Gents,
Due to the inconvenience of middle age, I find myself struggling with painting figures, as to have them in focus I need to hold them at arms length, and then I can't see the detial.....
Numerous folk have mentioned optivisors. Firstly, do they work OK with long sightedness? Secondly, is there a preferred/recommended brand? I don't want to spend silly money (up to £50 is good).
Cheers
Dave
Hi Dave.
The 'brand' Optivisor is the only one I've ever used, so I can only comment on those.
These now seem to be available from Amazon sellers and look like they range from around £37- £50.
From memory (Don't trust this)...There was a firm called something like Charles Frank who I got mine from years ago.
As far as long sightedness is concerned.....
I'm actually very short sighted.....But with age and wearing glasses I'm long sighted at the same time !!....(I should really use bifocals...I just cant' focus on close objects anymore) So I wear my Optivisor over my 'distance' glasses, and they work perfectly.
I'd be astonished if they didn't work to good effect for yourself.
Hope that helps....Any other questions...Just continue on the thread or PM me.
Cheers - Phil
I use a magnifying lamp at work, but unless I wear my glasses (longsighted) it doesn't work! Never used Optivisors but worth getting your eyes checked first in case your prescription has changed.
I bought an optivisor a couple of yeas ago after being persuaded by a couple of guys at the club who recomended them. I bougt one thinking I might be wasting my money but I have found its absolutely brilliant. I even take it on holiday If I think I am going to be able to paint while away.
There are a number of different lenses with different focal lengths and manifications. I use lense number 3 for most of my painting.I also have a number 5 lense that has a higher manification for more detailed work.
Where abouts do you live? Perhaps a forum member nearby with one might be able to show you what they are like.
I'm in Cheltenham.
Not a bad shout about getting eyes checked again Steve. Had them done a little while back to try out varifocal contact lences (didn't work), but I think my longsightedness has got worse since I think. Have been shortsighted since I was a teenager...
I've found a set on eBay from China for about £13, but I suspect it's a case of you get what you pay for...One with a light would be nice, but I think they tend towards the expensive.
Dave
I can't manage without mine now. I started with the No.3 lense (which came with it I think) about 5 or 6 years ago but recently switched over to the No.5 lense. It's lightweight & comfortable enough to wear for long periods of time and easily fits over my existing glasses (for longsightedness). Mine is the OptiVisor brand and I've been more than happy with it. I got it from Front Rank at Triples, but they sell them through their website..
http://www.frontrank.com/lev4_7_1_0_OptiVISOR.asp
They have an offer where it's slightly cheaper to buy the OptiVisor with both lenses..
Bob
I also have an optivisor, and working in 10mm deserves it.
In fact, I bought a lens in one online shop and another "optivisor" from another seller, but the first seller made a mistake and send me the whole optivisor... Then I sell the cheap one to a friend, quite good too.
I bought one a few years ago and I couldn't do without it. I can't remember the maker but it was cheap and cheerful off Amazon (about a tenner) and works really well!
Can't do without mine
Chad
Cheers guys :)
Got an eye test on Thursday, then it's off to Amazon/eBay :)
Hi Dave.
Even if you DO end up needing a new prescription for your glasses....I reckon you'll be very pleased with the difference an Optivisor will make. :)
Cheers - Phil.
There's only one drawback to the Optivisor, Dave. You can't watch TV at the same time as you paint.
I use the 8" focal length which magnifies 1.5 times, although I have to wear reading glasses below them (i.e. on the end of my nose) in order to keep the desktop in focus.
One of the advantages of the genuine Optivisor is that the lenses are interchangeable, being held on by two nuts and bolts. So if you find your vision does change you can swap lenses.
I'd go with Ray's 8" focal length (Mag 1.5x)
They give you a bit of 'work space' for your hands between your eyes and the subject.
As I've said in other threads, I've also got a set of the 5x mag.....But they just give me a headache, as the depth of field is so small.
Cheers - Phil.
A cheaper option to an Optivisor, which looks quite bulky to wear although I'm sure that's not the case, is to buy "beefed-up" reading glasses.
After discussing my needs with the optician at my local Specsavers she prescribed my usual reading prescription. She then greatly increased the magnification by simply adding +3 to the prescription for each eye; apparently it's just a case of simple addition.
I was then sent out to the showroom with the recommendation that I picked the cheapest frames they stocked. I selected heavy black plastic ones (very Michael Caine in Ipcress File). A week later they were ready at a little under £30 including lenses, although this was a couple of years back. They also have the benefit of being much easier to store as well.
On a slight change of topic, I now wear contact lenses and wondered if anyone else finds it less comfortable to paint wearing lenses rather than glasses?
Hi DH.
I wore contact lenses from my late teens to my late thirties and never had any problems with them as regards painting or modelling.
These were the smaller hard plastic lenses though.
A few years ago I tried to go back to 'contacts', but simply could NOT get on with the 'soft disposable' type at all.
Cheers - Phil.
Had my eyes checked, and my prescription has got better! Well, my short-sighted one has anyway. My long-sightedness is about the same. I could get varifocals, but will wait I think.
However, I did order one of these from Amazon (http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B004HU0VGW/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 (http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B004HU0VGW/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1)) but ended up getting one of these instead (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Rolson-Tools-60390-Loupe-Magnifier/dp/B001MJ0JW2/ref=pd_sim_ce_5 (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Rolson-Tools-60390-Loupe-Magnifier/dp/B001MJ0JW2/ref=pd_sim_ce_5)). Going by the description of the first one, they have the wrong picture.
Anyway, it has helped quite a bit, although it took a bit of getting used to, and made my eyes feel a bit weird to start with, but at least I can now see what I'm painting :) I need to get used to not having to hold the figures so close.
Quote from: Kiwidave on 23 May 2013, 08:02:46 PM
Had my eyes checked, and my prescription has got better! Well, my short-sighted one has anyway. My long-sightedness is about the same. I could get varifocals, but will wait I think.
However, I did order one of these from Amazon (http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B004HU0VGW/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 (http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B004HU0VGW/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1)) but ended up getting one of these instead (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Rolson-Tools-60390-Loupe-Magnifier/dp/B001MJ0JW2/ref=pd_sim_ce_5 (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Rolson-Tools-60390-Loupe-Magnifier/dp/B001MJ0JW2/ref=pd_sim_ce_5)). Going by the description of the first one, they have the wrong picture.
Anyway, it has helped quite a bit, although it took a bit of getting used to, and made my eyes feel a bit weird to start with, but at least I can now see what I'm painting :) I need to get used to not having to hold the figures so close.
As you get older your vision sometimes improves, especially long sight. I was able to stop wearing varifocals two or three years ago and just wear reading-glasses for close work. The down side is that you can't focus down very well, which is where the magnifying device comes in.
I think you are right to hang on and let your vision sort itself out before doing anything expensive. Whilst you can wear ordinary prescription glasses under an optivisor-style headset, reading glasses don't work. And you're right, getting used to the actual focal length of the magnifying lenses is the first thing to master.
All the best with your setup. :-bd