After many contacts with Nova..they finally told me that they had found the laser I had been waiting for.
135.8 average 138.6 peak with a very LOW divergence, and perfect TEM00 operation!
With this information in hand..I locked in the laser, and ordered it that day!
I again used TNT shipping...and can honestly say..that for 26 bucks..I have no idea how TNT can deliver a laser from Toronto Canada to Oklahoma City in 22 hours!
If tnt shipping is ever an option for you..Take it...Worth every penny!
When the laser arrived, the very first thing that hit me was how much larger the case of the Alpha was over the case for my X-105!
I knew the laser was bigger..but until I had the thing in my hand, I really had no idea how much larger this laser was!!!
Here are a few pictures comparing the size compared to my X-105
http://www.laserenthusiast.com/forums/showthread.php?t=219
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
300mw Hulk Ultra from Dragon Lasers
The laser feels and looks rock solid so once I charged the batteries up (3.7volt 18650) and fired it up I was in business. WOW this thing is bright!!! The beam is very stable from the start to the moment you switch it off, a quick laser check reading showed it to be kicking out 347mw. I done the divergence test to and was very impressed to see it's mRad reading was 1.2303143398648588 mRad. I was also supplied with Dragon Lasers goggles with the OD3 rating. These are a must with any high powered laser especially this monster. The beam was still visible with the goggles and worked great if your gonna do any burning with this beauty.
http://www.laserenthusiast.com/forums/showthread.php?t=66
http://www.laserenthusiast.com/forums/showthread.php?t=66
Laserpointer.com
Laserpointer.com, a subsidiary of Wicked Lasers, is dedicated to offering our valued customers quality, reliability, style, and affordability while offering unmatched customer service and support. As all great things begin from something smaller, Laserpointer.com strives to grow from a small site to an online laser mega-store by focusing on:
Quality: Our green laser pointers are manufactured directly from the largest laser manufacturer in the world, Wicked Lasers. Not only are they assembled with renowned wicked-quality parts, these lasers are aligned to perfection with state-of-the-art machines and tools.
Reliability: Be confident in our laser products as all green laser pointers come standard with a 1 year Manufacturer’s Warranty backed by Wicked Lasers. All laser products are carefully checked, and then double checked, before they are dispatched.
Style: Sick of those generic laser pointers or key chains found at your local convenient store? Be different, be the envy of your friends when you take out your Wicked-styled green laser pointer.
Affordability: Quality, reliability, and style can come with affordability. Laserpointer.com is here to prove that nothing is impossible.
Customer Service: Call us, email us, fax us, come and visit us. Our highly-qualified support staff is standing by to greet you with their warmest welcome ready to assist you.
Laserpointer.com is genuinely grateful to our customers for supporting and placing faith in our laser products. Thank you and be sure to frequently check for updates on news and products at www.laserpointer.com.
Best Regards,
http://www.laserenthusiast.com/forums/showthread.php?t=48
Quality: Our green laser pointers are manufactured directly from the largest laser manufacturer in the world, Wicked Lasers. Not only are they assembled with renowned wicked-quality parts, these lasers are aligned to perfection with state-of-the-art machines and tools.
Reliability: Be confident in our laser products as all green laser pointers come standard with a 1 year Manufacturer’s Warranty backed by Wicked Lasers. All laser products are carefully checked, and then double checked, before they are dispatched.
Style: Sick of those generic laser pointers or key chains found at your local convenient store? Be different, be the envy of your friends when you take out your Wicked-styled green laser pointer.
Affordability: Quality, reliability, and style can come with affordability. Laserpointer.com is here to prove that nothing is impossible.
Customer Service: Call us, email us, fax us, come and visit us. Our highly-qualified support staff is standing by to greet you with their warmest welcome ready to assist you.
Laserpointer.com is genuinely grateful to our customers for supporting and placing faith in our laser products. Thank you and be sure to frequently check for updates on news and products at www.laserpointer.com.
Best Regards,
http://www.laserenthusiast.com/forums/showthread.php?t=48
Optotronics NEW Rpl 375
holy crap i just upgraded to a 375 rpl this thing is a monster the extra 150mw
is very noticable boy jack helped me out big time on this purchase
http://www.laserenthusiast.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1181
is very noticable boy jack helped me out big time on this purchase
http://www.laserenthusiast.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1181
Meet The Wicked Lasers Team
We're a bunch of laser enthusiasts, maybe even laser maniacs, who - like you - have been searching all over looking for the highest powered, highest quality, affordable laser pointers. Those cheap laser key chains found at local electronics stores are a ridiculous joke at most. We found ourselves frustrated, very frustrated. The selection of laser pointers found on internet sites we visited were very run of the mill and cheaply made. Where is all the unique stuff? Where are all the true lasers that can burn, cut, and project a laser beam hundreds of miles away?
We finally realized that if we wanted lasers up to par with our standards, we simply needed to create it ourselves. And so Wicked Lasers was born.
We carefully manufacture the most brilliant lasers in a variety of colors ranging from green, red, blue, and violet. Of course, we couldn't stop there, not only do we have the most comprehensive list of laser products; we also have the most laser accessories. Every laser is tested and then tested some more to make sure our lasers are perfect in every possible way. We also made sure that the price you pay here is the absolutely the most competitive. (If you find a laser manufactured by Wicked Lasers online for a lower price, just tell us. We'll match it!) We sell only the best possible laser pointers, at the best possible price.
http://www.laserenthusiast.com/forums/showthread.php?t=47
We finally realized that if we wanted lasers up to par with our standards, we simply needed to create it ourselves. And so Wicked Lasers was born.
We carefully manufacture the most brilliant lasers in a variety of colors ranging from green, red, blue, and violet. Of course, we couldn't stop there, not only do we have the most comprehensive list of laser products; we also have the most laser accessories. Every laser is tested and then tested some more to make sure our lasers are perfect in every possible way. We also made sure that the price you pay here is the absolutely the most competitive. (If you find a laser manufactured by Wicked Lasers online for a lower price, just tell us. We'll match it!) We sell only the best possible laser pointers, at the best possible price.
http://www.laserenthusiast.com/forums/showthread.php?t=47
Monday, December 8, 2008
Review: Techlaser Infiniti II
A few weeks ago we received a Infiniti II Laser Pointer from Techlaser. Since we got it we did a unboxing but after getting it out of the box we were so busy playing around with it we almost forgot to write a review, this is a truly cool laser.
I have been through a lot of lasers and this is the most powerful laser I have ever came across, really it is. The Techlaser 95mW has green rays and I must say is not to be taken for a toy because it is so powerful that it will even burn plastic and also you should use according to rules by the law. Once you get this you will be tempted to beam it in windows and cars but please don’t.
The lasers are available from 15mW to 125mW from their website, however they sent us the Infiniti II Series which is the 95mW version which is so power you can see the green beam coming from it, in the dark, in light no matter what the time is you will see it. We also got a cool pair of shades with it too, at first I thought it was just for fashion but by playing around with it I realize that it is for use with the laser. If you beam the laser without the shades you will see a bright green light but when you put the shades on and do the same I realized I only saw a a regular dot.
The Laser works with 2 AAA batteries and will run it the laser for approximately an hour. You can get one for $300 at Techlaser. I am certainly keeping this laser its too cool to giveaway.
http://www.loopygadgets.com/review-techlaser-infiniti-ii/
I have been through a lot of lasers and this is the most powerful laser I have ever came across, really it is. The Techlaser 95mW has green rays and I must say is not to be taken for a toy because it is so powerful that it will even burn plastic and also you should use according to rules by the law. Once you get this you will be tempted to beam it in windows and cars but please don’t.
The lasers are available from 15mW to 125mW from their website, however they sent us the Infiniti II Series which is the 95mW version which is so power you can see the green beam coming from it, in the dark, in light no matter what the time is you will see it. We also got a cool pair of shades with it too, at first I thought it was just for fashion but by playing around with it I realize that it is for use with the laser. If you beam the laser without the shades you will see a bright green light but when you put the shades on and do the same I realized I only saw a a regular dot.
The Laser works with 2 AAA batteries and will run it the laser for approximately an hour. You can get one for $300 at Techlaser. I am certainly keeping this laser its too cool to giveaway.
http://www.loopygadgets.com/review-techlaser-infiniti-ii/
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Wicked Lasers Executive Series Review
Wicked Lasers Team or Team Wicked (as they are popularly recognized by their admirers) has been making it big in the field of affordable yet quality and high-powered laser pointers. Apart from a variety of colors (green, blue, red and violet) in brilliant lasers, Team Wicked also offers a comprehensive list of laser accessories.
Team Wicked has come up with innumerable number of series in Lasers, which include Executive Evolution, Photonic Disruptor, Elite, the Pulsar and The Core. Each of these models offers a distinct degree of beam and longevity of its power. Again, you can also see the difference in the distance travelled by their laser beam. The most popular of its creation has been the Executive Series.
Executive Series Lasers: Unique product from Team Wicked
Executive Series lasers are a unique product that the Team Wicked has come up with. The laser in the series has been constructed by using premium and imported laser diodes. If you’ve used lasers previously, then you will easily make out that Executive Series Laser is the most powerful product that money can buy. It is an ultimate laser tool and can be used for burning from long distance. At the same time, it can be utilized for maintaining small dots at a far distance.
Officials of Team Wicked have engineered Executive Series Green Lasers with excellent quality and provided precision in the product for giving their clients the most reliable product at an unbelievably affordable price. What you’ll find attractive about the series is that they have a stylish redesigned casing. This is why there is no wonder that almost each of the laser enthusiasts across the globe owns at least one Laser product from the Executive Series.
Powered by a 2AAA battery, Executive Series Lasers are the lowest beam divergence green laser pointer of the world. The green laser beams coming from the lasers are able to cover large distances without much difficulty. At the same time, they maintain their excellence in burning materials with precision.
Products available in Executive Lasers Series
This Executive Lasers Series is available in 6 different types, varying in terms of power (15mW to dangerously intense 125mW).
Classic
Advanced
Extreme
Phoenix
Nexus
Fusion
Features of Executive Series Lasers:
Executive Series Lasers from Team Wicked are quite the looker with most of them available in brass body polished black. They generally weigh less than one ounce and give an appearance similar to a designer ink pen and are found to measure 13 mm x 143 mm in size. As already mentioned, the lasers in the series operate on 2 AAA batteries. Their batter life varies between 1.5 - 2 hours depending mainly on the type in consideration. They have a momentary on & off button and a life expectancy of around 5,000 hours. What laser enthusiasts will find even more interesting is that any product is the series is available with a 3-year warranty.
http://www.techtreak.com/2008/11/26/wicked-lasers-executive-series-review/
Team Wicked has come up with innumerable number of series in Lasers, which include Executive Evolution, Photonic Disruptor, Elite, the Pulsar and The Core. Each of these models offers a distinct degree of beam and longevity of its power. Again, you can also see the difference in the distance travelled by their laser beam. The most popular of its creation has been the Executive Series.
Executive Series Lasers: Unique product from Team Wicked
Executive Series lasers are a unique product that the Team Wicked has come up with. The laser in the series has been constructed by using premium and imported laser diodes. If you’ve used lasers previously, then you will easily make out that Executive Series Laser is the most powerful product that money can buy. It is an ultimate laser tool and can be used for burning from long distance. At the same time, it can be utilized for maintaining small dots at a far distance.
Officials of Team Wicked have engineered Executive Series Green Lasers with excellent quality and provided precision in the product for giving their clients the most reliable product at an unbelievably affordable price. What you’ll find attractive about the series is that they have a stylish redesigned casing. This is why there is no wonder that almost each of the laser enthusiasts across the globe owns at least one Laser product from the Executive Series.
Powered by a 2AAA battery, Executive Series Lasers are the lowest beam divergence green laser pointer of the world. The green laser beams coming from the lasers are able to cover large distances without much difficulty. At the same time, they maintain their excellence in burning materials with precision.
Products available in Executive Lasers Series
This Executive Lasers Series is available in 6 different types, varying in terms of power (15mW to dangerously intense 125mW).
Classic
Advanced
Extreme
Phoenix
Nexus
Fusion
Features of Executive Series Lasers:
Executive Series Lasers from Team Wicked are quite the looker with most of them available in brass body polished black. They generally weigh less than one ounce and give an appearance similar to a designer ink pen and are found to measure 13 mm x 143 mm in size. As already mentioned, the lasers in the series operate on 2 AAA batteries. Their batter life varies between 1.5 - 2 hours depending mainly on the type in consideration. They have a momentary on & off button and a life expectancy of around 5,000 hours. What laser enthusiasts will find even more interesting is that any product is the series is available with a 3-year warranty.
http://www.techtreak.com/2008/11/26/wicked-lasers-executive-series-review/
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
150mw Laser Pointers Are Excellent For Astronomy Lovers!
In general, laser pointers are typically implemented during presentations when the speaker has to point to a specific area on his or her display screen. However, laser pointers can be used for more than enhancing a presentation. In particular, there is a class of green laser pointers that carries exceptional performance and is spectacular in appearance.
In my opinion, the Elite 150mw laser pointer is one of the best devices you can give to any Sci-Fi lover. It is one of the highest quality laser pointers available for purchase today and it makes an ideal gift for someone of any age. It has a very powerful, green laser beam that can be seen as far as a mile away in the darkness. In addition to being used for traditional purposes, the Elite 150mw laser pointer can be used to light matches, light firewood for a campfire, melt ice, pop balloons, or even stargaze should the desire strike you! The Elite 150mw laser pointer is comprised of the latest in laser crystal and optical technology, which makes its beam superior to other green laser pointers available on the market today. Being that I have a background in engineering myself, I would not hesitate to say that this item is engineered to perfection and that it is, without a doubt, the most durable and effective laser pointer that I have used to date. The Elite 150mw laser pointer is designed in steel, black chrome that will prevent any slippage and it rests easily in your hand. It is the size of a pen, and has a sleek, smooth design that makes it very easy to carry around in your pocket. The winning combination of high performance and elegant design definitely make the Elite 150mw laser pointer one of the greatest achievements in the laser pointer industry. I would highly recommend this to any laser point aficionado or stargazer.
http://150mwlaserpointer.wordpress.com/2008/08/14/150mw-laser-pointers-are-excellent-for-astronomy-lovers/
---------------------- Branding Promotional Products ---------------------
What's the best ways to get your business known? Branding Promotional Products.
It's a great idea to promote business, and also a tremendous way to pass your brand on by word of mouth.
You can purchase anything from pens and clocks to housewares, easily imprinted with your company's logo for reasonable prices. Imagine how many homes and offices your logo imbedded pens might end up in, Or maybe you want to spread your branded logo around on caps or T-Shirts, talk about a walking billboard.
This is really a wonderful way to be in front of everyone, whether you are a small business owner, or corporation giving away corporate gifts, or maybe your an artist or a musician. Whatever reason you have for wanting or needing to brand promotional items you should check out this great resource I recommend for some of the best promotional products you can find. You never know, you may get some ideas you never had before.
In my opinion, the Elite 150mw laser pointer is one of the best devices you can give to any Sci-Fi lover. It is one of the highest quality laser pointers available for purchase today and it makes an ideal gift for someone of any age. It has a very powerful, green laser beam that can be seen as far as a mile away in the darkness. In addition to being used for traditional purposes, the Elite 150mw laser pointer can be used to light matches, light firewood for a campfire, melt ice, pop balloons, or even stargaze should the desire strike you! The Elite 150mw laser pointer is comprised of the latest in laser crystal and optical technology, which makes its beam superior to other green laser pointers available on the market today. Being that I have a background in engineering myself, I would not hesitate to say that this item is engineered to perfection and that it is, without a doubt, the most durable and effective laser pointer that I have used to date. The Elite 150mw laser pointer is designed in steel, black chrome that will prevent any slippage and it rests easily in your hand. It is the size of a pen, and has a sleek, smooth design that makes it very easy to carry around in your pocket. The winning combination of high performance and elegant design definitely make the Elite 150mw laser pointer one of the greatest achievements in the laser pointer industry. I would highly recommend this to any laser point aficionado or stargazer.
http://150mwlaserpointer.wordpress.com/2008/08/14/150mw-laser-pointers-are-excellent-for-astronomy-lovers/
---------------------- Branding Promotional Products ---------------------
What's the best ways to get your business known? Branding Promotional Products.
It's a great idea to promote business, and also a tremendous way to pass your brand on by word of mouth.
You can purchase anything from pens and clocks to housewares, easily imprinted with your company's logo for reasonable prices. Imagine how many homes and offices your logo imbedded pens might end up in, Or maybe you want to spread your branded logo around on caps or T-Shirts, talk about a walking billboard.
This is really a wonderful way to be in front of everyone, whether you are a small business owner, or corporation giving away corporate gifts, or maybe your an artist or a musician. Whatever reason you have for wanting or needing to brand promotional items you should check out this great resource I recommend for some of the best promotional products you can find. You never know, you may get some ideas you never had before.
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Review: Wicked Lasers Elite 125+
When the guys at WickedLasers contacted me to review one of their products I must admit that I originally wasn’t very interested. In glancing over their website I figured the company just offered laser pointers and as far as I was concerned a laser pointer wasn’t going to make for a very good review. Well, I was very mistaken to call what they offered just simple laser pointers.
Don’t get me wrong. The company does offer laser pointers, but not many laser pointers are military quality grade or have enough power to melt rubber and plastics or light cigars and cigarettes. The company offers blue, red and green lasers. In fact, they sell the highest powered green laser pointers in the world.
After reading about them, I had to try out one of the company’s green lasers. So, they sent me one of their Elite Series 125+ lasers. Again, this isn’t just a laser pointer. After all, the laser they sent me has a retail value of US$599.99. That’s a price you would expect from a pen sized laser which can actually melt and burn objects.
http://www.geek.com/articles/review/review-wicked-lasers-elite-125-20081119/
Don’t get me wrong. The company does offer laser pointers, but not many laser pointers are military quality grade or have enough power to melt rubber and plastics or light cigars and cigarettes. The company offers blue, red and green lasers. In fact, they sell the highest powered green laser pointers in the world.
After reading about them, I had to try out one of the company’s green lasers. So, they sent me one of their Elite Series 125+ lasers. Again, this isn’t just a laser pointer. After all, the laser they sent me has a retail value of US$599.99. That’s a price you would expect from a pen sized laser which can actually melt and burn objects.
http://www.geek.com/articles/review/review-wicked-lasers-elite-125-20081119/
Friday, November 14, 2008
Alpha Series 200mW 532nm Laser
This is an Alpha Series Laser I purchased from Smogthemog last week
http://www.laserpointerforums.com/forums/YaBB.pl?num=1225160528
http://www.laserpointerforums.com/forums/YaBB.pl?num=1225160528
X100 Review. Quite disappointed...
Today I finally received my X100, that I ordered on the 25.9 and that was shipped on 26.9.
That adds up to a total shipping time of 4+31+4 days. Anyway, I am happy to receive it at all.
http://www.laserpointerforums.com/forums/YaBB.pl?num=1225816132
That adds up to a total shipping time of 4+31+4 days. Anyway, I am happy to receive it at all.
http://www.laserpointerforums.com/forums/YaBB.pl?num=1225816132
Aconsen 40-50 mW module
show some positive news from StandStone11's modules
http://www.laserpointerforums.com/forums/YaBB.pl?num=1223854139
http://www.laserpointerforums.com/forums/YaBB.pl?num=1223854139
LaserGlow Hercules 300mW+
Beam Expander X10DR:
This is a quality piece of optics. It is custom fitted to the end of the laser using nylon tipped set screws. It takes about 2 minutes to put it on, the fit is perfect.
http://www.laserpointerforums.com/forums/YaBB.pl?num=1226634294
This is a quality piece of optics. It is custom fitted to the end of the laser using nylon tipped set screws. It takes about 2 minutes to put it on, the fit is perfect.
http://www.laserpointerforums.com/forums/YaBB.pl?num=1226634294
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Green Laser Pointer - Infiniti II
I recently got contacted by techlasers to do a review on their new laser the Infiniti II 95mW. These lasers are typically used for pointing at objects at distance. The Infiniti costs $299.99 and comes with a pair of protective glasses to protect your eyes. The laser beam is very strong and can litterly be seen for miles. The Infiniti also comes with 2 lids to control the beam. The Infiniti’s beam’s strenght can apparently pop a balloon and is intense enough to burn plastic!
Have fun guys playing with this toy. Please be aware that this laser can do damage to your eyes.
http://www.devicepedia.com/misc-gadgets/green-laser-pointer-infiniti-ii.html
Have fun guys playing with this toy. Please be aware that this laser can do damage to your eyes.
http://www.devicepedia.com/misc-gadgets/green-laser-pointer-infiniti-ii.html
Thursday, November 6, 2008
Wicked Lasers, Elite Series Review
Nearly everyone has seen a laser pointer that lets you highlight presentations from a distance. While such lasers are useful, they’re also relatively harmless unless you stare directly at the laser for long periods of time. If wielding a mild laser pointer is too tame for you, then look at the Elite Series of lasers from Wicked Lasers.
These lasers are slightly larger than a ballpoint pen (15mm by 155mm) and made out of chrome finished brass, giving it an elegant appearance. It runs on two AAA batteries, which give the laser a battery life of approximately 90 minutes. This may seem like a short amount of time, but it’s mainly because this Elite Series of Wicked Lasers is nothing more than a low-powered weapon.
At close range, it can easily pop balloons, light matches, and burn exposed skin. Point this laser at a PowerPoint presentation on the wall and you’re liable to scorch the wall. Point this laser at an attacker at close range, and you have a high-tech self-defense weapon.
Its output power ranges from 100mW – 200mW with a beam divergence of 0.8mRAD – 1.2mRAD and a beam diameter of 1.6mm. If you’ve ever wanted a real laser, the Elite Series puts that power in your hands.
Due to the high-energy this laser emits, this is definitely not a toy or an ordinary laser pointer for casual office use. This is a powerful weapon that needs to be treated with care, so you’ll want to keep this out of the hands of children and other unsuspecting people who may play with it and hurt themselves by accident.
If you visit the Wicked Lasers web site, you can read testimonials from soldiers in Iraq, who have battle-tested this unit and praised its performance. If you need high-tech firepower in any situation, the Elite Series of Wicked Lasers will more than meet your demands.
There are a few notable drawbacks to this laser. For one, it sucks the life out of its two AAA batteries far too quickly. If you use this laser frequently, you’ll churn through AAA batteries fairly often, so the cost of additional batteries will add up. Another problem is that the on button is flush with the unit, so it’s difficult to turn it on by mistake (such as when carrying it in your shirt or pants pocket). However, perhaps a cap or some kind to cover over the lens would be helpful just as one more barrier to protect people. That way if you want to use it, you’d have to remove the cap and then deliberately point it at something. The way it is without a cap, it’s too easy to point it at something and turn it on, only to find out that you’re pointing it at something fragile like someone’s eye or on your exposed skin of your arm.
http://www.gadgetreview.com/2008/11/wicked-lasers-elite-series-review.html
These lasers are slightly larger than a ballpoint pen (15mm by 155mm) and made out of chrome finished brass, giving it an elegant appearance. It runs on two AAA batteries, which give the laser a battery life of approximately 90 minutes. This may seem like a short amount of time, but it’s mainly because this Elite Series of Wicked Lasers is nothing more than a low-powered weapon.
At close range, it can easily pop balloons, light matches, and burn exposed skin. Point this laser at a PowerPoint presentation on the wall and you’re liable to scorch the wall. Point this laser at an attacker at close range, and you have a high-tech self-defense weapon.
Its output power ranges from 100mW – 200mW with a beam divergence of 0.8mRAD – 1.2mRAD and a beam diameter of 1.6mm. If you’ve ever wanted a real laser, the Elite Series puts that power in your hands.
Due to the high-energy this laser emits, this is definitely not a toy or an ordinary laser pointer for casual office use. This is a powerful weapon that needs to be treated with care, so you’ll want to keep this out of the hands of children and other unsuspecting people who may play with it and hurt themselves by accident.
If you visit the Wicked Lasers web site, you can read testimonials from soldiers in Iraq, who have battle-tested this unit and praised its performance. If you need high-tech firepower in any situation, the Elite Series of Wicked Lasers will more than meet your demands.
There are a few notable drawbacks to this laser. For one, it sucks the life out of its two AAA batteries far too quickly. If you use this laser frequently, you’ll churn through AAA batteries fairly often, so the cost of additional batteries will add up. Another problem is that the on button is flush with the unit, so it’s difficult to turn it on by mistake (such as when carrying it in your shirt or pants pocket). However, perhaps a cap or some kind to cover over the lens would be helpful just as one more barrier to protect people. That way if you want to use it, you’d have to remove the cap and then deliberately point it at something. The way it is without a cap, it’s too easy to point it at something and turn it on, only to find out that you’re pointing it at something fragile like someone’s eye or on your exposed skin of your arm.
http://www.gadgetreview.com/2008/11/wicked-lasers-elite-series-review.html
10mW laser from Wicked Lasers.
Hey everyone,
On Monday I finally caved in to a wish that I've had for years and bought a green laser pointer. For those who don't know, these are awesome little buggers that are different from the normal red lasers you get because your eyes are most sensetive to green, making them ideal for pointing out constellations and such in the night sky. Unfortunately, they're a fair bit more expensive as well which means it's worth your while to scout out prices before settling on a particular one.
The first thing I learned while scouting out my laser is the wattage you find is key: if you're not in a dark area even a 5mW laser will cause complaints because not everyone will be able to see the laser beam when you point it upwards. Due to the fact that I'd primarily be using the laser in the middle of Cleveland, that and I'm a nerd!, I decided to splurge on a 10mW laser from Wicked Lasers. It was by far the cheapest one I'd found online for that type at $90, and a friend refered me to them in the first place so it seemed cool enough.
The first surprise was the speed with which it got here: the lasers are shipped from Shanghai, China yet it got here in five days! Given, the required shipping took a little extra out of my pocket but still, the distance involved there got me quite excited! That and there's something quite exotic about getting something in the mail with Chineese charecters written all over it...
Batteries were a slight problem as it needed relatively high quality AAA ones, so I ended up stealing some semi-used ones from my roommate's remote control in exchange for some cheap Energizer ones. (Note to self: get to store sometime and get fresh batteries!)
Now time for the actual testing! My Physics and Astronomy Club was having an event tonight at the Case observatory, so it seemed an ideal time to test it after all! Of course, it was bright, but no one had any troubles whatsoever tracing its beam up to the constellations I was tracing out amidst the Cleveland light pollution. I must admit, it's a lot easier to point out "ok, this is the summer triangle" when you can just use a laser! So for someone like me who increasingly finds themselves in positions where you're pointing out the basics I highly recommend one of these buggers. I'm actually kind of sad I didn't invest in one earlier.
And, of course, I'm a physics nerd so after the crowd started petering out we decided to begin testing the range of the laser! Of course we're not ones to wish blindness onto anyone and needed a good way of doing it without endangering anyone who might happen to be looking outside; luckily we were on the roof of a building at the heart of campus and most of the lights were out as it was Friday night. We reached all the buildings around us with ease and even tried a few other non-lit ones with the same result that were well over a mile away! Then, of course, we ran out of suitable buildings with the notable exception of the very distant Cleveland skyline, but there's no way you could see a point that far away even if it makes it there so we're stuck. I mean I'm sure there's an equation out there I can use to check it all out but that's just not as fun; that and it's more fun any day to be an experimentalist rather than a theorist! Someone mentioned that in the lab of one of the physics professors on campus there's a special machine to tell how far a certain laser intensity will travel involving a lot of mirrors and such, but somehow I don't think she'd let a bunch of physics majors come in and play with it. Quite a pity!
So anyway, that's my little review of my green laser pointer, the conclusion of which is that they're really cool to play around with (though if you don't really plan on using it often and just want to play with a laser get a significantly cheaper red one). Hope this review helps out anyone considering getting one!
__________________
http://www.bautforum.com/astronomical-observing-equipment-accessories/32831-green-laser-pointer-review.html
On Monday I finally caved in to a wish that I've had for years and bought a green laser pointer. For those who don't know, these are awesome little buggers that are different from the normal red lasers you get because your eyes are most sensetive to green, making them ideal for pointing out constellations and such in the night sky. Unfortunately, they're a fair bit more expensive as well which means it's worth your while to scout out prices before settling on a particular one.
The first thing I learned while scouting out my laser is the wattage you find is key: if you're not in a dark area even a 5mW laser will cause complaints because not everyone will be able to see the laser beam when you point it upwards. Due to the fact that I'd primarily be using the laser in the middle of Cleveland, that and I'm a nerd!, I decided to splurge on a 10mW laser from Wicked Lasers. It was by far the cheapest one I'd found online for that type at $90, and a friend refered me to them in the first place so it seemed cool enough.
The first surprise was the speed with which it got here: the lasers are shipped from Shanghai, China yet it got here in five days! Given, the required shipping took a little extra out of my pocket but still, the distance involved there got me quite excited! That and there's something quite exotic about getting something in the mail with Chineese charecters written all over it...
Batteries were a slight problem as it needed relatively high quality AAA ones, so I ended up stealing some semi-used ones from my roommate's remote control in exchange for some cheap Energizer ones. (Note to self: get to store sometime and get fresh batteries!)
Now time for the actual testing! My Physics and Astronomy Club was having an event tonight at the Case observatory, so it seemed an ideal time to test it after all! Of course, it was bright, but no one had any troubles whatsoever tracing its beam up to the constellations I was tracing out amidst the Cleveland light pollution. I must admit, it's a lot easier to point out "ok, this is the summer triangle" when you can just use a laser! So for someone like me who increasingly finds themselves in positions where you're pointing out the basics I highly recommend one of these buggers. I'm actually kind of sad I didn't invest in one earlier.
And, of course, I'm a physics nerd so after the crowd started petering out we decided to begin testing the range of the laser! Of course we're not ones to wish blindness onto anyone and needed a good way of doing it without endangering anyone who might happen to be looking outside; luckily we were on the roof of a building at the heart of campus and most of the lights were out as it was Friday night. We reached all the buildings around us with ease and even tried a few other non-lit ones with the same result that were well over a mile away! Then, of course, we ran out of suitable buildings with the notable exception of the very distant Cleveland skyline, but there's no way you could see a point that far away even if it makes it there so we're stuck. I mean I'm sure there's an equation out there I can use to check it all out but that's just not as fun; that and it's more fun any day to be an experimentalist rather than a theorist! Someone mentioned that in the lab of one of the physics professors on campus there's a special machine to tell how far a certain laser intensity will travel involving a lot of mirrors and such, but somehow I don't think she'd let a bunch of physics majors come in and play with it. Quite a pity!
So anyway, that's my little review of my green laser pointer, the conclusion of which is that they're really cool to play around with (though if you don't really plan on using it often and just want to play with a laser get a significantly cheaper red one). Hope this review helps out anyone considering getting one!
__________________
http://www.bautforum.com/astronomical-observing-equipment-accessories/32831-green-laser-pointer-review.html
Beam Of Light Technologies. www.z-bolt.com
Item : Green astronomy quality laser pointer
Price: $139
Merchant information: Beam Of Light Technologies. www.z-bolt.com
History - After seeing and playing with a green laser pointer at an AVAC (Antelope Valley Astronomy Club) star party last fall, I decided that this was a “must have” piece of field equipment. It made pointing out locations of objects to a newcomer a snap, as opposed to the normal “See that bright star, no the other bright star, now go east three hand lengths – no, east is over there”. After much hunting, I found a supplier, which was z-bolt. First off, I picked up one of the cheaper versions, and it turned out that it was DOA. Upon calling z-bolt, they said this is rare, since they test every laser before it goes out the door. Lucky me. Upon finding out that I wanted to use it for astronomy, they STRONGLY recommended that I upgrade to a MOD-2. On their recommendation, this was done. The pointer was received in a beautiful box that is a work of art. I think that it is made of rose wood. Enough said – the pointer's home is now my eyepiece case. It also came with a red laser – pen combination, a promotion that has since been discontinued, I believe.
General observations – this pointer will get brighter after about 15 seconds of use. It also seems to dim if the air is warm combined with a few minutes of continuous usage. Not using it for a little while restored it back to working perfectly.
Brightness – As a guess, it is about a magnitude 1 or 2 at 3 feet distance. This dims down to about a 5 at 100 yards. It is possible to see where the pointer is going tonight – with the moon about half full, from a fairly well lit parking lot. A few months ago, when I was under very dark skies, it looked like a star wars light saber going for miles.
Accuracy – The laser is amazingly accurate. You probably could not differentiate each of the stars in the Pleiades, but you can easily differentiate the different stars in the sword or belt of Orion.
Advantages – This pointer is the most amazing teaching tool that I have ever seen. It is bright enough that if a friend is using my Dob, and cannot find an object, I will put the laser at about the right point, and he can site my Telrad and then the telescope itself down the beam.
Disadvantages – If you shine the laser anywhere on the ground, anyone looking at it will loose their night sight. Also, if there are any astro-photographers around, one click with the laser will definitely ruin anything they are trying to do. Another problem is that – for an area about 100 yards in diameter - the laser beam is the highlight of the sky, degrading the experience for others that don't want to have green light across their horizons. Last, this is a VERY powerful laser. It needs to be protected from those who will pick it up and start shining it on other people. (I actually saw this between a 25 year old and a playful 60 year old. Had to tell them to grow up.) I work with a person who has a blank spot in his vision from a friend playing games in High School, and shining the laser into his eye.
http://www.xmission.com/~alanne/LaserPointer.html
Price: $139
Merchant information: Beam Of Light Technologies. www.z-bolt.com
History - After seeing and playing with a green laser pointer at an AVAC (Antelope Valley Astronomy Club) star party last fall, I decided that this was a “must have” piece of field equipment. It made pointing out locations of objects to a newcomer a snap, as opposed to the normal “See that bright star, no the other bright star, now go east three hand lengths – no, east is over there”. After much hunting, I found a supplier, which was z-bolt. First off, I picked up one of the cheaper versions, and it turned out that it was DOA. Upon calling z-bolt, they said this is rare, since they test every laser before it goes out the door. Lucky me. Upon finding out that I wanted to use it for astronomy, they STRONGLY recommended that I upgrade to a MOD-2. On their recommendation, this was done. The pointer was received in a beautiful box that is a work of art. I think that it is made of rose wood. Enough said – the pointer's home is now my eyepiece case. It also came with a red laser – pen combination, a promotion that has since been discontinued, I believe.
General observations – this pointer will get brighter after about 15 seconds of use. It also seems to dim if the air is warm combined with a few minutes of continuous usage. Not using it for a little while restored it back to working perfectly.
Brightness – As a guess, it is about a magnitude 1 or 2 at 3 feet distance. This dims down to about a 5 at 100 yards. It is possible to see where the pointer is going tonight – with the moon about half full, from a fairly well lit parking lot. A few months ago, when I was under very dark skies, it looked like a star wars light saber going for miles.
Accuracy – The laser is amazingly accurate. You probably could not differentiate each of the stars in the Pleiades, but you can easily differentiate the different stars in the sword or belt of Orion.
Advantages – This pointer is the most amazing teaching tool that I have ever seen. It is bright enough that if a friend is using my Dob, and cannot find an object, I will put the laser at about the right point, and he can site my Telrad and then the telescope itself down the beam.
Disadvantages – If you shine the laser anywhere on the ground, anyone looking at it will loose their night sight. Also, if there are any astro-photographers around, one click with the laser will definitely ruin anything they are trying to do. Another problem is that – for an area about 100 yards in diameter - the laser beam is the highlight of the sky, degrading the experience for others that don't want to have green light across their horizons. Last, this is a VERY powerful laser. It needs to be protected from those who will pick it up and start shining it on other people. (I actually saw this between a 25 year old and a playful 60 year old. Had to tell them to grow up.) I work with a person who has a blank spot in his vision from a friend playing games in High School, and shining the laser into his eye.
http://www.xmission.com/~alanne/LaserPointer.html
BeamQ Laser Pointers
We have received the lasers. They arrived in perfect condition and they seem very good quality. We are very impressed with your product. Thank you for keeping good on your word and I will give you a very good review on the forums. You have been a pleasure to work with and I look forward to ordering from you again soon.
-J
www.beamq.com
-J
www.beamq.com
Thursday, October 23, 2008
WickerLasers Elite Series Review: Burny
Giving a man of any age a powerful laser is like giving a bear an AK-47: it's in his very nature to point it at things and look menacing. Thankfully, the bear is rarely able to do any damage - no trigger finger - but the man, be he 16 or 65 or 33, will definitely aim it at something that will inevitably reflect the laser back into his own eyes, rendering him temporarily blind and making him freak out thinking that he is now sightless. I speak, friends, from experience.
WickedLasers makes, well, wicked lasers. Instead of the standard red-dot laser pointer you buy at Odd Lots, WickedLaser imports amazingly powerful and expensive lasers for the home hobbyist.
So read on, laser troopers, for a bit more info and a contest.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/25/AR2008092502322.html
WickedLasers makes, well, wicked lasers. Instead of the standard red-dot laser pointer you buy at Odd Lots, WickedLaser imports amazingly powerful and expensive lasers for the home hobbyist.
So read on, laser troopers, for a bit more info and a contest.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/25/AR2008092502322.html
Monday, October 20, 2008
SWOT Blue Laser Pointer Review
SWOT series blue laser pointer 10mW power Wavelength: 473nm ,Dimension: 23.5mm x 168mm ,Power Supply: 1 x 18650 Battery With Charger
http://www.metacafe.com/watch/1839003/swot_blue_laser_pointer_review/
http://www.metacafe.com/watch/1839003/swot_blue_laser_pointer_review/
Dragonlasers Viper Series 35mW Green Laser Pointer Review
Last year we had a look at very powerful 95mW green laser pointer from Wicked Lasers. Today we are having a look at another green laser pointer, this time from a company called Dragonlasers. The main difference is that the Wicked Lasers pointer was a 95mW and the Dragonlasers pointer today is a 35mW version. Read on to see how well the Dragonlasers Viper Series 35mW laser performs.
http://www.i4u.com/section-viewarticle-253.html
http://www.i4u.com/section-viewarticle-253.html
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Spartan 250mW Green Laser Pointer Review
http://www.metacafe.com/watch/1391794/spartan_250mw_green_laser_pointer_review/
Spartan is from http://www.dragonlasers.com Max from over at the hihg tech DIY blog Zedomax does a review of a Spartan 250mW green laser pointer. The 250mW Spartan Green Laser Pointer is from Dragonlasers at http://www.dragonlasers.com
Spartan is from http://www.dragonlasers.com Max from over at the hihg tech DIY blog Zedomax does a review of a Spartan 250mW green laser pointer. The 250mW Spartan Green Laser Pointer is from Dragonlasers at http://www.dragonlasers.com
Monday, October 13, 2008
LASERWAVE 200mw 473nm BLUE LAB LASER REVIEW
I've had the pleasure of reviewing their 200mw 473nm Lab Laser, the same unit the Daedal reviewed except 100mw.
These retail at approx 1250 euros for LASERWAVE. Firstly the package came well protected in heavy duty foam packing to protect the laser and after opening it I read the instructions that came with it.
It's powered by 110v-250v so all I had to do was use my universal travel adapter to fire this beauty up
Once I fired it up the beam looked very stable to the eye no signs of mode hopping whatsoever And WOW this is a very beautiful color and at 200mw it's very very bright too, after playing around for a while I shut it down so I could start it from cold and do a power reading on my Andover LPM-1 laser power meter which I will post the Graph below in this thread. The laser started up at 150-164mw and then quickly rose to above 200mw. It peaked at 220.4mw throughout a 4 hour test, the laser never went below 160mw, and once it had warmed up it stayed at 200mw most of the way.
DIVERGENCE
I used pseudo's divergence calculator to do the measurement and the result was this: 1.2303143398648 mRd so rounding it off 1.2 mRd
Now for the Laser show guys here you are gonna love this piece of kit and want one for your collection I know for the rest of us then 200mw of BLUE is enough to make use a little weak at the knees
Now I'm no scientist but I'm sure that physics labs would make very good use of this fine piece of kit and at the price they ask for it, you just can't go wrong
These retail at approx 1250 euros for LASERWAVE. Firstly the package came well protected in heavy duty foam packing to protect the laser and after opening it I read the instructions that came with it.
It's powered by 110v-250v so all I had to do was use my universal travel adapter to fire this beauty up
Once I fired it up the beam looked very stable to the eye no signs of mode hopping whatsoever And WOW this is a very beautiful color and at 200mw it's very very bright too, after playing around for a while I shut it down so I could start it from cold and do a power reading on my Andover LPM-1 laser power meter which I will post the Graph below in this thread. The laser started up at 150-164mw and then quickly rose to above 200mw. It peaked at 220.4mw throughout a 4 hour test, the laser never went below 160mw, and once it had warmed up it stayed at 200mw most of the way.
DIVERGENCE
I used pseudo's divergence calculator to do the measurement and the result was this: 1.2303143398648 mRd so rounding it off 1.2 mRd
Now for the Laser show guys here you are gonna love this piece of kit and want one for your collection I know for the rest of us then 200mw of BLUE is enough to make use a little weak at the knees
Now I'm no scientist but I'm sure that physics labs would make very good use of this fine piece of kit and at the price they ask for it, you just can't go wrong
200mW Red Pen Style from DX - Detailed Review
I really enjoy this laser. This is probably the best burner I own, It burns just as well as an open can metered at 211mW. I am sure it is near 200mW as it is noticeably brighter than a 16x burner laser diode running at 200mA. This laser feels like it is well built, it doesn't feel like it is going to fall apart when you set it on a table. The fact that it has an on/off tail cap clicky switch is a huge plus, this makes it super easy to just set down the laser and burn from across the room. Unlike what other people have said, the focusing lens is not loose, it is nice and sturdy. But the biggest advantage of this laser over other lasers is that is $53.80 shipped, this is 20% the price of WL's pulsar and it is near twice the power. To be honest, this thing beats many of the DIY lasers sold here for the same price!
Here
Here
SLD1239JL diode review from StoneTek
Greg was very kind enough to send me a few of his latest diodes and Aixiz modules to play around with.
After seeing Hemlock Mike's findings, I decided to be brave and push one of these to the limit.
I press fitted one of the diodes labeled with the code 'KJ' ( his current diodes) into the Aixiz module with the acrylic lens and opened up the aperture behind the lens with a sharp craft knife, to allow maximum radiation to be focused by the lens assembly.
Power to the diode is supplied to my precision 'Thanador' bench power supply unit (where I specify a maximum current limit and the diode takes whatever voltage it requires to reach that current). Ramp up and ramp down current is 'soft' and user control is coarse and fine.
I heard that Mike was running these diodes at 400mA CW!!! with no active cooling!! I bottled out slightly and set current limit to 385mA (comparable to an open can 20X).
Verdict:
385mA is way too much for the Aixiz housing to control heat, and duty cycle was about 40 secs on, 2 mins off to get some reliable power readings before the housing became very warm to the touch. I intent to knock up a big aluminium (aluminum to you yanks) heatsink tomorrow at work to do any durability testing. My Home made LPM registered 245mW at this current.
Part 2 of my review will be when I insert the module into one of my homebuilt heat sinks with active fan cooling. Let me tell you this, these diodes are like no other closed can I have ever played with. Focus on a freckle on your skin and it will smoke before you feel the pain. I kid you not!!!( I don't recommend to try focusing a quater of a watt of laser to a freckle) but if you are like me , you will try in the name of science !!).
First impressions of these diodes are outstanding but I will not comment more until I do some further testing with some decent cooling to determine how close they are to the limit with some durability runs.
Stay tuned.
Jase
SLD1239JL diode review from StoneTek
After seeing Hemlock Mike's findings, I decided to be brave and push one of these to the limit.
I press fitted one of the diodes labeled with the code 'KJ' ( his current diodes) into the Aixiz module with the acrylic lens and opened up the aperture behind the lens with a sharp craft knife, to allow maximum radiation to be focused by the lens assembly.
Power to the diode is supplied to my precision 'Thanador' bench power supply unit (where I specify a maximum current limit and the diode takes whatever voltage it requires to reach that current). Ramp up and ramp down current is 'soft' and user control is coarse and fine.
I heard that Mike was running these diodes at 400mA CW!!! with no active cooling!! I bottled out slightly and set current limit to 385mA (comparable to an open can 20X).
Verdict:
385mA is way too much for the Aixiz housing to control heat, and duty cycle was about 40 secs on, 2 mins off to get some reliable power readings before the housing became very warm to the touch. I intent to knock up a big aluminium (aluminum to you yanks) heatsink tomorrow at work to do any durability testing. My Home made LPM registered 245mW at this current.
Part 2 of my review will be when I insert the module into one of my homebuilt heat sinks with active fan cooling. Let me tell you this, these diodes are like no other closed can I have ever played with. Focus on a freckle on your skin and it will smoke before you feel the pain. I kid you not!!!( I don't recommend to try focusing a quater of a watt of laser to a freckle) but if you are like me , you will try in the name of science !!).
First impressions of these diodes are outstanding but I will not comment more until I do some further testing with some decent cooling to determine how close they are to the limit with some durability runs.
Stay tuned.
Jase
SLD1239JL diode review from StoneTek
Review of the Deal Extreme 200mW baton style laser
I'd like to review my shiny new Deal Extreme baton style laser. I can't. They sent me the wrong item, I instead recieved a cheap iPhone clone. As you can imagine, I am extroadinarily annoyed, seeing as I have waited about 1.5 months for my 'laser' to be sent. I have e-mailed DX, asking them to send me the correct item and pay for postage back as it is their error.
If this is any consolation DX's customer service and RMA is very good (from my experience). And usually go above and beyond on the postage refund.
Review of the Deal Extreme 200mW baton style laser
If this is any consolation DX's customer service and RMA is very good (from my experience). And usually go above and beyond on the postage refund.
Review of the Deal Extreme 200mW baton style laser
IgorT bluray >100 mW Laser Review
I got the 2 IgorT (offered as >90 mW), actually >100 mW mini Blu-ray lasers Friday July 11 2008! Happy Day!
I have been looking forward to this for a while, I like the looks of this model more than any other Blu-ray laser I have seen. daguin came over with a high power violet, (I think a DrLava build), 90 mW a few weeks ago, and it, also lit the desire for me to have a really high output Blu-ray. I told several members I would write a review on these and I know others have reported the capabilities. I apologize that I still can't take pictures that do any lasers justice, so if I ever get good pictures, I'll post them later. Of course the units overall length will vary slightly with focus position.
Shipping, the package was bubble lined envelope with each laser in bubble wrap, then in the cardboard close fitting box I would guess the host came in. Oh and they were cleverly disguised as Glow in the dark flashlights. The disguise was easy to remove, yet Customs would not be likely to do or see thru it!
The units both have a flawless finish and a very nice smooth grey silver color. One has CREE on it and is very slightly blueish. This helps me tell them apart. I personally think both are beautiful. And at near 4 inches long seem incredibly compact. And weigh a little more than they look like they would. Mine focus very freely, but builder extraordinar, IgorT says that mine have a little different focus ring, (slightly thicker), than most of the others he made. I may never see a better build! The quality is far beyond anything I ever got from CNI or other manufacturers.
My package was in Customs for about 2 weeks, but so worth the wait!
Specs:
Output power 116 mW (Cree), and the 2nd one 119 mW (accuracy about +/- 4 mW) Unlimited Duty cycle! Leave it on as long as you like! IgorT warrantees the Case and driver circuit for LIFE! The 90 day warranty on the LD is great as they are sure to go much longer, and if it ever burns out the work to replace it is free! (after 90 days the diode cost w/b your only cost! What a great warranty! They peak even higher, these are typical readings! And these are with the acrylic lenses, jut wait! Glass 405 nm Custom lenses are sure to go higher.
Do wear eye protection! and use with care, these are powerful!
Length about 104 mm with Glow in the Dark lens cap on. (Supplied with Laser)
Diameter about 20.3 mm (end near exit aperture), button end slightly smaller.
Also supplied with mine was a line generating lens that works for "liquid sky" effects. And extra G.I.T.D. and black lens covers. I have never been so pleased with any laser these are just awesome builds and the most unique and well engineered of any laser made by anyone I have ever seen!
Offer LinK: http://www.laserpointerforums.com/fo...num=1210968450
A few things this laser can do;
Cuts holes in bright white computer paper!
Lights trick Birthday candles, and (of course) matches, any color!
Gorgeous Purple beam!
Fluorescent (dayglow) items so bright you need dark glasses!
Smokes and etches any plastic I have tried.
HP Blu-rays may play tricks on your eyes.
I see a red circle around the dot, while at the same time my wife sees red center with violet circle when dot is on many kinds of green leaves. She is near sighted I am far-sighted and the leafs have some red florescence so maybe thats why.
IgorT bluray >100 mW Laser Review
I have been looking forward to this for a while, I like the looks of this model more than any other Blu-ray laser I have seen. daguin came over with a high power violet, (I think a DrLava build), 90 mW a few weeks ago, and it, also lit the desire for me to have a really high output Blu-ray. I told several members I would write a review on these and I know others have reported the capabilities. I apologize that I still can't take pictures that do any lasers justice, so if I ever get good pictures, I'll post them later. Of course the units overall length will vary slightly with focus position.
Shipping, the package was bubble lined envelope with each laser in bubble wrap, then in the cardboard close fitting box I would guess the host came in. Oh and they were cleverly disguised as Glow in the dark flashlights. The disguise was easy to remove, yet Customs would not be likely to do or see thru it!
The units both have a flawless finish and a very nice smooth grey silver color. One has CREE on it and is very slightly blueish. This helps me tell them apart. I personally think both are beautiful. And at near 4 inches long seem incredibly compact. And weigh a little more than they look like they would. Mine focus very freely, but builder extraordinar, IgorT says that mine have a little different focus ring, (slightly thicker), than most of the others he made. I may never see a better build! The quality is far beyond anything I ever got from CNI or other manufacturers.
My package was in Customs for about 2 weeks, but so worth the wait!
Specs:
Output power 116 mW (Cree), and the 2nd one 119 mW (accuracy about +/- 4 mW) Unlimited Duty cycle! Leave it on as long as you like! IgorT warrantees the Case and driver circuit for LIFE! The 90 day warranty on the LD is great as they are sure to go much longer, and if it ever burns out the work to replace it is free! (after 90 days the diode cost w/b your only cost! What a great warranty! They peak even higher, these are typical readings! And these are with the acrylic lenses, jut wait! Glass 405 nm Custom lenses are sure to go higher.
Do wear eye protection! and use with care, these are powerful!
Length about 104 mm with Glow in the Dark lens cap on. (Supplied with Laser)
Diameter about 20.3 mm (end near exit aperture), button end slightly smaller.
Also supplied with mine was a line generating lens that works for "liquid sky" effects. And extra G.I.T.D. and black lens covers. I have never been so pleased with any laser these are just awesome builds and the most unique and well engineered of any laser made by anyone I have ever seen!
Offer LinK: http://www.laserpointerforums.com/fo...num=1210968450
A few things this laser can do;
Cuts holes in bright white computer paper!
Lights trick Birthday candles, and (of course) matches, any color!
Gorgeous Purple beam!
Fluorescent (dayglow) items so bright you need dark glasses!
Smokes and etches any plastic I have tried.
HP Blu-rays may play tricks on your eyes.
I see a red circle around the dot, while at the same time my wife sees red center with violet circle when dot is on many kinds of green leaves. She is near sighted I am far-sighted and the leafs have some red florescence so maybe thats why.
IgorT bluray >100 mW Laser Review
Nova lasers x150 review!
As soon as I got it, I popped in some nearly dead, crappy alkaline generic brand that i found in a remote. Just until I got some good ones. Even with these batteries, my jaw LITERALLY dropped. I saw a solid beam in a brightly lit room. I was in awe!
First thing I did was shine it on my arm... Ouch!
After that I quickly realized that I really need some goggles. I started getting a headache within 5 minutes.
I don't think it burns very well. I haven't tried matches or balloons yet but it doesn't do a very good job with bags or anything from a few feet away. but maybe i'm not noticing, or i'm not steady enough or something. Who knows! I'm going to get the lens holder/collimator to help with burning as it's only 20 bucks. i'll order that when i get my goggles. good idea?
First thing I did was shine it on my arm... Ouch!
After that I quickly realized that I really need some goggles. I started getting a headache within 5 minutes.
I don't think it burns very well. I haven't tried matches or balloons yet but it doesn't do a very good job with bags or anything from a few feet away. but maybe i'm not noticing, or i'm not steady enough or something. Who knows! I'm going to get the lens holder/collimator to help with burning as it's only 20 bucks. i'll order that when i get my goggles. good idea?
30mW Romisen Laser
After owning both types, don't waste your time with a "True" laser, it's too much down to luck if you will get a good one, and to RMA it, is just not worth the effort + money. Mine was very temperature sensitive and a low output power. I dread to think what the 'untrue' ones are like. But some have been happy with their "Trues" - But I stress that is in the minority.
Go for a Romisen anyday - I've not had one of the two models you've listed, but one very similar from a while back: http://www.laserenthusiast.com/forum...read.php?t=613
I'd stab a guess that they all have the same laser module, just in a different case.
Also, you can use rechargeable CR123's in most of the Romisens, which I see as a plus
Click Here
Go for a Romisen anyday - I've not had one of the two models you've listed, but one very similar from a while back: http://www.laserenthusiast.com/forum...read.php?t=613
I'd stab a guess that they all have the same laser module, just in a different case.
Also, you can use rechargeable CR123's in most of the Romisens, which I see as a plus
Click Here
Review of 150mW focusable portable laser from Kaidomain
Whats up laser freaks,
Here it is, straight from here:http://www.kaidomain.com/WEBUI/Produ...px?TranID=4351
As you know, there isn't many adjustable focus green pointers out there, and I always wanted one, so I took a risk and ordered this low cost, high power pointer.
I got it today, and here are few impressions and test results.
First, it looks nice (although that's a thing of personal taste),and even though it resembles RPL and PGL style lasers, it is A LOT smaller. It feels good in the hand and size makes it great for carrying around.
It takes one 18650 battery, just like RPL. It has nice rotating shutter by the front much like PGL lasers. Momentary ON button is located right behind little blue LED hat lights up only when laser is engaged. Battery comes with the laser, as well as a case strategically labeled "Green Laser Pointer"
It has 3 pin T-3 connector on the back which is necessary for engaging the momentary ON/OF button. There is no delay in diode engagement, so it outputs the moment you push the button. I think that is great thing, and I'm glad they didn't copy that delay feature from CNI's models.
Here is quick pros/cons/specs i discovered so far.
Pros:
-Looks and feels good!
- Cheap and powerful, with quite stable beam ( read more on this below)
-Adjustable focus feels good and it makes sense in my opinion. Makes 2.5 turns!
(when ring is turned all the way in one direction it is best collimation, so you don't have to look for best collimation somewhere in the middle when you want it.)
Collimation:
(my measuring is not 100% accurate, but it is in this range ! )
Min. beam divergence measured at 25m = 1.1mRad-1.3mRad
Max projected dot size at 6m = 20x25cm
Convergence : yes!
Beam diameter 1mm-1.2mm
Dot at close range (6m or less) appears to be perfectly round, and very nice, with very clean lens. No scatter what so ever. However, when I twist the ring all the way to the other side and make dot as big as it can be, it is noticeable that it is oval. It measures 20cm x 25cm at distance of 6m. See the photo. It does not appear to be changing as in -mode changing. If it is slight mode shift, it is very slow and minuscule, and it never splits the dot. I will report here if I notice any other related things.
I had the laser for 1-4 minutes at the time. Here are some power measurements:
Tools used:
-Brand New Coherent Laser Check (CLC)
-Kenom Thermal Power meter (KTPM)
-10x10cm IR filter from Dragon lasers
Both units agree: Without external IR filter:
150-168 within first 60sec.
with external IR filter
148-158mW
Power drops down after 2-3 minutes with fresh battery to 70-80mW, and then I turned it off. Same happens sooner (about 40-80 sec.) if battery isn't fresh or isn't rested. Heat sink doesn't get warm, which can mean it is inefficient!
This IR is puzzling me as I expected much lower output measuring with external IR filter.
It this unit seem to output only ~10mW of IR ! I tried two different IR filters from DL. Unless DL IR filters don't block IR :-) I doubt that!
I visually compared my 75-80mW Executive pointer (with iR filter)from WL and this laser, and there is noticable difference in beam visibility. Kaido150 has much brighter beam.
Cons:
No IR filter - as advertised.
Beam comes out of the laser under slight angle. Its not very noticeable, but its there
Front rotating shutter is not as tight as everything else (being little too picky here :-))
No ability to converge the beam for increased burning pleasures. (This is also a very good feature as you don't need to look for best collimation point)
Heat sink questionable so far. Not getting warm much when laser exhibits tiredness after longer ON period.
very good deal in my opinion considering safe and free shipping, and price vs. power/features .
Here it is, straight from here:http://www.kaidomain.com/WEBUI/Produ...px?TranID=4351
As you know, there isn't many adjustable focus green pointers out there, and I always wanted one, so I took a risk and ordered this low cost, high power pointer.
I got it today, and here are few impressions and test results.
First, it looks nice (although that's a thing of personal taste),and even though it resembles RPL and PGL style lasers, it is A LOT smaller. It feels good in the hand and size makes it great for carrying around.
It takes one 18650 battery, just like RPL. It has nice rotating shutter by the front much like PGL lasers. Momentary ON button is located right behind little blue LED hat lights up only when laser is engaged. Battery comes with the laser, as well as a case strategically labeled "Green Laser Pointer"
It has 3 pin T-3 connector on the back which is necessary for engaging the momentary ON/OF button. There is no delay in diode engagement, so it outputs the moment you push the button. I think that is great thing, and I'm glad they didn't copy that delay feature from CNI's models.
Here is quick pros/cons/specs i discovered so far.
Pros:
-Looks and feels good!
- Cheap and powerful, with quite stable beam ( read more on this below)
-Adjustable focus feels good and it makes sense in my opinion. Makes 2.5 turns!
(when ring is turned all the way in one direction it is best collimation, so you don't have to look for best collimation somewhere in the middle when you want it.)
Collimation:
(my measuring is not 100% accurate, but it is in this range ! )
Min. beam divergence measured at 25m = 1.1mRad-1.3mRad
Max projected dot size at 6m = 20x25cm
Convergence : yes!
Beam diameter 1mm-1.2mm
Dot at close range (6m or less) appears to be perfectly round, and very nice, with very clean lens. No scatter what so ever. However, when I twist the ring all the way to the other side and make dot as big as it can be, it is noticeable that it is oval. It measures 20cm x 25cm at distance of 6m. See the photo. It does not appear to be changing as in -mode changing. If it is slight mode shift, it is very slow and minuscule, and it never splits the dot. I will report here if I notice any other related things.
I had the laser for 1-4 minutes at the time. Here are some power measurements:
Tools used:
-Brand New Coherent Laser Check (CLC)
-Kenom Thermal Power meter (KTPM)
-10x10cm IR filter from Dragon lasers
Both units agree: Without external IR filter:
150-168 within first 60sec.
with external IR filter
148-158mW
Power drops down after 2-3 minutes with fresh battery to 70-80mW, and then I turned it off. Same happens sooner (about 40-80 sec.) if battery isn't fresh or isn't rested. Heat sink doesn't get warm, which can mean it is inefficient!
This IR is puzzling me as I expected much lower output measuring with external IR filter.
It this unit seem to output only ~10mW of IR ! I tried two different IR filters from DL. Unless DL IR filters don't block IR :-) I doubt that!
I visually compared my 75-80mW Executive pointer (with iR filter)from WL and this laser, and there is noticable difference in beam visibility. Kaido150 has much brighter beam.
Cons:
No IR filter - as advertised.
Beam comes out of the laser under slight angle. Its not very noticeable, but its there
Front rotating shutter is not as tight as everything else (being little too picky here :-))
No ability to converge the beam for increased burning pleasures. (This is also a very good feature as you don't need to look for best collimation point)
Heat sink questionable so far. Not getting warm much when laser exhibits tiredness after longer ON period.
very good deal in my opinion considering safe and free shipping, and price vs. power/features .
Novalasers Alpha 125 Baseline Laser Review.
Ok...
Here is my promised review of the Novalasers Alpha 125.
A while back, I decided that I was going to try and conduct a few more reviews of various lasers to try and help people make informed decisions about the products out there.
My first laser review turned into an absolute NIGHTMARE with my review of the Destructive gear Pyro 100.
I made a decision that any further reviews would require me to have a single Ref. laser to use as a baseline for comparison.
I contacted Novalasers, and informed them of my requirements.
I asked them for something special.
True TEM00 mode.
Good (Low) Divergence
Average and peak power to be High..but most important..these two numbers were to be as close together as possible.
Stability was the goal here!
I told them that I was willing to Wait as long as needed for a laser that met those specifications.
You may be asking me why I didn't simply buy a lab laser for stability.
2 reasons for not doing this.
First, I did not think that it was fair to compare a Labby to a portable.
I wanted to have a level playing field, and the one thing all portables have in common is that they have no constant power supply to keem them lasing!
I felt that how any individual laser handles the limited capaciity of their batteries was a factor that needed to be compared, when discussing Portables.
If I were planning on reviewing Labbys..I would have bought a good labby to compare them to.
Secondly...Since I was spending my own money...I wanted a Portable!.......
After many contacts with Nova..they finally told me that they had found the laser I had been waiting for.
135.8 average 138.6 peak with a very LOW divergence, and perfect TEM00 operation!
With this information in hand..I locked in the laser, and ordered it that day!
I again used TNT shipping...and can honestly say..that for 26 bucks..I have no idea how TNT can deliver a laser from Toronto Canada to Oklahoma City in 22 hours!
If tnt shipping is ever an option for you..Take it...Worth every penny!
When the laser arrived, the very first thing that hit me was how much larger the case of the Alpha was over the case for my X-105!
I knew the laser was bigger..but until I had the thing in my hand, I really had no idea how much larger this laser was!!!
Here are a few pictures comparing the size compared to my X-105
Here is my promised review of the Novalasers Alpha 125.
A while back, I decided that I was going to try and conduct a few more reviews of various lasers to try and help people make informed decisions about the products out there.
My first laser review turned into an absolute NIGHTMARE with my review of the Destructive gear Pyro 100.
I made a decision that any further reviews would require me to have a single Ref. laser to use as a baseline for comparison.
I contacted Novalasers, and informed them of my requirements.
I asked them for something special.
True TEM00 mode.
Good (Low) Divergence
Average and peak power to be High..but most important..these two numbers were to be as close together as possible.
Stability was the goal here!
I told them that I was willing to Wait as long as needed for a laser that met those specifications.
You may be asking me why I didn't simply buy a lab laser for stability.
2 reasons for not doing this.
First, I did not think that it was fair to compare a Labby to a portable.
I wanted to have a level playing field, and the one thing all portables have in common is that they have no constant power supply to keem them lasing!
I felt that how any individual laser handles the limited capaciity of their batteries was a factor that needed to be compared, when discussing Portables.
If I were planning on reviewing Labbys..I would have bought a good labby to compare them to.
Secondly...Since I was spending my own money...I wanted a Portable!.......
After many contacts with Nova..they finally told me that they had found the laser I had been waiting for.
135.8 average 138.6 peak with a very LOW divergence, and perfect TEM00 operation!
With this information in hand..I locked in the laser, and ordered it that day!
I again used TNT shipping...and can honestly say..that for 26 bucks..I have no idea how TNT can deliver a laser from Toronto Canada to Oklahoma City in 22 hours!
If tnt shipping is ever an option for you..Take it...Worth every penny!
When the laser arrived, the very first thing that hit me was how much larger the case of the Alpha was over the case for my X-105!
I knew the laser was bigger..but until I had the thing in my hand, I really had no idea how much larger this laser was!!!
Here are a few pictures comparing the size compared to my X-105
Laser Pointer
Background
The laser pointer is a low cost portable laser that can be carried in the hand. It is designed for use during presentations to point out areas of the slide or picture being presented, replacing a hand held wooden stick or extendable metal pointer. It is superior over older pointers because it can be used from several hundred feet away in a darkened area and because it produces a bright spot of light precisely where the user desires. It has also caught on as an all-purpose pointing tool and has become so commonplace that laws have been passed to restrict its use.
History
Technically, the word laser is an acronym that stands for "light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation," but the term has become so commonly used that it is no longer capitalized. The radiation is the light that is emitted from the laser; this light can be visible or invisible to the human eye. Technically, only some lasers use light amplification, but the name laser is still used for a device that produces monochromatic (all one color or wavelength), coherent (the light waves are similar enough to move in one direction) radiation.
All lasers have a lasing medium, a source of energy, and a resonator. The lasing medium is a material that can be pumped (energized) by an energy source (such as light or electricity) to a higher energy state. After being pumped, the lasing medium can release that energy as monochromatic radiation. The resonator is an area that allows the released energy to build up before being released. A basic resonator is a pair of mirrors at either end of the lasing medium. One mirror is completely reflective so that all light striking it reflects back into the lasing medium; the other is partially reflective so that some of the light striking it reflects back into the lasing medium and some of the light passes through it to exit the laser. The pair of mirrors causes the light to reflect back-and-forth through the lasing medium and align itself in one direction, which produces the coherency of the light.
The theory used to produce lasers was published in 1958 by researchers at Bell Labs. The first laser, built in 1960 at Hughes Aircraft, used a piece of ruby for a lasing medium, light for an energy source, and mirrors to produce a resonator. The semiconductor laser was invented in 1962. It used a semiconductor material, similar to the materials used in transistors and integrated circuits for a lasing medium. It also used direct current (DC) electricity, the current produced by batteries, for an energy source. It still used resonator mirrors. The first semiconductor lasers produced non-visible infrared radiation. Current semiconductor lasers can also produce visible light, with red being the least expensive type of semiconductor laser and green, blue, and violet being increasingly more expensive. Semiconductor lasers used in laser pointers are also known as diode lasers, because they are a type of semiconductor diode. A diode passes electricity easily in one direction; light emitting diodes and laser diodes produce light when electricity passes through them. Semiconductor electronics have become less expensive to produce since the late 1950s. They have also become smaller and require less energy. They became inexpensive enough to be used in consumer electronic devices such as laser pointers in the 1980s. Current laser diodes are the size of a blood cell. They produce light that is less collimated (moving all in one direction) than most lasers because the shortness of the resonator space. Because of this, they need some sort of external optics (lenses) to focus the light into a tighter beam. Laser diodes, like many semiconductor devices, are delicate and need to be protected from the environment and from power surges. Power control circuitry, which usually includes a photodiode (a diode that produces electricity when light strikes it) to monitor the output of the laser diode, prevents the diode from receiving too much or too little power. The diode is protected from the environment by a plastic case so that is resembles most other semiconductor devices that are used on circuit boards.
The first laser pointers cost hundreds of dollars, but the demand and improved methods of fabrication have resulted in a price below five dollars for the most inexpensive types. There are also several items which incorporate laser pointers, or at least the components, such as laser sights for guns and projectors with built-in laser pointers.
Raw Materials
A laser diode is less complicated than many types of consumer electronic equipment. It consists of a laser diode, a circuit board, a case, optics, and a case. Some of the electrical components on the circuit board and the laser diode are made of semiconductor materials, metals, and ceramics. The semiconductor materials include compounds (materials made of more than one pure element) made of aluminum, gallium, arsenic, phosphorus, indium, and similar elements. These compounds are used in a variety of semiconductor products. Semiconductors also contain metals such as aluminum, gold, and tantalum.
The circuit board is typically made of a resin (plastic) such as epoxy with glass fibers in it to strengthen it. Electricity is conducted to the various components on the circuit board with lines of metal such as aluminum and copper. Individual components placed on the circuit board include diodes, the laser diode, capacitors, and resistors. Semiconductor parts, such as the diodes are encapsulated in plastic with metal leads that are connected to metal pads on the circuit board with solder (a metal alloy traditionally made of tin and lead, but now containing less lead and other metals as substitutes). Non-semiconductor parts, such as resistors and capacitors, are made of a variety of metals, plastics, and ceramics (including glass).
The collimating optics can be glass, but less expensive acrylic plastics are used in most laser pointers. The case can be made of any material, such as metal, plastic, or even wood. It contains metal (usually brass) contacts for the batteries.
Design
The design of the laser pointer depends on the electrical requirements of the laser diode, the desired lifetime of the power supply, and the drive to produce smaller consumer products. The smallest laser pointers are less than two inches in length, but some laser pointers are designed to look like pens. The longer laser pointers can hold AAA or AA batteries, which provide a longer lasting power supply than the watch batteries used in the shorter laser pointers. Most laser pointers use two or three batteries.
The Manufacturing
Process
The red laser pointer is the most common laser pointer. Other laser pointers use different laser diode assemblies, but are produced in a similar fashion, so the red laser pointer manufacturing process and diagram are used in this article.
The laser diode
The laser diode is produced in a semiconductor fab (a factory where semiconductor materials are produced in very clean and carefully controlled conditions). The substrate is the base material on which other materials will be deposited. A wafer of the substrate is produced, cleaned, and prepared. Then it goes through several steps where layers of material are deposited on it. Some of these layers are only several atoms thick. These layers can be conductive (metals such as aluminum and gold) or semiconductors (as described above). These layers can also be altered by exposure to other chemicals. After all materials are added to the wafer, it is diced (cut apart, usually into rectangular sections) into individual diodes. The diodes are tested either on the wafer or after separation, and nonfunctioning ones are scrapped (thrown away). Working laser diodes are then packaged in a plastic container with metal leads for electrical connection.
The circuit board
The circuit board contains the circuitry that makes the laser pointer function. It contains the switch, the laser diode, and the components of the control circuitry, typically a photodiode, diodes, resistors, and capacitors. These parts are placed on the circuit board, sometimes with an adhesive, and then are soldered in place. Soldering is a process where two metal objects are placed in contact and solder is melted around them so that when it cools, it surrounds both of them and holds them together. Solder is used instead of glue because it sticks to metal and because it conducts heat and electricity.
The collimating optics
The collimating optics in a laser pointer consist of a single lens that focuses the cone of light exiting the laser diode into a narrower beam that produces a narrower spot over a longer distance. Plastic lenses are injection molded, a process wherein molten plastic is forced into a mold. The plastic cools and solidifies, then the mold is pulled apart and the lens is removed. It is ground and polished to a smooth surface so that the light from the laser diode will not bounce off of imperfections on the surface.
The laser diode assembly
The laser diode and the collimating optics are put together with a plastic holder to form the laser diode assembly. Most laser diode assemblies have a metal spring attached at the back. This spring makes contact with the batteries in the laser diode and is part of the circuit that draws electricity from the batteries.
Case construction and final
assembly
The case is a tube with space for the laser diode assembly and the batteries. The laser diode assembly is pushed or screwed into one end of the case. The interior of the case is made of brass or has a brass strip (glued or riveted in place) running down the battery space. The battery space end piece also has an exposed brass area or is made of brass. When this end piece is pushed or screwed into the case, it contacts the other side of the batteries to complete the electrical circuit that allows electricity to flow from the batteries to the laser diode assembly.
The case also has a switch button (a piece of plastic sticking through a hole cut in the side of the case) that must be pushed and held for the laser pointer to work. When this button is pushed, the switch on the circuit board closes, electricity flows from the batteries to the laser pointer assembly, and the laser pointer produces a beam of light.
After the laser pointer is assembled and tested, a safety label is added. This label describes the rating of the laser in terms of power output, notes which regulations govern its use, and warns the user to avoid direct eye exposure.
Quality Control
A semiconductor manufacturer uses highly controlled processes that have been developed in laboratories and then transferred to the fabrication facility. Laser diodes are tested to make sure that they work after fabrication as well. Each other component is also tested to make sure that it works. Most manufacturing facilities will randomly test their products and use statistical control methods to provide quality products.
When the laser diode assembly or the laser pointer is finally assembled it will be powered and tested with a light detecting device, such as a photodiode, to measure its power output. Laser pointers are Type IIIA laser devices and must produce 5 mW (milliwatt, one thousandth of a watt) of power or less for the United States market. Laser pointers for the European market are typically Class II laser devices and must produce less than 1 mW. These restrictions are for safety purposes.
Byproducts/Waste
Laser pointers contain metals, plastics, and electronic parts. Each of those industries has specific waste byproducts (solvents, halocarbon gases, lead, chemicals), but laser pointer assembly has no specific wastes until the laser pointer is disposed of. A laser pointer contains small amounts of hazardous materials, such as lead and some toxic semiconductors. Like other electronic assemblies, it may be safer for the environment in the long term to recycle the components, though this is expensive and there are few programs in place to recycle or reuse electronics. This may change in the future.
The Future
Red laser pointers are the least expensive and most common today. Green laser pointers have more complicated laser diode assemblies and cost hundreds of dollars. Blue and violet laser pointers will be available soon at a higher price. Newer laser diode types come down in price as production volumes increase in order to keep up with demand, and as production processes improve. Laws that restrict laser pointer use may counteract this trend by causing a drop in demand as laser pointers are banned from public places.
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