Nova- X series versus Alpha

I haven't seen any talk of Nova's Alpha lasers on this forum.

Is that itself comment on their not being worth the extra expense? I am tempted by them due to the claimed doubled duty cycle (albeit you have to allow double the time to cool off), and that they take AAs rather than AAAs- yes this means it's larger, but hardly lacking in portability, and I wonder if it doesn't impart some greater durability to it, as well.

The included key lock I am not ultra bothered about, though I think on balance I'd rather have one.

One thing that isn't obvious, is fitting optical devices to it. Nova sell a mount for the X series, but not for the alpha, and it isn't stated anywhere that you will or won't be able to use optical devices directly, without an alpha equivalent to this mount. Having seen some of the photos on this forum, especially of the DG Mega Matrix, and the fan-like flat plane effect.

Well, I can tell you that Nova has plans on sending one to me for review, but also I can tell you that they will custom make any diffraction gratings to fit whatever laser you own - all you have to do is give them the dimensions, and prepay(I imagine, although I do not know what their payment policy is) and then you would receive it.

I hope to receive the Alpha sometime soon...

Ah, what marvellous timing. Whatever power you get, my queries will be answered, since I'm intrigued by the range as a whole (I'll probably get the 65mW of it or the equivalent X).

One other thing, if you could check when you're able, is how amenable they would be to the heatsink mod for extending duty cycle? Cheers in advance

Well I dont have an Aplha but I do have Lucent Optics version called the "Envee" which is the same Laser, I did have a review on it over at LC which I was going to put over here once my post count was high enough but it was deleted when the re did their forum and I have not had the time to write another one.....

Its a great laser and I like the size and the fact it takes AA means high capacity Nimh work great, my 2800 virtually give the same performance as the Lithiums.

The Closeable Aperture at the front makes it a great laser to carry around.

If you want when I get home I can post some pics up (not that great as was taken with my old camera)

Merlous - glad you got a decent unit fron Lucent....it seems I have heard way too many stories of bad experiences with them - possibly it was merely their company, and not the products ? I dunno - Pics would be great, plus any ideas you have had about things to do with it....

Speak to Psuedo, he's got them direct from CNI and he said they were'nt too good.
i was also interested in them.
until pseudo said they weren't too good.
Jonno

Bit of a coincidence this as Pseudo and I were on about this last night....

Mine is a freak that delivers 136mW at peak then slowly drops as it heats up, not found it to be inconsistent as such and not had any problems with it.

Lucent themselves were very good, fast communications and very helpfull, I did get mine direct from them off Ebay as it was a freak but can't fault them so far. TBH not heard anything bad about them until just now, as they test their units before shipping them out, unless its to do with their returns or if you read the line below maybe thats it.....

I think the problem's with fluctuating power is why Lucent now sell them in bands of mW i.e 60-80mW as they come from CNI like that, which could be from what I gathered with talking to Pseudo why he doesnt rate them.

Correct me if I am wrong here but I am sure from what I have learnt mainly from Psuedo is CNI only make upto 80mW in green's in that range and anything over is to be considered a freak.

Will try and get some pics up tonight but will def have them up over the weekend

Senkat what exact do you mean with "any idea's you have had about things to do with it..."?

Apart from the usual of pointing, lighting matches, taking pictures, impressing & annoying what we call lucky lucky men who sell fake sunglasses and watches and also $1 red laser pointer sellers (they sell them much higher) that come round at night while you are trying to have a drink at an outside bar while on holliday. There is nothing like a bright green laser beam shinning up through the air onto the rear wall of the hotel to deflate their sales pitch away

Oh - well what I meant was like any particular "unique" things you can do with that one that you cannot do with a regular pen style...I was kinda grasping for ideas for my upcoming review, TBH !

Also, other than my heavily jaded opinion of their loudest supporter, the one item that sticks out in my mind was Crailtap25's laser...he went through two underspec'd units before finally getting a refund from them - his supposed 120mw one, hand picked, was putting out barely 70mw IIRC.....and that was BOTH units.... Just using that one example is how I kinda tend to agree with Pseudo's claims that indeed, I am certain there are good units out there, but the others I have seen have not impressed me, as their output was all over the place I am NOT hammering your laser - not by a long shot - I could really care less who sells what, as long as it works, and you enjoy it - am I making sense ? not trying to come down on specifically Lucent, and trying to boost NOVA - as I have never had any personal dealings with Lucent, so it is an unfair comparison. I'll shut up now, before I confuse myself even more !

SenKat I get you now, hmm will think about that while I write this reply

Senkat I kow ur not hammering my laser well you better not be I dont know how well it will stand upto a hammer boom boom

Bad joke I know.

Sounds like this class of laser is suffering the WL syndrome some good ones and some bad ones. I know Lucent have a Coherent lasercheck and started to sell their laser's in a band not a def mW so maybe that is the reason why they started doing this. Hmm just went to their site and its had a major overhaul.

I have been lucky from the sounds of it or LO improved and I got a good one.

The only reason I went with Lucent was the price and I had heard good stuff about them, also Nova wasnt about then or I had not come across them....

Price wise though I would be tempted to go with the X series, that and stability issues that have been mentioned about the Alpha but as Nova check their lasers and issue a graph there shouldnt be any worries on that and I have only heard great things about them so far. Oh and if you get an X series you could go for a higher spec one and if you puch the price up a bit more get the lens attachment too which i think looks cool and will help with any burning and cool tricks.

Still thinking SenKat, it got nicknamed the cannon by my mate and I was thinking of using it in a fancy dress costume and going as a MIB but other than that I am at a loss sorry, oh the dongle does usually prevent it from rolling off a table and it has a bit that you can attach a strap too but thats very fiddly (I manged it eventually using my old camera strap). Nope thats it sorry, will keep thinking though. Oh and dont do what I did, I threw it in my pocket and somehow the dongle came out and is lost forever on the sunny Island of Tenerife or in the Taxi drivers car......

Oh Senkat do you know if Nova would make a Lens attachment for a spyderII as I have way too much on my plate atm to try and retrofit my own.....

I dunno if they would do a lens attachment or not, but I am certain they will make some difraction gratings that fit it Send them an email - sales@novalasers.com see what they say Uhm...I would not recommend posting pics of a NOVA difraction grating set on LC though....LOL

I've got an Alpha 105. Received in the 3rd week of July. Don't burn things with it, don't run it for more than a few seconds at a time. So far so good.

Please post some pics
Senkat, maybe you shopuld ask Nova bout that review.
If we had some certainty abouth them, they might see there sales rising up a bit.
I would definitely purchase an Alpha over an X if the quality was the same.
Maybe Nova's are more stable, I don't know
Jonno

Re: Nova- X series versus Alpha + Pic's

Well not had chance to write a review yet but here are some pics that you have been asking for....

All of these were downsized to 800x600 as they were very big especially the new ones as they were taken at 8mp

Original photo's of Envee (Alpha) when I first got it:

Envee with keys and original 2.5mm jack:


Size comparison shot with SpyderII:


New Photo's

Envee on its own:




B&W:


Back to Colour(Yes I am English):



Otterbox & Envee:


Otterbox & Envee with Lithiums & own 2.5mm Jack plug (lost my original one):


Beam Shots (normal exposure, no flash):

Into the Sky


At my Garden Wall:



Rotated:


Well there you go, might of gone a bit overboard.....

Hope you enjoy

When Pseudo's package arives with a CNI 808nm and a couple of Core's and Dragon Case's I can do another size comparison shot for you as the CNI 808nm is the same as the X-Series except my one will be a bit longer as it will have the Key Lock on it. Hopefully will get them by middle to end of next week.

Comidt said:

Please post some pics
Senkat, maybe you shopuld ask Nova bout that review.
If we had some certainty abouth them, they might see there sales rising up a bit.
I would definitely purchase an Alpha over an X if the quality was the same.
Maybe Nova's are more stable, I don't know
Jonno

Click to expand...

I am expecting a reply on Monday - I know they want to send me a "laoner" NOVA series to review - I cannot keep that one, as it is just WAY outta my budget to do so ! And I think they would kinda be nutso to GIVE me a $1000 laser LOL...no offense inteded towards them, of course !

I did ask specifically about the Alpha series in my email to them - I will keep everyone updated on the status of that as soon as I hear back from them again....

Cool Pics
Yeah, I hope they will send an Alpha soon.
Do they come in the nice case and stuff?
$80 extra for the alpha seems worth it, for the double battery life and uty cycle

Which power laser were they going to send? :-?

That would be a very cool review I'm sure... make sure you show us balloon popping and match lighting

--DDL