MAGNI-View 2X Mask Magnifying Lens Great for Scuba Divers and Water Sports

I added one of these to my ScubaPro Zoom mask. I'm blind in my left eye (more or less) so I have specific ideas about what I need to help me see better underwater when doing scuba photography.Installation was a little vexing. I recommend lots of patience, a microfiber towel, some good nitrile gloves and a small bit of scotch tape. Tape is to ID the curved side. Something ultra-flat like a tablet/ipad screen is great for figuring out which side is curved.Microfiber towel is good for cleaning the mask lens and this item prior to install. I removed the lens from my ScubaPro Zoom mask before install. That made it much easier to work on. I did not find the Qtip method for cleanup to be workable. I wound up sacrificing the microfiber towel and using it to get rid of excess adhesive. I then set it in the sun for 3 minutes, re-installed it and tested it out in my pool. It works terrific and it's much cheaper than a custom mask.

This is a great little device that allows you to see your dive gauges. I use "cheater" reading glasses, and that's what this is. I got the 3 diopter version, although you can get the 2 if you like. The picture is misleading, as the glue is NOT in a tube, but rather in a packet that you rip open. You clean the mask lens, and also the ⅞" Magniview lens. Apply a couple of drops to the MV lens, then apply to the LEFT side of the mask (the gauges in SCUBA are on the left side of your body, thus the left side is better, although you can put it on the right if you don't mind dragging the gauge cluster across your body).After placing the MV lens (with adhesive now applied to it) on the INSIDE of the mask (NOT THE OUTSIDE!!), move it around a little bit to get it to seal properly and eliminate air bubbles. After one minute, wipe off any excess that may have spread beyond the edge of the MV lens, with Q-tips. Then expose it to UV light (sun, or most desk lamps) and let it sit for at LEAST 24 hours. It then holds fast and you're good to go. When you put your mask on, you don't notice it unless you look down through it, and you can now see the gauges, dive computer, etc. It's made of ground glass, not polycarbonate, so it's a solid product.The bad? At this price, it is WAY too expensive for my tastes. This should sell for about $10. And while it's cheaper than prescription lens dive masks, that shouldn't give them license to gouge me. I just wish they priced it better.Overall, it1. magnifies my instrument cluster2. I can see my dive computer and actually know how much time I have left on the bottom3. the glass glue included holds it fast, if you follow the instructions properly4. is made of glass, not plastic, and that reduces visual distortions5. is VERY expensive for a little piece of glass that's less than 1" in diameterI'd get a second one for my other mask, but at this price, I'm afraid that's not in the cards. I'm trying the Trident Scuba Mask Magnifier Lens (Gauge Reader) 6x instead, at $10 less for twice the magnification.

After applying this lens incorrectly (at my own fault, because I did not read the directions thoroughly), I contacted the seller 'Mike' at Dolphin Scuba, and he had me mail the mask to his store location. He went above and beyond and removed the lens along with the glue and cleaned it up before re-applying the lens properly - then mailed it all the way back to me. It works perfectly now, and I can easily read the gauges and still use my favorite dive mask in the process. Great product, and thanks again MIKE!

Bottom line up front: It really works.I'd been looking at getting some variant of magnifying lens add-on for my mask for a while when I ran across the MAGNI-View. I was a little skeptical for a couple of reasons: one, how could such a small piece of glass cost that much, and two, how well is it going to hold to my mask? But I figured I'd take the chance, and I'm glad I did.I've gotten a little farsighted with age, so even relatively small items at some distance are easy to see, but close-up they tend to be out of focus. About the only thing I have to do on a dive that's "right in front of my nose" is reading gas pressures - everything else I can get arms-length and see just fine, or do by touch. This lens has made reading my gas pressure much faster - I don't have to do any "it's between 1500 and 2000, so about 1750 seems right" - I can go right to "1700, no question". Totally worth the money!I tend to be one of those "I'll read the instructions if I have a problem," but in this case I read 'em before starting, and advise anybody else buying this lens to do the same. Definitely verify which side of the lens is the flat side (vs the curved) before starting. I'm thinking it would be nice if MAGNI-View could put a removable decal on the curved side, something like "this side up", to help with this verification, because the lens curvature isn't that significant and I can see someone getting the wrong side down. I suggest wearing a glove (latex, nitrile, whatever) to avoid getting fingerprints on the lens, and then having a fingerprint permanently stuck between the lens and your mask glass. Read the instructions, take your time, and you should have good results. Pictures are my Scubapro Flux mask with the MAGNI-View lens attached, inside view and outside.

It does magnify but if water gets in your mask it will distort the view. It didn't work as well as I was hoping with seeing my camera better. I still took shots without being able to see the camera in the Magni-view. Must be something better like RX Goggles at a higher price.