Post by WandererI'm looking for better magnifiers for soldering. I have
this magnifying visor but the focus is so short I think
I'm going to burn my nose on the soldering iron. I need
something that can focus on the desktop without bending
down. The dentist had really nice glasses with telescope
tubes on them. I bet they're expensive. Any suggestions for
magnifyers for soldering?
I've tried stereo microscopes, a mantis, loupes, visors, etc.
They all suffer from "being in the way".
Visors have the problem you stated -- PLUS all of that bulk
in front of you *and hanging on your head).
A jeweler's loupe will similarly tie your eyes/face to the
subject.
Stereomicroscope/mantis place limits on the object, its size and
its physical configuration.
I've "settled" for a repurposed (and revised) "low vision aid"
as it gives me more control over where *it* is sited vs. where
*I* want to be with respect to the subject:
<https://www.ebay.com/itm/323780068763>
The key part is the "eyeglasses" -- which contain a pair of
small LCD displays. They remain in your field of vision
regardless of where your head moves. You move the *camera*
AS IF it was your head/eyes to gain the best view of the
work piece. The rest of the kit is clumsy and attempts to
address a range of *portable* (vision-related) applications.
[You can also use a regular display but that limits where *you*
can be. E.g., I can examine something that I simply can't get
my head "in front of" -- as long as I can get the camera into
a suitable viewing position]
The hardest part to get used to is the fact that moving your
head *doesn't* change your viewpoint
