Magnifying glass light recommendation? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / beginners

author: tchicago
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: September 27, 2025, 06:51:22 pm
content: Hi, Everyone, I'm looking for recommendations for a desktop magnifying light. Like one of those with a large lense, surrounded by light source, and a dust cover on the top. Attachable to the desktop with a good quality stable multi-joint arm.I'm located in US, so looking for any good recommendations from US-based stores.I've been using the lens from Harbor Freight over many years, went through 3 of them and hated it all these many years. Tons of issues with it: unstable arms that keep sagging, black dust dripping from the joints, impossible to adjust for stiffness, bad spectrum of the luminescent light source, lid that keeps closing by itself, etc. The only good thing about it is its form factor.Obviously, I see many offerings from noname Chinese vendors on marketplaces like Amazon, Home Depot, Walmart, etc. Many of them have exactly same design, just different brand names, others are just exactly same as that horror from Harbor Freight.Please recommend something that is actually reliable and usable. Or at least please share a picture of a noname product that is proven to be good.

author: Benta
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 27, 2025, 07:39:44 pm
content: Can't recommens any brand, but the one I have has x4 magnification with a small circular field with x16 mag. in the lens.Those been the right optics for me in electronics.

author: 5U4GB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 28, 2025, 03:24:16 am
content: Outside the US so the choice is a lot more limited, there's a brand calledNewacaloxthat's all over Aliexpress, it's passable, not outstanding but OK, and has adjustable brightness and colour temperature. The main complaint is that the head is kinda loose and can flop around so I've locked it into place, and in hindsight I might have got a two-section one rather than three-section, the advantage of that is that you can move it well out of the way without having to unclamp it from the desk.

author: kite31
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: September 28, 2025, 04:24:40 am
content: I have a 3X magnifying light in the style discussed. It is attached to the machining desk. For electronics and other fine work I use a headband magnifier with interchangeable lenses, normally using 5x, and a good moveable light. This is an alternative. Jewellers' and gemstone loupes can also be useful for examination rather than work.

author: 5U4GB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 28, 2025, 04:38:46 am
content: How usable are the headband ones? I like the fixed-light ones because once you've got the lens in place it stays there rather than moving every time you move your head or body, but I've never had a chance to try a headband one.

author: Sorama
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: September 28, 2025, 07:29:15 am
content: I recently bought this one;https://www.tme.eu/en/details/lamp-5d-ledn2b/desktop-magnifiers-with-backlight/newbrand/Quality is good (enough), no issues.Does TME ships to US?

author: kite31
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: September 28, 2025, 09:41:48 am
content: Quote from: 5U4GB on September 28, 2025, 04:38:46 amMine (Donegan Optivisor) has no light so I cannot really comment on that aspect though I imagine it could work well. I like the lightness, and the ease of rotating it up or down to change your view. I craved a pair of the Zeiss binocular type my previous dentist used, snapping up and down over his glasses, but whether or not I considered them affordable, value over need had long been left behind.One advantage of a headband is stability. My desk magnifier has two arms thus three pivots, so lacks damping when bumped. You have to dampen its vibrations with fingers (or wait). Shorter arms or fewer pivot points would help.

author: Psi
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 28, 2025, 10:00:06 am
content: Might be worth considering a microscope instead.Just make sure its one with a good working distance (barlow lens) and adjustable zoom

author: 5U4GB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 28, 2025, 10:14:36 am
content: Quote from: kite31 on September 28, 2025, 09:41:48 amSome of the other Newacalox products address this, they're a combination metal base with magnetic helping hands, PCB supports, and illuminated magnifier, e.g.this one. I have no experience with these, just noticed them alongside the illuminated magnifier when I got it, and in fact I'm not a big fan of having the workpiece floating in mid-air well above the bench which is what the helping hands tend to do.

author: kite31
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: September 28, 2025, 09:55:15 pm
content: Interesting that you can buy that with basic components with variations up to the full utility/clutter. Jaycar sell the basic version with a Weller brand stuck on it.

author: TimFox
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 28, 2025, 11:08:48 pm
content: I bought a good one in the US that uses LEDs around the magnifier, and a hinged door above the lens.https://www.parts-express.com/Stahl-Tools-RM-4.25-x-6.75-Magnifier-Lens-with-80-LED-Workbench-Light-and-20-Arm-374-704?quantity=1&srsltid=AfmBOopg17U_Yujp301hD2sBxPTgi1FRNx4oawBG4RSgHlyQWxd1hwj7I clamped it to the right front corner of my workbench, and it does a good job for assembly, etc.However: the damned switching supply for the LEDs ends up right next to my shelves to the right of the bench, convenient to the input jacks for my distortion analyzer and spectrum analyzer (lower left of the front panel for each).I need to switch that unit off to lower the noise floor on those two instruments.

author: cunningfellow
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: September 28, 2025, 11:24:16 pm
content: Luxo Wave IIOr if you can't get that you can slum it with a Daylight Omega 7

author: 5U4GB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 29, 2025, 01:55:44 am
content: Quote from: TimFox on September 28, 2025, 11:08:48 pmThere's a thread elsewhere here about noise from LED illumination, I use a linear power supply for the LED strips above the workbench. For the USB-powered ones you could presumably also use a 5V linear, assuming they don't do further conversion in the light itself.

author: ISO_mukund
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: October 05, 2025, 04:38:31 pm
content: I made one before using a round tubelight, a magnifying lens and a table lamp stand.Nowadays, LED lighting has made things easy.