Green laser comparison 5mW - 50mW - 220mW - (400mW)

I don´t know how often I read the "how visible is... compared to..." since I joined back in Nov 2009. And yes, this question is totally legit!


For helping some of you to choose the right power for different applications I created this thread and hope it is usefull for at least one person :can:


I will update this thread from time to time. So make sure to be subscribed if you´re interested







The testing candidates are:

• 5mW Z-Bolt Bi-Color laser
• 50mW PA greenie
• 220mW O-Like `torch´
• 400mW RPL-425 (on the way)

At first I thought about a simple beam visibilty comparison in darkness. My cheap Kodak EasyShare C613 catches the visibility difference quite well.




1. Comparison in a dark room without smoke and standard exposure













2. Comparison with a bit of smoke in the room

good idea

In the last 2 photos the 5mW looks brighter than the 50mW imo

X FLY said:

In the last 2 photos the 5mW looks brighter than the 50mW imo

Click to expand...

I think the 50mW laser wasn´t 50mW at the former pictures, but I deleted them and took new one

Good idea, good post, good pictures!!

Great comparison! Wish I could put my 1.2W labby in with your pictures...

-Trevor

twhite828 said:

Great comparison! Wish I could put my 1.2W labby in with your pictures...

-Trevor

Click to expand...

Thanks

Would be a nice next step above the RPL-425

Very helpful. Thanks!

How off center is the beam in your 5mW? In the second to last picture, it looks like its really crooked.

Gryphon said:

How off center is the beam in your 5mW? In the second to last picture, it looks like its really crooked.

Click to expand...

The beam is fine, it was just a bad cam angel for this poor lil 5mW Z-Bolt.

Thanks for posting the beam photos !

The beam of the LED Shoppe 50mw green I recently got (and hopefully can get them to replace) goes from being not visible at all, to maybe getting almost half as bright as your 5mw beam shot in the 2nd photo, and that is even in a dark room or outside at night !

How long have you had your z-bolt? I bought one in early 2005 late 2004 for around $70 and it lasted up until a month or so ago. It survived many falls, hours (probably closer to months) in pockets about 200 batteries ran through it. Finally was to the point where it would be dim and lightly whacking it onto my wrist rest (gel) would get it a bit brighter so I carefully pulled it out of the host and afterward wouldn't work any more. So I opened it up further and found it was a very well built unit. Had the ir pump, crystal, a green glass piece that's on a 45 degree angle that has some wires running from it to the driver, another lens looking crystal thing and finally a culminating lens. Im sad I killed it but it lasted over 5 years and was only slightly tweaked (laser came out of edge of lens)