In article <5comca$241c@ausnews.austin.ibm.com>, mikedean@austin.ibm.com says...
>In article <5cob71$5gi@newsstand.cit.cornell.edu>, d_ruether@hotmail.com
>(Bob Neuman) writes:
>> In article <5cmp65$11c2@news.doit.wisc.edu>, wamitche@facstaff.wisc.edu
>>says...

>> >I'm a beginning photographer who is interested in a obtaining a decent
>> >quality loupe for inspecting 35mm slides. There seems to be a
>> >bewildering variety of types and prices. I was wondering if
>> >anybody could make some suggestions and recommendations?

>> If you are near a university/college campus store, or a biology-supply
>> source, look for the inexpensive folding chrome 10X magnifiers often
>> used for biology field work - they are good achromats, VERY cheap,
>> and about the right power for separating the VERY sharp from the
>> merely very sharp images....;-). I would avoid the plastic Agfa-type
>> loupes - they are nearly worthless, I think. If you want to spend
>> real money, the Peak isn't bad...

>I have a peak loupe, and a Nikon 7x loupe. The Nikon is not made anymore
>as far as I can tell. It is better than the peak. However, I have found
>that a 50mm F1.8 cannon lens is much better. Also I looked at a Zeiss
>Tri.. somthing that costs a lot of money, and the cannon lens is better
>(and cheaper). Also I use a 50mm Kodak enlarging lens that is real good
>and cost $10.00.

Yes, camera/enlarging lenses are VERY, VERY fine magnifiers, but the
50mm FL gives a low magnification - not really enough to separate the
adequately sharp from the sharper negatives/slides, alas... A 20-28mm
FL would be better, but SLR lenses in these FL's are retro designs
not very suitable for use as magnifiers. Movie camera lenses in short
FL's are good, but fast ones are needed in order to have much coverage,
and those are usually quite expensive... It is worth trying a strong
close-up lens on a fast 50mm (the combination may provide enough
magnification and optical quality to be useful), or a 28mm enlarging
lens, if cheap enough..., or a rangefinder 21-28mm lens...;-)
Hope This Helps