Belomo - Now I See What You Mean!

[Chris]

After struggling for ages to see the alignment of my nibs and their tipping using a variety of lenses, I recently bought a Belomo. I should have done it years ago

 

I couldn't decide whether to get the 10x or 20x so bought a 15x as a compromise. OK, the depth of focus is small and so too is the field of view, but the clarity is super. I can see every detail of the tipping right down to the paper fibres that sneak under the nib and hide there out of sight.

 

Ten minutes after I had it out of the little box, I had checked all of my six daily 'user' pens from their case and tweaked a nib that was never quite right, even though it looked fine under the other lenses. Through the Belomo, I could see immediately that one tine was a gnat's whisker higher than the other and so the tipping was not quite level on the paper. It was never exactly scratchy but neither was it as good as it ought to be.

 

Now - it's lovely

 

So, £17 very well spent.

 

Next, I'll check the pens sitting in boxes and elsewhere to ensure they are ready to go if and when wanted.

Edited March 17, 2015 by Chris

[Bo Bo Olson]

That is the difference between good coated good glass lens and cheap.

 

I have a 10 X...could think a 12 but am glad you think a 15 is a tad too much.

 

Unfortunately, I have my 10 and can't talk my self into a 12.

[OcalaFlGuy]

If I had known there was a 12 I'd have gotten it instead of my 10.

 

But, they are great loupes.

 

Bruce in Ocala, Fl

[Chris]

I would have got the 10x but even my reading glasses seem to have got weaker over the years (or is it my eyes?) so I will have to put up with the problems of the small field of view (oh, and the 10x was a lot dearer too).

[Chettiar]

Belomo is selling for £30 in Amazon. Where did you buy it, Chris?

[Jamerelbe]

I've found a couple of online sellers in Australia that offer the 10x, 12x, and 15x loupe - and probably 20x too. On the strength of the comments in this thread, I'm tempted to order a 12x - though the 10x is about AU$20 cheaper from one of my possible suppliers. Would be grateful for any advice - has anyone had the opportunity to compare and contrast the 12x, either with the 10x or the 15x?

[ac12]

I just wish Belomo made them with lights.

Most of the time I am not at a well lit workbench. Heck I don't have a well lit workbench.

[risingsun]

I have a Belomo 10x, 12x, and 15x. The 10x is my favorite, FWIW. Followed by the 12x. Depth of focus on the 12x and particularly the 15x are not as good as the 10x, and you need to be in closer to the subject, which blocks some of the available light if you're using an over-head light source. I always recommend starting with the 10x. It's my favorite FP accessory.

[Chris]

I paid £17 including postage from a place in the UK via ebay. Someone called brianknell. Quick delivery (and guarantee in Russian or similar).

 

The others I saw were dearer and most were from outside the UK.

[tinta]

For I would say 90% of my applications (pens & fly-tying) the 10x seems to work best. Once in a while, a 12X or even a 15X would be nice.

Great construction, brightness & optical quality.

 

ac12, if you are looking for a quality "well lit" magnifier, the company Eschenbach may have something you can use. I have used the 10X model. (no affiliation, just vision issues)

 

http://www.eschenbach.com/853a617e-1088-48d2-9cad-9ae7af38eb1a/products-hand-held-magnifiers-illuminated-detail.htm

Edited March 24, 2015 by tinta

[Chris]

Just to add, the 10x and 20x were more expensive which is why I got the 15x, though I am now tempted to look for a 10x too.

 

I've been through my pens and tweaked a few more nibs - it's easy when you can see what you are doing.

 

The fascinating thing is what else you discover. The tipping on all my Cross Townsends is super-smooth but a vintage Waterman has a nib with tipping that looks like Swiss cheese there are so many tiny holes in it. It is not the smoothest writer even though the tines are aligned; I wonder if it is because the tipping is actually quite rough or whether it is because the nib is finer than most of my other pens - perhaps a bit of both.

[Jamerelbe]

Thank you all for your input - I ended up ordering the 10x loupe (it was AU$20 than the other two through my most local supplier, because they're able to get a bulk discount), and it leaves my other (cheap Chinese) loupes for dead! I may still consider investing in a 12x or 15x down the track - but as a couple of you have pointed out, the 10x will, I think, be more than adequate, most of the time!

[Bo Bo Olson]

"""vintage Waterman has a nib with tipping that looks like Swiss cheese there are so many tiny holes in it."""

 

There is a good article somewhere...where it is written the pre WW2 nibs were lumpy....and could have bits fall out when smoothing.

 

It was WW2 that perfected to a smooth tipping.

[Chrissy]

I bought a 12x and I think it's excellent. I already had a 10x so didn't want 2 the same, but I knew the depth of focus and field of view would reduce the higher I went

[mikeg]

Found out what all the fuss is about, my 10x turned up today, got it from user brianknell on ebay uk.

[Goudy]

I have 2 Belomos, the 8x and 15x, and a Chinese "Made in Germany 30x36" that cost £7.34 from DealExtreme:

 

http://i.imgur.com/10gP9GL.jpg

 

I use the 15x occasionally, but the depth of field is very limited. The 8x I hardly use at all - it feels like peeking through a pinhole.

 

The Chinese one is my favourite for general use. It's metal and glass, and has 2 very wide bright lenses (about 32mm diameter by my measurement). The magnification is nowhere near the advertised 30x, in fact little different from the Belomo 8x, but the viewable area is bigger and brighter. The "Made in Germany" label is probably pure fiction.

 

Here are some comparison shots, taken with an iPad and each loupe held over the camera lens. In each case I've tried to get the closest possible shot, and resized the image by 50%. The iPad had a case on. Removing it would allow the loupes to get closer to the camera and would result in slightly different, possibly better, shots.

 

No loupe:

http://i.imgur.com/8WsVid2.jpg

 

15x Belomo:

http://i.imgur.com/4WSvSVc.jpg

 

8x Belomo:

http://i.imgur.com/4y05aNg.jpg

 

Chinese loupe:
http://i.imgur.com/bP8LNvj.jpg