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Osram 445nm Blue Kaleidoscopic Portable Laser, retail $59.88
Manufactured by: Osramfor Laserlands (www.Laserlands.net)
Last updated 04-22-13
Manufactured by: Osramfor Laserlands (www.Laserlands.net)
Last updated 04-22-13
The Osram 445nm Blue Kaleidoscopic Portable Laser (hereinafter, probably just called a "blue portable laser" or even just a "blue laser") is a royal blue-emitting, directly-injected diode laser. That is, it produces deep blue laser radiation directly, without the need for messy, fragile nonlinear crystals like those green laser pointers and the amberish-yellow and slightly greenish-blue ones as well. It uses a pair of AAA cells to feed its laser diode with.
It also features a removeable "starfield" projector head that projects hundreds of 'stars' in hundreds of different patterns that you can select by rotating the head.
This laser has a measured power output of 171mW at 448nm in the blue part of the spectrum.
This is the reason I call it a "portable laser" on my website instead of a "pointer". Lasers designated as "pointers" must -- by US law anyway -- have a power output that does not exceed 5mW.
It comes in a handsome aluminum body with a black matte finish and brushed chrome-colored accents.
To get the laser to turn on, first load it with two AAA cells (see directly below), and THEN you can go project some stars.
Aim the laser well-away from your face first.
To project a starfield, first be certain that the starfield projection head is screwed onto the laser's "business end". Activate and deactivate the laser as described directly above.
To change the displayed stars, simply use your hand to rotate the star projection head clockwise (as though tightening it); the projection that you last used will remain even when you put the laser away and then go to use it again thanks to its fairly stiff action.
To change the batteries in your blue laser, unscrew the laser at the halfway point and set the front portion aside.
Tip the used AAA cells out of the barrel and into your hand, and dispose of or recycle them as you see fit.
Insert a pair of new AAA cells into the lower half of the barrel, nipple-end (+) positive first. This is the opposite of how batteries are installed in most flashlights, so please pay attention to polarity here.
Screw the two halves back together, and be done with it.
Unable to measure current (amperage) due to the way this laser was constructed.
This is a directly-injected laser (which by their very nature are more rugged than DPSS lasers!), who's active components are the inverter circuit, the laser diode, and the collimating lens. So it should withstand accidents better than a DPSS (diode pumped solid state) laser - the type of laser assembly found in deep red (671nm), yellow (593.5nm), green (532nm), and light blue (473nm) laser pointers. These lasers have several additional components (crystals, filters, etc.) in the optical train, and you can knock them out of alignment by doing little more than looking at them the wrong way. And if any of these components are knocked out of whack, you'll no longer get your deep red, yellow, green, or blue laser beam.
Though you still do not want to intentionally drop your blue-emitting portable laser because it's a precision optical instrument.
The biggest downside to this laser is the fact that while this is clearly a CDRH Class IIIb laser (making it somewhat dangerous!!!), there are no safety features at all that are normally required in Class IIIb lasers; e.g., there is no "emissions" indicator, no startup delay, no interlock of ANY type, and no mechanical beam shutter. This laser behaves like a Class IIIa laser pointer in this regard, which I believe is a rather severe no-no!!!
Beam terminus photograph of this unique (well, "not-so-unique" now) laser on the target at 12".
Beam image bloomed a bit even though it was daylight and photoflash was used when the photograph was taken. Those white and purple colors doe not actually exist.
"Not no way, not no how" as they say.
Beam terminus photograph on a wall at ~10'.
Again, that white color does not really exist, and beam image bloomed somewhat despite photoflash having been used.
Beam terminus photograph of the laser at ~20" when the kaleidoscopc head was put on.
Yet again, those purple & white colors do not really exist.
Attempted photograph of the unit's beams as might be viewed a bit downrange.
Vapours from the iSMØK Electronic Cigarrette were used to make the beams visible.
Power output peaks at 171mW.
This test was conducted on a LaserBee 2.5W USB Laser Power Meter w/Thermopile.
Spectrographic analysis of this laser.
Spectrographic analysis of this laser; spectrometer's response narrowed to a band between 442nm and 452nm to pinpoint wavelength, which is exactly 448.000nm.
The raw spectrometer data (comma-delimited that can be loaded into Excel) is at http://ledmuseum.candlepower.us/42/445-8.txt
Spectral line halfwidth analysis of this laser.
Looks like the FWHM is ~1.75nm.
USB2000 Spectrometer graciously donated by P.L.
Beam cross-sectional analysis with beam widened (fast {X} axis).
Beam cross-sectional analysis with beam widened (slow {Y} axis).
Images made using the ProMetric System by Radiant Imaging.
Video that shows the "stars" produced by my Osram 445nm Blue Kaleidoscopic Portable Laser with its kaleidoscopic (diffraction grating) head installed and being slowly rotated by hand.
Video content is the same as https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jhjb-4i1Hs0 but without zax because not everybody who comes to YouTube to watch laser vidz would desire the unwelcome earwhipping.
This video is approximately 89.3567345478 megabytes (89,902046, bytes) in length; dial-up users please be aware.
It will take no less than four hundred forty six minutes to load at 48.0Kbps.
TEST NOTES:
Test unit was purchased from Laserlands via an Ebay listing on 04-09-13 (or "2013 09 Apr." if you prefer) and was received at 3:51pm on 04-19-13.
UPDATE: 00-00-00
PROS:
Color is very radiant & unusual for a pen-style handheld laser
The price is right!
Has kaleidoscopic starfield projector
Uses batteries that are common and relatively inexpen$ive
Color is very radiant an unu...o wait, I said that already!!!
CONS:
No laser warning labelling of any type -- that's what nocked ½ star off its rating
No safety features required of a CDRH Class IIIb laser -- this is what lopped another ½ star off
MANUFACTURER: Osram
PRODUCT TYPE: Blue-emitting diode laser + laser star projector
LAMP TYPE: Osram blue (450nm) laser diode
No. OF LAMPS: 1
BEAM TYPE: Very narrow spot (w/out diffraction head)
SWITCH TYPE: Momentary pushbutton on/off button on barrel
CASE MATERIAL: Aluminum
BEZEL: Metal; laser & lens recessed into a hosel for them
BATTERY: 2x AAA cells
CURRENT CONSUMPTION: Unknown/unable to measure
WATER-RESISTANT: Light splatter-resistant at maximum
SUBMERSIBLE: No!
ACCESSORIES: Kaleidoscopic head, hard-sided cardboard storage case
SIZE: 178mm L x 13mm D
WEIGHT: 75.90g (2.680 oz) incl. batteries
COUNTRY OF MANUFACTURE: Not stated; but very likely China
WARRANTY: Unknown/not stated
PRODUCT RATING:
Update 04-22-13: Added a photograph; changed the vid. for one with no zax.
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