As I have mentioned, I got a SkyLaser model P532F-150B-Fa for review.
Many of you know that DrLava and I purchased some of their first "prototype" lasers when they started building lasers for beta analysis purposes. This laser is a culmination of their gained experiences in the marketplace.
It arrived today at the USPS and I picket it up in person.

General Details:

The laser was well packaged including a hard shell case which included the laser, charger, keys and dongle. No 18650 cell was included because of shipping regulations.
The laser itself was double wrapped in antistatic bags and well protected.
This portable laser has a label indicating FDA approval and it has a front shutter, key switch and removeable rear dongle plug to disable the laser.



No instructions were included but, I guess, by now, we know how to install the cells in green lasers (I hope) ! Another nice feature is a 1/4-20 threaded mounting hole to affix the laser to a camera tripod... NICE. Be carefull not to go to deep or you can short to the cell connection. The threads appear limited to prevent this but be aware.

Mechanically, the housing appears much improved over the original product. Threads are cleaner and the overall appearance is better to the eye. My first ones were gold colored. It has a key switch feature plus the LED warning indicator but the "clicky" on/off button is rather high making it too easy to turn it on. If it rolls over on a table, it will turn on and stay on.
The front ring allows for manual focus which may be difficult for some here because it acts as a beam expander and the exit beam is rather large until it gets to its set focal range. Also, the beam exits about 4 degrees right of the axiz of the pointed direction but this is somewhat common of pointers and portables considering the crystal allignment requirements.



A quick update about Power because I know you are all interested in that. Of course, I can not tell if this is a "Hand Picked" laser for review.
My first graph shows stable power averaging 200 mW. This is at a 65 degree room temp. The second graph shows output after the laser was warmed to "body temp" -- not much difference.





I will be submitting photos and more updates here. Analyzing divergance might be a trick with this focusable assembly feature not found on many lasers.

Trying to measure divergence is a problem as I noted above. Using Goggles (provided by Steve from Wicked Lasers), and using a black carbon target, I measure 0.243" at 1 foot and 0.193" at 30 feet. I can't get greater range with the "blizzard" outside tonight.
I need a suggestion on how to measure divergence with this focuasble portable.
I tried to get a picture of the convergance but beam shots like this are difficult.



This is a side by side exit beam shot of the Sky 150 (L) and the older Sky 200 (R).
Note the large exit beam of the 150 vs the 200. Both are focusable. I will have to ask if this is normal.





HMike

thanks for the great review!!!

This is what 200 mW looks like in a Blizzard here in Iowa. It sparkles all over but I don't like the snow.
Here again, notice the diameter of the close beam and how it narrows with distance.

Hmike

Nice review.

P.S.
I hate snow too.

-Moptsp

Moptsp --

I froze my a$$ off today blowing snow drifts. Some here LOVE the snow

Anyway -- I added some pictures of the size of the exit beam on this laser to the review. It's too early for SkyLasers to reply to my email.

HMike

I received a reply from Betty at SkyLasers about this wide beam. Read below the email.

"Yes,the wide beam is normal,because it is a focusable laser,you see un-focused beam is little thick at the factory-default .Some of our customers requested the thick diameter,so we made this,if the customers need the thin beam,we also can do that.Your new laser is IR filtered."

This wide beam can be focused at distance to provide a small spot and can be close focused for burning stuff but it is hard to see when you have the smallest point. Still, this beam gives a bright visable beam in the night sky.

HMike

for the price.. it is a very good 200mw handheld laser.... + focusable head. it is the best deal we can have... i have some questions

you have two 200mw laser... what do you prefer to see/use? the new model with wide beam or the old? using it in the sky.. wgat have more power to eye?

mmhh maybe i am boring... but i can not understand how different could be at eye two laser with SAME POWER.. but different beam diameters.... 4 example.... you could say.. the new is better in the night sky... but is worste to use indoos with low light... because it seems a 100mw laser beam... because it has wide beam.

mmhh to check if divergence is better than OLD model.. try this cheat like me: use binoculars.. and see a wall at distance ...point the laser on it and adjust the focus ring to have THE SMALLEST possible point in that wall. then........do the same thing with the other laser. maybe.... the old model had worse divergence or is MORE DIFFICULT TO SET to a perfect collimate beam. i remember that with my dilda i am able to have about 0.3/0.4 mrad for SURE. but your rings are more stable than dilda... your mechanism is IMPROBED and more stable without dancing it.

let me say results :=) if you dont want to calculate divergence using google earth METER( get how far goes beam from your house and estimate beam diameter on the wall and divide......) use the eye meter...(compare it to a normal 1.5mrad gr laser.... and say how many times is the skylaser laser smaller than the 1.5mrad laser

Realista ---

Here is a comparison in the clear COLD air tonight. Note that the "wide" beam from the 150 is on the left. I personally like the narrow beam as on the right but SkyLasers says that some want the wide beam. I hope someone posts here to explain the desire for that.
With the clear air, the beam shot is enhanced a bunch to see it. The 150 wide beam narrows to be similar to the 200 at about 100 feet. Both are set at infinity.

HMike

I would like to see comments on this beam as shown and explained. If enough people make comment, I may ask for a trade and continue this review.

I have asked (by email) Betty at SkyLasers if I can make a trade of this laser for one with the narrow focusable beam. This will allow me to make a comparison in this review of both versions of this portable laser.
The "wide beam" laser can be focused like a camera to get a spot at needed distance, The old 200 with a narrow beam has less control of the focus but needs only minor diddling to get a dot.
You guys will need to speak up to get what you want. That's how the system works.

HMike

I'm swamped with all the interest on this ---

Anyway, I got a reply from SkyLasers about the different beams. I'm a bit confused here and maybe someone with more optic knowledge can explain. This is what I received. --- Am I misunderstanding something?

I'm sorry maybe there is a mistake about the wide beam and narrow beam.

"Do you like the big dot?If you requested the narrow beam,the dot will be much bigger...
I just checked and asked the engineer,please show the old laser's beam to the forums,they are the same.We are so sorry that we can not exchange a new one for you now,because we need to purchase more new lens to get the narrow beam.Many of the customers do not like the big dot,so the beam diamater must be the wide size.

Yes,the forums can get the narrow beam if they wish,but we need the batch.Maybe you can change your laser for someone who joined this group buy and no like the big dot(narrow beam)..."

I will try do do more testing on my two lasers for dot size at different ranges. This is difficult now due to deep snow in the back yard.

HMike

I can't imagine any reason for having the larger beam diameter other than for a built in beam expander making a smaller dot farther out.

While that would be nice for long distance burning and such, I'd rather have the beam smaller as with a focusable laser, you can adjust the focus to make it smaller further out as well.

Anyway, I vote for no big beam. I like a thin beam in my lasers.

Kenom ---
I agree with you BUT

At 14' -- black balloon test. --

My Narrow beam Sky-200 can't pop it at any focus setting with 200 mW.
My Wicked 130 with its super tight beam won't do it either. (not expected)
BUT the SKY-150 WIDE beam running ~200 mW focused does the job -- POP.

Is it a beam expander?

HMike

Many thanks for this very professional review

hemlock... i try to explain you why sylaser sell this laser with large beam.

like you know... to have low mrad with narrow beam.. is quite difficult. you tryed to pop ballon with 200mw thin beam... but the focus is not as precise as the new 150mw..... mmhh.. it is like the RED dilda. it have a lahrge beam... but burn over distance...and mine have about 0.3 mrad at best focused point to infinity.

i am pretty sure that the wide beam in this new skylaser is a sort of mini expander.... just a MEDIUM level between thin beam and ultrawide beam with expander.

can you say me how many mm of diameter beam has it? i think about 3 mm...
and the 200mw... about 1.2mm

this laser can be easily focused to burn objects over 3.... 5 meters... i am sure.

Hi Hemlock Mike,

Since the current models have a wide beam, I would like to know how much slower the burning capability is compared to a thin beam. Have you tried burning anything without focusing the 150mW wide beam? How fast would it ignite a match focused to infinity?

Out of the thin and wide beams, which would you say would appear more visible in a night sky?

Thanks for the great review.
Hehe...what they need is a beam diameter halfway between the thin and wide beam.

VERY NICE REVIEW MIKE !!! Please keep us posted if you come up with any more info. regarding this "BEAM DIAMETER" dilemma......... rob

A75 --
The narrow beam vs the wide beam is posted as a picture in the review. The narrow beam didn't pop the balloon at any focus setting at 14'. The wide beam laser with focus can do it but you have to be steady holding it. A tripod or mounting would be good.
It is difficult to meaure beam size at close range. Anyone here want to go outside into sub zero temps to do so?
HMike

I put the 3x beam expander back on the Sky-200 and now it will pop a balloon like the Sky-150.

excuse but 14'.... how many meter is???

14'= roughly 4.6 meters

I'm thinking that the Sky-150 has some type of expander for its focusable feature. When I added my 3x expander to the Sky-200, it would do the POP balloon trick. Focus and stability are critical on both of these.
I posted a picture above of the expander.

HMike

why stability is critical? you just need a steady hand to to the pop trick ..... have yoy tryed that is the MAX birning distance for matches? maybe it is 2... or 3 meter. that would be a NICE JOB MADE BY THE INTERNAL SEMI-EXPANDER.

ah...hemlock... you forgotted to say us the estimate Mrad of this laser. but ithink it is for sure lower than 0.8 mrad..... to pop a baloon at 4.6 meter... and it is only 200mw... not a powerfull handheld like 300...400mw...

Stability --- I meant holding the dot in a stable manner by hand :-) It's hard to do at over a couple feet and I need to make mountings in order to POP or measure beam diameters.

HMike

I was one of the people that got the original SKY 200 in the GB it was good at first but now I would estimate less than 50mw . YMMV when dealing with them.

Merc --

The first batch was actually their second run -- I think DrLava and I were the only ones to see the first ones. The second run still had connection problems inside but I've cleaned mine and used antiox lube on threads etc. Mine actually warmed to 310 mW last night!! much of the time, it's between 85 and 180 mW.

HMike

no one up?