For close upwork, do you prefer an Optivisor, or Adjustable Swing Arm Magnifier Lamp ?

I do have an Optivisor, but I find it cumbersome to wear and use.  I much prefer using reading glasses 1.5 & 3.0.  They are enough for me.

I already wear glasses, and I use an Optivisor. I really, REALLY like it. I have the LED attachment for it, but that doesn't help much. I'm working on better lighting right now. Lighting is EVERYTHING

I agree that lighting is everything.  It is important to have a good light at your bench in addition to good vision aids. I airbrush right at my building bench and need a light that is repositionable so I can see the reflection of the light in the surface I am painting.  I use one of those ring light magnifiers that has a big magnifying glass in the middle of a circular fluorescent bulb.  A good light "stops down" the eye iris and gives you better vision.

I received my optivisor last night from amazon ($31.90) and tried it on. First impression of the head band is it is a little stiff but sure after wearing it it will round out and fit fine, kinda like breaking in a pair of shoes. I ordered the #4 which is 2 x at 10" and it really brings the object close up but it seams like I have to get a little close to the part to be in focus but I think working with it will prove to be a good benefit on small parts. The lens is glass and the optics are clear. I like the way the lens holder moves up and down I can pull it down just enough to view through it and able to look under the lens to see farther at the work table. So far seems to be a good investment after a few hours of using it I will report back an give an update.

I'd be lost without my optivisor (a #3) which I use along with 2.5 readers. Played around a lot with lighting before I hit upon my current setup, which is twin overhead 42w (150w equivalents) 6500K CFL's mounted behind an acrylic defuser.

I got a visor from Hobby Lobby that is supposed to have five different strengths of magnification.  Since only one of my eyes work, it cuts that down to three: why am I wearing this, just right, and why can I see microbes moving on the model.....  I leave it in the middle position.

Ah, lighting - I have A 48" fluorescent shop light over my work bench. Plenty of light.

At the moment i have a swing are lamp magnifying lense bulit in. i  find it very useful, and i also find it does get in the way at times when painting sanding etc. so i may invest in the visor. i think both are useful tools depending on the application.

The thing I like about positionable lighting is that I paint at my workbench (including airbrushing) and like to be able to move light source so I can see specular reflection in surface I am painting.

I just picked up a magnifier that is mounted on a pair of frames with 5 different interchangeable lenses from 1X, 1.5X, 2X, 2.5X, 3.5X and has 2 LED lights mounted on it.  It was really cheap (under $10 US and free shipping).  I found them on that online auction site.  Not sure if they'll be worth a darn but for that cheap it cant be all bad.

I love my Optivisor. It gives me far more freedom of movement than a magnifying lamp.

The Optivisor works well until I look a the TV.  It turned Brave Heart into a bunch of dots.

Optivisor  from Harbor Freight. Very cheap and it really works!

My problem with Optivisors is that, like many other people, I have two eyes that see differently. One of them focuses at a different distance than the other. So both lenses of an Optivisor can't be in focus for me at the same time.

I use two solutions (neither completely satisfactory, but both far better than nothing). One is an LED magnifying lamp, like Don's. The other is a pair of prescription reading glasses, which I had the optician make for me at the same time he filled my bifocal prescription. Those glasses work well, but I remember with great nostalgia the days when (having been born nearsighted) I could see everything I needed to see on a model with no magnification at all.

Those were the days....

I use both.  Sometimes, at the same time.