IsaacT
0
- Joined
- Aug 25, 2010
- Messages
- 5,947
- Points
- 83
"Firefly"
*********ATTENTION! While past units have been excellent, it appears we have reached the end of Dragon Laser's acceptable stock. For more information regarding this, please read Atomicrox' Feedback thread HERE... Thank you for reading. To clarify. While at the time of this review Dragon Lasers was an excellent choice for 589nm Handheld Units, they are no longer an advisable source of these lasers.*********
Hello everyone! Today I want to show off the newest member of my personal collection.
It is a brand new 589nm Spartan from Dragon Lasers rated at 50mW! Something I have been dying
for ever since I found out 589's existed!
This review is going to be separated into a few parts to keep everything orderly.
Table of Contents:
Customer Interaction
Shipping Time
Build Quality of Host
Laser Specs & Measurements
Thoughts & Notes
I. Customer Interaction
One of the biggest things that affects where I will buy from is the way I am treated as a
customer. With this, Adam from Dragon Lasers did everything he could to assuage my fears
and instill in me confidence that not only would I receive my laser, but also that it would
be guaranteed up to spec and that I would be happy with it. Some of my questions included
if the beam would be clean, if power would be up to spec, and if it would actually make it past customs.
He assured me that Dragon Lasers would meet or exceed specs and that they guaranteed delivery!
Not bad, DL, not bad!
I was also afforded a Gold membership in advance as per my request with promise of media
and reviews to subsidize the remaining points I would require post transaction. Adam's willingness
to accomodate me in this regard is highly commendable and made my purchasing experience
a very pleasant one. I knew I was getting quality, and a slight price break off of the total gave me
peace of mind, even if telling the GF was still going to be iffy.
II. Shipping Time
Shipping time from DL was not bad at all! I placed my order on the 7th of May. Part of my order
was shipped on May 8th and consisted of diffraction gratings for the group buy I hosted, and the
laser was shipped on the 13th of May. I was notified of an approximate week delay from purchase date
to the shipment of the laser, so I had no problem with the timing there. The laser arrived 8 days after
it was shipped, and it even got to spend a hot minute in customs. YIKES! However when it arrived,
it did not have any customs tape over the box, which leads me to believe that customs simply processed it
rather than looking inside.
Shipping services used were TNT, and when I asked Adam about it, he assured me that it
was a faster service with just as much quality as USPS, which put my fears of a broken laser at ease.
III. Build Quality of Host
Let me be very clear when I say that I am not a fan of the DL Spartan Case. If I had my way, I would
likely remove the 589nm module and do like I have at other times and have a new host built for it with a
little more style. That being said, this host is very solid in the hand, and does not feel cheap by any standards.
The front of the laser has ridges on it, which serve to keep the laser from rolling. Very functional, and
while I don't think it is much to look at, I appreciate the fact that my alignment will not be
roughed up simply because my table has a mild case of scoleosis.
The grip on the laser has a very fine knurling on it, which is great for giving the host a very slight bit of character.
The threads are FANTASTIC! They are like butter. I am very careful with them, but it is a wonderful
thing to be able to screw in the tailcap without the slightest bit of noise. If I ever get a supressor made
for a pistol I will be getting DL to make it!
The collimating lens and/or IR filter of the laser is inset about an inch behind the aperture, and this
helps with splash and keeping the lens safe from scratches I am sure. It also worries me however, as
I have been unable as of yet to remove the front. Granted, I haven't put much effort forth, but if I
need to clean the lens I would be facing a bit of a problem. The laser does have a small screw on
aperture cover however, that I will be using at all times(when the laser is off) to maintain lens safety.
One manner in which the aperture cover could have been improved is if there was a small window of
glass on the side of it so that photons would be able to escape and warn of the laser being on
unintentionally. I am somewhat paranoid about this so I simply take the battery out before storage.
Host Measurements
Length: 200mm
Width: 26mm
Weight: 175g
IV. Laser Specs & Measurements
While I am unimpressed by the exterior of this laser, I did not buy it for its casing. Taking a look
under the hood then, we are faced with one extraordinary laser assembly. This laser uses SHG(second
harmonic generation), wherein the 808nm pump diode causes the Nd:YAG
cystal to lase at the lines 1064nm and 1319nm. These two lines are then combined into 589nm
as they pass through the non linear optic KTP. Out to the collimating lens they go, which refocuses the
slightly divergent beam into something I might actually want to spend 420 dollars on, and then to the IR
filter to clean up any stray IR output we might get from the process above. Absorption is not 100%,
which is why I don't have a 500+mW 589nm laser.
Specs:
Output Wavelength: 589nm
Output Power: Fluctuations between 65-90mW over 1 Minute
Ir Filtered: Yes
Beam Diameter: 1.7mm @ Aperture
Beam Diameter: 6.0mm @ 10m
Beam Diameter: 0.5mRad
Duty Cycle: 1 Minute On / 30 Seconds Off
Battery Setup: 1 x 18650
Polarity: Positive to Tailcap
Following Pictures Illustrate Low, Average, and Peak Powers Over a Period of 30 Seconds:
V. Thoughts & Notes
A couple things. First, if you want a laser at 589nm, you will need special glasses. Not 400-532nm
Blocking, and not 600-690nm Blocking. Trust me when I say they do not block the beam in the slightest.
The best results I had were from wearing both of them at once. Couldn't see ANYTHING....oh! Except
for the 589nm dot. Still yellow, still passes through, but at least it reduces power enough that I
don't feel endangered....
Also, you gotta stick to the duty cycle. I keep a duty cycle of roughly 35 seconds. A couple seconds
to turn lights off after engaging laser, 30 seconds for my exposure, and a few more seconds to switch
off the laser. After 3 straight sessions with merely reviewing the photos between, I had to give
her a break. She is a 5exy laser though, so I won't begrudge her the beauty rest.
All in all this is by far my favorite color wavelength ever. I love it. It is even better than my multiline
Argon, which is truly saying something. When I show my family or friends the pictures(or the laser
itself) they are always blown away by the fact that it is yellow. Red, green, blue? Meh. Give me my
golden light any day. The host may be disappointing, but I have ZERO regrets about this purchase.
V. Pictures
------------------------------------------
UPDATE: 5/27/2014 *MORE PICS*
Hey guys, I got some more pictures tonight. This time I decided to focus on pure beamage, rather
than diffraction grating shots. They aren't all fantastic, but I enjoyed taking them and trying my
best to get the white balance settings to accurately reflect the color to my eye.
*********ATTENTION! While past units have been excellent, it appears we have reached the end of Dragon Laser's acceptable stock. For more information regarding this, please read Atomicrox' Feedback thread HERE... Thank you for reading. To clarify. While at the time of this review Dragon Lasers was an excellent choice for 589nm Handheld Units, they are no longer an advisable source of these lasers.*********
Hello everyone! Today I want to show off the newest member of my personal collection.
It is a brand new 589nm Spartan from Dragon Lasers rated at 50mW! Something I have been dying
for ever since I found out 589's existed!
This review is going to be separated into a few parts to keep everything orderly.
Table of Contents:
Customer Interaction
Shipping Time
Build Quality of Host
Laser Specs & Measurements
Thoughts & Notes
I. Customer Interaction
One of the biggest things that affects where I will buy from is the way I am treated as a
customer. With this, Adam from Dragon Lasers did everything he could to assuage my fears
and instill in me confidence that not only would I receive my laser, but also that it would
be guaranteed up to spec and that I would be happy with it. Some of my questions included
if the beam would be clean, if power would be up to spec, and if it would actually make it past customs.
He assured me that Dragon Lasers would meet or exceed specs and that they guaranteed delivery!
Not bad, DL, not bad!
I was also afforded a Gold membership in advance as per my request with promise of media
and reviews to subsidize the remaining points I would require post transaction. Adam's willingness
to accomodate me in this regard is highly commendable and made my purchasing experience
a very pleasant one. I knew I was getting quality, and a slight price break off of the total gave me
peace of mind, even if telling the GF was still going to be iffy.
II. Shipping Time
Shipping time from DL was not bad at all! I placed my order on the 7th of May. Part of my order
was shipped on May 8th and consisted of diffraction gratings for the group buy I hosted, and the
laser was shipped on the 13th of May. I was notified of an approximate week delay from purchase date
to the shipment of the laser, so I had no problem with the timing there. The laser arrived 8 days after
it was shipped, and it even got to spend a hot minute in customs. YIKES! However when it arrived,
it did not have any customs tape over the box, which leads me to believe that customs simply processed it
rather than looking inside.
Shipping services used were TNT, and when I asked Adam about it, he assured me that it
was a faster service with just as much quality as USPS, which put my fears of a broken laser at ease.
III. Build Quality of Host
Let me be very clear when I say that I am not a fan of the DL Spartan Case. If I had my way, I would
likely remove the 589nm module and do like I have at other times and have a new host built for it with a
little more style. That being said, this host is very solid in the hand, and does not feel cheap by any standards.
The front of the laser has ridges on it, which serve to keep the laser from rolling. Very functional, and
while I don't think it is much to look at, I appreciate the fact that my alignment will not be
roughed up simply because my table has a mild case of scoleosis.
The grip on the laser has a very fine knurling on it, which is great for giving the host a very slight bit of character.
The threads are FANTASTIC! They are like butter. I am very careful with them, but it is a wonderful
thing to be able to screw in the tailcap without the slightest bit of noise. If I ever get a supressor made
for a pistol I will be getting DL to make it!
The collimating lens and/or IR filter of the laser is inset about an inch behind the aperture, and this
helps with splash and keeping the lens safe from scratches I am sure. It also worries me however, as
I have been unable as of yet to remove the front. Granted, I haven't put much effort forth, but if I
need to clean the lens I would be facing a bit of a problem. The laser does have a small screw on
aperture cover however, that I will be using at all times(when the laser is off) to maintain lens safety.
One manner in which the aperture cover could have been improved is if there was a small window of
glass on the side of it so that photons would be able to escape and warn of the laser being on
unintentionally. I am somewhat paranoid about this so I simply take the battery out before storage.
Host Measurements
Length: 200mm
Width: 26mm
Weight: 175g
IV. Laser Specs & Measurements
While I am unimpressed by the exterior of this laser, I did not buy it for its casing. Taking a look
under the hood then, we are faced with one extraordinary laser assembly. This laser uses SHG(second
harmonic generation), wherein the 808nm pump diode causes the Nd:YAG
cystal to lase at the lines 1064nm and 1319nm. These two lines are then combined into 589nm
as they pass through the non linear optic KTP. Out to the collimating lens they go, which refocuses the
slightly divergent beam into something I might actually want to spend 420 dollars on, and then to the IR
filter to clean up any stray IR output we might get from the process above. Absorption is not 100%,
which is why I don't have a 500+mW 589nm laser.
Specs:
Output Wavelength: 589nm
Output Power: Fluctuations between 65-90mW over 1 Minute
Ir Filtered: Yes
Beam Diameter: 1.7mm @ Aperture
Beam Diameter: 6.0mm @ 10m
Beam Diameter: 0.5mRad
Duty Cycle: 1 Minute On / 30 Seconds Off
Battery Setup: 1 x 18650
Polarity: Positive to Tailcap
Following Pictures Illustrate Low, Average, and Peak Powers Over a Period of 30 Seconds:
V. Thoughts & Notes
A couple things. First, if you want a laser at 589nm, you will need special glasses. Not 400-532nm
Blocking, and not 600-690nm Blocking. Trust me when I say they do not block the beam in the slightest.
The best results I had were from wearing both of them at once. Couldn't see ANYTHING....oh! Except
for the 589nm dot. Still yellow, still passes through, but at least it reduces power enough that I
don't feel endangered....
Also, you gotta stick to the duty cycle. I keep a duty cycle of roughly 35 seconds. A couple seconds
to turn lights off after engaging laser, 30 seconds for my exposure, and a few more seconds to switch
off the laser. After 3 straight sessions with merely reviewing the photos between, I had to give
her a break. She is a 5exy laser though, so I won't begrudge her the beauty rest.
All in all this is by far my favorite color wavelength ever. I love it. It is even better than my multiline
Argon, which is truly saying something. When I show my family or friends the pictures(or the laser
itself) they are always blown away by the fact that it is yellow. Red, green, blue? Meh. Give me my
golden light any day. The host may be disappointing, but I have ZERO regrets about this purchase.
V. Pictures
------------------------------------------
UPDATE: 5/27/2014 *MORE PICS*
Hey guys, I got some more pictures tonight. This time I decided to focus on pure beamage, rather
than diffraction grating shots. They aren't all fantastic, but I enjoyed taking them and trying my
best to get the white balance settings to accurately reflect the color to my eye.
Last edited:
