Anyone Here used Craftoptics telescopes?

[lesholmes]

Has anyone here used these telescopes? They are recommended in the November 2011 Lapidary Journal.

Checkout their web site:

http://craftoptics.com/telescopes/

They look like they may afford more working distance than Optivisors.

Les Holmes

 

[Sam]

Les: I've seen dozens of these magnifiers sold when demonstrating at shows for Rio Grande. They are really popular in the jewelry field. I've tried them but I always prefer my microscope.
Here's Rio's page for Craftoptics Binocular Telescopes and here's a blog page that talks about them.

 

[lesholmes]

Sam, thanks for your reply. And, of course, given my background in classes at GRS, I am comfortable with my microscope. But I am interested in your opinion on the telescope as compared with an optivisor. I want to see really well for chip carving wood or hand pushed engraving.

Les

 

[K Frei]

I looked into these long and hard a while back, but in the end it just didn't seem like the right thing to do. It cost alot more money and I had to sell a few thing to be able to do it but I went with some Carl Zeiss Binocular Magnifiers-2.3X magnification binoculars avalible from Otto Frei; and I LOVE THEM! In many ways I prefer them to my microscope, like a microscope they take some getting used to,but I'll never use a optivisor, these magnifiy enough and you can learn to see around them if you have to look at something farther away without taking them off. You can also buy an adapter for them that allows you to attach tem to your prescription eye glasses. That's my two cents, and if you are near southern Utah any time soon you can come give them a try. K Frei

 

[Sam]

We have a dentist friend that uses the Zeiss model and she swears by them. I think it's all in what you get used to. For me the biggest drawback was the low power. I'm so used to cranking up the scope to 10x or more that being stuck in the 2x range is hard to get used to. Winston Churchill does some of the world's finest engraving using nothing more than a low power Optivisor, so that pretty much proves that it's what you're used to. One day I'll get a set of these and give them a serious test. So far I've only used them briefly at shows and not at my bench at home.

 

[Doc Mark]

I'm afraid I have to agree with Sam on this one. I use high-end surgical telescopes every day in the office and I love them for dentistry. Mine are 2.6 power but when I've tried to use them for engraving, I find that there is just not enough magnification. When I carve ivory or cameos, they work OK for the roughing in stage. But, for the details, then I become more like Tim the Toolman Taylor, I want MORE POWER!. Even when I use an Optivisor, I use the highest magnification, even though it severely limits the working distance. Just my experience.

 

[rodsta]

I've been using a pair of these for a few months now and have "gotten used to them". I use them about every day for jewelry work and have tried them for engraving. Like everyone else has stated they are just not quite powerful enough but they do work. The optics are very clear and bright. I've used them for engraving on a Colt and I can't get past the need for a bit more magnification. I went to my optometrist trying to inkle out a bit more power but that was a no go. The only thing that I have found is that I can put a pair of 1.5 mag reading glasses and that will get me into a more comfortable zone but at a loss of some distance. Still workable but if you really want the zoom you need to get the high dollar surgical magnifiers. At least then you can pick your zoom and depth of field. Just my 2 cents,
Rod

 

[Sam]

And with more power comes less depth of field which means holding your head very still is critical as the slightest movement can throw everything out of focus.