Hey, here’s a great hint. Have you ever needed a loupe to see negatives, slides photos, or just to have a small magnifying glass?

A good loupe can be quite costly. However, a low cost solution is to buy a used 50 mm lens, even a really old one that doesn’t work…as long as the glass is good and you can look through it! They make great loupes! I’ve been using them for years. They usually have great optics, easy to use, and cheap. Don’t use a wide angle or telephoto…they may work, but 50 mm is best. Look through the front of the lens, with the back facing what you need to magnify. Be sure the aperature is wide open. You should be able to find one for $10 or less. Check out Kijiji, Ebay or Craig’s list, the local want ads and garage sales (if you frequent those)…I once found a whole camera system, body and three lenses (Canon) for $25! The owner threw in some darkroom equipment just for paying her full price! Why would I argue about price! Sometimes you get lucky!