DX 50mW Baton Style Green Laser Review

Got just a bit ago, gonna write up a quick review for now which will later be revised later since I need sleep

Pros:
Very solid, well built
Comes with a battery
Safety "key"/dongle plug
Aperture shutter
Adjustable Focus
Emission indicator LED
Beam is well centered (does not leave at an angle)


Cons:
Price
Focus will not collimate the beam to infinity - beam converges at a distance of about 1 inch to around 10 feet, but after that the beam only continues to expand - beam on a far wall is already notably large (2-3mRad?)
Power output is heavily dependent on temperature - output drops severely much above room temperature
Emission indicator LED is BRIGHT - can be distracting


Other thoughts: I love this laser but the power output is wonky - I will be doing some temperature control and testing in the next few days

Current power output measurements - 3.7v battery used
Peak: 64mW Average: 36mW

After the initial peak which is very much in spec, the output drops severely to around 32-33mW which then slowly climbs up a few mW

Click Image to Enlarge

Click Image to Enlarge

people just cant be happy with what they've got lol.
I had my 150mW with a dim blue light which then would go out and my laser didnt work, while your complaining that your light is just a WEEE BIT to bright. cmon, if mine was bright i would be the happiest man on earth.

by the way, that battery isnt one of the "good" batteries i dont think. If that's a 3.3V battery then you will probably experience output problems, use a 3.7V battery and it should be perfect
luckily i got a 3.7 one (its a somewhat dark blue color), but no last atm :'(

mikeeey said:

people just cant be happy with what they've got lol.
I had my 150mW with a dim blue light which then would go out and my laser didnt work, while your complaining that your light is just a WEEE BIT to bright. cmon, if mine was bright i would be the happiest man on earth.

Click to expand...

Really? the LED in mine is so bright it can easily smack your night vision and leave after images if you get it pointed in your face at night - it's like a friggen blue LED flashlight on the side of my laser ;D

mikeeey said:

by the way, that battery isnt one of the "good" batteries i dont think. If that's a 3.3V battery then you will probably experience output problems, use a 3.7V battery and it should be perfect
luckily i got a 3.7 one (its a somewhat dark blue color), but no last atm :'(

Click to expand...

Dang I had no idea - I have some 3.7v 18650's here so I'll do some more power testing with those and see if it helps at all

I'm starting to wonder, whats more dangerous, the Laser or the LED emissions indicator ?

Diachi

update: the LED has now burned out (guess that explains why it was so bright)

power output doesn't seem to change after switching to different batteries

ok well it looks like I'll be returning this laser, the LED is dead and the output power only stays in spec for maybe 5-10 seconds before dropping to unacceptable levels, hopefully they'll reimburse shipping :-/

lol they can't even get the LED on the laser right.

MarioMaster said:

ok well it looks like I'll be returning this laser, the LED is dead and the output power only stays in spec for maybe 5-10 seconds before dropping to unacceptable levels, hopefully they'll reimburse shipping  :-/

Click to expand...

and you used the 3.7V batteries? that's really a shame that every other one of these lasers are great lasers, or horrible lasers. hey by any chance do you know how long it takes for a package to reach hong kong by priority mail? ive waited almost 2 weeks now and havnt heard word of it reaching KD yet.

mikeeey said:

[quote author=MarioMaster link=1214539742/0#6 date=1214624195]ok well it looks like I'll be returning this laser, the LED is dead and the output power only stays in spec for maybe 5-10 seconds before dropping to unacceptable levels, hopefully they'll reimburse shipping :-/

Click to expand...

and you used the 3.7V batteries? that's really a shame that every other one of these lasers are great lasers, or horrible lasers. hey by any chance do you know how long it takes for a package to reach hong kong by priority mail? ive waited almost 2 weeks now and havnt heard word of it reaching KD yet.[/quote]
Either it got held up at Chinese customs or they got it back and they simply aren't telling you.

Razako said:

[quote author=mikeeey link=1214539742/0#8 date=1214629383][quote author=MarioMaster link=1214539742/0#6 date=1214624195]ok well it looks like I'll be returning this laser, the LED is dead and the output power only stays in spec for maybe 5-10 seconds before dropping to unacceptable levels, hopefully they'll reimburse shipping  :-/

Click to expand...

and you used the 3.7V batteries? that's really a shame that every other one of these lasers are great lasers, or horrible lasers. hey by any chance do you know how long it takes for a package to reach hong kong by priority mail? ive waited almost 2 weeks now and havnt heard word of it reaching KD yet.[/quote]
Either it got held up at Chinese customs or they got it back and they simply aren't telling you.[/quote]
lol Razako your a very pessimistic person, you've always made me worry about my lasers, but you've also made me feel good about my lasers.
do Chinese Customs really give a f**k what comes into their county?
how long should it really take to arive?

mikeeey said:

[quote author=Razako link=1214539742/0#9 date=1214632735][quote author=mikeeey link=1214539742/0#8 date=1214629383][quote author=MarioMaster link=1214539742/0#6 date=1214624195]ok well it looks like I'll be returning this laser, the LED is dead and the output power only stays in spec for maybe 5-10 seconds before dropping to unacceptable levels, hopefully they'll reimburse shipping :-/

Click to expand...

and you used the 3.7V batteries? that's really a shame that every other one of these lasers are great lasers, or horrible lasers. hey by any chance do you know how long it takes for a package to reach hong kong by priority mail? ive waited almost 2 weeks now and havnt heard word of it reaching KD yet.[/quote]
Either it got held up at Chinese customs or they got it back and they simply aren't telling you.[/quote]
lol Razako your a very pessimistic person, you've always made me worry about my lasers, but you've also made me feel good about my lasers.
do Chinese Customs really give a f**k what comes into their county?
how long should it really take to arive?[/quote]
Recently dx had to stop selling their lighters and knives due to stricter regulations related to the Beijing Olympics.
Read this:
http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.3425
"- This item is temporarily unavailable due to heightened security measures at the customs and stricter postal export rules and regulations. This item will become available again in the near future."
I'm not sure if this applies to imports or not. It would explain the long wait. Priority mail shouldn't take 14 days to reach china.

I had a chance to play with another members 200mW version of this laser, and I agree the LED is ridiculously bright. When I first turned it on, I honestly thought I had caught a reflection and I closed my eyes quickly. Its that bright. And it seems like it's aimed perfectly into your eyes when you're holding it at the 'average lasing position'

Razako said:

[quote author=mikeeey link=1214539742/0#10 date=1214634151][quote author=Razako link=1214539742/0#9 date=1214632735][quote author=mikeeey link=1214539742/0#8 date=1214629383][quote author=MarioMaster link=1214539742/0#6 date=1214624195]ok well it looks like I'll be returning this laser, the LED is dead and the output power only stays in spec for maybe 5-10 seconds before dropping to unacceptable levels, hopefully they'll reimburse shipping  :-/

Click to expand...

and you used the 3.7V batteries? that's really a shame that every other one of these lasers are great lasers, or horrible lasers. hey by any chance do you know how long it takes for a package to reach hong kong by priority mail? ive waited almost 2 weeks now and havnt heard word of it reaching KD yet.[/quote]
Either it got held up at Chinese customs or they got it back and they simply aren't telling you.[/quote]
lol Razako your a very pessimistic person, you've always made me worry about my lasers, but you've also made me feel good about my lasers.
do Chinese Customs really give a f**k what comes into their county?
how long should it really take to arive?[/quote]
Recently dx had to stop selling their lighters and knives due to stricter regulations related to the Beijing Olympics.
Read this:
http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.3425
"- This item is temporarily unavailable due to heightened security measures at the customs and stricter postal export rules and regulations. This item will become available again in the near future."
I'm not sure if this applies to imports or not.  It would explain the long wait.  Priority mail shouldn't take 14 days to reach china.[/quote]
o man..i really hope this doesn't include lasers.. i didn't think china had any laws against lasers. I wonder if US customs don't allow EXPORTING of lasers... although on the customs paperwork i said it was a flashlight, and also marked off that it was a gift.

GooeyGus said:

I had a chance to play with another members 200mW version of this laser, and I agree the LED is ridiculously bright. When I first turned it on, I honestly thought I had caught a reflection and I closed my eyes quickly. Its that bright. And it seems like it's aimed perfectly into your eyes when you're holding it at the 'average lasing position'

Click to expand...

well actually i think i do know what you mean. I have some surround sound speakers, and the main speaker with the volume control has a blue LED, its pretty bright, but it's only it's brightest if you look at it head on, most LED's are like that, you have to be looking at it head on to be it's brightest, otherwise side angles aren't so bad, i would assume it's the same for this laser? as you said it's aimed perfectly into your eyes, simply turn the flashlight a bit more when you hold it lol.

mikeeey said:

[quote author=MarioMaster link=1214539742/0#6 date=1214624195]ok well it looks like I'll be returning this laser, the LED is dead and the output power only stays in spec for maybe 5-10 seconds before dropping to unacceptable levels, hopefully they'll reimburse shipping  :-/

Click to expand...

and you used the 3.7V batteries? that's really a shame that every other one of these lasers are great lasers, or horrible lasers. hey by any chance do you know how long it takes for a package to reach hong kong by priority mail? ive waited almost 2 weeks now and havnt heard word of it reaching KD yet.[/quote]
if your in the usa,you dont send the laser back to china. you send it to Dx's Florida center,were they handle refunds and replacements.