In this article, I will talk about the best magnifying lamps for painting miniatures and miniature work in general. I use mine a lot because getting older means sometimes that your eyes can use the support 😉
Especially for miniatures at a very small scale (look here for all the different scales out there) or for 1/24 dollhouse kits like this one, they are very handy indeed!
I am sorry for this 'technical', maybe boring article, but it is really important to consider what you are going to use as a magnifying lamp and that you don't make the mistake that I made by buying one that isn't as suitable for crafting miniatures! (not that I haven't used it !)
If you have already decided to get yourself a magnifier for miniature painting and miniature work, you can skip right through to the bottom of this article for the reviews.
Why Would You Buy A Magnifying Lamp for miniature painting?
As we get older, we can't see as well anymore like young people still can. The normal aging process also causes people to see worse, even when they don't have eye defects.
I am 51 now, and I can tell you for sure: I used to have way better eyesight in my younger days 🙂
Especially when we need to see details, we are often facing the facts. Glasses or contact lenses don't help enough anymore. And all of this while reading, crafting, reading cards, or other hobbies are usually getting more important later in life.
The right tool can make a world of difference and give you back the joy in your activities. One of the tools that can offer a solution is a magnifying lamp, especially in our miniature world!
There are three advantages of a magnifying lamp: not only does it allow you to see better while the lighting also helps, but the best thing is that your hands are free to craft!
The light is built around the magnifying glass so that you have a strong, shadow-free light on your work.
Many magnifying lamps have a bendable arm, so you can bend the magnifying glass in the right direction.
Things to consider when choosing the best magnifier for miniature painting.
There are different types of magnifying lamps: standing models that you can put on the floor, but also table models, which can also get mounted on the wall.
Finally, there are magnifying lamps that can be clipped to a table or other piece of furniture.
These days there are also magnifiers with light in other forms. There are hand magnifiers, book-reading magnifiers, and magnifiers that can be hung around the neck.
You can even get a magnifying glass with lighting that can be tied around your head! So it would be a good thing to consider whether a magnifying lamp is the best tool for you.
A table or standing magnifier with lighting is useful if you:
• need the magnifying glass indoors;
• is often in the same spot;
• want to keep your hands free;
• you need to use it often;
• you want to use it for long hours crafting on a project, as holding a magnifying glass would be too tiring.
Of course, you are not always exactly in the same place when you are crafting at home.
It is more healthy to switch workplaces or seats. So something important to consider is: how heavy can the magnifying lamp be and how you want to handle it.
Can you easily plug a cord into a different outlet? Just imagine how this will work in reality with a magnifying lamp and then make a choice.
How much light does a magnifying glass need to give and what is the best light for model making?
As you get older, the lens of the eye will let in less light and your retina becomes less sensitive to light. You will need more and more light to see as much a younger person. And of course, everyone needs more light for precision work like our miniatures.
Therefore it is important that a magnifying lamp has sufficient light intensity. The luminous intensity of a magnifying lamp is usually indicated in the unit 'lux'.
The following table shows the brightness that an adult with good to average eyes needs for different activities:
- Simple work, clean up, talk to each other - normal: 300 lux, older: 500 lux
- Reading and writing - normal: 500 lux, older: 1500 lux
- Do detailed research, hobbies, crafts - normal: 1000 lux, older: 3000 lux
- Assessing colors (ex laboratory, dentist) - normal: up to 5000 lux, older: up to 6000 lux
Find out from a professional miniature painter which are the 13 best lights for painters and hobbyists.
So the older people would need about 1500 lux to be able to read and write comfortably.
In a lot of homes, the sunlight during the day is only about 100 to 200 lux. If you cannot or just don't want to sit close to the window, you will soon need extra light.
Also, the more magnified your magnifying glass is, the more light you need!
Please note: if the brightness is indicated in lux, the distance also counts! For example, a magnifying lamp can have 1800 lux at a 15 cm distance, but at a 30 cm distance, it is only 650 lux!
If there's no mention of distances, the number of lux usually is 20 cms.
How Much Magnification Do I need for my magnifying lamp?
The magnification of a magnifying lamp is indicated in the diopter. The following table shows how many diopters magnify how many times:
- 1 diopter magnification 1.25
- 2 diopter magnification 1.50
- 3 diopter magnification 1.75
- 4 diopter magnification 2.00
- 5 diopter magnification 2.25
- 6 diopter magnification 2.50