Opinions on Q-Optics 3.5x prismatic loupes

[8_man]

Hey dental forum,

So my school recently had a loupes presentation and I've been scoping out a pair of 3.5x prismatic loupes from Q-Optics. I was wondering if anyone had experience using these loupes (or prismatic loupes in general) and would like to share their opinion about it–reason being that it will cost half a kidney and I would like to be confident in my purchase.

Thanks in advance!

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[Vicviper]

I've got 3.5 from DFV and I love them. Is prismatic the same as expanded field? With my regular 3.5, I can still see 3-4 teeth, which is more than enough for nearly every procedure - if you need more than that, just look over the top of the telescopes, you don't need magnification. When I was buying, the expanded field was way more expensive, and I don't think it helps that much. How much are they charging you? I spent like 1500 on my light and loupes set with the student discount.

 

[8_man]

I've got 3.5 from DFV and I love them. Is prismatic the same as expanded field? With my regular 3.5, I can still see 3-4 teeth, which is more than enough for nearly every procedure - if you need more than that, just look over the top of the telescopes, you don't need magnification. When I was buying, the expanded field was way more expensive, and I don't think it helps that much. How much are they charging you? I spent like 1500 on my light and loupes set with the student discount.

You're correct about prismatics being a fancy word for expanded field. I believe the prismatic loupes + light go for $2200, while the regular 3.5x loupes + light will cost around $1200. So in your opinion, the extra field of vision isn't worth the additional cost?

 

[Endeross]

The Q-optics prisms are amazing. Light-weight titanium frames with lifetime warranties that dont wear out like the Oakleys and other plastic frames. I like that the frame wraps around your head and look stylish and you dont have to wear the dorky side shields. The the prisms themselves arent very heavy too, and Q-optics can get good angle of declination to help with back pain. I think they're the best out there personally (except mb zeiss because they're amazingly clear but I dont like flip ups). Throw a lumadent light on them and they're the perfect combo, since Im not a fan of q-optic's light, and its the same cost for a lumadent one.

 

[Advance]

I have 4.0x prismatics and I love them. Pretty happy with my purchase.

 

[Incis0r]

OP, I'm in the exact same position as you. Also felt that the DFV was a little heavy (felt a lot of pressure on my nose from the 3.5). Looking at Q-Optics right now.

I know you asked for 3.5x prismatic, but @blablabla1 posted a ton of good info about Q-Optics in general in my thread.

Have quoted him below:

I’ve tried on DFV loupes at VCU’s loupes fair and actually like them the least of all the vendors I tried (Q-Optics, DFV, Surgitel, Orascoptic). While the optics themselves were nice and clear, they were extremely heavy and large for the magnification given as were the frames. The light was a bit heavy as well from what I remember. They had limited magnification options and were not very competitively priced. Out of our 98 person class, I think only 2-3 people bought from DFV. About 40-45 people bought from Q-Optics and the rest were split between Surgitel and Orascoptic.

Price and comfort are the two biggest things I looked at when I was buying loupes and with that, I found Surgitel and Q-Optics to be best. The only reason I didn’t go with Surgitel was because their frames were a bit large for my small face and I didn’t like the idea of having plastic Oakley frames (it’s actually some synthetic flexible material but I liked having purely titanium alloy frames like Q-Optics does due to increased durability). If you’re willing to splurge, then I think Orascoptic offers the clearest/best optics. But for having spent only 1200 on my loupes and lumadent light, I’m extremely happy with the comfortable loupes I was able to get.

I like that the frame wraps around your head and look stylish and you dont have to wear the dorky side shields.

This is actually a game-changer if true. I didn't realize this. I know you have to wear side shields with DFV.

Do you personally own Q-optic loupes?

 

[SableFire]

I have 4.0x Q-Optics prismatic and love them. I can see almost the entire arch. Me and some other classmates are actually kicking ourselves for not going with 4.5x right away. My benchmate has 3.5x galilean (regular field) and my field of view is way larger and my magnification is more. I have no regrets and the frames are really light and and the angle of declination is great.

I didn't get the optics light though. I got the lumadent warm light.

 

[Legacy382]

I have 4.5x Q-Optics prismatic and love them. ^I always rub it in SableFire's face that my 4.5x are better than his 4.0x ones. The angle of declination is awesome and I love the metal frames (Frames have a lifetime warranty if I remember right) Titanium frames > plastic frames. Their customer service is pretty good too. Had to get my working distance adjusted and they paid for all my shipping and I got them back in like 1.5 weeks from Minneapolis to Texas and back. Their light is pretty good too, I havnt tried any other light though.

 

[Incis0r]

I have 4.0x Q-Optics prismatic and love them. I can see almost the entire arch. Me and some other classmates are actually kicking ourselves for not going with 4.5x right away. My benchmate has 3.5x galilean (regular field) and my field of view is way larger and my magnification is more. I have no regrets and the frames are really light and and the angle of declination is great.

I didn't get the optics light though. I got the lumadent warm light.

That's an awesome recommendation...which frame do you have? Do you remember the name/model?

 

[8_man]

Thanks everyone for the input. So the general consensus seems to be that Q-optics is a great starter loupe (durable, great customer service, warranty). And I'll probably opt for a lumadent light. As for some specifics...

I have 4.0x Q-Optics prismatic and love them. I can see almost the entire arch. Me and some other classmates are actually kicking ourselves for not going with 4.5x right away. My benchmate has 3.5x galilean (regular field) and my field of view is way larger and my magnification is more. I have no regrets and the frames are really light and and the angle of declination is great.

I didn't get the optics light though. I got the lumadent warm light.

I have 4.5x Q-Optics prismatic and love them. ^I always rub it in SableFire's face that my 4.5x are better than his 4.0x ones. The angle of declination is awesome and I love the metal frames (Frames have a lifetime warranty if I remember right) Titanium frames > plastic frames. Their customer service is pretty good too. Had to get my working distance adjusted and they paid for all my shipping and I got them back in like 1.5 weeks from Minneapolis to Texas and back. Their light is pretty good too, I havnt tried any other light though.

Do both of you feel that a 4.0x or greater magnification is advantageous in general practice? I've been hearing that only endodontists really need the extra magnification, but if you find it comfortable for general procedures then that's a great thing to know.

 

[blablabla1]

OP, I'm in the exact same position as you. Also felt that the DFV was a little heavy (felt a lot of pressure on my nose from the 3.5). Looking at Q-Optics right now.

I know you asked for 3.5x prismatic, but @blablabla1 posted a ton of good info about Q-Optics in general in my thread.

Have quoted him below:






This is actually a game-changer if true. I didn't realize this. I know you have to wear side shields with DFV.

Do you personally own Q-optic loupes?

I can confirm that Q-Optics have frames that wrap around and do not require the use of side shields. It’s fantastic

 

[blablabla1]

As general dentists, there aren’t very many cases where you need to see the full arch of the mouth when working (unless you’re doing some ortho work of course).

Just keep that in mind before you set your self on getting expensive prisms/expanded field optics. Not to mention that prisms DO in fact lower your depth of field while increasing field of view. This means that while you’ll be able to see more, you will also be able to move your head less without blurring what you’re looking at.

For the purposes of dental school, I decided to avoid getting Q-Optic’s prisms for the reasons stated above

 

[SableFire]

Thanks everyone for the input. So the general consensus seems to be that Q-optics is a great starter loupe (durable, great customer service, warranty). And I'll probably opt for a lumadent light. As for some specifics...



Do both of you feel that a 4.0x or greater magnification is advantageous in general practice? I've been hearing that only endodontists really need the extra magnification, but if you find it comfortable for general procedures then that's a great thing to know.

When you're talking endo a lot of times you're seeing guys talking about 5.5x's or microscopes. Having worked on the manikin and and classmates doing procedures I think that there are no issues with depth of field like @blablabla1 said. Of course with higher magnification it becomes smaller but it's all about patient position. I feel I have a good 8 inches of clarity and that is totally acceptable for me and hasn't caused problems. There is a reason prisms are becoming so popular and you are seeing more and more dentists moving up in magnification. Just look on Dental Town and see what the GPs are saying about higher magnification. I think the additional cost is justifiable to me if I had gone with a lower magnification I knew I would want to upgrade later and instead of spending money twice I'd rather spend it once.

 

[blablabla1]

When you're talking endo a lot of times you're seeing guys talking about 5.5x's or microscopes. Having worked on the manikin and and classmates doing procedures I think that there are no issues with depth of field like @blablabla1 said. Of course with higher magnification it becomes smaller but it's all about patient position. I feel I have a good 8 inches of clarity and that is totally acceptable for me and hasn't caused problems. There is a reason prisms are becoming so popular and you are seeing more and more dentists moving up in magnification. Just look on Dental Town and see what the GPs are saying about higher magnification. I think the additional cost is justifiable to me if I had gone with a lower magnification I knew I would want to upgrade later and instead of spending money twice I'd rather spend it once.

Sorry I should’ve clarified. Most high mag loupes (4.0 and above) are prisms. Hard to find them as Galileans. Getting 3.5x prisms is not worth it in my opinion. If you want prisms, get a 4.0 or 4.5x

 

[InformMe123]

Which is better for gp? 4.0 or 4.5x qoptics prismatic loupes?

 

[kidsaremypassion]

To be honest, I rarely wear my loupes-Q optics 3.0x mag, that I obtained in dental school due to my specialty... However, I will vouch for the warranty and customer service of Q-optics. I shattered/dropped them during my first year of residency and I seriously thought I would have to fork over a pretty penny. I quickly called Brent Downs-the Q-optics guy for my region, who referred me to the main site, and it was all taken care of/fixed, free of charge. They rock in that department.

 

[Incis0r]

All this positive feedback has me PUMPED for my meeting with the Q-optics rep.

 

[Legacy382]

Thanks everyone for the input. So the general consensus seems to be that Q-optics is a great starter loupe (durable, great customer service, warranty). And I'll probably opt for a lumadent light. As for some specifics...



Do both of you feel that a 4.0x or greater magnification is advantageous in general practice? I've been hearing that only endodontists really need the extra magnification, but if you find it comfortable for general procedures then that's a great thing to know.

love it for operative

 

[Legacy382]

Which is better for gp? 4.0 or 4.5x qoptics prismatic loupes?

whatever one you want. you're arguing over 0.5x mag

 

[Legacy382]

That's an awesome recommendation...which frame do you have? Do you remember the name/model?

The metal one?

 

[Legacy382]

Thanks everyone for the input. So the general consensus seems to be that Q-optics is a great starter loupe (durable, great customer service, warranty). And I'll probably opt for a lumadent light. As for some specifics...



Do both of you feel that a 4.0x or greater magnification is advantageous in general practice? I've been hearing that only endodontists really need the extra magnification, but if you find it comfortable for general procedures then that's a great thing to know.

endo loupes have even more mag than 4.5x

 

[8_man]

When you're talking endo a lot of times you're seeing guys talking about 5.5x's or microscopes. Having worked on the manikin and and classmates doing procedures I think that there are no issues with depth of field like @blablabla1 said. Of course with higher magnification it becomes smaller but it's all about patient position. I feel I have a good 8 inches of clarity and that is totally acceptable for me and hasn't caused problems. There is a reason prisms are becoming so popular and you are seeing more and more dentists moving up in magnification. Just look on Dental Town and see what the GPs are saying about higher magnification. I think the additional cost is justifiable to me if I had gone with a lower magnification I knew I would want to upgrade later and instead of spending money twice I'd rather spend it once.

love it for operative

Great to hear this, I'll likely be getting 4x magnification then. Just one more question–do you find the prismatic lenses to be a bit heavy? I noticed a significant weight difference just by picking them up, and I didn't get a chance to wear them for prolonged periods of time.

 

[blablabla1]

Great to hear this, I'll likely be getting 4x magnification then. Just one more question–do you find the prismatic lenses to be a bit heavy? I noticed a significant weight difference just by picking them up, and I didn't get a chance to wear them for prolonged periods of time.

I didn’t buy their prisms but I did try them on a good number of times to test them out. They’re heavier than galileans for sure but Q-Optics uses such light materials in both their frames and their optics that it isn’t a big deal. Just make sure there won’t be any discomfort on your nose with the longer lens. I have 3.0x galileans and got a very steep angle of declination so my lens are pretty much next to my nose. If they were made any closer, they’d be pressing against my nostrils lol

 

[SableFire]

Great to hear this, I'll likely be getting 4x magnification then. Just one more question–do you find the prismatic lenses to be a bit heavy? I noticed a significant weight difference just by picking them up, and I didn't get a chance to wear them for prolonged periods of time.

I haven't noticed them as heavy. The frames are so light and they slim down the scope part of the loupes to lose weight. That's why they look different when compared to other companies prismatics.

 

[Incis0r]

Met with Q-Optics today. Very, very impressed. Definitely like them a lot. OP, highly recommend.

It's pricey, but I might go with them.

 

[blablabla1]

Met with Q-Optics today. Very, very impressed. Definitely like them a lot. OP, highly recommend.

It's pricey, but I might go with them.

Pricey??? They were easily the cheapest option when they came to our school

 

[Incis0r]

Pricey??? They were easily the cheapest option when they came to our school

The set-up I'm looking at is around $2K just for the loupes. Not a big deal in the long run and I think it's a good product so I'm happy to pay it.

Light was cool but I wasn't particularly impressed with the brightness. Obviously, if I buy loupe and light from them, I get a nice big carrying case + warranty on the light. Plus their frames support the light and the light is really inexpensive to replace if something goes wrong (since it has several parts and is not just one unit).

However, brightness and low battery life are the negatives here (max 7 hrs on highest intensity setting)

Still trying to decide between their light and Lumadent. Add an extra $400-$500 for that.

 

[SableFire]

Prices last year were
1630 3.5x prismatic
1730 4.0x prismatic
1830 4.5x prismatic
It was the most expensive of all the brand's, but honestly only a 100 or so more so nothing crazy and definitely worth it.

 

[Incis0r]

Prices last year were
1630 3.5x prismatic
1730 4.0x prismatic
1830 4.5x prismatic
It was the most expensive of all the brand's, but honestly only a 100 or so more so nothing crazy and definitely worth it.

This year, each one of those is $110 more expensive.

I still can't get over how light the loupes felt. Really comfortable.

 

[SableFire]

The set-up I'm looking at is around $2K just for the loupes. Not a big deal in the long run and I think it's a good product so I'm happy to pay it.

Light was cool but I wasn't particularly impressed with the brightness. Obviously, if I buy loupe and light from them, I get a nice big carrying case + warranty on the light. Plus their frames support the light and the light is really inexpensive to replace if something goes wrong (since it has several parts and is not just one unit).

However, brightness and low battery life are the negatives here (max 7 hrs on highest intensity setting)

Still trying to decide between their light and Lumadent. Add an extra $400-$500 for that.

I recommend the lumandent warm light. I get 15ish hours on a battery at medium power (Don't need anymore than that actually) and it's a way better deal.

 

[blablabla1]

If you can arrange a group order of lumadent lights with your class, lumadent will send you a free light. Just letting ya know

 

[Incis0r]

If you can arrange a group order of lumadent lights with your class, lumadent will send you a free light. Just letting ya know

Heard they stopped doing that?

 

[blablabla1]

Heard they stopped doing that?

We did it earlier this semester. I didn’t arrange it though.

 

[8_man]

@SableFire, have you ever considered upping your magnification to 4.5x (if cost weren't an issue)? If not, I might just go with the 4.0x's.

 

[SableFire]

@SableFire, have you ever considered upping your magnification to 4.5x (if cost weren't an issue)? If not, I might just go with the 4.0x's.

I'd probably do 4.5x but perio would be unnecessarily close so there's that.

 

[Legacy382]

I'd probably do 4.5x but perio would be unnecessarily close so there's that.

Perio is just fine with them

 

[Legacy382]

@SableFire, have you ever considered upping your magnification to 4.5x (if cost weren't an issue)? If not, I might just go with the 4.0x's.

We are talking about 0.5x mag, it's not that big of a deal.

 

[nrfnrf]

So I am between the Q-Optics Prismatics and the Orascoptic HDL Prismatics. Has anyone compared the two?

 

[GoldenCrown]

Hey dental forum,

So my school recently had a loupes presentation and I've been scoping out a pair of 3.5x prismatic loupes from Q-Optics. I was wondering if anyone had experience using these loupes (or prismatic loupes in general) and would like to share their opinion about it–reason being that it will cost half a kidney and I would like to be confident in my purchase.

Thanks in advance!

I bought these loupes in September and love them!!! I paired it with a Lumadent light.

 

[8_man]

I bought these loupes in September and love them!!! I paired it with a Lumadent light.

Glad to hear. Sounds like we have the same set-up!

1 year update: I ended up going with the 4.0x prismatic loupes from Q-Optics with a wireless Lumadent warm light. Having compared with regular loupes, I'd say that the clarity and expanded field of view is worth the extra cost. My only criticism at this point is the very narrow working distance–a deviation of a couple inches in either direction will cause the loupes to go out of focus.

 

[doktorinprogres]

Glad to hear. Sounds like we have the same set-up!

1 year update: I ended up going with the 4.0x prismatic loupes from Q-Optics with a wireless Lumadent warm light. Having compared with regular loupes, I'd say that the clarity and expanded field of view is worth the extra cost. My only criticism at this point is the very narrow working distance–a deviation of a couple inches in either direction will cause the loupes to go out of focus.

Thoughts on what can be done to alleviate that? Do you have any feeling like you should have gone with 4.5x?

 

[8_man]

Thoughts on what can be done to alleviate that? Do you have any feeling like you should have gone with 4.5x?

Not much to do about the loss of focus, but we're taught in preclinic to maintain an upright posture. As long as you practice good ergonomics, it shouldn't be an issue.

As for moving up to 4.5x mag., I don't find it necessary. Might be better for all I know, but I can see enough detail with 4.0x.