Focusing loupe - which one do you recommend

I like Doremus approach (post No.6) and Bernice insights with provided link post No.5).
I was using various cheap loupes from x1.5 to x10 and to my understanding they do their job, but once I was lucky to acquire Schneider Aspheric x6, with price tag within two digits, cosmetical blemishes but very clean glass.
I highly reccomend it. It very bright, decision making where is the focus became an easy task even with older uncoated uncorrected lenses when CA, SA or coma is present. And there is a lot of periphery to look around focused point, its kind of wide angle.
This loupe is on the heavy side and skirt is quite big, otherwise outstanding tool.

Well I got my Horseman x6 today. Despite the condition being called 'very good' , it's actually immaculate, as I thought from the pictures.
It's very good value actually, because it's beautifully made and quite LARGE. It doesn't look ideal for the small Horseman VH screen to be honest, and it's nearly as heavy as an extra taking lens.... however I'll give it a good try-out.

Horseman 6X long loupe is big and heavy. The optics are very good. They extend the length of a viewing hood. I put mine in an old sock to keep it from getting beat up - I will find a case for it eventually - there are so many throw away things now.

Seems to me that all of us have vision problems. Kind of ironic, considering the trade, no? Too much time spent under safelight, or behind a computer screen in photoshop?
I like my cheap little set. Has a 2x up through 7 or 10x, can't remember exactly. Works fine for me but I borrowed a 20x once and I don't think I can ever go back.

Ebony Magnifying Loupe/Glass, whatever they called it, when they were available.
Works fine for me for 20 years.

I certainly wouldn't call the Horseman loupe big; it's kinda in the middle of the herd in terms of size and expense. My backup loupe in a tiny 10X Emo, optically very good but hard to keep a grip on. You don't want something too small, or too high a magnification like that. But it sure doesn't take up much extra room in the kit as an emergency extra.

I use a "system" consisting of a pair of 4X reading glasses, backed up with a Nikon 7X loupe when I need a bit more. But what I'd really like would be to have my 4X readers tricked out with some kind of higher magnification "insert." Hmmm...maybe I could super-glue that Nikon loupe onto my readers somehow, so I'd just tilt my head a bit to use it? Gotta think on this...

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Originally Posted by John Layton

I use a "system" consisting of a pair of 4X reading glasses, backed up with a Nikon 7X loupe when I need a bit more. But what I'd really like would be to have my 4X readers tricked out with some kind of higher magnification "insert." Hmmm...maybe I could super-glue that Nikon loupe onto my readers somehow, so I'd just tilt my head a bit to use it? Gotta think on this...

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Check out jewelers eyepieces. They should have some sort of clip-on you can use for that purpose.

Yes, I will check out those jewelers eyepieces...but in the meantime I will experiment with my 4x readers/7x loupe combo.

The idea here is that I can have the best of both worlds...being able to achieve quick overall focus while also honing in on composition, and then adding a bit of fine focussing if needed, all while able to move my head around to view the outer image field with whatever degree of obliqueness is required to suit the particular FL related characteristics of the projected image.

My ultimate goal is to combine the above setup with an integrated flexible dark cloth, in the form of a tapered "tube," with the eyeglass assembly affixed to the rear of this in a way which is light-sealed and which allows me to breathe with both nose and mouth while keeping breath away from the screen...while the eyeglass assembly is also affixed to my head with an elastic head-strap, with the front end affixed to the rear of the camera with a draw-string arrangement so I can easily attach and remove it prior to taking a photo (removal being really important if its at all windy!).

The trick here, of course...is to convince my dear wife to contribute her amazing sewing prowess to this project - wish me luck!

I wish your wife luck. :)