Are you looking for the best magnifying lamps for painting miniatures and models? You need to see details clearly to paint and craft scale models and miniatures. If you’re a scale modeler, especially you, a lamp that combines both good light and built-in magnification can make your work a lot more comfortable. Good light and optics are two things you shouldn’t neglect if you’re serious about taking your work the next level, or simply, you want to enjoy more of what you’re already doing. As a miniature hobbyist (among other fun activities), I’ve tried a lot of different gadgets to see what works and what doesn’t.
In this article, you will find an in-depth review of the 10 best magnifying lamps for painting miniatures and models. I also share key information about hobby lamp features you should know, and how to use magnification to improve your ability to work in miniature scale.
In a Hurry? Check out the Top 3 Editors’ Picks! 🏆
- Brightech LightView PRO – LED Magnifying Desk Lamp (Popular, Do-It-All)
- Fancii Daylight LED 3X Magnifying Lamp Rechargeable with Metal Clamp (Highly-Rated, Budget)
- Brightech Lightview Pro XL with Rolling B dase/Stand (Most Versatile)
Key Points
- The best magnification for painting miniatures and hobbies is around 2-2.5x magnification power
- 2-2.5x magnification gives you a focal length that provides 8-10″ of working distance between your model and lens
- Swing arm lamps have the best ergonomics and comfort for long painting and modeling sessions
- Glass magnifying lenses are generally better optically than plastic lenses, but may be more expensive
The best hobby magnifying lamp for painting miniatures are those that have both full-spectrum light and have lenses with sufficient magnification (ideal: 2x to 2.5x) and focal length (i.e., approximately 8 to 10″ distance from the lens to your working surface).
Here are the top 10 best magnifying lamps for hobbies:
- Brightech LightView Pro Flex Magnifying Lamp
- Brightech LightView PRO – LED Magnifying Desk Lamp
- Brightech LightView Pro LED Magnifying Floor Lamp
- Carson DeskBrite200 LED Lighted 2x Magnifier and Lamp
- LED Magnifying Lamp with Clamp, NUEYiO
- Brightech Lightview Pro XL with Rolling Base/Stand
- Brightech LightView Pro LED Magnifying Floor Lamp
- Fancii Daylight LED 3X Magnifying Lamp Rechargeable with Metal Clamp
- OttLite G97WGC-FFP Space Saving LED Magnifier Desk Lamp
- V-Light Full Spectrum Natural Daylight Effect Magnifier Task Lamp
Continue reading below for a full review of each magnifier lamp!
Guide to Magnifying Lamps for Painting Miniatures and Models
Choosing a good magnifier lamp is a bit more involved than regular lights. But, they have the dual benefits of a magnifying glass with light. As you’ll see, this is great for working with miniatures and painting.
Hobby magnifying lamp features you need to know:
- Glass or Plastic Lens
- Floor, Clamp-On, or Desktop Stand
- Diopter or Magnification Power (Focal Length)
- Swing or Flex Arm
- Lighting Type (e.g., brightness, color temperature, dimmable)
- Price
Continue reading below for a review of the top 10 best magnifying lamps for painting miniatures.
1. Glass or plastic lenses
Magnifying desk lamps use lenses built into a frame. These lenses are either plastic or glass. (Note: Lamps with plastic magnifier lenses are still called “magnifying glass lamps”).
For the best clarity, glass lenses are always better. Glass has better light transmission properties, allowing all wavelengths to pass-through, and is much more durable. Glass is very hard to scratch and damage. In this regard, glass will easily resist those bumps you make with your brushes and tools. Finally, glass is also easier to clean with solvents that may harm plastic.
On the other hand, plastic is less expensive and much lighter weight. This means that magnifying lamps with plastic lenses are generally smaller, easier to transport, and also provide sufficient magnification power.
If you’re on a budget and don’t plan to paint for long sessions, magnifying lamps with plastic lenses are a good value. To paint miniatures you can certainly get away with a budget lamp as long as you’re aware of its limitations–more about this below.
2. Floor, clamp-on, or desktop stand lamps
The best magnifying lamp for painting is stable and reliable.
You move the lens to where you need it, and the entire system stays put. Both floor and desktop magnifying lamps have ways to provide a stable optical view of your working surface.
The advantage of a magnifying desk lamp is the smaller size of the entire system.
Desktop lamps can also run without wires, using batteries, so you can travel with your magnifying light.
Cool, huh?
Clamp-on magnifying lamps are generally more powerful and versatile than desktop magnifying lamps. These lamps are also the most popular kinds of magnifying lamps available. And, there are good reasons why! If you’re a serious hobbyists, I would skip over the desktop lamps and consider the clamp-on versions.
These magnifying lamps have pressure clamps that let you attach the light to the side of your desk. They don’t take up much space and allow you to move the magnifying lens to wherever you need it, usually with a swing arm.
With at least 3 degrees of movement, these lamps can cover most regular desk spaces with great light (even if you don’t use the magnifying lens).
RELATED: LIGHTS FOR MINIATURE PAINTING AND OTHER FINE SCALE MODELING
There are several reasons you might advance to a floor stand type magnifying lamp. If you need to work at several locations in a room, all you need to do is wheel the lamp to the needed destination.
Also, because floor lamps are so mobile, you can adjust the location of the light and magnification power toward even more locations than any of the other lighting options.
Both clamp-on and floor stand type magnifying lamps use glass lenses, and therefore the heaviest of the lamps.
Nonetheless, if you’re a scale modeler or other pro-level hobbyist, floor lamps give you some of the most powerful and versatile features in a magnifying lamp system.
3. Diopter or magnification power (focal length)
Magnification power of a lens is measured in diopter units.
What magnification power should you use for painting miniatures or working with scale models?
For painting miniatures or scale modeling, I highly recommend you start with a magnifying lamp with a 2-2.25x magnification (or 5 diopters).
The key reason for this is that at around 5 diopters (2.25x magnification power), you will have enough magnifying power to improve visual details, and a long-enough focal length to avoid bumping into the lens with your brush handle or tools.
Focal length is the distance from the lens to your subject. This means that focal length determines how much room you have for your brush handle and your magnifying lens. Too short, and your tools or brush will bump into the lamp. It’s quite annoying.
At 2.25x magnification, your focal length will be around 8 inches, which is about the length of a regular paint brush. If you wanted more space to work in, you’ll probably need to a lower power lens. At around 2x, your focal length moves to about 10 inches.
The More Depth of Field (DoF) You Have, The Faster You’ll Work
Another thing you should be aware of is depth-of-field (DoF).
Too much magnification and you lose depth-of-field, which is how much of your subject is in-focus.
Too shallow and you’ll have a hard-time judging where your brush is in-relation to the painting surface. This is a major complaint of many users of magnifying lamps.
To avoid this problem, keep your magnification power just high enough to see better, but low enough to counter the disadvantages of powerful lenses.
Ultimately, the magnification strength and focal length you choose is personal.
Choose an illuminated magnifier lamp that is comfortable and suited for your needs.
4. Swing or flex arm magnifying lamps
Magnifying lamps use different systems to help you get the lens and light where you need it. Some lamps use spring-loaded spring arms with several degrees of movement. Other lamps use flexible arm with infinite range of movement.
In general, the more expensive lamps use swing arms.
Although they have limited range of movement, these magnifying lamps usually have more powerful lights and better quality lenses (e.g., heavier glass material).
The swing arms themselves are sturdy metal constructions, which use mechanical levers and pivots. With counter-balanced spring systems, they allow you to put stable light where you need it.
The flexible armatures on other magnifying lamps aren’t as robust as mechanical swing armatures. But, they provide you with greater range of movement, albeit shorter, and provide sufficient stability for any hobby work.
Because flexible arm systems don’t have the same mechanical stiffness of a swing arm, these magnifying lamps generally use lighter materials in the lens and lighting elements, e.g., plastic. Because of this, these lamps usually less costly.
If you’re looking for an illuminated magnifier table lamp for hobby or craft kind of work, rather than as a esthetician (i.e., a person who provides skin care on people’s faces), then flexible arm systems are a good option. Plus, they have the added benefit of portability in comparison to swing arms, which can become cumbersome when you need to move them around multiple workspaces or take them on the go. If you’re looking for something more permanent and steady that won’t move around during use, then swing arms may be the better choice.
5. Lighting type
A key feature you should be aware of is the kind and quality of light from the magnifying lamp.
My advice is to look for good, diffuse light, which will help prevent eye fatigue.
Eye fatigue is a huge speed bump for comfortable long-term painting hobby sessions.
The best magnifying lamps have daylight light emitting diodes (LEDs), which provide balanced white light at a good brightness. This lighting quality improves painting and hobby work because these they increase your ability to see contrast and color.
Daylight lamps for painting accurately have a color temperature that stays within the sunlight range of lighting, between 5000-6500K (or Kelvin).
MORE: SEE OTHER RECOMMENDED LIGHTS FOR PAINTING MINIATURES
For a good daylight magnifying lamp, my first recommendation is a lamp that has a full-spectrum bulb or LED.
Other features that you may want is to get lamps that allow you to change the color temperature. For example, if you wanted a warmer or cooler colored light, merely make the adjustment on the lamp.
Why would you want a warmer light?
A warmer light has less “blue light” and can therefore help you sleep better. Bright LEDs with blue light can disrupt your ability to sleep by suppressing melatonin.
Interestingly, a bright daylight lamp could be useful, because some research shown that it can keep you alert, focused, and even help with symptoms of depression.
What Should I know about light Brightness?
Lighting brightness is measured in lumens.
Lumens is a unit of light based on the International System of Units. It is “…equal to the amount of light given out through a solid angle by a source of one candela intensity radiating in all directions.” (source)
In general, what you need to know for LED-based light brightness is that lumens is the measure you’re looking for, not watts (which was a measure used in conventional bulbs).
All the lamps below are LED-based lighting systems.
For professional level work, look for anything over 800-1000 lumens, which is close to the brightness you would find on 60-100 watt regular bulbs.
| Lumens | Incandescent light bulb watts | Fluorescent/LED watts |
|---|---|---|
| 450 lm | 40 W | 6-9 W |
| 600 lm | 40 W | 10 W |
| 900 lm | 60 W | 15 W |
| 1125 lm | 75 W | 18.75 W |
| 1500 lm | 100 W | 25 W |
| 2250 lm | 150 W | 37.5 W |
| 3000 lm | 200 W | 50 W |
Speaking of brightness, some magnifying lamps have a dimmable function. At first glance, you may think this is no big deal. But, a lamp that you can dim is versatile.
You can use a lower dim light to check how well you’ve performed your contrast enhancements on your paint job. In dim light, a high contrast model should continue to look good.
And, if you’re a photographer and like taking photos of miniatures, being able to dual-purpose your magnifying lamp requires some control of its brightness. Some of the photos you see on this site are taken with the light from an LED magnifying lamp, like this one.
6. Price
In general, with magnifying lamps, you get what you pay for. For the most part, a high-quality, durable LED lamp that I expect to last years will cost between $50-80.
At the higher echelon’s of lighting equipment, e.g., dimmable, color temperature adjustable, expect the best magnifying lamps to cost somewhere in the ballpark of $150-300.
The lamp I first purchased for painting miniatures as a commission painter cost me around $125. It was recommended by Matt DiPetrio, a former studio miniature painter for Privateer Press.
Back then, LEDs weren’t very popular. And, the daylight tube replacements in these lamps (which are no-longer in production) cost more than $80 each.
But, because it was such a high quality lamp, I never had to change the bulbs.
The light just kept on going for years!
LEDs are even more efficient, providing more than 20 years of continuous light. LEDs also produce almost no heat. Don’t sweat it, your LED lights won’t add to any hobby-time discomfort!
My suggestion is to get the best lamp you can afford. Think about the hours and hours you spend in your hobbies. Good light is an investment that keeps on giving back.
How Do You Properly Use a Magnifying Lamp?
A magnifying lamp is supposed to reduce pain and discomfort. This means you need to position yourself with good sitting posture. Your back should be arched. No slouching over your magnifying lamp!
RELATED: HOW TO AVOID EYE STRAIN WHILE PAINTING MINIATURES
For those of you who opted to buy a swing-arm lamp, good on you. Move that lens away from your chest and up higher to your neck. With your miniature or model at the proper focal distance (usually between 8-10″ from the lens) while holding it, you should be able to rest your elbows on your desktop or arm rests of your chair.
Stretch!
You should feel a slight stretch in your lower back (e.g., the lumbar region). This stretching in your lower back prevents the muscles that support your upper body from continually contracting, which leads to lower back pain. Don’t slouch!
Now, for your eyes and painting comfort: Keep your face away from the lens so you don’t crane your neck. A good magnifying lens will keep your subject in focus with a clear picture at a normal viewing distance. With both your eyes open, you should still be able to get a stereoscopic view (e.g., 3D-ness) of your model with good contrast.
Finally, be aware of light flicker. Some light sources create a high frequency “flickering”, which is how some lower-end lamps maintain illumination at specific voltages. Also known as a dimming function, light flicker is an artifact of electrical pulsing that lowers the overall light-output of an electrical light source.
Light flicker in some people can trigger headaches or exacerbate eye fatigue (that nasty feeling of sleepiness when you’re not actually tired). And, for some people, light flicker can even lead to seizures. I’m not trying to scare you. But, just be aware that it can be a problem in some “budget” lamps.
The magnifying lamps and lights I recommend and review below do not have reported issues with light flicker. Taken together, you’ll find with time, using a magnifying lamp will become second nature.
For some people, you can try wearable magnifying visors, like these, which also give you hands-free optical help. For painting miniatures, I personally use both kinds of magnifying aids, depending on what I’m working on.
Here are the basic tips for how to properly use a magnifier lamp:
- Don’t slouch.
- Do arch your back (feel that stretch in your lumbar region)
- Keep your face at a normal viewing distance from the lens
- Make sure you have stereoscopic 3D vision by keeping both your eyes open when painting
- Keep your lens clean
How Do You Clean the Magnifying Lens of Your Lamp?
If you’re a miniature painter, then like me you’ll end up getting your lens splattered with a bit of paint. It happens! And it’s simple: Every illuminated magnifying lamp works better when it’s clean.
For glass magnifying lenses, you can use almost any cleaning solutions you have. Any of the brush cleaners, soaps, or detergents mixed with a bit of warm water will work great for cleaning your lens. Just use a damp clean cloth and wipe your lens down. Acrylic paint and other debris will wash off, easily.
There may be some of you who are asking if there are special coatings on the glass lenses on magnifying lamps. In photography, camera lenses use special coatings to reduce glare and help with color distortion. However, to my understanding, there are no such coatings on any magnifying lamp lenses. The optics simply don’t need it.
So, when you’re cleaning glass lenses, you can be worry-free that you won’t damage the surface. When in doubt, of course, use the gold standard for cleaning glass: Windex. It’s great for removing dried up acrylic paint and fingerprints. I even use Windex for cleaning my porcelain dry palettes.
For plastic lenses, you’ll have to be more careful. Harsh chemicals can “eat” into the plastic surface and cloud the surface. So for plastic lenses, I suggest using simple dish soap and water to clean your lenses. If you need something stronger, you can use Windex (as you do with glass lenses).
Top 10 Best Magnifying Lamps for Painting Miniatures and Models
1. Brightech LightView Pro Flex Magnifying Lamp
The Brightech LightView Pro Flex Magnifying Lamp is a glass lens equipped desktop lamp. The lens is a 2.25x magnification power, which is perfect for painting miniatures or small details on models. As a miniature painting magnifying glass it works well!
The LED is a daylight color temperature, but is on the dimmer side at only 570 Lumens. This is the equivalent brightness of a regular 40-60 watt incandescent bulb. In my opinion, this is probably the biggest drawback of the lamp.
Another weakness is that the lens is only 3 inches in total diameter. That’s not a very big lens compared to the other options below.
However, with a flexible swing arm, you can get the lens where you need it. The overall dimensions of the lamp are good, which allows it to have a small footprint while allowing you to maneuver the light where you need it. Because of this relatively small size, I would consider this fairly portable.
For example, if you wanted to work in your kitchen table, then move somewhere else, this lamp would help you out. There is even a clamp, so it can operate in different locations (e.g., clamp it on an overhead shelf).
At around $40 USD, the lamp is a good deal cheaper than it’s competitors. If you’re a light-work hobbyist, or just want to add the option of magnification on a part-time basis, this is a good value. Just be aware that it might not produce the very bright light you would want for professional work, or will provide only a limited view of your subject (e.g., small lens diameter).
Key Points:
- Lightweight, portable
- Flexible swing-arm
- Glass lens for great optical clarity
- Dim light (only 570 lumens)
- Small diameter lens
- Inexpensive
2. Brightech LightView Pro Magnifying Glass Desk Lamp
This is the magnifying lens I have. The Brightech LightView Pro is a modern classic design. The reasons I purchased this magnifying lamp is because of the daylight LED lights built into the lens housing.
The 2.25x magnification lens (5″ inch diameter) is well-suited to painting miniatures. A neat feature of this lens is the lens cover. This allows you to keep the light shining only on your working surface, instead of through the lens when you don’t need the magnification.
The cover protects the lens, too, and essentially turns this into a regular office lamp. Neat!
The swing-arm clamps to the side of my desk. The thickness of my desk is about 1.5 inches, but the clamp will allow this lamp to attach on much thicker surfaces.
The brightness of the LEDs is on the dim-side, at about 650 lumens (about a 40-50 watt bulb equivalent). So, for my needs, I usually supplement this light with another lamp. You can see that light and others I recommend here.
For long painting sessions or hobby work, e.g., soldering, model-making, this is probably the most cost-effective magnifying lamp for painting you can get.
Key Points:
- Sturdy spring-loaded swing-arm
- Large 5″ diameter glass lens for superb optical clarity
- Mild-average brightness LED (650 lumens)
- Dimmable brightness
- Adjustable color temperature (warm to white-light)
- Best value for the money
3. Brightech LightView Pro LED Magnifying Glass Floor Lamp
The Brightech LightView Pro LED Floor Lamp is essentially the same as the Brightech LighView Pro LED Desk Lamp (above).
This lamp has the same feature set. 5″ glass magnification lens that is made of glass. It has the 2.25x magnification power, which is my recommendation for hobbyists working with miniatures (which provides a good working focal length).
The brightness is similar as well, at 800 lumens (providing 60 watt bulb equivalent of light). With both dimmable and color temperature adjustable settings, this lamp is also versatile.
The major difference with the lamp is the wheeled stand. You can move this around your room! Or, if you want, you can maneuver this around your desk or to another room entirely.
The fact it is a floor stand model also means that it’s great for those of you who have precious little desktop space. This takes up zero footprint on your table.
The overall stand is quite tall, but the swing arm on top provides a high degree of movement range. Of course, the entire lamp assembly is heavy (at close to 30lbs).
Overall, this is a fantastic magnifying lamp for its mobility and other features.
Key Points:
- Sturdy spring-loaded swing-arm
- Large 5″ diameter glass lens for superb optical clarity
- Average brightness LED (800 lumens)
- Dimmable brightness
- Adjustable color temperature (warm to white-light)
- Wheeled floor stand (mobile)
- Tall height for versatility
4. Carson DeskBrite200 LED Lighted 2x Magnifier and Desk Lamp
This is actually the very first magnification “aid” I ever purchased. The reason I got the Carson DeskBrite is because it was battery-powered. I was able to take it around my small apartment without need to plug it in.
For small, short spurts of detail work, this magnification lamp was fine. It was also very cheap (less than $20). So for a supplemental tool for my burgeoning hobby (I wasn’t a commission painter back then), this lamp was useful.
The lens is made of plastic, but it is fairly large (about 4 inches in diameter). The magnification power is also the highest on this list at 5x power.
However, because of this magnification power, you don’t have a very long focal length and I did find myself bumping into the lens a lot with my brush handles.
The flexible neck was kind of a stiff and hard to maneuver, but once in place the lamp stays there.
The LED is a simple two bulb affair, which kicks out a poor bright level of light (ambient overhead kitchen lights were probably brighter). But, again, it was battery operated and did the job for small tasks.
If you’re looking for something really small, useful for light task work, this is the best you’ll find in the sub-$20 price range.
As an alternative, if you’re looking for a really good portable light, minus the magnifying lens, I do highly-recommend this portable LED light.
Key Points:
- Fairly-large 4″ diameter plastic lens
- Clear view with 5x magnification
- Short-focal length, e.g., small working space under lens
- Very dim LEDs (only 2 bulbs)
- Battery-powered or AC/DC adapter
- Portable
- Very inexpensive
5. LED Magnifying Lamp with Clamp, NUEYiO 2,200 Lumens Dimmable Super Bright Full Spectrum Daylight
The NUEYiO LED Magnifying Lamp is the direct competitor with the Brightech LightView Pro LED. Nearly the same in price and functionality, there are several notable differences.
The NUEYiO Lamp is brighter than the Brightech at 2200 lumens (compared with 650 or 800 lumens of the Brightech desk or standing lamp, respectively). Although the NUEYiO Lamp has a glass lens that is only 4″ in diameter compared with the Brightech, the NUEYiO has slightly more magnification power at 2.25x.
Because of the diffuse very bright LEDs on this lamp, the quality of the lighting could be arguably better in general. With full-spectrum daylight color temperature, the light quality is perfect for painting miniatures.
The bright LED bulbs are dimmable, which is very useful for reducing potential glare or hotspots on some reflective surfaces. If you’re reading, for example, or assembling models, you may want less light to keep the glare down.
Less glare means lower risk of eye fatigue. You’re more comfortable.
As with other clamp-on swing arm lamps, the NUEYiO can be placed on the side of a hobby desk. The steel articulating arms mounted on the side of a desk have a high degree of freedom so you can place the light source right where you need it.
The lens has cover that both protects the glass lens and keeps unwanted light from saturating other areas of your hobby space. In general, this is a great lamp for professional work, painting miniatures, and other modeling activity.
Key Points:
- 4″ diameter glass lens at 2.25x magnification
- Very bright at 2200 lumens
- A slightly shorter focal length than the Brightech LightView Pro
- Clamp-on swing arm lamp
- Handle for moving the lens
- Fairly priced
6. Brightech Lightview Pro XL Magnifying Glass with LED Floor Lamp & Rolling Base/Stand
The Brightech LightView Pro XL with rolling base stand is the epitome of magnifying lamps. It has a HUGE 6″ wide by 4.5″ inch long glass lens (e.g., rectangular shaped lens).
The 2.25x magnification power is in-line with other suitable magnifying lamps for painting miniatures and fine-scale modeling.
As with the regular sized Brightech LightView Pro lamp with rolling stand this LED lamp emits a slightly brighter 900 lumens.
It uses 60 LEDs embedded into the lamp’s housing, which produce a cool white light (5000K). Unfortunately, the color temperature on this lamp cannot be adjusted.
The light has 3 brightness settings, so you can reduce the brightness for regular reading or other uses where hotspots or glare might cause eye fatigue.
As with other magnifying lamps with rolling floor stands, you can move this where ever you need it. If you have limited work area on your desk (e.g., clamp-on lamps also take some table footprint space), this is a good lamp to have around.
Key Points:
- Huge 6″ diameter rectangular shaped glass lens
- 2.5x magnification power
- Bright LED panel at 900 lumens (3-brightness settings)
- Non-adjustable color temperature
- Daylight white light 5000K
- Rolling base with tall stand and swing-arm
7. Brightech LightView Pro LED Magnifying Floor Lamp
The Brightech LightView Pro LED Magnifying Lamp is similar to the XL version with the rolling base. However, instead of wheels, the base of this lamp is weighted to prevent the lamp from tipping over.
This lamp uses a flexible arm instead of a swing-arm system. You can change the height of the vertical stand from between 24 to 44 inches. This is a versatile lamp with the ability to use it alongside tables or work benches of different heights. Because the lamp has a floor stand, it won’t take up any room on your desktop.
The LEDs are average bright, emitting 540 lumens (close to 40 watt bulb equivalent of brightness). The color temperature of the light is on the cooler side of the daylight spectrum (6,000K), which is great for reproducing accurate colors on your subject. Unfortunately, you can’t dim this light or change the color temperature.
The glass lens has the same large rectangular shape of the Brightech LightView Pro XL lamp (6″ wide and 4.5″ long lens). The magnification power the lens is 2.25x, which provides a really nice 8-10″ focal length for working space.
Key Points:
- Huge 6″ diameter rectangular shaped glass lens
- 2.5x magnification power
- Mild-average LED panel brightness at 540 lumens
- Non-adjustable brightness and color temperature
- Daylight cool white light at 6000K
- Weighted anti-tip base with adjustable height vertical stand
- Priced well
8. Fancii Daylight LED 3X Magnifying Lamp Rechargeable with Metal Clamp
The Fancii Daylight LED 3X Magnifying Lamp Rechargeable with Metal Clamp is similar to the Brightech LightView Pro Flex Magnifying Lamp, but a less expensive.
The glass lens is a 3x magnification power (or 8-diopters). This works well for miniatures, but you will have a slightly shorter focal length, e.g., less distance to work between the model surface and the lens.
The LED is actually 6 daylight LED bulbs arrayed together in a ring. The lumen brightness of this light aren’t available, so be aware that this may be dimmer than you need. On the bright side (sorry for the pun), this light has a battery so you can go wireless.
The built-in battery is rechargeable as well. As a result, this magnifier desk lamp is very portable.
Another area of limitation is the lens is only 3.5 inches in diameter. This is not very large compared to the other magnifiers in this review. On the other hand, with the 15 inch tall flexible metal gooseneck you can play the light where you need it. The smaller size does help you place the lamp where you need it without taking up a lot of real estate.
For example, you have a main desk lamp (check these other awesome hobby lamps), but need to amplify your view a little.
Pull out the Fancii magnifier from storage, clamp it your desk, and go at it. You don’t even have to plug the lamp in (i.e., batteries!). Then, when you’re finished, store the lamp away.
At around $27 USD, the lamp is one of the least expensive magnifier lights you can find. It’s a great budget option for light-duty hobby or task work.
Key Points:
- Rechargeable built-in batteries
- Flexible swing-arm
- Genuine glass magnifier lens for optical clarity
- May be dim (lumens N/A)
- Small diameter lens
- Inexpensive
9. OttLite G97WGC-FFP Space Saving LED Magnifier Desk Lamp
The OttLite G97WGC-FFP Space Saving LED Magnifier Desk Lamp is made by a company that is highly regarded in the arts & crafts community. Renown for reliable lighting systems with great utility Ottlites are a premium option for hobbyists.
This model is unique in that it includes a magnifying lens to amplify details on your working surface. The 3 inch diameter lens is plastic and provides 1.75x magnification (with a 4x enhanced spot on the lens for additional power).
The armature is a fully articulating system with 4 pivot points.
The light output is dim at only 360 lumens, but depending on your needs this may be sufficient. There is a flip cover to protect the top of the lens when you’re not using the magnifying lens. As it is plastic this is a good idea.
The LEDs are calibrated with a natural daylight illumination color temperature. From other reviews, the diffuse light from this lamp is comfortable to use for long periods of time. The small footprint allows you to place this on your desk with ample room to spare. The entire lamp can fold down for easier storage.
Key Points:
- Space saving, lightweight design
- 1.75x magnifying lens with 4x focal spot
- Low power 360 lumens
- Natural daylight spectrum
- Non-adjustable brightness or color temperature
- Affordable
10. V-Light Full Spectrum Natural Daylight Effect Magnifier Task Lamp
The V-Light Full Spectrum Natural Daylight Effect Magnifier Task Lamp is a classic design. Combine a light with a built-in magnifier and attach it to a swing-arm base, and you’ll have this task lamp model. Visual amplification is a matter of using a lens to bend light.
Here you have a 3-diopter (or 1.75x magnification power) glass lens with a 3.5 inch diameter. The flip cover over the lens adds additional protection for the glass lens surface when not in use.
You have two options for mounting this lamp. You can insert the lamp into the weighted stand for extra stability. Or, you can use the included clamp to attach the swing arm to the side of a table or desk.
Note that this model does not use LEDs. Instead, this lamp uses a 12 watt full spectrum bulb. The bulb is replaceable from online sellers.
A benefit to this over LEDs is a more glare/flicker-free lighting system at lower cost. Overall, this lamp is a good value for those looking for a budget option (~$33) that has similar utility as other more expensive magnifying desk lamps.
Key Points:
- Two mounting options
- 1.75x magnification power
- Decent 3.5″ diameter glass lens shaped glass lens
- 12 W full spectrum daylight bulb (not LED)
- Non-adjustable color temperature
- Full articulating swing-arm
- Inexpensive
Summary: 10 Best Magnifying Lamps for Painting Miniatures and Models
Brightech LightView Pro Flex Magnifying Lamp
Brightech LightView Pro Flex Magnifying Lamp
Pros
- Light and small
- Flexible clamp system
- Glass lens
- Inexpensive
Cons
- Dim light (less than 600 lumens)
- Small lens
Brightech LightView PRO – LED Magnifying Desk Lamp
Brightech LightView PRO – LED Magnifying Desk Lamp
Pros
- Sturdy swing arm
- Large 5″ diameter glass lens (ideal size)
- Dimmable brightness
- Mild-average brightness (650 lumens)
- Best value for money
Cons
- Limited arm length
Brightech LightView Pro LED Magnifying Floor Lamp
Brightech LightView Pro LED Magnifying Floor Lamp
Pros
- Similar to desk version
- Sturdy swing arm
- Average brightness (800 lumens)
- Large 5″ diameter glass lens (ideal size)
- Rolling floor stand provides mobility
- Versatile placement
Cons
- Requires some room to move around
- Heavy
- More expensive than desktop version
Carson DeskBrite200 LED Lighted 2x Magnifier and Lamp
Carson DeskBrite200 LED Lighted 2x Magnifier and Lamp
Pros
- Fairly-large 4″ diameter plastic lens
- 5x magnification (fairly powerful image enlargement)
- Battery or wire power
- Portable
- Very inexpensive
Cons
- Short-focal length, e.g., small working space under lens
- Very dim lighting (two small LEDs)
- Plastic lens
- For light duty work only
LED Magnifying Lamp with Clamp, NUEYiO
LED Magnifying Lamp with Clamp, NUEYiO
Pros
- 4″ diameter glass lens at 2.25x magnification
- Very bright at 2200 lumens
- Clamp-on swing arm lamp
- Handle for moving the lens
Cons
- Shorter focal length than the Brightech LightView Pro
- Fairly priced
Brightech Lightview Pro XL with Rolling Base/Stand
Brightech Lightview Pro XL with Rolling Base/Stand
Pros
- Giant 6″ diameter rectangular glass lens
- 2.5x magnification power (ideal for painting miniatures)
- Bright LED panel at 900 lumens (3-brightness settings)
- Rolling base with tall stand and swing-arm
- Highly mobile and versatile
- Fairly priced
Cons
- Non-adjustable color temperature
- Not portable (but has a wheeled base for mobility)
- Require floor space around working surface
- Hard to store
Brightech LightView Pro LED Magnifying Floor Lamp
Brightech LightView Pro LED Magnifying Floor Lamp
Pros
- Huge 6″ diameter rectangular glass lens
- 2.5x magnification power (great for miniature and model work)
- Daylight cool white light at 6000K
- Weighted anti-tip base with stable flexible arm
- Fairly priced
Cons
- Non-adjustable brightness and color temperature
- Mild-average bright LED panel at 540 lumens
- Not very portable
- Require floor space around working surface
- Hard to store
Fancii Daylight LED 3X Magnifying Lamp Rechargeable with Metal Clamp
Pros
- 3.5x glass lens
- 3x magnification (great for painting and modeling miniatures)
- Clamp-on flexible gooseneck
- Built-in battery for wireless portability
- Versatile supplement for other lighting systems
- Inexpensive
Cons
- Non-adjustable color temperature
- Small diameter lens
- Focal length may be short
- Dim light (lumen value not available)
OttLite G97WGC-FFP Space Saving LED Magnifier Desk Lamp
Pros
- Reliable with excellent utility
- 1.75x magnification power (good for general hobby tasks and crafting)
- Excellent focal length with lots of room to work
- Space saving, foldable design
- Natural daylight spectrum light system
- Lightweight
- Fairly priced
Cons
- Plastic lens
- Relatively low magnification power
- Non-adjustable color temperature
- Non-adjustable brightness
- Not very bright (360 lumens)
V-Light Full Spectrum Natural Daylight Effect Magnifier Task Lamp
Pros
- 3.5″ diameter glass lens
- 1.75x magnification power (great for light-duty hobbies and crafts)
- Simple pragmatic design
- Adjustable swing arm
- Two mounting options with stand or clamp
- Good value
Cons
- Relatively small lens
- 12 W daylight bulb (no LED)
- Non-adjustable color temperature and brightness
- No additional features
| Image | Product | Useful Info |
|---|---|---|
  | Brightech LightView Pro Flex Magnifying Lamp |
|
  | Brightech LightView PRO - LED Magnifying Desk Lamp |
|
  | Brightech LightView Pro LED Magnifying Floor Lamp |
|
  | Carson DeskBrite200 LED Lighted 2x Magnifier and Lamp |
|
  | LED Magnifying Lamp with Clamp, NUEYiO |
|
  | Brightech Lightview Pro XL with Rolling Base/Stand |
|
  | Brightech LightView Pro LED Magnifying Floor Lamp |
|
  | Fancii Daylight LED 3X Magnifying Lamp Rechargeable with Metal Clamp |
|
  | OttLite G97WGC-FFP Space Saving LED Magnifier Desk Lamp |
|
  | V-Light Full Spectrum Natural Daylight Effect Magnifier Task Lamp |
|
Final Thoughts
The best magnifying lamp is the one you find most comfortable for your needs.
There are a lot of options, but the best lamps for miniature painting has several key features:
Look for lamps with a 2x or 2.25x magnification power, which provides ample focal length for your brushes and tools to move about under the lens. Bright LEDs (above 800 lumens) provide good contrast and improve visual details. Daylight color temperature lighting is useful for accurate color reproduction in miniature painting and model work.
Ultimately, as with any lighting system, you pay more for better quality light and functionality. Think about the countless hours you spend painting miniatures and models. Why do it in poor light?
Tangible Day on YouTube (Miniatures and More!)
What are the CRI ratings for these lamps (Color Rendering index)? A “full spectrum lamp” is like “low-fat” it gives you an idea but is non specific and, when it comes to working with any kind of color, lighting quality is absolutely essential. This is why Halogen and incandescent lighting is still used in professional environments such as prop manufacturing. LED technology is still subpar because you may have “enough of each spectrum to qualify”, the proportions are of each are likely way off; which can really screw with your color palette choices and ruin the effect you may be going for.
I agree – CRI is only a rating standard but doesn’t give you more detailed specifics. I suppose it’s like movie ratings – doesn’t give actual details and is kind of arbitrary. In general, however, you can measure color “temperature” which is what I think is more important for lighting quality. At least for photography, light temperature is pretty important for reproducing proper color in photos (without a ton of post processing work, which can correct badly lit images but only to an extent). Suffice it to say, the CRI values are merely more info for you to help decide what light works for a particular application. I personally still use a non-LED light along with my LEDs only because I continue to trust it.
I’m interested in the Lightview Pro with the supposed “800 lumens” but all the amazon pages for it say it’s 650 lumens. What gives?
Thanks for the comment! Indeed, there is now an update and I just found this new 1,600 lumens magnifying lamp.
I can actually find the website of that lamp’s company unlike Brightech and also verify that lumen level there. Acrylic seems to have no outstanding issues compared to glass. Price is ouch but still a better seeming product than ones found in office stores and other competitors…Ok, Tangible Day. I’ll bite the bullet.
I build gunpla and like investing in the hobby like a snob. I need this for help in applicating teeny tiny waterslide decals. You’ll be hearing from me in a week when I test it. I appreciate the lightning response.
I have a post about applying wet decals on minis (it’ll pop up with the search tool). I tend to go back and update articles regularly. Thanks again for the message! Every comment/feedback note helps – Andrew
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