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erikbenj
12-May-2009, 13:00
hey all

looking to purchase a loupe and i was recommended the fuji 4x for an affordable yet efficient focusing loupe. the price is just about right, but any others have some recommendations? thanks

erik

Gem Singer
12-May-2009, 13:03
Purchase the Fuji. You won't be sorry. It's a great loupe at any price.

erikbenj
12-May-2009, 13:10
its looking that way

Gem Singer
12-May-2009, 13:17
If you have doubts, spend big bucks on a Rodenstock or Schneider loupe. You won't find them to be better for GG focusing, but obviously you will feel better knowing that you are using a "big name" loupe.

erikbenj
12-May-2009, 14:05
i think the user recommended/affordable option is the route to go

Joshua Dunn
12-May-2009, 14:12
I use a Peak 10x lube with a suction cup on it to hold it on the ground glass. Works great. I have also heard of (but never tried) just buying some powerful reading glasses from the drug store (the $10 variety). That way you don't have to mess with a loupe at all.

PViapiano
12-May-2009, 14:15
The Toyo is a great loupe and economical...

John Kasaian
12-May-2009, 14:26
One important consideration when buying a loupe is to determine how much nose clearance you'll require, and if your nose is growing or if it has reached maturity. The Fuji loupe offers a lot of nose in the way of nose clearance :D

Capocheny
12-May-2009, 17:56
Hi Erik,

I'll second the opinion of those who recommend the Toyo loupe... it's not too, too strong so that ALL you see is the grain of the gg. And, as John mentioned, it does have enough nose clearance. :)

The Fuji loupe is also nice and comes in at a reasonable price. However, if you wear eye glasses... expect to replace your lenses often. The version I have does not have any rubber covering on top or bottom. Therefore, the eye glass lens will be subject to being scratched over time. Likewise, for the gg!

Cheers

amoebahyda
13-May-2009, 08:06
I use Horseman 6x loupe on GG. The edge of the loupe is it is longer than other loupes such that you can use on Technika camera with light shield on.

Wayne Lambert
13-May-2009, 15:53
I began view camera work and geology about the same time (a long time ago) and have found that a 10x Bausch & Lomb Hastings Triplet hand lens works perfectly for both. It allows you to distinguish plagioclase from orthoclase in an igneous rock or, equally well, determine whether or not that distant pine tree or a portrait subject's eye is in perfect focus on the ground glass.

For mineral identification stand with the light coming over your shoulder, hold the lens to your eye, and then bring the rock up to the lens. In photography, put the lens to your eye and focus on the grain of the ground glass (or dirt specks on the glass or a grid line on the glass) near the image of the object you want in sharp focus. While watching the grain to make sure the hand lens remains focused on the ground glass, adjust the camera focus until the image is sharp. This fine little lens is excellent for determining critical focus and folded it is only 1 1/4 inch long. Loop a leather boot lace throught it, put the loop around your neck, and place the lens in your shirt pocket when not in use. People will either think you are a geologist or a large format photographer with ciritically sharp negatives. (I have never used a tubular loupe so I will let others extol their virtues.)

B&L Hastings Triplets are available from many sources. Two I have purchased from are Miners Inc. (minerox.com) and ASC Scientific (ascscientific.com) They cost about $30-40. The Coddington is a cheaper lens but for the slight cost difference I would go with the better optics of the Hastings Triplet.
Wayne Lambert

Gordon Moat
14-May-2009, 20:47
I use a TOYO 3.6x and really find it great nearly all the time. I have been wondering about those Chinese made 8x loupes on EBAY. Anyone get one of those 8x loupes?

Ciao!

Gordon Moat Photography (http://www.gordonmoat.com)

neil poulsen
14-May-2009, 21:56
I have the Rodenstock (alias Calumet) 4x that I like. Prior to purchasing this loupe, I had a makeshift magnifying glass that didn't cost much. Boy, what a difference a good loupe makes.

Arne Croell
15-May-2009, 07:39
I'm in the same boat as Wayne as a Mineralogist by training, and always carry a small folding triplet loupe. I like them better than the dedicated LF loupes since they are smaller; in addition, they are not resting on the ground glass, so using them at an angle to the ground glass (for focussing with wide angle optics) is easier. It avoids any movement of the back standard, too. I have several in the 6x to 10x range. In addition to B&L, there are models made by Zeiss (for the loupe snob, they are probably the only folding loupes that are coated), Eschenbach, and Belomo (an optical company from Belorussia). Some of these can also be bought at Amateur Geologist: http://www.amateurgeologist.com/. The best value are probably the Belomo ones, a 7x or a 10x triplet is $ 27.96 plus shipping (disclaimer: I am not affiliated with them, I just bought some of their loupes before).

Bill_1856
15-May-2009, 07:47
I use a 3X clip-on over my bifocals to get it good enough, then stop down the aperture to cover my arse.

Brian Ellis
15-May-2009, 07:49
I own the Toyo loupe and it's a good loupe. But I never use it because it has a circular base. I prefer the Peak loupes that have a square base so that you can better see along the edges of the ground glass and into the corners (if they aren't cut out).

John Bowen
15-May-2009, 16:46
I use Horseman 6x loupe on GG. The edge of the loupe is it is longer than other loupes such that you can use on Technika camera with light shield on.

Ted Harris recommended this loupe to me. I had been using the much shorter Horseman 7x loupe, but after trying Ted's I purchased my own. A great GG loupe!

B.S.Kumar
15-May-2009, 17:52
Are there any recommendations for the Silvestri tilting loupe?

Kumar

Martin Aislabie
20-May-2009, 23:47
Are there any recommendations for the Silvestri tilting loupe?

Kumar

I have tried the Silvestri Tilting Loupe but decided against purchasing.

If you shoot wide angle lenses and struggle for GG brightness, then the Tilting Loupe might be useful.

By tilting the Loupe you are able to get a brighter image by looking at the image down the axis of the image, where as a conventional loupe looks at image tangential to the GG.

Hence why it is most effective with wide angle lenses

It seemed to work well in practice and the image was noticeably brighter along its axis than tangential to the GG.

On the strength of this I nearly bought one.

However, the Loupe I was using kept loosing its eye focus adjustment.
This was probably due to it being a demonstration model and having being adjusted many, many times. I guess a dab of nail varnish would have locked it in place.

I opted instead for the substantially made Schneider Loupe and a Fresnel lens.

As my repertoire of lenses grows, I might have to have a rethink - ditch the Fresnel and invest in the Tilting Loupe (and some nail varnish?)

Martin