What are the different light sources available in illuminated magnifiers?
Magnifiers are illuminated by a variety of different lamps or light sources, each providing different attributes and benefits. One of the measurements of a light source is its color or color temperature, measured in degrees Kelvin (K). Preferred fluorescent light sources are a color temperature of 4100K. These are significantly higher, and whiter, than the 3000-3500K of halogen light, the “soft yellow” light commonly found in residential lighting applications. Traditionally, round lens magnifiers have used a 22-watt T9 circular fluorescent bulb. This older technology is inherently inefficient. Today, high-end magnifiers have integrated a newer 22-watt circular fluorescent bulb, the T5. The T5 is more energy-efficient, high-power and high-output, featuring 2.5X greater light output than the T9. In illuminated magnifiers the electronic ballast that powers the T5 also provides flicker-free illumination that eliminates the stroboscopic (strobe-like-light) effect on machinery such as a lath
