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So I'm thinking of getting something to help avoid the eye strain working with the details on my models. What say you dakka? Magnifying Glass? Reading Glasses? those pretty cool Watch Repair Glasses? (pretty cool to me anyway). Also, any tips and tricks you guys could give to a guy like me to avoid eye strain in the future?

I've never really used anything to magnify my vision, but my dad had suggested I do so I don't ruin my eyes, haha. The problem I see with using a magnifying device is even though everything will seem bigger, my hands will still shake!

This is actually an interesting topic to me and I wonder what results others have had using magnifying devices.

I do not use any as of the moment but I would eventually invest on a magnefying glass set-up that has a light and attaches to my desk.

I tried to use a magnifying glass to paint even though I don't really need it to see, but found it too annoying to use.

I never needed anything til I hit 45. Now I use X2 reading glasses. The annoying thing about these types of glasses is that when you're putting paint on a miniature everything is fine, then you look up over the glasses to see what time it is and everything thing is a blur.

I used to be OK. In the last year I went to a magnifing assist. I'm 39 so the eyes (despite still being 20/20 and 20/25 just cant focus up close anymore. I can fake it with table top stuff but anything requiring detail it is a must.

Middle age is hurting me too :( currently I can paint better with my glasses off than on.

I've tried single lens magnifiers before - they're fine for seeing something close up, but hopeless for cutting/painting etc coz a single lens stuffs up your depth perception. I should definitely try some cheap reading glasses - as both eyes are seeing through the lenses, I presume depth perception will still work.

I've seen some expensive 'modelling glasses' around, but can't really see how they'd be better than reading glasses?

I've got a set of jewelers glasses that have 4 lenses from 1.2x to 3.5 times and a small light on the top. Other than the comments from my teen daughter and wife, I've liked them.

I used to have a large magnifier that was attached to a lanyard. I would wear it on my neck and let the lens rest on my chest. it had a light around the rim and was far enough from my eyes that it was much more comfortable. It's similar to the kind that attach to a desk, but fully portable. Wish I still had it.

Even with those, though, if I have enough light I'm less likely to need the magnifier...

Nothing yet. But we all know it's only a matter of time...

This being said, I have found that good lighting can definitely help your eyes cope with the strain of detailed work. I use a bright energy saving 'natural light' desk lamp and it does a great job. I didn't realize how bad my old 40w desk lamp was until I got the upgrade, so I'd say it's worth it for anyone to give it a try.

DoW

I have one of those round flourecent jobs with the magnifying glass in the middle. I love it, but mostly for the light it provides. I use it in combination with a "Real Light" incandescent and find it works beautifully.

The magnifier is ok when you're first scoping the model out and trying to figure out the details, but I find the depth perception thing screws me up too much. Then again, I'm just shy of 30 so I guess I've still got full use of my peepers.

Magnifiers and prescription! When I hit my 40's my eyes took a shockingly fast downturn! I didn't even need a prescription until I was in my mid 30's.

I use 2.75 power reading glasses that you can get for 10 bucks. I wear them down on my nose like an old man, so when I look up I'm looking over the top of them. I also use two bright lamps shing from both sides of me to eliminate shadows, plus the overhead room light. It's all about having a ton of white light. Yellow light will mess with how colors look to you. The glasses help with detail for me, a lot. Also relieves eye strain, and that goes for any age. I'm 28, and tryin to maintain my near vision.
Although it'll go away either way. :(

I tried out a magnifier years ago, but decided that the bother of retraining hand and eye to account for the refraction of the lense just wasn't worth the effort.

I tried the magnifier lens on my Ott-Lite a few times then just gave up because the adjustment (for painting) was just too much. I was told it takes a lot of practice but can be very rewarding to use a magnifier glass/lens.

I'll likely be giving it another go soon enough as I'm doing a lot more paint these days and my eyes are straining more.

Two things I've found that help - 1) after a lot of fine detail work spend some time, just a few minutes, focusing on something very far away (like out in the yard). 2) have proper lighting.

Hobby clamp with a built-in magnifying glass.

I tried to use one of those magnifiers with the crocodile clips, I found it almost impossible to judge the distance from the brush to the model and just constantly ended up smearing paint everywhere.

I don't need any magnifiers, as my hand shakes whether I am looking at it four times bigger or not. Also, my eyes are still going strong fifteen years into my life. I should hope I don't need a magnifier

Rico.

I have used these before and they work great, but i prefer my eyes.


http://images.marketworks.com/hi/51/51407/mz101.jpg

http://www.kotulas.com/wcsstore/KOTStore/images/product/122951_lg.jpg

I went with this. I found that the type of magnifiers that attach to the table were much harder on my eyes because any slight head tilt would distort what I was seeing.

I have 20/20 vision, so use nothing normally to magnify. When I am painting things like eyes and gems though, I like to use a desk mounted magnifying lense with a daylight bulb in it.

I've found that in most cases, working under a magnifier full time produced the same paint job, just much slower. So I stopped using it full time and now only swing it over for eyes and gems.

My vision is great, so I don't need magnification. I need something to steady my hands. The more still I try to hold them, the more I resemble a hummingbird. If I threw a magnifying lens into the mix, painting would look like a crappy fight scene (no discernible actions, just lots of useless camera-shake, blurred body parts, and one party -me- eventually slinking away in utter defeat).

23 and my vision is failing a bit in my old age.

I will occasionally use 2x 3x reading glasses. like others have stated.

As for all of you with shaky hands, if it's important enough to do something about. Try cutting out caffeine, energy drinks, high sugars.

As an avid tea drinker (2-3 cups a day, sometimes more in the winter) and occasional soda drinker. I cut it all out about 2 months ago and i've noticed a drastic change.

Never gonna give up tea. It's 9am here and I'm on my second cup.

I have one of these:


I bought it as I thought it would help, and really it just got in the way. it looks cool on my desk though, and it makes a good paperweight.

BINOCULAR MAGNIFIER's are the best for the job. Still have depth perception and the adjustment takes minutes to get use to. I'm 28 but 6+ hours or more of detailing strains the eyes really good day after day. Single lens magnifiers just cause trouble. With just your eyes you might focus on details by moving your head or the mini and desk/lamp mounted mags just add another adjustment you are not use to. Head mounted is more natural as the adjustment to focus into the work is the same. Depth perception is there because you have a dedicated lens for each eye.

Here's some Options
http://www.micromark.com/SearchResult.aspx?deptIdFilter=0&searchPhrase=magnifier

I find magnifiers are more of a hinderance. Best advice I would say is to use whatever you would naturally, sit somewehre comfortable for painting and work in a well lit area to prevent some of the strain