Information about Magnifying Glass

Information about Magnifying Glass

At Magnifying Glass Store we strive to provide you with quality optics and magnifying glass products at a fair price. Unlike most other Magnifying Glass sellers we make many of our products here in the United States of America and have been making optical products in America for over 50 yrs.. We also utilize such features as Ultra-Violet inhibited resins and structurally reinforced plastics, and hard coated lenses.

For questions on Our Products or Services ?

Look below for answers to many of the most frequently asked questions about a Magnifying Glass, if we have not answered them below, please email or call us for your answer, our email is sales@electro-optix.com

What state do you ship from... Do you make your own products?

We ship from South , Florida. We are one of the few companies still making optics in the USA. Some are manufactured to our specifications and imported. We have been producing optical Magnifying Glass in the USA for over 50 yrs.

What is Magnification ?

Magnification or Magnifying is when something is optically enlarged in appearance not actuality, and this is typically using a convex or magnifying lens. The convex lens shape creates a magnified "virtual image" of the surface being viewed through the lens.

Large or Small lens Magnifying Glass ?

There is an inverse relationship between Magnifying lens size and lens power, the more powerful the lens the smaller then lens, its just the physics of and optical lens. For reading you will want a magnifying glass of at least 2" in diameter, and that generally means 5x or less

Do you make both consumer and industrial Magnifying Glass's and Loupes

A Magnifying Glass or loupes can be very use and application and industry specific and there are many designs that go well beyond general vision enhancement and are used for critical measurements and high power inspection. We have a large selection of both special use and general use magnifying glass and vision tools. Contact us if you do not see what your needs require.

What is Depth of Field (DOF) ?

Depth of field is the distance or depth of area in which the lens allows for the area being viewed to stay in clear focus. As you move towards and from the object you will see the depth of field as the image goes from being sharp and focused to being out of focus .Generally speaking as the lens power increases the depth of field decreases and becomes more shallow.

What is lens distortion?

Distortion is an optical error or (irregularity) that occurs due to the convex nature of the lens, the convex shape of the magnifying lens results in a slight difference in magnification at different points within the image,due to that fact that your viewing through the lens itself.

What does the term focal length mean?

Focal length is defined as the measured distance between the object being viewed and the magnifying glass lens surface, its the measured distance in which the item being viewed is in clear sharp focus.

What does the term Field of View mean?

Field of view is described as the area that is viewed or seen clearly through the magnifying lens. As the lens magnification increases, lens diameter and thus the field of view decrease. At (5x) magnification power the typical field of view is roughly 1.5 inches. At (10x) power it is about .5 inches. As you can see there is an inverse relationship between lens power and lens field of view. We recommended to use lower power lens for scanning or reading large surface areas and a high power lens for inspection and detailed scanning and inspecting very small areas

Does lens size matter ? Why am I not finding large lenses with high magnification power available ?

There is an inverse relationship between lens size and magnification, the larger the lens the lower the magnification and the smaller the lens generally the higher the magnification. It all has to do with the convex nature of the lens shape. As magnification increases and the lens becomes more convex the field of view decreases, the focal length also decreases with increased Magnification.

What is a good magnification for general reading ?

As magnification needs will vary person to person generally speaking a good magnification for reading or general use is 2x-4x magnification. For inspection such as coin or stamp collecting and inspection a higher power of at least 5x-8x or more is recommended. Magnification about 5x is generally considered to more of an inspection Magnification and if used for reading can cause frustration and eye strain, because the narrow field of view and focal length, and the necessity to hold the lens at this specific distance (focal length).

What is lens Diopter or Dioptre ?

It measuring unit for measuring the optical power and the curved nature of convex lens. This term is often used by eye doctors and causes much confusion with customers, there is a direct relationship between Diopter and Magnification. Examples of Diopter conversions are below 3 Diopter =1.75x 5 Diopter =2.25x 7 Diopter =2.75x 10 Diopter=3.5x 20 Diopter=6x

Why are your Magnifying Glass's made with optical Acrylic instead of conventional glass ?

The most common reasons for using acrylic instead of glass are lighter weight and durability. The weight difference is dramatic when you compare glass lenses and acrylic lenses, an acrylic lens weighs about one-half that of a similar glass lenses this is very important with a hand tool such as a Magnifying Glass. Optical grade acrylic also has exceptional color clarity, high impact resistance, and is resistant to the damage of UV rays, these benefits have over time made optical acrylic the standard in the industry. Acrylics are highly resistant to warping, shattering, cracking, salts,pollutants, non-oxidizing acids, and most light home and industrial solutions that are not damaging to the skin.

What is an aspheric lens is it better then a conventional lens ?

An Aspheric lens is specially designed with non-spherical surfaces, corrected to minimize the spherical irregularities of a convex lens, the aspherical design allows for less distortion, improved edge to edge focusing and improved collimating accuracy. It is a much more expensive lens to make, however the image quality is typically much better as well.

What is the difference between a conventional lighted Magnifying Glass and an LED Magnifying Glass ?

A lighted Magnifying Glass typically has one of two types of magnification, an conventional bulb or an LED (light-emitting diode). A led bulb is typically more expensive and has a very long bulb life as well as produces much less heat then a conventional bulb. Because it produces less heat, the bulb is more efficient as it uses its energy for light production and less energy is wasted in heat production. LED's typically have a whiter or more blue colored light then a conventional bulb, a conventional bulb light is typically view as a "warmer" colored light.

A Small lens Magnifying Glass or a large lens Magnifying Glass ?

There is a trade off, there is an inverse relationship between lens size and lens power. As the lens power increases lens size decreases, its just a physics of a convex lens. The field of view and the focal length of the lens also decrease as Magnification increases.

What is a Fresnel lens, how is the image quality ?

A Fresnel lens is a flat lens with concentric ring shaped lenses/prisms that does not have a curved surface of a conventional lens. These series of concentric groves are molded or etched into the surface of a thin, lightweight plastic sheet, making the lens very thin, almost sheet like. This design creates prisms that magnify and was often used in lighthouse lenses to magnify and focus the light. The tiny grooves are optical prisms that act to magnify the image. A Fresnel lens is a compromise between efficiency, low price, and reduced image quality, however the slim nature of the lens makes it ideal for a wallet magnifying glass or cheaper magnification tool.

Why does an image become out of focus when lifted to high over viewing image ?

A magnified image or surface will go out of focus and become every distorted as you move the lens beyond its designed ...“focal length.” The best image is created when the lens is held at or near its focal length.

What does a bifocal lens means ? What are the features and benefits of a bifocal lens?

A bifocal lens describes that has more then one magnification powers or lens surfaces molded within one overall lens. Most of the lens will be one power and a smaller round area will be of a higher power to assist with more magnification.

ElectroOptix magnifying glass are suited for all of your everyday uses:

  • vision impaired and those with vision changes
  • macular degeneration from initial to advanced stage AMD
  • hobbyists & detailed repair
  • industrial inspection & quality control
  • enlarging aviation and marine charts
  • reading medical films and x-rays medical professionals
  • aircraft pilots and mechanics airframe inspection
  • stamp, coin & serious collectors
  • personalized and useful corporate gifts & premiums
  • lab technicians and scientists
  • telephone repair & installation
  • engineers
  • delicate minute repairs & close work
  • enlarge maps for travelers & trucker
  • working on microcircuits
  • jewelry repair & finishing and making
  • computer enthusiasts & detailed repair
  • printed material newspapers & stock market quotes
  • quality control and industrial inspection
  • close-up work for photographers & other artists.
  • reading in dark environments & restaurants.
  • ... and assisting you in just about anything you do!
  • MagnifyingGlassStore.com

    .....a division of Electro-Optix, Inc 2181 N Powerline Rd, Pompano Beach FL 33069 You can reach us by telephone: (954) 973-2800 Or contact us toll-free at: 1-800-779-2801 You can contact us via fax: (954) 973-3951 Office hours are Monday-Friday EST 9:00AM to 5:00PM


    View our full catalog at: www.electro-optix.com
    You can email us:For sales and product information sales@electro-optix.com
    For post-sales support questions service@electro-optix.com