Advice on buying would be greatly appreciated! Third green laser, looking at 150mw

Hi everyone, just joined the forums.

My first laser was 100mw from wicked lasers a few years ago. Broke after a few months and they didn't even reply to emails. Never again...

Second laser same spec from a UK supplier (I'm in the UK) over a year ago and recently has been dodgy so I'm looking to get a better quality one this time. I'm also looking for a step up in power, around 150mw or higher but something that will last this time...

I read randomlugia thread about buying green lasers but have a few questions...Five companies are listed as quality laser distributors but there still seems to be a huge variation in price.

Laserglow - Aries 150mw - Laserglow Technologies - Handheld Lasers, Alignment Lasers and Lab / OEM Lasers - $489

Novalasers - Endeavor 150mw - Endeavor-150 Portable >150mW Laser - Endeavor Series - Novalasers Inc. - $389

Optotronics - Premium +150mW Green Laser - Optotronics Product Details - $179.00

CNI lasers - Blue laser, Green laser, Infra Red laser, IR UV laser - Can you buy through their website?

Dragon lasers - Hulk series 150mw - Hulk Series 150mW Green Handheld Laser :: Green Handheld Laser --- 532nm Laser ----- Hulk Series Lasers :: Handheld Lasers :: Dragon Lasers - $315

Dragon lasers - Spartan series 150mw - Spartan Series 150mW Green Handheld Laser :: Green Handheld Laser --- 532nm Laser ----- Spartan Series Lasers :: Handheld Lasers :: Dragon Lasers - $320

What about lazerer? (not on the list of good/bad sellers but read good things) LZCS - 532nm 150mW Focusable Green Laser Pointer - 80$ for 150mw must be a con though..

Clearly the one that catches my eye is the optotronics pen. $179!? Compared to $489 from laserglow??

I assume the only difference between the laser "pens" and the "torch" style is the longer duty cycle allowed for the bigger torch types? The "torch style" pointers are so much more expensive though, how can they ever be worth it?

Thanks for your help, would love to order one in the next few days.

Jez

I think you should do lazerer, (personally) People may say different, but Max, their customer support agent is a very nice guy, and i almost have a friendship with him, because sometimes we talk on a level unrelated to lasers. lol. Depending on what 150mw you get will decide how up to spec it is. All of them seem to be up to spec, but some more then others. That one would be on spec, probably not over-spec.
LZBH - 532nm 150mW Focusable Green Laser Pointer

That one has a video of them LPM testing it. Feel free to check it out.

thanks for the quick reply m8. i really don't understand how lazerer are undercutting all the other companies by hundreds of dollars though...

LZGN - 532nm 200mW Focusable Green Laser Pointer

200mw for $100!? can't be right. And i can't see a single review on any of their products i've checked...

Jez006 said:

thanks for the quick reply m8. i really don't understand how lazerer are undercutting all the other companies by hundreds of dollars though...

LZGN - 532nm 200mW Focusable Green Laser Pointer

200mw for $100!? can't be right. And i can't see a single review on any of their products i've checked...

Click to expand...

The difference, Is that these are made of cheaper material's, and may not last as long, and probably would break much easier, but i would never pay $450 for a laser, especially if it was only 150mw. Even if it was made of gold. (well maybe if it was 24karot)

Since it's a new company, they try to do their best to get to the top, and then they will most likely fall into a "wicked lasers" state of mind, and turn into crap. But now that they are producing up to spec and slightly over-spec laser's, take advantage. I just ordered a CYBER100mw 532nm. I'll post a review once i get it.

i also recommend lazerer
the more expensive companies DO have better quality
but no way worth the price they increase it by...

its a "brand" thing
like how apple, farrari, Armani are so much more expensive then everyone else even though they are only a bit better quality
its a "luxury" item

blue bumblebee said:

its a "brand" thing
like how apple, farrari, Armani are so much more expensive then everyone else even though they are way better quality
its a "luxury" item

Click to expand...

Fixed that for ya.

blue bumblebee said:

i also recommend lazerer
the more expensive companies DO have better quality
but no way worth the price they increase it by...

its a "brand" thing
like how apple( is overpriced and quite possibly has the worst costumer service out f and company ive ever dealt with) sucks, but farrari, Armani are so much more expensive then everyone else even though they are only a bit better quality
its a "luxury" item

Click to expand...

nah i fixed it

haha
what i was trying to say is that production cost to price increase is way too high

This is crazy...in the "laser buying guide" lazerer are not even mentioned. I understand that thread is a bit old now, but surely the op would update it to include lazerer if they were so good?

So if lazerer keep it up, surely they will put laserglow, optotronics and CNI out of business with their crazy prices!? I see your "brand" argument, but to most people a laser is a laser. No one really cares about the name, just about getting the power that they paid for.

Also what's with all these "focusable" lasers...never heard of having to focus a laser before...

Please can someone outline the benefits of a torch vs pen laser pointer?

I'm now looking at this one - http://lazerer.com/Green_Laser_Pointer/LAZERER_LZCN532-300_532nm_350mW_Focusable_Green_Laser_Pointer - apparently it doesn't have an IR filter lol...crazy price for 300mw..

Thanks again,

Jez

Most lasers that are non pen type are focusable. You may want to do a little more reading before you grab a powerful and dangerous tool like a laser.

Lazerer is great, ordered a 200mw rifle650 from them, according to their lpm test its 292mw average and it got to me from China in 7 days and works perfectly.

Eradicator said:

Most lasers that are non pen type are focusable.

Click to expand...

based on what?...the lazerer website? in what situation would an unfocused laser be preferable?

Eradicator said:

You may want to do a little more reading before you grab a powerful and dangerous tool like a laser.

Click to expand...

how about you go read my first post and thread title.

Eradicator said:

Lazerer is great, ordered a 200mw rifle650 from them, according to their lpm test its 292mw average and it got to me from China in 7 days and works perfectly.

Click to expand...

wow you said something fairly useful. congrats.

Jez006 said:

based on what?...the lazerer website? in what situation would an unfocused laser be preferable?



how about you go read my first post and thread title.



wow you said something fairly useful. congrats.

Click to expand...

That's a good way to turn people off to helping you. Read more. Be rude less.

Jez006 said:

based on what?...the lazerer website? in what situation would an unfocused laser be preferable?



how about you go read my first post and thread title.



wow you said something fairly useful. congrats.

Click to expand...

Yeah, I agree, I regret even posting on this thread, please respect people, we are not here to be jerks, we are here to give our opinion from what we know. Sarcasm is a nono aswell. :tsk:

Apologies if i seemed rude earlier, that was not my intention. When I said:

"based on what?...the lazerer website? in what situation would an unfocused laser be preferable?"

I was mainly being serious (with a hint of sarcasm) since I have never heard of focusable lasers. Why would someone buy a focusable laser? I searched on google and the forums and could not find an explanation of focusable lasers. I checked optotronics, laserglow and CNI. Very few lasers are focusable. Pretty much all the lazerer lasers are focusable, which I find slightly strange.

However, I was being sarcastic with my second comment, I'll admit that. Eradicator had seen the thread entitled "buying laser" and posted the not so helpful comment to go and read about these "dangerous and power tools". To me that was extremely condescending since both the thread title and opening post state that I have owned two 100mw lasers previously.

I respect people that give helpful advice but when someone tells me to go and read I can't help but get slightly annoyed.

Foshizzle, thank you for your advice - it has been helpful. I'll also cut the sarcasm out in the future...sorry!

BTW if it helps at all i'm english..we're all sarcastic bastards

Jez006 said:

Apologies if i seemed rude earlier, that was not my intention. When I said:

"based on what?...the lazerer website? in what situation would an unfocused laser be preferable?"

I was mainly being serious (with a hint of sarcasm) since I have never heard of focusable lasers. Why would someone buy a focusable laser? I searched on google and the forums and could not find an explanation of focusable lasers. I checked optotronics, laserglow and CNI. Very few lasers are focusable. Pretty much all the lazerer lasers are focusable, which I find slightly strange.

Click to expand...

Most laser pens and whatnot are "focused to infinity" - meaning that their optics are tuning the beam to be as narrow as possible for as far as possible. When you have a "focusable" laser, you are able to control the focus distance yourself - meaning that you are able to concentrate the beam into a very fine point at a set distance. This is how people are able to burn things with lasers. You won't be able to do that with a non-focusable laser.

Jez006 said:

However, I was being sarcastic with my second comment, I'll admit that. Eradicator had seen the thread entitled "buying laser" and posted the not so helpful comment to go and read about these "dangerous and power tools". To me that was extremely condescending since both the thread title and opening post state that I have owned two 100mw lasers previously.

I respect people that give helpful advice but when someone tells me to go and read I can't help but get slightly annoyed.

Click to expand...

Even though you've owned several lasers, it's pretty obvious that you really have no knowledge of how they work. That's not a crime, but it's better to be informed and safe than uneducated and a danger to yourself and others around you.

Since you didn't know what a focusable laser was, I'm going to go out on a limb and say that you've never seen how bright they can be. Buy some safety goggles rated for the wavelength of laser that you are going to use. You're gonna need 'em.

Ghostchrome said:

Most laser pens and whatnot are "focused to infinity" - meaning that their optics are tuning the beam to be as narrow as possible for as far as possible. When you have a "focusable" laser, you are able to control the focus distance yourself - meaning that you are able to concentrate the beam into a very fine point at a set distance. This is how people are able to burn things with lasers. You won't be able to do that with a non-focusable laser.

Since you didn't know what a focusable laser was, I'm going to go out on a limb and say that you've never seen how bright they can be. Buy some safety goggles rated for the wavelength of laser that you are going to use. You're gonna need 'em.

Click to expand...

Thank you, all very informative. So unfocusable lasers generally can't light a match or pop balloons? Not even a 300 or 500mw?