Hi all,

I have just received a new Silvestri 6x Tilting loupe. Having looked around for a good loupe for some time and tried out quite a few as well, I must say this is truly a great loupe.

I've tried it out with my lenses and it's brillant (excuse the pun), a real innovative design. It works wonderfully well with the 65 mm & 110 mm, and allows easy focusing right into the darkened corners and the image looks bright, contrasty and sharp. I like the 6x magnification and it works beautifully with the Ebony fresnel GG. The tilting base allows you to tilt up to 45º if needed and the design allows the base to be comfortably placed exactly in the corner of the GG.

There is also another 'fixed' ring which can be screwed in, to replace the tilting base, so you can use it like a standard loupe if required. It is very light (80 grams), well made and well designed. It also has a diopter correction of +3/-1. I suffer from astigmatisim and focusing can sometimes be difficult, but I find focusing with this loupe a breeze.

It is well worth the US$60 I paid and I much prefer it to other loupes I have tried.

I have no connection to Sr. Silvestri, but when one finds a excellent product like this, I think it needs to be promoted. I hope anyone looking for loupe will give it a try, particularly if you use wide angle lenses. I'd thoroughy recommend this loupe.

Kind regards

Peter Brown

-- Peter L Brown (photo_illustration@bigpond.com), January 15, 2002

Answers

Where did you buy it?

-- Brian Ellis (bellis60@earthlink.net), January 15, 2002.

You can getb them at either B&H or Adorama in the U.S., possibly both carry them (can't remember where I got mine).

-- Wayne DeWitt (wdewitt@snip.net), January 15, 2002.

i have been using this loupe in the field for around 4 months now. I also hvae a Schneider 4x and a Calumet. The Calumet has been permanently retired. More and more I find myself using the Silvestri, many times jsut leaving the Schnieder sitting on the light table. it is a great little tool and I find it delivers the image quality of the Schnieder or Rodenstock loupes at a much lower price, not to mentionthe tilting feature.

Two other sources are Bromwell and Finger Lakes Photo.

-- Ted Harris (slberfuchs@aol.com), January 15, 2002.

I've had mine for about 2 years now and its very good. Robert White also supplies them. Regards Paul

-- paul owen (paulowen_2000@yahoo.com), January 15, 2002.

Brian,

I got mine through eBay (there were only 2 bids) from a company in Canada called CanPhoto. It is brand new, so I got a good price at US$60 and saved quite a bit from the new prices I have seen advertised by other dealers. It would be worth checking around and RW does seem to offer competitive prices.

Kind regards

Peter Brown

-- Peter L Brown (photo_illustration@bigpond.com), January 15, 2002.

I found it works better if you remove the spring. One problem I have is that one of the two screws fell off and as I was not able to get a replacement I an dreading the day when the last one will.

-- Q.-Tuan Luong (qtl@ai.sri.com), January 16, 2002.

Why not just tilt your regular loupe when viewing the corners? (I'm not being sarcastic, just naive; please reply.)

-- Tony Karnezis (karnezis@aecom.yu.edu), January 17, 2002.

Tony,

It might be best to ask Sr, Sivestri that one, I didn't design the loupe, I just enjoy using it, but if tilting your 'straight' loupe works for you - good luck!

Kind regards

Peter Brown

-- Never test the depth of water with both feet.

-- Peter L Brown (photo_illustration@bigpond.com), January 17, 2002.

Re: Tilting regular loupe - If your loupe has a skirt it most likely will not focus to the ground glass when tilted (plus you'll be moing around on a single bearing point. The Silvestri has a base/clip that rests on the GG and gives stability.

-- Wayne DeWitt (wdewitt@snip.net), January 17, 2002.

Can the Silvestri be focused? Thanks.

-- Jeffrey Krenzel (jkrenzel@yahoo.com), March 11, 2002.