Discussion - Member to Member Sales - Research Center
Discussion - Member to Member Sales - Research Center
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The best light/magnifier combination out there currently is called "Ott Light"
here's a link to one -
https://www.homedepot.com/p/OttLite-56-75-in-LED-2-in-1-Magnifier-Gray-Floor-and-Table-Lamp-43828C/301608595?cm_mmc=Shopping|THD|google|D27L+Interior+Lighting&mid=s3aWoh8ds|dc_mtid_89037lm25188_pcrid_52448460335_pkw__pmt__product_301608595_slid_&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIucyhq_rq2gIVTwOGCh3EaAKcEAQYAiABEgIQevD_BwE
The Ott light is supposed to be the best natural light available in a lamp.
I don't own one, but I do know many stamp dealers and collectors who swear by it.
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The Ott lights provide very good light sources for color accuracy and, in my opinion, for reducing reading fatigue. I've bought them for each of my children as desk lamps.
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Hi Everyone;
There is a lot more issues that are important than just the color, temp of the light source.
At our age, most of us have trouble with our eye's ability to focus. This can be enhanced by increasing
light intensity, as mentioned by (philb).
Here is my list of suggestions, for better vision with increasing age:
1) Increased light intensity will help provide more contrast so the eyes can focus.
2) Glare is a dangerous problem with increased age. Ever notice how hard it is to drive at night or
facing the sun when it is near the horizon. This will damage your eyesight, so avoid those driving
conditions whenever possible. Driving for long periods in the winter, with sunny conditions and snow,
can and will cause severe headaches and snow blindness.
3) The newer Scott color catalogs look great, but the shiny paper is very hard on your eyes. Keep the
light positioned so that there is no reflection at all from the pages. Trying to focus with that glare
coming back at you is very bad for your vision. Also any glare, not just catalogs is bad. Don't work on
a desk surface with a high gloss surface. A trick I use for sorting stamps is a roll of white freezer
paper mounted on the end of my desk.
4) The best light for judging color may be the ott light as suggested by (musicman), but make sure it
is a softer form of light like fluorescent lighting is. If it is not, then use only for checking color,
and use fluorescent or diffused LED lighting for more general uses.
5) Whenever you use a cheap magnifier, you will notice a fringe of red on one side of the image, and a blue
fringe on the other side. This is known as chromatic aberration. It is caused by uncorrected lenses.
Try to do a Google search for chromatic aberration corrected magnifiers. They will cost twice as much
or more, but because of the higher quality, they will last a lifetime. A good lens must be a multi-element
lens, (called an achromatic doublet) that is two lenses cemented together, for proper correction.
6) Digital microscopes that can display directly onto a computer screen, are very popular with not only
stamp collectors, but many hobbies where high magnification is essential. Also make sure the one you
buy has corrected lenses, as well.
7) Flourescent lighting can cause fading of color. I was shocked to see a green frontice piece from a
Scott specialty album, in two different shades of green. It was partially exposed to florescent
lighting for only a couple weeks. LED lighting is less likely to fade, colors, buy must be diffused
to be useful.
8) Incandescent lighting is just about the worst lighting of any you could use. I do not have a single
incandescent lamp in my home, except the fridge.
9) A warning about sunglasses. Unless you are absolutely sure they block UV light of all kinds, you are
better off without any at all. Just let the iris of your eye adjust by closing, and squint a lot.
Your eyes can't detect UV light at all. So if you use sunglasses that only block visible light and not
UV light, your iris will open real wide and let in large amounts of UV. Because of the messed up Stratosphere,
and ozone up there, UV radiation is much greater today than 50 years ago.
10) Your time will be more productive, if you take a break every couple hours. Go outdoors and feed
some mosquitoes, or toss a frisby about, while sipping a beer.
Print these suggestions out and take to your optomitrist to get a professional opinion, and maybe
some suggestions.
Still just sortin'....
TuskenRaider
2 Members
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I have multiple lights to add more light in my work area. I have an Ott light but do not use it that often.
For any detail work including measuring perfs, I use this magnifier as my primary tool.
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I would add that for studying shades sit in front of a north facing window ( in the Northern Hemisphere ) on a bright but sunless day. Look at a couple of stamps like this , then in artificial light and in sunlight and see the difference.
Malcolm
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I am an old time collector. Problem is that with age my eye sight ain't what it used to be. I need a desk lamp that will help me see true colors for identifying the color varieties of US #65s. I also need a good sized magnifier for seeing and measuring grills. Is there such an all-in-one beast? Your suggestions are welcome.
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re: Good lighting and magnification for stamp collecting?
The best light/magnifier combination out there currently is called "Ott Light"
here's a link to one -
https://www.homedepot.com/p/OttLite-56-75-in-LED-2-in-1-Magnifier-Gray-Floor-and-Table-Lamp-43828C/301608595?cm_mmc=Shopping|THD|google|D27L+Interior+Lighting&mid=s3aWoh8ds|dc_mtid_89037lm25188_pcrid_52448460335_pkw__pmt__product_301608595_slid_&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIucyhq_rq2gIVTwOGCh3EaAKcEAQYAiABEgIQevD_BwE
The Ott light is supposed to be the best natural light available in a lamp.
I don't own one, but I do know many stamp dealers and collectors who swear by it.
Login to Like
this post
re: Good lighting and magnification for stamp collecting?
The Ott lights provide very good light sources for color accuracy and, in my opinion, for reducing reading fatigue. I've bought them for each of my children as desk lamps.
Login to Like
this post
re: Good lighting and magnification for stamp collecting?
Hi Everyone;
There is a lot more issues that are important than just the color, temp of the light source.
At our age, most of us have trouble with our eye's ability to focus. This can be enhanced by increasing
light intensity, as mentioned by (philb).
Here is my list of suggestions, for better vision with increasing age:
1) Increased light intensity will help provide more contrast so the eyes can focus.
2) Glare is a dangerous problem with increased age. Ever notice how hard it is to drive at night or
facing the sun when it is near the horizon. This will damage your eyesight, so avoid those driving
conditions whenever possible. Driving for long periods in the winter, with sunny conditions and snow,
can and will cause severe headaches and snow blindness.
3) The newer Scott color catalogs look great, but the shiny paper is very hard on your eyes. Keep the
light positioned so that there is no reflection at all from the pages. Trying to focus with that glare
coming back at you is very bad for your vision. Also any glare, not just catalogs is bad. Don't work on
a desk surface with a high gloss surface. A trick I use for sorting stamps is a roll of white freezer
paper mounted on the end of my desk.
4) The best light for judging color may be the ott light as suggested by (musicman), but make sure it
is a softer form of light like fluorescent lighting is. If it is not, then use only for checking color,
and use fluorescent or diffused LED lighting for more general uses.
5) Whenever you use a cheap magnifier, you will notice a fringe of red on one side of the image, and a blue
fringe on the other side. This is known as chromatic aberration. It is caused by uncorrected lenses.
Try to do a Google search for chromatic aberration corrected magnifiers. They will cost twice as much
or more, but because of the higher quality, they will last a lifetime. A good lens must be a multi-element
lens, (called an achromatic doublet) that is two lenses cemented together, for proper correction.
6) Digital microscopes that can display directly onto a computer screen, are very popular with not only
stamp collectors, but many hobbies where high magnification is essential. Also make sure the one you
buy has corrected lenses, as well.
7) Flourescent lighting can cause fading of color. I was shocked to see a green frontice piece from a
Scott specialty album, in two different shades of green. It was partially exposed to florescent
lighting for only a couple weeks. LED lighting is less likely to fade, colors, buy must be diffused
to be useful.
8) Incandescent lighting is just about the worst lighting of any you could use. I do not have a single
incandescent lamp in my home, except the fridge.
9) A warning about sunglasses. Unless you are absolutely sure they block UV light of all kinds, you are
better off without any at all. Just let the iris of your eye adjust by closing, and squint a lot.
Your eyes can't detect UV light at all. So if you use sunglasses that only block visible light and not
UV light, your iris will open real wide and let in large amounts of UV. Because of the messed up Stratosphere,
and ozone up there, UV radiation is much greater today than 50 years ago.
10) Your time will be more productive, if you take a break every couple hours. Go outdoors and feed
some mosquitoes, or toss a frisby about, while sipping a beer.
Print these suggestions out and take to your optomitrist to get a professional opinion, and maybe
some suggestions.
Still just sortin'....
TuskenRaider
2 Members
like this post.
Login to Like.
re: Good lighting and magnification for stamp collecting?
I have multiple lights to add more light in my work area. I have an Ott light but do not use it that often.
For any detail work including measuring perfs, I use this magnifier as my primary tool.
1 Member
likes this post.
Login to Like.
01:38:01pm
re: Good lighting and magnification for stamp collecting?
I would add that for studying shades sit in front of a north facing window ( in the Northern Hemisphere ) on a bright but sunless day. Look at a couple of stamps like this , then in artificial light and in sunlight and see the difference.
Malcolm
Login to Like
this post