473nm pointer questions

[18LJ]

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but there's no way that's 473nm. it's probably not even blue, my bet is that it's 650nm (red), 532nm (green) and 405nm (violet) in that. As for drivers... probably a 532nm module with a driver built on, and the cheap constant voltage drivers on the other two. I don't see multiple switches, so there's probably just a tailswitch that turns on all three at once.

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473nm you won't find for under $300 for 1mW, or 5mW... unless you find someone with some of these sample diodes from sharp. They were a very limited run that no low quality chinese seller like this appears to be would try it. Even the high quality ones wouldn't really... I think the only folks who did were sanwu, and they ended up killing theirs without knowing how/why. These samples were very touchy and would die for no apparent reason. These things would certainly not be able to withstand a cheap driver.

So that leaves standard DPSS 473nm, where there's no real practical purpose for thus no reason to be manufactured. That's why the 473nm units from more reputable sources are so expensive. I doubt they're making much on them even...

While i agree its possible it could be a scam i checked the sellers other items and they have single WL 473nm handhelds for sale and also 445nm and 405nm units listed and all of the listings have fairly appropriate corresponding prices. Thus the reason i think it could be a legitimate buy as the 473/532/650 is over 500$, the 473nm is around 300 , and the 445nm and 405nm were priced a 6.99$ & 69.99$. Soo ya if you check the sellers other items for sale the prices seem to accurrately reflect the current going rate for similar lasers on other sites.

https://m.lightinthebox.com/en/s/supplier_5578/c_2619

So ya i agree that it may be a scam and is in a host that looks like it would be tricky to fit that many lasers....u never know tho...new stuff hits the market all the time. And i would argue that just cuz theyre on an unfamiliar chinese site doesnt automatically make it a scam, unless im misinformed arent most diodes manufactured in china/japan? Wouldnt people over there would have first access to surplus/discarded malfunctioning/poor quality/manufacturing defect lots or sample production runs that get sent out to companys or were sent out in engineering R&D sample packs or development kits? Regardless i just wanted to throw the link out there for everyone to know about and see if anyone had ordered from would have any input. If i had the money id gamble on it but it being the holidays i dont have the funds. If i get around to ordering off that site ill be sure to post a review and let everyone know if its legit or not and how fast the shippings was etc.

 

[ZRaffleticket]

I see where you're coming from with that. The problem I have with the site is how many things are mislabeled... One of the first things I saw was a 405nm 650nm violet laser whose wavelength region is 532nm-650nm with a picture of a violet beam added in via paint. I also see a405nm-473nm entry... which made me think of the dark days of when 405's were starting to get popular.

Back in 2009-2011, 473nm was the blue laser (right up until the 445's came out in mass)... but at the time, 405nm pointers were also starting to gain some popularity. A lot of Chinese companies at the time would model their entries to say "blue laser 473nm" and end up as violet (405nm). I was tricked by that once... The 405-473nm things I see listed on that site are a relic of that short-lived era... Whether or not it's on purpose, I do not know. A lot of sellers have absolutely no knowledge of what they sell and a quick google search gives them some keywords and specs to model after.

That's what I think is going on here. I did not buy a product from them so I don't have a way to be 100% certain... but I am extremely confident it's not 473nm DPSS. There's just no way, and there's no reason. DPSS is just too expensive, and there are too few people making it in small enough modules to make them work in these pointers (is it only CNI doing them in the 12mm sizes? Can anyone confirm?)

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Regarding it possibly being a 473nm diode -- there's a chance if it's a 465nm diode that they are driving to the brink of death to get ~473nm. We do it here all the time... Though we'd be talking power in the multi-watt region. I didn't see the 473nm you mentioned so I'm not sure if this is the case.

The probability of it being a diode we don't know about is there, though it's pretty low. Getting GaN into the green region (473nm is pretty close) is a monumental task. Only a select few companies really have that capability, even today... I think that would be Nichia, Osram, and Sharp (who just entered the market with these 480nm, 505nm, and soon to release 488nm diodes).

473nm diodes to us are a sort of holy grail. We have a lot of very knowledgable members here with strong ties to the professional world with these, and many of them are actively looking for new diodes that are hitting the market. That's how we got the 480nm diodes -- we got them before anyone advertised them. Before sharp even acknowledged they existed publically.

So this leads into the problem I have with them using unheard of diodes... the hosts that they are selling lasers in are the standard, mass-produced hosts you see from innumberable sources for pointers. I doubt they'd be ordering the same hosts and designing their own electronics and putting their own diodes into them... in which case, they'd be re-selling... then the question is why doesn't every seller have a new product? If they're being mass produced, then how are they using a diode that's highly desirable to us without us even knowing it exists?

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Now... Regarding that $300 473nm you mentioned they have, can you link that one? I did a search on the link above and only one result for 473 existed, on a 405nm-473nm for $56.99.

Also, I could go into a lot more detail, but I'm at work. Any questions I'll address in the evening...

 

[18LJ]

https://m.lightinthebox.com/en/lt-9...m-2-x-cr123-black_p2080561.html?prm=1-2.2.1.1

Yah id have to agree with you after doing a bit of reading on producing 473nm i also dont see how theyd squeeze a dpss 473 module in with two other lasers in that host. I think your guess on them being over driven 465nm is probably the most likely scenario. kinda bummed about that because a legit vendor selling a handheld rgb with 473nm ready litup out the box is kinda like finding bigfoot wearing a viking helmet riding a unicorn. Totally awesome but totally too good to be true. Thanks though appreciate the input. I guess its back to waiting for sharp to let a few more of those 4xx? nm diodes trickle out.

 

[ZRaffleticket]

Yeah I expect to see some 485nm diodes and 495nm diodes show up in coming weeks... i really hope they come that soon at least...

Plus this might drive down osram's pricing on 488nm diodes (although I expect the sharp diodes to have superior beam specs).

As for the 480nm diodes, best that can be done is to ask various Chinese sellers for sharp diodes is they got any 480nm diodes a few months ago. I don't think many here would be willing to let one go for a fair offer.

 

[Lifetime17]

Hi Z,
I am waiting on a vendor for some 495/488nm diodes soon. Who knows how long the wait ...

Rich

 

[badboybilly]

Yeah, I'm starting to abandon that concept as I do more research. I'm thinking, why waste such a brilliant wavelength on low-power? I can find a 445-450nm for cheap at 5mW. Why not experience 473nm in all its greatness?

PM me if your interested in purchasing a 477nm LED Lenser Mod,
Over 100mw

https://laserpointerforums.com/f40/new-473-diode-led-lenser-mod-100921.html

 

[ZRaffleticket]

Hi Z,
I am waiting on a vendor for some 495/488nm diodes soon. Who knows how long the wait ...

Rich

Heh, I think we may have the same vendor that is waiting on their order of a few thousand to show. Soon... Soon... please...

 

[aaronnoraa]

There are several laser enthusiasts in this area. Many right there in Seattle.

Greenwood/N. Seattle here! :beer::wave::beer:

 

[Lifetime17]

Hi Z,
Might be true just keeping my fingers crossed they come through at a decent price. Ringing the New Year with some awesome WL's at a good price.

Rich

 

[Lucidfer]

Greenwood/N. Seattle here! :beer::wave::beer:

I'm on Capitol Hill!

 

[paul1598419]

Yeah I expect to see some 485nm diodes and 495nm diodes show up in coming weeks... i really hope they come that soon at least...

Plus this might drive down osram's pricing on 488nm diodes (although I expect the sharp diodes to have superior beam specs).

As for the 480nm diodes, best that can be done is to ask various Chinese sellers for sharp diodes is they got any 480nm diodes a few months ago. I don't think many here would be willing to let one go for a fair offer.

Hi Z,
I am waiting on a vendor for some 495/488nm diodes soon. Who knows how long the wait ...

Rich

Zach and Rich, please keep me in the loop on these new diodes. I would love to measure them and also would want a couple for myself. :thanks:

 

[Lifetime17]

Hi paul,
No problemo buddy will do say a prayer..

Rich

 

[paul1598419]

Thanks, Rich. :yh:

 

[ZRaffleticket]

You should expect to see 10 from me to measure just like the 480s, if you wouldn't mind Paul.

I have more faith in the 488s to show up and be low WL for the first batch like all of the other recent batches were.

Sad part is the long wait though...

 

[paul1598419]

You should expect to see 10 from me to measure just like the 480s, if you wouldn't mind Paul.

I have more faith in the 488s to show up and be low WL for the first batch like all of the other recent batches were.

Sad part is the long wait though...

Absolutely, Zach. I live to measure and learn all I can from these newer diodes. Just PM me when you are ready. I know some have just had the diodes shipped to me from the seller saving time and postage. I would love to see some 488nm diodes that are that wavelength. Also, anxious to get my hands on some 495nm ones as I suspect that color will be amazing. Even if they aren't right on the money 495nm, they will still be awesome as long as they are relatively close.

 

[ZRaffleticket]

Yup I've actually done that (ordered 5 to me then 5 more to you). You'll get a PM before I even get the order placed.

Hoping for one at 483nm for a pen pointer, one at 488, and one at 495-ish when these are all said and done. That'd make me a happy camper

And I'm hoping we see some 495's show up. I was never told they exist by any vendor, though the datasheet suggests they exist alongside the 488s.