Which NeoLucida should I get?
We think all of the NeoLucidas are pretty great. All of our devices let you trace directly from real life, but you may be wondering: “what are the differences?”
Best value with crisp, sharp optics.
The NeoLucida uses a small glass prism. It is compact and has no moving parts, so setup is quick.
The prism optics are sharp and crisp under most lighting conditions.
The NeoLucida ghost image easily covers a US Letter/A4 page.
The small prism and required concentration means the NeoLucida is not suited for children under 9 years old.
The NeoLucida is suitable for making still life drawings, portraits, landscapes, and even copies of other images from prints or screens.
Users with corrective lenses (glasses or contact lenses) can use the NeoLucida. Our extensive testing, however, suggests the NeoLucida’s small prism has a longer adjustment period for some users with vision issues.
Largest view, great for beginners.
The NeoLucida XL uses a mirror and angled glass that folds up for storage.
The glass-and-mirror optics are also sharp, but with lower contrast. The included shader helps balance irregular lighting conditions.
The NeoLucida XL ghost image is slightly larger; you can draw to nearly US Tabloid (11x17)/A3 size.
While the NeoLucida XL isn’t a toy, the larger viewing area and easy-to-understand setup makes it easier for younger artists to get drawing.
The NeoLucida XL is equally suitable for making still life drawings, portraits, and landscapes. The NeoLucida XL is excellent for making copies of other images from prints or screens.
Users with corrective lenses (glasses or contact lenses) can use the NeoLucida XL. The viewing area is larger, making it easier for users with vision issues to get started.
Designed with advanced features.
The NeoLucida Plus uses a redesigned glass prism. It is compact and has added features that fold into the eyepiece for easy storage.
The prism optics are sharp and crisp under most lighting conditions, and the NeoLucida Plus has an integrated shader for additional lighting corrections.
The NeoLucida Plus ghost image easily covers a US Letter/A4 page.
The small prism and required concentration means the NeoLucida Plus is not suited for children under 9 years old.
The NeoLucida Plus is suitable for making still life drawings, portraits, landscapes, and copies of printed or screen images. The NeoLucida Plus is excellent for working outside and for making more precise drawings from nature.
Users with corrective lenses (glasses or contact lenses) can use the NeoLucida Plus. Our extensive testing, however, suggests the small prism has a longer adjustment period for some users with certain vision issues.