Awesome Magnifying Glass

[Kendall Raine]

I met a couple from Amsterdam a few years ago in Palau who had a fabulous magnifying glass that I was able to try out. I ordered one from Keesiedive (Onderwaterloep - KeesieDive) in Amsterdam and took it with me to Raja last month. What a difference it made! I was able to see the tiniest critters, many of which I always missed on previous trips. The form factor (4.5" diameter no handle) is excellent as it fits in a wetsuit cargo pocket. Not having a handle also means it can be maneuvered into tight places, and clips off on a chest d ring without becoming danglie (I hate danglies). I purchased a neoprene fly reel case to protect it when it goes in the pocket or in a suit case. The warning label (in Dutch) says only fly with it in the cabin since the low pressure in checked luggage case damage it.

 

[tursiops]

only fly with it in the cabin since the low pressure in checked luggage case damage it.

?? I thought the pressure in the cargo compartment was the same as that in the passenger space....

This is the magnifying glass my wife uses; also from the Netherlands!

Best scuba diving glass - Diving Magnifying Glass

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[Kendall Raine]

?? I thought the pressure in the cargo compartment was the same as that in the passenger space....

No idea. Maybe. The warning label says what it says.

 

[tridacna]

How many diopters?

 

[Kendall Raine]

How many diopters?

I'm sorry I don't know. I've tried to find contact info for the manufacturer but have so far been unable. The seller, Amsterdam dive shop Keesiedive (Maureen Manders), was very responsive so suggest starting there for spec information. It is a substantial improvement over other magnifying lenses I've tried but I'm afraid that isn't much help for comparative purposes.

I also looked at the lens @tursiops linked, which also seemed like a quality product, but chose the EyeQua 1) because I test drove it in Palau, 2) the form factor-no handle-suited me better, and 3) at 80 Euro was a bit cheaper.

 

[tursiops]

How many diopters?

3x magnification. Big, so you can use both eyes. Edge-to-edge sharpness.

 

[tridacna]

Someone should offer them in the USA. The cheap Trident product is awful. IIRC Subsee used to have one.

 

[tursiops]

Someone should offer them in the USA. The cheap Trident product is awful. IIRC Subsee used to have one.

The SubSee is still available from Reefnet.ca. It is excellent, but smaller in diameter than my wife's from the Netherlands. I have the old original SubSee, which is just 1.25 inches across. The new one is 52mm, about half the diameter of my wife's (110mm). The SubSee is available in 5 and 10 diopters....equivalent to about 2.25x and 3.5x magnification. But the SubSees are expensive...$195 and $225 for the two powers.

 

[Brett Hatch]

@Kendall Raine were you able to ship to the US by placing an order using their online form? I gave it a shot just now, but it seems that the form only accepts Belgium or Netherlands.

 

[tridacna]

The SubSee is still available from Reefnet.ca. It is excellent, but smaller in diameter than my wife's from the Netherlands. I have the old original SubSee, which is just 1.25 inches across. The new one is 52mm, about half the diameter of my wife's (110mm). The SubSee is available in 5 and 10 diopters....equivalent to about 2.25x and 3.5x magnification. But the SubSees are expensive...$195 and $225 for the two powers.

Aren’t those specifically for cameras? Hard to imagine how you would carry them underwater with no attachment point.