Cheap and cheerful lenses!

Two finds from the Dark Chest of Wonders that is eBay.


AR coated acrylic (or is it glass) lenses for 600nm-700nm red. For that price, the very least they could do is stop back-reflections.

660nm/405nm PMMA Collimating Lens/M9 P0.5 Frame 2pcs - eBay (item 260555219850 end time Sep-16-10 01:13:32 PDT)



Also- broadband coated glass lenses. Supposedly coated for 400-600nm.

Laser Coated Glass Collimating Lens/M9P0.5 Metal Frame - eBay (item 260555221678 end time Sep-16-10 01:19:48 PDT)


Even a minor performance increase is worth it, at these dirt cheap prices.

I'll leave it for a pro to test if they choose. The way it says "suitable for 405nm, 660nm, etc.", well, of course any lens is "suitable". I used an aixis 660nm glass lens for my 1W 445nm and it worked fine (and then I got my 405/445nm lens in the mail). And based on the pic, it looks like the glass one is a normal one coated for 660nm, though I may be wrong. The plastic ones are probably a decent deal, but then again, you could get metal and glass for only a few $$ more from aixiz. I remember there being reviews on acrylic AR coated lenses either on here or PL.

The thing is, many of these lenses most likely come from the same manufacturer. The ones o-like includes in their modules are the same as the ones aixis use (which I believe were the same ones used in the old Dilda sold virtually everywhere) So that lens which is $5 plus shipping, might as well get from aixiz, perhaps a little cheaper in quantity (and it's from the US rather than a Chinese seller)