Customer Reviews

Carson MiniBrite Pocket Magnifier

5 star:		(24)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

I've been recommending the Carson PO-25 in my books for several years now. If you're here because of the link on my Web page that recommended this item, you should know that Carson now offers a greatly improved version, with a 5X magnifier instead of the 3X magnifier in this model, for only a little more. If you want the least expensive and most versatile sensor magnifier for cleaning your digital SLR, buy this PO-55 model instead: Carson MiniBrite 5x Power Slide- Out Magnifier. I've purchased a half-dozen of these to replace my previous PO-25 magnifiers, and recommend the newer model highly.

David

I've had this item about 2 months now. It's awesome. The oover keeps the lens protected and slides open to turn on the light. The light is pretty bright, and I can use it as a bit of an emergency light as well as to read menus and such. I keep it in my jeans pocket and it's very handy. I am pleased to no end.

The Carson MiniBrite Pocket Magnifier is compact, clear and readable. The light is sufficent for reading menus, programs and other items in less than good light. The magnification is adequate for the purpose. This is not a good device for attempting to read a whole page at once.

First of all, the one pictured above and in the video will not be the one you will receive. You'll get a fixed magnifier with a plastic lens full, and I mean full, of distortion. It is impossible to look at anything without gross distortion. The "cover" which doesn't cover, pulls out half an inch and two small faint LED lights come on. I found the room's ambient light offered more illumination. I see they've dropped the price to around $5. I had to pay $10 apiece and bought two, one for my wife. We thought we could use them when we traveled. I collect coins. But this is the worst magnifier I own. We threw them away. I am so disgusted with the seller, with Amazon (I've been a loyal customer for years) and am sorry that I'm going on and on, but I really wanted a good magnifier. Well, the old adage still applies, you get what you pay for... and this is cheap junk, pure plastic junk. Don't waste a single penny on it.

Works great for reading the sizes on button batteries. I love that this magnifier uses standard AAA batteries. Otherwise I would have to buy another magnifier when it came time to replace its batteries. :)

This is a terrific product. The case is sturdy and the sliding cover is well constructed. Sliding top clicks shut firmly, so cover does not slide back in purse or pocket resulting in a scratched lens. Good magnifying power. Light is plenty powerful, almost too bright when using light up close. You may have to back a bit away to reduce glare when up close to light surface. By not fully pulling lens cover back, light will not light, giving the option to read with or without light assistance.

What a disappointment this light is! I was very excited about receiving this because i own several of this type style but they are all too short to be of much value beyond viewing coins or gems.

However, I ordered this because the specs say 0.8 x 3.8 x 7.7 inches. This would make it *much* larger than all the other similar styles of sliders and therefore could be used for many more tasks, including reading.

Sadly, the actual dimensions of this magnifier (including the plastic casing) are a very stingy and inadequate 0.5 x 1.5 x 5.0 inches. This specific slider is actually the smallest I have seen, rather than the largest. Other models telescope to increase length. This model simply has a lens cover that slides over the glass. It does not extend at all. So, this product is effectively a magnifier with a total viewing window that measures a mere 1.5" square and should be classified as such.

I have no cursory issues with the quality, though I only used it for 20 seconds so really can't judge that.

I can however categorically state that even if this were the best quality slider on the market if it is 40%-50% smaller than advertised I can't give it a good review. I am returning it today but if the vendor or Amazon corrects the dimensions I will be happy to delete this review. Unfortunately all too often these mistakes never get corrected at Amazon and I'm tired of ordering an item not as described when there have been heavy sales and no mention of blatant spec errors. Therefore, I think i owe it to the next buyer to point out the error in case they intended to use it for reading or some other purpose that requires glass larger than 1.5 inches.

I continue my search for this design in a larger model. I had hoped this was it.

I have purchased a number of these over the past year, both for myself and others. They usually are fine and I use them a lot. I have had 2 occasions, though, where they have not been so good. Once, the light feature stopped working all together and once the top (cover) would not stay on the unit. When they work, which is most of the time, they are great. The magnification and the light combined is a welcome combination.

Here is a fantastic product that is a small, pocket magnifier which
has a light build into it. It is small for the pocket, but very
large for all the things it can magnify in the course of a day.
It folds into itself and it can either be used just to see an object
with natural lighting, or it can be pull out completely from its
housing and a small light will turn on for help in darker areas to
see the object. Great for coins, old stamps, roads on a map, text
in a book, and small print on a product label. Another great product
found at Amazon.com

Like every magnifier on these pages, I don't know how the manufacturers come up with their inflated magnification numbers. This magnifier is nowhere near 3x. It doesn't even make 2x with the middle of the glass still in focus. That said, when the middle is in focus the view remains remarkably clear out to the edges of the glass, so three stars.