How To Choose The Right Magnifying Lamp

A magnifying lamp is an essential tool for precision inspection and assembly applications, but it is also an excellent aid for people who experience vision problems. Magnifying lamps reduce eye strain and fatigue while allowing the user to see the small details of the object being viewed.

Deciding the best magnifying lamp for you can depend on the following factors:

Diopter and Magnification

Diopter refers to the curvature of the magnifying lens. The larger the diopter, the thicker the lens and the higher the magnification. However, with greater magnification comes decreased working distance and a smaller field of view.

To find the magnification of a given lens, divide its diopter by 4 and add 1.  For example, a lens with a 5 Diopter curvature has a magnification of 2.25x (5/4 = 1.25 + 1 = 2.25)

Working Distance/Focal Length

Working distance, or focal length, is the distance from the lens that’s needed to keep the object in focus. The larger the magnification power of a lens, the closer the lens must be to an object to keep it in focus. Consequently, higher magnification will result in a smaller area for operators to work with under the lens.

Field of View

This is the size of the magnified area in focus under the lens – the higher the magnification, the smaller the field of view. Field of view is like zooming in or out in an online map: you can choose to either see all of the side streets in just a few city blocks (low field of view), or lose those details to look at an entire city (higher field of view).

ESD Resistivity

An ESD safe tool is one that has been treated to prevent the buildup and discharge of static electricity. Maglamps are made ESD safe in various ways, including applying special polymers to their lenses and constructing them of non-reactive materials like aluminum. ESD safety is an important consideration for users who are working with any electrical component, from circuitry to computer chips.

SMD LED Illumination

SMD stands for “Surface Mount Device” which means electronic components are mounted directly on the surface of the circuit boards, eliminating pins that go through holes in the board.