Loupe lights
Short answer: Match the light to your magnification. At 2.5x–3.5x, HeliosX Polaris (50,000 lux, 10 g, from $265) is enough; at 4x, Vega (70,000 lux, from $365); at 5x–6x, Rigel (100,000 lux); at 8x and up, Sirius (150,000 lux). Nova is wireless at 29 g with battery. Every price is on this page, and any light is 10% off with loupes.
Most questions about lights come down to three things: how bright it needs to be, how much it adds to your head, and whether the battery lasts the day. This guide answers those with numbers, shows every price up front, and matches each HeliosX light to the magnification it suits. For loupe-and-light setups by specialty, see Dental loupes with light and Surgical loupes with light.
Guidance from the HeliosX loupe specialists.
Arcturus headlight · $835 USD
Loupes narrow your view to a small, magnified field, and the more they magnify, the darker that field looks. Once you lean into the work, the overhead light is behind your head, so your own head shades the area you are looking at.
A light on the frame shines along your line of sight, wherever you look. The questions are how bright it needs to be for your magnification, how much it adds to the frame, and whether the battery lasts your day. The chart below answers all three, with every price shown.
From the least light to the most. Tap a light to jump to it. Higher magnification shows a darker image, so the light should rise with the loupe.
Higher magnification shows a darker image, so the light should rise with the loupe.
| Light | Brightness | Weight on the frame | Battery | Price (USD) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Polaris | 50,000 lux | 10 g | Corded: 4, 6 or 10 hr packs | from $265 |
| Vega | 70,000 lux | 10 g | Corded: 4, 6 or 10 hr packs | from $365 |
| Rigel | 100,000 lux | 11 g | Corded: 4, 6 or 10 hr packs | from $565 |
| Sirius | 150,000 lux | 12 g | Corded: 4, 6 or 10 hr packs | from $645 |
| Nova (wireless) | 50,000 lux | 29 g with battery | 3 hr per battery, 3 batteries | $815 |
| Arcturus (headlight) | 150,000 lux | Headband, 164 g | 5–12 hr | $835 |
10% off any light ordered with a pair of loupes. Every light has a 5-year limited warranty. Prices and specs current as of November 2026. All lights: Lights.
Every corded light shares the same battery options: a 4 hr clip, a 6 hr slim pack, a 10 hr pack, or a 4 hr neckband that keeps the waist clear.
50,000 lux · 10 g · from $265
Brightness
Polaris is where most hygienists, students and general dentists should start. It is made for 2.5x–3.5x, and it has the widest spot in the range, which helps at lower magnification where your field of view is large.
It is not the light for 4x and above. As the loupe magnifies more, the image gets darker, and you will want Vega or brighter.
Best forHygieneStudents2.5x–3.5x
70,000 lux · 10 g · from $365
Brightness
Vega is a step brighter than Polaris at the same weight, with a tighter spot that stays on the field. It is the light for 4x.
If you work at 3.5x today and expect to move to 4x, Vega saves you buying a second light later.
Best for4xRestorativeCrown preps
Ordering loupes too? Any light ordered with loupes is 10% off. Build Galileo with a light
100,000 lux · 11 g · from $565
Brightness
At 5x–6x you see a much darker image, and a 50,000 lux light starts to look grey. Rigel doubles that, for 1 g more on the frame.
It is the light we suggest for endodontics and fine work at 5x–6x.
Best forEndodonticsFine detail5x–6x
Working at 5x–6x? Kepler and Apollo both go to 6x. See Kepler
150,000 lux · 12 g · from $645
Brightness
Sirius is the most light we make for the loupe frame, with a spot you can adjust. It is made for 8x and up.
At 2.5x–3.5x it is far more light than you need, and you would be paying for brightness you do not use.
Best forMicrosurgery8x and up
Medusa goes to 8.5x with an adjustable working distance. See Medusa
50,000 lux · 29 g with battery · $815
Brightness
Nova has no cord at all. The battery sits on the light, three batteries ship with it, and each lasts about 3 hours, so you swap between patients and charge the spares in under an hour.
The trade-off is weight at the front of the frame: 29 g against 10–12 g for a corded light. Choose it if the cord bothers you more than the weight.
Best forMoving between roomsHygieneNo cord
150,000 lux · headband · $835
Brightness
Arcturus sits on its own padded headband, not on the loupe, so the frame carries no light weight at all. It runs 5 to 12 hours on a charge.
Choose a headlight for long lists, or if you want light without mounting anything on your loupes. For most chairside dentistry, a frame-mounted light is lighter and simpler.
Best forLong listsOff the loupeOral surgery
Why HeliosX
HeliosX is regarded as a leader and innovator in surgical and dental magnification, setting the standard for ergonomic prismatic and lightweight Galilean loupes. HeliosX loupes are built from the highest-grade optical glass and premium lightweight metals: bright, true-color optics in frames that stay light and form-fitting through the longest case.
Ask a HeliosX loupe specialist anything, from the right magnification for your specialty to weight, working distance and lighting. We have answered it at hundreds of expos.
Brightness, weight and battery are the three numbers that matter. Spot size comes next.
Sometimes. A mount made for one brand rarely transfers to another, so a clip-on light may not fit loupes from another company. A headlight such as Arcturus needs no mount at all. Every HeliosX light fits every HeliosX frame. More on pairing loupes and lights at Dental loupes with light.
Non-prescription pairs can be returned within 30 days of delivery for a full refund; prescription pairs are fully refundable until production begins.
Not always, but most clinicians who try one keep it. Once you work through loupes, the overhead light is behind your head; a light on the frame shines along your line of sight. At 2.5x–3.5x, Polaris is enough.
Within HeliosX, Nova: 50,000 lux, 29 g with battery, three batteries of about 3 hours each, $815. If weight on the frame matters more than the cord, a corded light at 10–12 g is lighter.
It depends on magnification: 50,000 lux at 2.5x–3.5x, 70,000 lux at 4x, 100,000 lux at 5x–6x and 150,000 lux at 8x and up.
A headlight keeps weight off the loupe and suits long lists or loupes you do not want to mount anything on. For chairside dentistry, a frame-mounted light is lighter overall and always points where you look.
Premium magnification. More accessible.
Tell us your specialty, typical procedures, current magnification, and budget. We can help you narrow the options before you order.
Email opens in your mail app: heliosxloupes@gmail.com · Limited lifetime warranty
