The BAUSCH + LOMB - 81-23-67 Folding Pocket Magnifier is a compact, portable tool designed for professionals requiring precision in their work. With magnification power ranging from 5X to 20X and diopter values between 20D to 80D, this device enhances visibility of small details effectively.
A good pocket hand lens for close inspection of nature and fine detail. The lens must be held up to the eye to provide a wide enough field of view. Most useful in 5x and 7x power, but can be stacked for maximum magnification, although viewing distance and depth of field becomes quite critical. This is not a good choice for reading because the lenses are small and will not cover more than a few words. It will reveal the dot pattern on a printed image or details in a flower if that interests you, but you will have to hold the object close, within about 1 inch.
I have not used a jewelers loop before so I am not sure how to compare it. However I find that you have to be in an exact spot and it only has a small area that you can view or it gets distorted on the sides of the lens. I think I would buy a good quality 10x magnifier next time.
I would recommend a little larger glass and only two lenses. The highest power lens is hard to use because it's too small and only enlarges a small spot. The quality is good though. B&L makes a two lens like this that I think would be more suitable or a loop depending on your needs. The small lenses are hard to get focused with poor eyesight.
Bought this to check coins and stamps. It is small and lightweight, and barely noticeable in my pants or coat pocket. The optics are excellent, and provide a clear, sharp image even with all three lens together. It is a US made product, and is head and shoulders above the loupes that were available locally. This item is well worth the extra money and I would highly recommend it to anyone who needs a quality magnifying device to carry.
This is so handy for reading fine print! With the proper lighting it can function as a jeweler's loup. Fits in your pocket and hasn't gotten scratched yet...and that's amazing!
I&I bought this to replace one just like it that I've carried around since 1980 but only recently lost. They're still made the same way, with real glass lenses from a legendary maker, conveniently compact, durable, and powerful enough for real scientific observation. I hope that this one lasts another fifty years.
Maybe a bit bulky to routinely carry in a pocket, but hardly noticeable on a desktop, or in a small toolkit/purse/drawer/etc. Out there in the world, these days, there’s a lot of small-, tiny-, & near-microscopic print (& plenty of other next-to-impossible-to-see characters/features) that this excellent little optical tool helps to clarify.