I've tried the 10x in my right eye and the 20x in my left and I got a headache. Then I tried reversing them and the same thing happened. I got another headache. With either combination, besides the headache, I could never seem to focus on anything.
So I gave up on loupes.
Now when I want to look at something real close up, I just squint really hard. Or I walk over the the Bausch & Lomb Stereo Zoom 7 microscope at the end of the work bench and flick on the dual fiberoptic light source. It makes things so much clearer. Once you start looking at the tiny things with stereo optics, it's real hard to think about using any type of monocular optical device.
It's really great for removing those tiny steel slivers that you can feel in your finger, but can't even see by the naked eye. Once you get used to the depth of field and ability to see curves that stereo optics give you, it's hard to go back.
Sometimes it's really good to be married to a woman who's spent a many years working as an inspector in the semi-conductor and microelectronics business (pretty much all the time with my wife)! There are fringe benefits.
I'm hoping that some day if I ever finish a knife, I might get to try engraving using the scope.
I guess for a guy like Sal who needs portability, the loupes make sense. But for me, God gave me two eyes and I want to use both of them!
By the way, Sal, did you know that Leica makes a really cool pair of compact binoculars that can double as a small stereo microscope with a briefcase sized attachment/stand? How cool is that? With the stand, they would certainly be larger than a couple of loupes, but would still fit in most brief cases with room to spare.
jmx
