MSSS Ep. 71 | The Optivisor

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Let's face it. Miniatures are tiny! Sometimes you need a little help to get in close to sculpt that important detail. The Optivisor is one of the best tools for magnifying your miniatures.
Here's a link to the Optivisor I use (#5 = 2.5x zoom)
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[@matthewbentley1311]

Been debating whether or not to pick one up. Thx for the review

[@TomMasonSculptor]

Hope it helped.

[@leestevenson1236]

Thanks Dude.

[@TomMasonSculptor]

You're welcome!

[@jessefurqueron5555]

Have 3 of ‘em, @ different mags. Been using them for 10+ years. So IMHO they’re a great part of the kit. Use em for all types of tasks, modeling, sculpting, painting, splinter removal. Started w plastic lenses, but found they scratched over time, so migrated to glass lenses. Huge improvement, much clearer (not smokey/foggy) even when compared to a equivalent brand new plastic lens. As always YMMV. Just sharing. Nothing more. Nothing less.

[@TomMasonSculptor]

Awesome! I can definitely see myself getting some additional magnifications in the near future.

[@stephenm1731]

Welcome to ages club Tom. Just kidding! I’ve had to use one since before you talked me into sculpting with clay. I got the “SE Illuminated Dual Lens Flip-In Head Magnifier - MH1047L” from Amazon. It’s awesome because is has a flip down close up lens. It’s like being able to switch between the 10 and the 5 without swapping. And it’s less inexpensive than the optivisor. Blindness sucks!

[@stephenm1731]

Just looked… it’s only $10.99!

[@TomMasonSculptor]

AGING EYES! Great to hear from you again Stephen!!! I'm just glad there are tools to help us keep going. That headset looks like a great alternative. Thanks for suggesting.

[@TheAndrian463]

Yup, an optivisor is a very useful aid. Regret not using one when I was younger. With old age have to use reading glasses in combination with a Carson Pro CP-60. Highly recommend the CP-60 is a neat piece of kit with removable led light which has a magnet.

[@TomMasonSculptor]

Great tip! Thanks Dimitrios.

[@nigel3684]

Had one for a few months great piece of kit

[@TomMasonSculptor]

Great to hear!

[@IshanDeston]

I used to have one of these magnifying headsets, but i don't remember who it was, when my magnifying headset broke i was recommended getting some heavy reading glasses in the dollar store. Got some +2,5 and +3 reading glasses and never looked back to these magnifying headsets. I am sure if you need higher magnifications than x3, then those headsets are great but for me, x3 is all i could possibly need and i got a pair of readers for like 2 bucks, totaling less than a fiver for both of them. I much prefer using the readers, because the field of vision is larger. You have proper glass sizes and not just tiny windows or odd breaking angles (depending on the style of visor).

[@TomMasonSculptor]

That's a great suggestion. Do you also wear glasses? Perhaps I don't need to where glasses to also use a magnification tool, but that's one of the reasons I like the headset. I'm severely nearsighted so I can keep my regular glasses on at all times.

[@IshanDeston]

@@TomMasonSculptor I need glasses to operate a vehicle, but generally i am not wearing them. Technically i am near sighted too, and above 40 as well. At first i had some dedicated Magnification Glasses, not quite the type of the Optivisor, but rather the kind where you clip on the magnification glasses. It also has/had its own LED thingy. Anyway, i lost the 2,5 glasses so i was in the market for something new, and someone suggested not to get magnification glasses but high powered readers on sale. Went into the dollar store equivalent, saw they sold them for 2 bucks and decided it was worth trying and i love them a lot more than the Magnification glasses. A lot less finicky in getting the right distance and having to tilt your head in a certain way... makes me dizzy when i look into the distance or need to grab some tool, which is why i got used to ride them a little lower so i can peer over them, but that is about it. Simply bought the +3 diopren ones and they are comparable to the x3 magnification glasses.

[@funwithmadness]

Honestly, the degradation in my vision has degraded my enjoyment of sculpting, too. It just isn't fun, even with magnification.

[@TomMasonSculptor]

I'm so sorry to hear that. If you still feel the pull, it might be worth looking into digital sculpting. I've also found some enjoyment sculpting larger scale figures that don't require mag.