Whether you’re examining precious gems, electronic circuitry or biological specimens, it is necessary to have access to an even, consistent and bright stream of light, with as little ‘noise’ as possible. With Fiber Optic Illuminators, you get the cool illumination you require.
A Fiber Optic Illuminator is a sort of control box which provides you with the light you need. Simply take your Fiber Optic Light guide, such as a gooseneck or ring, and attach it to the light source. Once the flexible gooseneck attachment is connected, you can easily position your continual supply of light wherever you need it. It’s that simple.
By reading our top 10 best fiber optic illuminator in 2021 reviews and buyers guide, you’re certain to get a good start on selecting the proper fiber optic illuminator for you.
When reading over our fiber optic illuminator reviews below, consider how you’ll be using them. While most people use these for their medical research, fiber optic illuminators are by no means limited to the microscope. Those of you who have paint, sculpt or enjoy taking detailed photos to upload to social media and stock photo sites may find fiber optic illuminators useful.
Individuals who have hobbies which require a well lit environment in order to see tiny detail work, such as model railroading, slot car track layouts, designing and crafting jewelry, will definitely appreciate the direct, continual supply of light that fiber optic illuminators provide.
Table of the Best Fiber Optic Illuminator:
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1. Amscope HL150-AY 150W Fiber Optic Dual Gooseneck Microscope Light Illuminator
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Do you require an excellent light source to assist you in examining jewelry, circuitry or for biology studies? Then the Amscope HL150-AY 150W Fiber Optic Dual Gooseneck Microscope Light Illuminator is the ideal. There are to 22 inch long light cables which are housed in flexible metal covering. This flexibility allows you to move your light cable to the preferred position. Features include Your purchase includes: 150 Watt Halogen light source, “Y” Shaped lamp, 1 power cord, and 2 fuses.
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2. AmScope LED-6W Powerful 6 Watt LED Dual Gooseneck Lights Illuminator
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This 6 watt LED Dual Gooseneck Microscope Illuminator works very well within it’s applications, giving the user a nice, even illumination over the specimen. The LED cables you see in the image can be positioned as needed to get just the right amount of light you require. Each light on each cable is 3 watts, which gives you a total of 6 watts of illumination on your specimen. The light source unit is 85-265VAC/50-60Hz, comes with a durable metal housing, and is designed to light your specimens without causing them to receive damaging heat. Features include 6500 degree Kelvin Lamp Color Temp, and 24,000lx at 100 mm brightness.
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3. Wiedamark Hi Power 10W LED Fiber Optic Lighting Illuminator
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Wiedamark proudly proclaims that its High Power 10W LED Fiber Optic Lighting Illuminator is one of the most powerful models on the market. This energy efficient Fiber Optic Lighting Illuminator comes with the latest Cree chip, with the unit encased in aluminum housing. Features include a digital display, remote control which controls power and light intensity, a working voltage of 100 volts to 240 volts, and comes with one white twinkle wheel. 400 x 0.75mm Fiber Optic per port is the maximum amount for fiber connection, power use is 15 watts and the LED lifespan is a nice 50,000 hours.
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4. Dolan-Jenner Fiber-Lite Mi-LED-US-A2 High Power White Led Optic Illuminator
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If you are involved with highly detailed work, and require an excellent light source, then take a look at our Dolan-Jenner offering. Dolan-Jenner Industries developed the Fiber-Lite MI-LED-US-A2 High Power White LED Optic Illuminator to run cool and be energy efficient. The cool running, white LED illumination is designed with a color temp of 5000K. Fan cooled, this unit expends little heat, has an easy to clean and maintain stackable housing made from PC/ABS, quick change adapters, and can easily work with many other Dolan-Jenner Fiber Optics products if you need it to, such as the ‘SX’ or ‘MX’ adapters. Working voltage is 100 to 240, and comes with a 1.0 inch Fiber Input Diameter.
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5. AmScope HL150-BY 150w Dual Gooseneck Fiber Optic Microscope Illuminator
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The AmScope HL150-BY 150w Dual Gooseneck Fiber Optic Microscope Illuminator is designed with dual, 22 inch flexible light cables. Simply shift these light cables in any position to get the best light for your project. Its light source is a 115 volt, solid state unit. This high intensity illumination system runs cool, and the 150 watt Halogen lamp’s intensity level is fully adjustable. Features include a 24 volt, 150 watt Quartz Halogen Bulb, Forced Air cooling, and 3200K lamp color temp. Your purchase includes the light source, 1 ‘Y’ shaped lamp, 1 power cord, and 2 fuses. Great for working on circuitry, observing specimens, repairing radios or examining precious gems.
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6. AmScope FB-YL Dual Gooseneck Fiber Optic Attachment For Microscope Illuminators
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Sometimes, all you require is a simple fiber optic attachment, such as the AmScope FB-YL. This “Y”-Shaped, Gooseneck Fiber Optic Attachment by AmScope comes with dual, 22 inch light cables. These light cables can be flexed into any direction, to give your working surface adequate and even lighting. It easily hooks up to your light source via a 5/8 and 25/32 inch Two-Step adapter plug. This AmScopt FB-YL Dual Gooseneck attachment illuminates for a 150 Watt Fiber Optic Illuminator.
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7. CB Gooseneck Flexible Arm LED Light Lamp
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The CB Gooseneck Flexible Arm LED Light Lamp is specifically made for your dissecting microscope, providing you with just the right amount of high intensity illumination you’ll need. Each lamp is 3 watts each, for a total of 6 watts, with the life expectancy of each LED up to 50,000 hours. If you’re working on tight, detail work or need to take photos of small areas, then the 30 degree focusing lens will suit your needs perfectly. Light color is bright white, with a color temp of 3000 to 9000K. The overall Luminous Flux is 240 Im, and the max brightness is 5 x 105 lx. Compact, it will suit most lab tables and desks. The lights are supported on a 10 inch, flexible gooseneck support with the base diameter 6 inches.
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8. Welch Allyn 22820 PocketScope Otoscope with “AA” Handle
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The Welch Allyn, 22820 2.5 volt PocketScope Otoscope comes with a halogen powered throat illuminator/penlight. Versatile, you can even disconnect the throat illuminator and use it as a penlight. The Halogen allows you to see the true color of the tissue you’re examining. This makes for a cleaner and quicker diagnosis of the issue. The illumination provided is even and consistent as well. As with all fiber optics, you’ll get a nice, cool light with little or no reflection to interfere with viewing. Features include a wide angle viewing lens and a AA battery handle.
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9. AmScope SM-4BZ-30WY 3.5X-90X Zoom Stereo Microscope
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The AmScope SM-4BZ-30WY 3.5X-90X Zoom Stereo Microscope is a Stereo Industrial Inspection system which promises you the absolute best in clear, crisp imagery. It zeros in using a binocular 3.5-90X zoom, with a double arm boom to cover a wide area, and a 30 Watt LED Fiber Optic Illuminator. Versatile, you’re even able to turn the AmScope to the x, y and z axis. In other words, as a user you can position this microscope in any position which suits the project. This is a high res optical system with 45 degree inclined binocular head, and dual eye tubes. With a wide working distance of 8 inches, you’ll be able to zoom in on your specimen and observe true color imagery, with precision alignment to reduce or eliminate eye-fatigue. Features include Optical Glass elements, precision ground-glass lenses, easy to adjust interpupillary distance, rubber eye guard, 6400K Lamp color temp, and integrated heat filter. Its Boom Stand is made up of 20 inch double arms, a 17 inch pillar and a 10.25 x 8.25 x 2.0 inch steel base.
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10. AmScope HL250-A 150w Microscope Illuminator Light Source Control Box
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AmScope HL250-A 150w Microscope Illuminator Light Source Control Box has been designed and developed to give you a nice, steady cool ‘daylight’ illumination. This solid state control box has an integrated heat filter to ensure cool lighting, as well as a slot for any color filters you may have. It also allows you to control the intensity of the lights brightness and keeps cool via a forced air system. Easy to maintain and use, simply use the top window to change bulbs when necessary. Once open, the auto-shutoff kicks in and the electric will be cut off. This Light Source Control Box has a 5/8 and 25/32 inch two-step mounting adapter where you attach your fiber optic light gooseneck or ring cable. Features include 3200K lamp color temp, power cord, 2 spare fuses, and one 150 watt Quartz Halogen Bulb.
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Tips on How To Choose the Best Fiber Optic Illuminator
Halogen
The Halogen bulb is often chosen for research needs, such as in biology and the medical field. Halogen gives you a brilliant white, almost ultra white light. This is why you’ll most likely find them on laboratory instruments. Look for one that has a dimmer, so you can control the intensity. If you have a 2-eyepiece microscope, or binocular microscope, then Halogen along with LED are the usual preferences.
LED
LED stands for Light Emitting Diode. These lights are energy efficient, and have an extremely long life expectancy. You get a nice, cool light due to the fluorescence. When shopping around, look for one where you can control the lighting intensity. Sometimes these lights can be very bright, so you might want to turn it down a notch from time to time. What’s nice about the LED, is that they are perfect for cordless scopes.
Color Filter Slot
This depends on your applications, but should it ever come up that you need a color other than white, look for a fiber optic source box that has an slot for your color filters, such as the Amscope HL150-AY 150W Fiber Optic Dual Gooseneck Microscope Light Illuminator. These filters are used when taking imagery as well as observing. For instance, if you have a halogen light, then you might select a yellow filter to balance the color. Types of color filters available are: Green Interference Filter, Daylight Blue Filter, Ground Glass Filter, Neutral Density Filter, and Didymium Filter.
Color Temperature Range
The color temperature range will depend on what you plan on using your fiber optic illuminator for. If you need only a soft white glow, then look for a color temperature from 2700 to 3000 Kelvin. The next step up for brightness is 3500 Kto 4100K, which gives you a bright, cool white. If you’re looking for daylight lighting, then go for 5000K to 6500K. As you can see, the higher the number, the whiter the color temperature.
Noise
Fiber Optic Illuminators need to be cooled as they work. If you are someone who likes to work in the stillness and quiet of your lab or work area, then choose a lighting source with a quiet fan.
Size
Not first on our list, but it is still a consideration, especially for those with smaller work spaces. Some light sources are shaped like a box, where you hook up your gooseneck attachment via an adapter. If you need something a bit more streamlined, then AmScope LED-6W Powerful 6 Watt LED Dual Gooseneck Lights Illuminator, might work out for you.
Remote Control
Not all of these units will have a remote. Remotes are usually used to help you conveniently control power and lighting intensity. These remotes can come in handy if you are thinking of taking images of your specimens, circuitry, jewelry, etc. Standalone fiber optic illuminators such as the Wiedamark Hi Power 10W LED Fiber Optic Lighting Illuminator come complete with a simple remote.
Do You Need A Complete Unit?
If you feel the need to purchase an entire microscope system then the AmScope SM-4BZ-30WY 3.5X-90X Zoom Stereo Microscope, is an excellent choice. Here, you get a 30 Watt LED fiber optic illuminator, 6400K lamp color temp along with a boom stand and 20 inch arms. Purchase an entire system, with the lighting source integrated provides you with a durable, long lasting solution. Here, the proper lighting is already matched to the microscope, so if you are a student, newbie or simple need a cost effective solution, then this might be the best route for you.
Conclusion
We hope that by reading our top 10 best fiber optic illuminator in 2021 reviews and buyers guide, its given you a bit of a head start in finding the right light source for your needs. Keep in mind that these light sources do not always have to be used with microscopes. These fiber optic illuminators are a fabulous addition to wood craft rooms, art and craft areas, painting, sculpting, and even putting up a model railroad layout. In any instance where you fine yourself in need of some top notch lighting, fiber optic illuminators offer you the best option. Those of you who love to make jewelry as well as many who are into biology studies, medical research or simply taking awesome photographs to upload to stock photo sites, will find fiber optic illuminators an asset to your career, pastime or hobby.