The best laser from lazerer?

not to hijack....just a quick safety question (not found in forum...yet) regarding IR since the topic popped up.
Wanted to know if disperses sporadically or is it still confined with the beam?
I am sure it could easily defract invisibly and disperse into eyes, but is it generally "wild" or localized with the visible light?

Purely curiosity as I intend to goggle up.

irritatediance said:

not to hijack....just a quick safety question (not found in forum...yet) regarding IR since the topic popped up.
Wanted to know if disperses sporadically or is it still confined with the beam?
I am sure it could easily defract invisibly and disperse into eyes, but is it generally "wild" or localized with the visible light?

Purely curiosity as I intend to goggle up.

Click to expand...

that's a question i also would ask. is the ir lased or not?

cheech226 said:

that's a question i also would ask. is the ir lased or not?

Click to expand...

It stays relatively close with the laser, Sometimes if there is a lot of IR, you can see deformation in the dot. Usually in high powered ones.

irritatediance said:

not to hijack....just a quick safety question (not found in forum...yet) regarding IR since the topic popped up.
Wanted to know if disperses sporadically or is it still confined with the beam?
I am sure it could easily defract invisibly and disperse into eyes, but is it generally "wild" or localized with the visible light?

Purely curiosity as I intend to goggle up.

Click to expand...

cheech226 said:

that's a question i also would ask. is the ir lased or not?

Click to expand...

Foshizzle45 said:

It stays relatively close with the laser, Sometimes if there is a lot of IR, you can see deformation in the dot. Usually in high powered ones.

Click to expand...

It really varies laser to laser. Generally the IR is nowhere near as collimated as as the visible green component.

In most cases the IR will form a larger invisible dot around the visible one.

In terms of safety, if you're using the laser outside, or for pointing at objects at a distance of say 10 feet at minimum you will be fine... as long as you avoid reflections. The danger comes from the fact that most goggles do not block IR, as a result you may think you are protected and wave the laser around like crazy (always a bad idea) and catch a reflection, figuring, "what the heck I have my goggles on..." and the goggles will block the green light, but not the IR.

You also won't feel or see anything from IR... your retina has no nerve receptors to feel pain (iirc, could be wrong about this) but you will damage your vision.

Personally inside I don't look at dots of over 100mW lasers from closer that 5 feet. At the same time I look at beams all the time without looking at the dot...

Overall it really depends on personal user choices, on whether IR ever has to be a concern or not. I have 5 IR filters, and side from using them for testing, I don't use them, but again... I don't burn with green lasers, and don't look at dots from up close.

@Foshizzle45 - Site reference for your statement please... there is no way at all to tell IR content visually from looking at a green laser beam, I could be wrong though, wouldn't be the first time, so reference?

InfinitusEquitas said:

It really varies laser to laser. Generally the IR is nowhere near as collimated as as the visible green component.

In most cases the IR will form a larger invisible dot around the visible one.

In terms of safety, if you're using the laser outside, or for pointing at objects at a distance of say 10 feet at minimum you will be fine... as long as you avoid reflections. The danger comes from the fact that most goggles do not block IR, as a result you may think you are protected and wave the laser around like crazy (always a bad idea) and catch a reflection, figuring, "what the heck I have my goggles on..." and the goggles will block the green light, but not the IR.

You also won't feel or see anything from IR... your retina has no nerve receptors to feel pain (iirc, could be wrong about this) but you will damage your vision.

Personally inside I don't look at dots of over 100mW lasers from closer that 5 feet. At the same time I look at beams all the time without looking at the dot...

Overall it really depends on personal user choices, on whether IR ever has to be a concern or not. I have 5 IR filters, and side from using them for testing, I don't use them, but again... I don't burn with green lasers, and don't look at dots from up close.

@Foshizzle45 - Site reference for your statement please... there is no way at all to tell IR content visually from looking at a green laser beam, I could be wrong though, wouldn't be the first time, so reference?

Click to expand...

It was on a youtube video, so i may be incorrect, but it was a review, and someone was complaining about their dot being deformed, so people where trying to help him and they said that the IR could be effecting it, or maybe it was the IR filter? I cant remember exactly what was stated.

wow, cant believe i didnt see this thread until now
@ fosh
im in the same boat as you right now
you should get it, i guarentee you wont regret it
i already made up my mind, but i still have to find a way to let my parents let me buy a $200 laser

@irritatedince
you should wait and jump on RHD's DD group buy round 2 if he does

this is the thread for group buy #1
http://laserpointerforums.com/f55/g...2nm-149-go-collecting-contact-info-65565.html