Welcome to Laser Pointer Forums - discuss green laser pointers, blue laser pointers, and all types of lasers

LPF Donation via Stripe | LPF Donation - Other Methods

Links below open in new window

ArcticMyst Security by Avery

best laser for night time beam visibility

J

johnathon007

0
Joined
Jun 15, 2009
Messages
13
Points
0
Im looking to build a new pen laser and want it to have the most visible beam it can at night. I am going to be slightly underporering these because I cant afford to be replacing it for at least a year.
I am looking at these:
Green At 40mW Red At 250mW Blue At 100mW
Which will have to most visible night time beam.
 





RA_pierce

RA_pierce

0
Joined
Sep 16, 2007
Messages
3,658
Points
113
Green. The human eye is most sensitive to wavelengths around the center of peak sensitivity, which is 555nm for photopic vision.
For dark adjusted eyes, the peak shifts more toward blue, but at the moment, the only blue wavelength laser that is "affordable" to the casual user is 445nm which is not good as a "pointer" for several reasons.

532nm is the best all around pointer for it's beam quality, brightness, and affordability.

What specific laser are you looking to purchase?
And what kind of performance are you looking for?
 
Last edited:
Moptsp

Moptsp

0
Joined
Sep 23, 2009
Messages
429
Points
0
RA_pierce said:
Green. The human eye is most sensitive to wavelengths around the center of peak sensitivity, which is 555nm for photopic vision.
For dark adjusted eyes, the peak shifts more toward blue, but at the moment, the only blue wavelength laser that is "affordable" to the casual user is 445nm which is not good as a "pointer" for several reasons.

532nm is the best all around pointer for it's beam quality, brightness, and affordability.

What specific laser are you looking to purchase?
And what kind of performance are you looking for?
Click to expand...

Agreed. He said he was looking to build one rather than buy one.

If you want to build one, you could get an o-like 532nm module. I think there is a 50mw version.

Ah, here it is:
Green laser module 50mW For custom build or lab [OLGLM50] - $26.99 : Welcome to O-Like.com, Your source for laser products

They also have higher output modules too.
 
RA_pierce

RA_pierce

0
Joined
Sep 16, 2007
Messages
3,658
Points
113
Moptsp said:
Agreed. He said he was looking to build one rather than buy one.

If you want to build one, you could get an o-like 532nm module. I think there is a 50mw version.

Ah, here it is:
Green laser module 50mW For custom build or lab [OLGLM50] - $26.99 : Welcome to O-Like.com, Your source for laser products

They also have higher output modules too.
Click to expand...

Yes, but with greens, there is very little assembly to do (unless you want to build one from scratch) so I normally don't count it as "building" or a "DIY."

Anyway, O-like is a good place to get a module. The 50mW should be perfect.
 
Moptsp

Moptsp

0
Joined
Sep 23, 2009
Messages
429
Points
0
RA_pierce said:
Yes, but with greens, there is very little assembly to do (unless you want to build one from scratch) so I normally don't count it as "building" or a "DIY."

Anyway, O-like is a good place to get a module. The 50mW should be perfect.
Click to expand...

Yeah, it isn't to much of a build. So I guess if he really wants to build one all the way down to getting the diode, he might be better off just buying a green laser already made. :D
 
J

johnathon007

0
Joined
Jun 15, 2009
Messages
13
Points
0
I have a 5mW green pen laser, will the O-like module fit in the pen? I know i would need a new driver and use 3.6V batteries instead of the 1.5v but should it physically fit in?

EDIT>> This is the closest i could find to my pen, I got mine on ebay but it looks just like this one.>LINK<

EDIT AGAIN>> I just noticed in my pen laser that the power button was on the driver board and i dont think the O-like ones have the switch there or the ability to add one. Please correct me if im wrong.
 
Last edited:
RA_pierce

RA_pierce

0
Joined
Sep 16, 2007
Messages
3,658
Points
113
johnathon007 said:
I have a 5mW green pen laser, will the O-like module fit in the pen? I know i would need a new driver and use 3.6V batteries instead of the 1.5v but should it physically fit in?
Click to expand...


It might.
Can you give us a picture/link to the 5mW laser you have?
 
Scottyzedinosaur

Scottyzedinosaur

0
Joined
Apr 4, 2010
Messages
262
Points
0
depends on the host. could you post a picture? almost positive its the kinda that unscrews in the middle and has the words "laser pointer" with stars on the sides of the words, but just need to make sure. also, those kinds of hosts are infamously hard to take apart.


Edit: oops, RA beat me to it.
 
RA_pierce

RA_pierce

0
Joined
Sep 16, 2007
Messages
3,658
Points
113
J

johnathon007

0
Joined
Jun 15, 2009
Messages
13
Points
0
would you happen to know if the O-like has a switch in place on the board or a place for one ? And if not how possible would adding one be ? I dont feel like doing major modding to the pen becuase i dont have the right tools to do more then drill or solder anything else is done with hand files which is very hard work.
 
RA_pierce

RA_pierce

0
Joined
Sep 16, 2007
Messages
3,658
Points
113
johnathon007 said:
would you happen to know if the O-like has a switch in place on the board or a place for one ? And if not how possible would adding one be ? I dont feel like doing major modding to the pen becuase i dont have the right tools to do more then drill or solder anything else is done with hand files which is very hard work.
Click to expand...

There is a switch on the O-like module.
The only modification that is needed is a modification to the collimating assembly.
As-is, the module will not fit inside the pen. The module that is installed in the pen *should be* threaded into the silver aperture cap.
You will need to replace the collimating assembly of the module with the one that is in the pen.
There are different versions of that laser pointer, though and some may be different.

It will be much less work if you just purchase a pre-built pen ~50mW.
 
J

johnathon007

0
Joined
Jun 15, 2009
Messages
13
Points
0
there are no threads on the module in mine, it is just press fitted in the cap. The module pulls out of the body and then the cap pulls off the module.
Its starting to look like this might just be as simple as swapping the lenses and modules, and maybe using more powerful batteries or a single 10440 or similar with a spacer of some kind.
Does anyone have some more pictures of the O-like modules from different angles[front view and some better pics of the driver would be nice]

Also i was wondering if this http://www.amazon.com/200mW-532nm-Mid-open-Green-Pointer/dp/B003BE359U/ref=sr_1_40?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1280782814&sr=1-40 could really be 200mW [it sounds to good to be true to me a little]
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.




Top