Sigurthr
0
- Joined
- Dec 11, 2011
- Messages
- 4,364
- Points
- 83
Hello everyone,
As part of my Xmas gift to myself this year, I decided to order some lasers. I decided upon Laserlands.net after receiving the 100mW 650nm Red pointer from them and being satisfied with their customer service and quality to price ratio. The two lasers I bought myself are a 200mW 650nm Waterproof Handheld (which I will review later when the 18650 batteries/charger I ordered from Amazon.com arrives) and this 450nm 50mW Blue pointer.
This is the first 450nm Blue laser I have ever seen in person, so obviously the first one I have ever purchased. I've been out of the laser hobby a few years, and back then a solid state non-DPSS blue was just a pipe dream. I never would have dreamed that they would be so inexpensive and readily available in just a few short years.
Link: http://www.laserlands.net/pointer/violet-blue/450p-50-bl.html
About the purchase:
Since I ordered this and my 200mW Waterproof 650nm Handheld together, I decided to use the EMS/UPS Shipping upgrade (~$30) to make sure it arrived by Xmas and to help ensure that it would not get stopped at customs. I submitted the order on 12/9/11 and the Lasers arrived at my door on 12/13/11.
Originally I had ordered the #602 200mW 650nm Handheld, which is not waterproof, but within a few hours after my order was placed I received an email from Merry Young of Laserlands. He informed me that the 602 was out of stock and asked me if it would be ok if Laserlands upgraded my order to the 601-T, the more expensive and waterproof version, for no extra charge. I replied back telling him that I very much appreciated his service, and upgrade, and to go through with the order change. The very next day the updated order was already through Chinese customs and in flight to the US.
The Laser:
When I first put batteries in the laser I noticed that the button on the head section did not line up with the pocket clip on the back section. All it was, was the press-fit ring on the host that the head section screws in to was loose. I screwed the head on and with a little wiggle action and the force of the spring pressing on the batteries, the press-fit section came off. I removed the batteries and put a dab of gorilla glue (superglue) on the receiving end of the back section where the ring is pressed in. I realigned the ring and pressed it in and held it for 5 minues. Viola, all fixed.
This laser is my favorite in my collection now, by far. I can tell you that after a lifetime of seeing Red wavelengths and half a lifetime of seeing 532nm, 450nm looks absolutely beautiful. I have a 405nm pointer but it doesn't compare at all. It didn't begin to compare even when 405nm was "the new amazing wavelength", so I know it isn't just the "new factor". 450nm is absolutely jaw dropping.
This laser uses a single mode diode, and the spot is a nice TEM00 as you can see in the photographs. The collimation appears to be very good and the divergence is lower than my 95mW 532nm or my 10mW 405nm pointers. The laser has to be on for about 90sec before you can feel any warmth in the host, and I always turn it off before then. The duty cycle is rated at 45sec on 15sec off, but I think that is a bit excessive. It is winter now though so I'm sure if you were in a warm climate it would warm up faster.
Judging by how the eye is supposed to gauge different wavelength brightnesses, I would say that this laser is likely on spec, or very close to it. The beam is nearly twice as bright as my overspec 5mW 532nm pointer, but about 1/2 as bright as my underspec 95mW 532nm pointer. The spot is brighter than my 100mW 650nm pointer.
One day I'll have a LPM so I can stop guessing, haha.
I'm powering the pointer with two AAA size 1.2v NiMH cells, though these cells actually measure in at 1.457V when fully charged. The pointer doesn't appear to put a very heavy drain on the cells either, as they are lasting a long time and I have not noticed any reduction in brightness. I put in a fresh pair of alkalines to see if there would be any increased performance, but my eyes could not detect any.
Note: The beam is brighter to my eyes than my camera suggests, but the color is pretty close to accurate.
I'm very satisfied with the quality of the laser, and quite happy with the level of service provided by Laserlands.net.
After falling in love with 450nm from this pointer... I'm going to have to get one of those 1.2W 445/450nm Beauties from Lazerer.com. (Yes, I will invest in a quality pair of laser goggles as well, around OD7+. Currently I only have the cheap old red goggles from WL which were OD2 iirc.)
As part of my Xmas gift to myself this year, I decided to order some lasers. I decided upon Laserlands.net after receiving the 100mW 650nm Red pointer from them and being satisfied with their customer service and quality to price ratio. The two lasers I bought myself are a 200mW 650nm Waterproof Handheld (which I will review later when the 18650 batteries/charger I ordered from Amazon.com arrives) and this 450nm 50mW Blue pointer.
This is the first 450nm Blue laser I have ever seen in person, so obviously the first one I have ever purchased. I've been out of the laser hobby a few years, and back then a solid state non-DPSS blue was just a pipe dream. I never would have dreamed that they would be so inexpensive and readily available in just a few short years.
Link: http://www.laserlands.net/pointer/violet-blue/450p-50-bl.html
About the purchase:
Since I ordered this and my 200mW Waterproof 650nm Handheld together, I decided to use the EMS/UPS Shipping upgrade (~$30) to make sure it arrived by Xmas and to help ensure that it would not get stopped at customs. I submitted the order on 12/9/11 and the Lasers arrived at my door on 12/13/11.
Originally I had ordered the #602 200mW 650nm Handheld, which is not waterproof, but within a few hours after my order was placed I received an email from Merry Young of Laserlands. He informed me that the 602 was out of stock and asked me if it would be ok if Laserlands upgraded my order to the 601-T, the more expensive and waterproof version, for no extra charge. I replied back telling him that I very much appreciated his service, and upgrade, and to go through with the order change. The very next day the updated order was already through Chinese customs and in flight to the US.
The Laser:
When I first put batteries in the laser I noticed that the button on the head section did not line up with the pocket clip on the back section. All it was, was the press-fit ring on the host that the head section screws in to was loose. I screwed the head on and with a little wiggle action and the force of the spring pressing on the batteries, the press-fit section came off. I removed the batteries and put a dab of gorilla glue (superglue) on the receiving end of the back section where the ring is pressed in. I realigned the ring and pressed it in and held it for 5 minues. Viola, all fixed.
This laser is my favorite in my collection now, by far. I can tell you that after a lifetime of seeing Red wavelengths and half a lifetime of seeing 532nm, 450nm looks absolutely beautiful. I have a 405nm pointer but it doesn't compare at all. It didn't begin to compare even when 405nm was "the new amazing wavelength", so I know it isn't just the "new factor". 450nm is absolutely jaw dropping.
This laser uses a single mode diode, and the spot is a nice TEM00 as you can see in the photographs. The collimation appears to be very good and the divergence is lower than my 95mW 532nm or my 10mW 405nm pointers. The laser has to be on for about 90sec before you can feel any warmth in the host, and I always turn it off before then. The duty cycle is rated at 45sec on 15sec off, but I think that is a bit excessive. It is winter now though so I'm sure if you were in a warm climate it would warm up faster.
Judging by how the eye is supposed to gauge different wavelength brightnesses, I would say that this laser is likely on spec, or very close to it. The beam is nearly twice as bright as my overspec 5mW 532nm pointer, but about 1/2 as bright as my underspec 95mW 532nm pointer. The spot is brighter than my 100mW 650nm pointer.
One day I'll have a LPM so I can stop guessing, haha.
I'm powering the pointer with two AAA size 1.2v NiMH cells, though these cells actually measure in at 1.457V when fully charged. The pointer doesn't appear to put a very heavy drain on the cells either, as they are lasting a long time and I have not noticed any reduction in brightness. I put in a fresh pair of alkalines to see if there would be any increased performance, but my eyes could not detect any.
Note: The beam is brighter to my eyes than my camera suggests, but the color is pretty close to accurate.
Pictures!:
Spot at 45ft:
Spot at 45ft:
I'm very satisfied with the quality of the laser, and quite happy with the level of service provided by Laserlands.net.
After falling in love with 450nm from this pointer... I'm going to have to get one of those 1.2W 445/450nm Beauties from Lazerer.com. (Yes, I will invest in a quality pair of laser goggles as well, around OD7+. Currently I only have the cheap old red goggles from WL which were OD2 iirc.)
Last edited: