Favorite magnifying tools?

[Rikache]

Hi there everyone! I hope everyone’s having a fantastic day!

 

I just wanted to get on here and ask y’all about your favorite/preferred magnifying tool. I recently acquired some burmite with some beautiful inclusions but my standard magnifying glasses aren’t really cutting it in order to really appreciate the specimens. I’d love to hear about your guy’s favorite magnifying tools that y’all use to appreciate your fossils and your overall recommendations.

 

Thank you all so much!

[Pleuromya]

A hand lens can be really useful, and some can go up to quite high magnifications. I have a 10x and 20x lens which is quite good. 

[erose]

In the field I use a 10X folding loop that travels with me on my field vest. I have a 20X that is tucked away if needed as well.  Those are my "field" magnifiers.  At home I have both 10X & 20X magnifiers as well as a stereo microscope.  Things get beat up in the field so I keep them separate. In addition to the above I also have one of those magnifier lenses on a goose neck as well as various other magnifiers such as a fabric loop which has built in scales and sits above the object at  predetermined distance.

 

I would start with a good quality 10X loop.  The 20X or a. stereo microscope would be next.

 

I don't have that much experience with. digital/USB scopes but folks swear by them.  Lots of discussions on those here on the FF.

 

 

[DPS Ammonite]

I have a decades old Bausch and Lomb Hastings triplet 10X lens. I will probably replace it with a high quality, but cheaper Belomo 10x triplet hand lens. 
 

Belomo lens are recommended by several geology departments for their students. 
 

Get a really bright landyard, (not black), to attach the lens to in order to find your lens easily.

 

https://www.amazon.com/stores/BelOMO/page/E29663E6-573D-42D8-BDEC-8120C568F4C8?ref_=ast_bln

[Megalodoodle]

Try checking out some Carson brand pocket microscopes and head mounted magnifiers. The pocket microscopes can’t be used on tight crevices however and I don’t take the head mounted magnifier into the field out of fear of scratching the lenses. These are NOT replacements for a hand lens, just some tools with higher magnification than a lot of hand lenses I’ve seen.

 

Head mounted magnifier

 

 

Pocket Microscope

Edited November 28, 2022 by Megalodoodle
Added links

[Sylvestersen]

I have a Belomo triple x10 and I think it's a dissent magnifier. The only bad thing I have to say about it is that it's screws over time are loosing them self.