A pocket loupe or hand lens is an essential part of the naturalist's field kit. Whether your interest is plants or insects, rocks or small mammals, a magnifying lens will allow you to observe the finer details which will improve both your identification skills and your overall appreciation for the intricacies of the natural world.
This Opticron Hand Lens contains a high quality 18mm doublet lens and provides excellent distortion-free magnification. This lower (6x) magnification means that you will have a larger field of view and longer focal distance than you would with a comparable 10x or 20x lens and this makes it useful for looking at the larger features of specimens. The small lens diameter also makes this magnifier extremely light and compact.
When not in use the lens pivots inside the metal casing so that it is protected from scratches and knocks. This also makes it very compact and it will easily fit into a pocket or bag. This hand lens also has a useful metal loop for attaching a neck cord.
To use a hand lens, hold it close to your eye then bring the specimen up to the lens until it is in focus.
For more information about choosing and using a hand lens, check out the NHBS Guide to Hand Lenses on our blog.