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 Replies: 23 / Views: 58,162 |
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New Member
United States
26 Posts |
I'm in the market to purchase my first Loupe, and was wondering who are the top manufactures? I would like to have a 20x or 30x Magnifier, but I'm not sure which Loupe, coin enthusiast are using today.
Thanks,
Matt
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
10284 Posts |
Probably Hastings for the money and quality.
With a good Hastings you won't actually need that much magnification.
It will be my next loupe. I believe it is called a "triplet"
Edited by TNG
09/13/2009 10:10 pm
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Valued Member
United States
380 Posts |
HASTINGS TRIPLET(s)i use 1 10x and a 30x
Edited by errorfinder
09/14/2009 03:19 am
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New Member
 United States
26 Posts |
Where do I purchase from? I don't see that Hastings has a website.
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
12437 Posts |
Hastings isn't a manufacturer, it is a type of lens. Specifically, a Hastings Triplet loupe is a loupe with a three piece compound lens that corrects for optical distortions. Really though, 20-30x is overkill for 95% of coin collectors. A cheap 20-30x will be more than matched by a good 10x Hastings Triplet due to the superiority of the optics. Bausch & Lomb and Eschenbach are two top manufacturers of magnifiers and I own one from each. http://www.wizardcoinsupply.com/pro...-magnifiers/ |
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Moderator
 United States
56855 Posts |
I recommend a Hastings, and a triplet but not a 20x or a 30x. I have tried a 20x and a 30x in the past and was very unsatisfied. I currently use a 14x doublet loupe that cost me less then $10 and it's an ANCO brand. If money is no problem then buy one of the big name brands like Bausch & Lomb or Eschenbach, etc but I think you should try one like I use first, it's cheap and if you like how it works then you saved yourself some bucks, if you don't like it, well then you have a back-up loupe and you can still buy a big name loupe. John1  |
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Valued Member
United States
125 Posts |
I Like to have my hands free, so I use an OptiVisor with the Eye Loop that flips up or down. I sure hope it's not a no no to upload this pic.  |
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Valued Member
United States
371 Posts |
I need to get a new loupe. My local coin dealer has a few, some 10x17mm, only for about $12.00 each.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
869 Posts |
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
10045 Posts |
Here's a few I use, starting with the big glass and going clockwise: Ultra-Optix #SV-3LP: This is great for scanning large lots of coins for particular dates. Peak 8X: Designed for viewing 35mm slides, it has the best optics and eye-relief of all (easy eye focus) Harris 10X: I bought this at a coin shop. The optics are the worst of this group. Hamilton-Bell 10X: Jeweler's loupe--very compact (folds to thumb size) and nice optics. Perfect for cherry-picking coin shows.  As a bit of recommendation, I would avoid loupe magnifications over 16X. I think it's overkill, and it will probably give you eyestrain when studying coins over time. Scopes are better for super-detailed study.  Edited by DVCollector
10/14/2009 3:49 pm
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Valued Member
United States
402 Posts |
Last year at the Baltimore show, two companies were passing out free magnifiers. Not cheap ones either. One company was CFC which is a lending company of sorts. I know the name because I use this magnifier all the time over my other six and its here in front of me now. They were laying on the tables and you could just pick one up but I think they go fast.
edgman/Tom R
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Valued Member
United States
99 Posts |
I just picked up an illuminated (BRIGHT LEDS!) 30X. It does the job and the light really brings out the details. Here's a link to it: http://www.amazon.com/SE-30X-Illumi..._grid_pt_0_0I also have a bausch & lomb loupe for the quality optics but the illuminated one is now my go to piece. Edited by snook
03/11/2010 3:52 pm
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Valued Member
United States
321 Posts |
I just got a Bausch and Lomb "3 in 1 5x, 7x, 9x" and own a 14x hastings triplet.
mlong219, the main differences you'll find in a loupe is the field of view, and quality of magnification.
field of view will decrease as magnification increases. You will find that as mag. increases, you will have to hold the coin closer to the lens. when you see something like "10x by 17mm" the 17mm refers to the diameter of the lens and field of view. get out a ruler and take note of how small that really is.
The quality will show in the type of lens, a triplet is one of the best, then there are doublets and singles. As you move down the line, you will see that the image blurs on the edges more and more
Eye strain is pretty inevitable at first but you will get used to it.
since its your first loupe, I REALLY dont think you should be getting a 20 or 30x. It's important to be able to view the entire coin wholly at once. However, I understand that its awesome to look at a coin at high powered magnification!
The 3 in 1 I have is nearly perfect because it was relatively cheap, there are 6 possible magnifications (including 20x as you can double up and triple up on the lenses), and the quality is decent. only drawback is that it does blur on the edges sometimes.
hope this helps!
matt
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Valued Member
United States
71 Posts |
The B & L "triple" loupe was my choice because of their optic reputation ... I like it and use it regularly
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Valued Member
United States
103 Posts |
Just from a jewelers perspective (i use my loupe a few hundred times a day at work) the "best loupe" is from Zeiss. They are around $100 each but well worth the price. If you don't want to spend that much, make sure you get a triplet loupe (makes it so the sides of the lens dont look fuzzy). Also you'll want to make sure you get a flat color thats not shiny. Some cheaper loupes actually reflect light from their exterior surface onto the lens which can be really annoying.
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Valued Member
United States
327 Posts |
Snook, I bought that loupe you mentioned there. That thing is a joke. Even my hastings triplet at 10x blows that thing away and the field of view was horrible. The only thing salvageable on that thing is the light....lol.
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Replies: 23 / Views: 58,162 |
Posted 09/14/2009 03:18 am
