-glasses or do you have to remove your own glasses to use the loupes?

I need to remove my glasses to use the loupes.
But I think another advantage of the metal frame is that it is fairly easy to fit prescription lenses in it, at an optometrist, though I haven’t tried that (as I don’t need glasses for close range).

I use an Optivisor.
Same idea.

hi, i just bought generic dental loupes from ebay, flip up (easier to change frame and lens), 2.5x magnification, costs around USD 200-220. (available in many magnifications, working distance, and stainless or titanium frame), headband version is also available. It works very good. I recommend this one for those who starts using loupes, after some time if you want to change to another magnification then you buy those big players. If you are interested just email me onwe4rebrothers@hotmail.com , i will gladly to tell the website link so you can purchase it yourself[

hey i don’t get it

this is the actual link

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Dental-Surgical-Binocular-Loupes-2-5X-340mm-working-distance-/171694782401?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_2&hash=item27f9ce77c1