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I was thinking about buying a stereo microscope ( my budget is around 250$ to 300$ max) , to do various nib works such as grinding polishing etc. I have a very good belomo 12x loupe but the magnification just isn't enough for me. I want to be able to see very fine details on the tipping of the nib which I can't see with the loupe, especially when working on finer nibs. Now I do have a few options on what to buy, but really need someones opinion. The first choice would be the Amscope se400-z ( https://amzn.to/2SbzszH ). Seems like a good deal and has good reviews. The problem is that it does not have variable zoom plus I don't know if 20x magnification would be enough to show me the finer details of the tipping material and if there would be a noticable difference compared to the loupe. The other option is buying a used microscope from ebay, perhaps from a better brand (leica, zeiss etc) but at my budget most of the ones that I find have pretty much 20x zoom at most (usually its even less, around 10x). The third option would be to buy something unbranded from aliexpress (https://bit.ly/2WCgfps I have something like this in mind) which has more zoom and it is variable too. But again I am trying to avoid this, because I am not certain about the quality of the product and due to the fact that parcels outside eu get stuck at customs, I'll be forced to pay something around 20 euros plus 27% of the price of the item (including shipping). Ideally I would like to buy the amscope se400-z, if 20x magnification is enough to see any difference when comparing it to the loupe. So my question is, is it worth it? Will there be much difference compared to the loupe? Does anyone more experienced have any other proposals, such as another microscope that I have not considered? Any information would be much appreciated and helpful

I have two loupes one from goulet pens that has a wider viewing field and then I also have a Belomo that has more magnification. I often end up just rubberbanding the loupe to my cellphone and put my cellphone on a little tripod and then put my fountain pen / nib on a stand as well so I can free my hands. I know loupes are handy especially when on the move or for a quick look. I often look at my nibs at my desk and often when I have plenty of time. That got me thinking instead of using loupes why not use a microscope, more specifically a USB Microscope. I've done some research and there seem to be a decent number of pretty well liked USB Digital Microscopes that can be purchased for around 20usd - 100usd depending on the features. I can't be the only one who thought to use one of these or likes to be able to have their hands free while looking at their pen. Do any of you have experience with these USB microscopes?

Can you recommend me a quality eye loupe?. I want something that is in same vein as a Belomo 12x handheld loupe. Thanks

My birthday's coming up soon and friends have been asking what I would like. I could do with a good loupe. I currently have two, both cheap Chinese models; one is 10x, the other claims to be 20x. The former hardly magnifies and the second has a very small, difficult to find nib viewing area, so the nib is always going out of focus. I use loupes for readjusting nibs: tine alignment, smoothing and even the occasional regrind. Please recommend one with good magnification with a reasonable viewing field. Thanks.

I'd like to buy a good general purpose loupe for examining pens and doing a bit of nib smoothing and adjustment. Reading through prior posts it appears that one can either: 1) buy something for $5-10 on eBay, which is considered either junk or wonderful depending on the commenter or 2) opt for Belomo, which all who have agree is very well made and has little distortion--I have already decided that I would prefer to buy better quality than buy twice I have ild/mod myopia, astygmatism and now (joy!) presbyopia so responses from the over 40-50 age group are especially valued. If you have used Belomo loupes, what is the best magnification if I only have one loupe? I'm leaning towards 10x-12x, but would appreciate input since I cannot test them myself. Thoughts appreciated.

Maybe it's my eyes getting a bit more short sighted, I'm starting to struggle with my 10x loupe. I'd like to have a go at nib reshaping in the future, so reckon this is probably the time to step things up a few gears in terms of magnification anyway. Does anyone have any recommendations, regards to generic magnification, or perhaps a specific model? If anyone uses those LED loupes, what's your opinion?