Magnifying Glasses, which one is better?

Projects General Guidance
1

Hello There!

I am in need of using magnifying glasses for any SMD soldering work. Which one works better? Third hand https://www.amazon.com/SE-MZ101B-Helping-Magnifying-Glass/dp/B000RB38X8/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1466150690&sr=8-3&keywords=third+hand or MagniVisor https://www.amazon.com/Carson-MagniVisor-Head-Worn-Magnifier-CP-60/dp/B007CDJKM2/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1466150782&sr=8-3&keywords=magnifying+glasses+with+light ? I don’t care of about the holding clips. What I need is the comfort and better magnifying vision. And how much of magnification is usually needed, will 3X is good enough or do I need as much as 10X? Any suggestions are appreciated. Thanks in advance!

2

I had one of those stands with clips and I had a big desk-mounted magnifier with a circular fluorescent tube. Neither of them worked well for me.

Now I have one of the headset devices like in your 2nd link - and I don't care if it makes me look like a geek.

...R

3

+1 for Robin, I have the one showed in the second link and works fine. BTW seems quite expensive, i bought mine in chinese shop (in Italy) for 13 Euro.

Ciao, Ale.

4

I bought a small frameless pair of +2.75 reading glasses. I slip these on over my regular glasses, and suddenly I have super vision - if I hold the work 14" or less in front of me. It is easy to look over them for normal viewing.

5

ChrisTenone:
I bought a small frameless pair of +2.75 reading glasses. I slip these on over my regular glasses, and suddenly I have super vision - if I hold the work 14" or less in front of me. It is easy to look over them for normal viewing.

Interesting idea which I had not thought of. I had been considering some cheap high-power reading glasses but I have astigmatism so they are not ideal on their own.

...R

6

And nothing says geek louder than wearing two pair of glasses.

7

I found the helping-hand kind of magnifying glass awkward to use. I use a headset like this. I haven't used the 10x additional lens very much but it is useful for reading the extremely fine print on SMT devices and for inspecting the result of my hamfisted SMT soldering job looking for solder bridges.
I haven't tried the kind linked to in the OP.

Pete

8

Yes give me a visor every time, it is the only thing that works for me.

Head Visor.jpg

With glasses as well you get to look through, nothing, glasses, visor or visor and glasses.