Daguin custom 445

[davidgdg]

This is a brief review of my recently arrived Daguin 445 custom built.

This is the spec as described by Daguin:

"Up for sale, my first 445nm laser.
This one has the 445nm diode harvested from a Casio projector. It has a Micro Boost driver. It comes with a 405-G-1 lens. It is housed on a Jayrob 18650 kit.
The driver is set at 650mA for good burning AND a very long life. It is putting out 540mW with the 405-G-1 lens.
It comes with one battery. It is focusable and will ship (priority) the day after payment is received.
It is offered here for $275 (international buyers add $5 for additional shipping)."




Output
Slightly over-spec. Putting out 559mw rock steady over 30 seconds.

Brightness
I have compared the apparent brightness to three other wavelengths/powers. As expected, it is far brighter visually than 390mw of 405. It is also significantly brighter than 145mw of 657. It is distinctly less bright than 83mw of 532. I guess the closest comparable will be 40-50mw of 532.

Colour
The colour is somewhere between bright and deep blue. There is no indigo or violet tinge (except where there is fluorescence). It’s a real true blue, albeit at the shorter end.A very striking and beautiful colour. Annoyingly my 473 is under repair so I can’t compare with the longer blue, but I’ll edit this review when the 473 comes back.

No beamshots as my camera does not capture the colours properly. I'll re-edit and post shots this evening with a different camera.

EDIT: Added beamshot (6th July):

Taken along the line of the beam. Visually the beam is less thick and more violet-like. But this isn't a bad likeness.

Burning
Burning is good but definitely not as good as 390mw of 405. I think this is almost certainly attributable to the bar-shaped output of the diode (see below), rather than the wavelength difference.

Lens/beam spot
The lens produces a very clean bar-shaped profile with no ghosting or artifacts. You can actually see the diode sections.

Divergence
Divergence is somewhere between 2 and 3 mrad (spot is 6*1mm at the aperture and 20*2 at 5 metres)

Host
The host is a Cree. Neat, black and sturdy looking.

The one defect with this host is that it is not ideal for focusing. The ring has to be set slightly inset at the front which makes it difficult to adjust the focus in operation without fingers getting close to the beam. I’ve had one burn already ;-(

I've since ordered one of Jayrob's focusing adapters (fantastic value!) which should solve this issue.

Overall a remarkable laser with a beautiful strong and steady output.

 

[Grix]

You should invest in an Ezfocus adapter!

Also, you don't need two threads about the same thing.

 

[davidgdg]

You should invest in an Ezfocus adapter!

Great! I'll be pm-ing Jayrob today. Otherwise my future as a concert pianist was definitely in peril ;-)

 

[davidgdg]

Also, you don't need two threads about the same thing.

I was trying to be helpful! (and in my defence I did say not to comment there).....

 

[jbtm]

I got one from Jay made in the same host. I did the same as you. First hour of 'play' I was on the deck seeing how easy it was to see in sunlight on the grass. I burned my self due to the close-focusing. I'm considering getting an EZ-Focus from jay.

 

[DJNY]

Nice laser there! Hope to get my 445nm soon


BTW: Flaminpyro also makes EZ Focus adaptors

 

[rpaloalto]

Nice laser
Did dave mention as to what mA the driver is set to?
Also what lens are you using?

 

[davidgdg]

It's this one: http://laserpointerforums.com/f39/sold-500mw-445nm-18650-closed-51721.html

 

[Traveller]

Hi David,

thanks for the review. I had hoped to be the first, but as I went for an entirely different host, I get to follow up with my "in transit" JayGuin 445nm.

Btw, I asked the Professor to set it at 550mW after "Aixiz glass". What lens are you using? This info really needs to be added to your review (and please don't send your readers off to other threads in search of such basic but vital data ).

Thanks & :beer:

 

[Exerd]

I love these hosts.

You can move the module out just a few MM to help the focusing ring protrude more. I set the module flush with the sink.

I gave my host a rubberized gray finish.

 

[davidgdg]

Hi David,

thanks for the review. I had hoped to be the first, but as I went for an entirely different host, I get to follow up with my "in transit" JayGuin 445nm.

Btw, I asked the Professor to set it at 550mW after "Aixiz glass". What lens are you using? This info really needs to be added to your review (and please don't send your readers off to other threads in search of such basic but vital data ).

Thanks & :beer:

Post now edited to include full tech spec.
David

 

[Elektrotechniker]

I love these hosts.

You can move the module out just a few MM to help the focusing ring protrude more. I set the module flush with the sink.

I gave my host a rubberized gray finish.

Nice!!!!!!!!! :drool:

 

[Traveller]

...comes with a 405-G-1 lens ... driver is set at 650mA ... putting out 540mW with the 405-G-1 lens.
... I guess the closest comparable will be 40-50mw of 532.
...Annoyingly my 473 is under repair so I can’t compare with the longer blue, but I’ll edit this review when the 473 comes back.
...The lens produces a very clean bar-shaped profile ... Divergence is somewhere between 2 and 3 mrad...

Thanks again for the review and updated info :beer: I am also curious to hear your opinion when you finally get around to comparing the two wavelengths Personally, I like the blue, but I'm not floored by it. A 100mW+ green is still more striking to look at, and as you pointed out, 405 burns better with it's high OP and pin-point profile!

As for the "clean bar-shaped spot"... well I'm not all that thrilled about it. Not that I didn't know what I was getting, thanks to all the images already published by our LPF colleagues. Still... :undecided: Wicked Lasers must be severly limiting the output periphery in order to achieve their claimed divergences, lol.

From a "beam profile" point of view, my preferences is still DPSS - LoPo 650 - HiPo 650 - 405 - 445... . So if your 473 DPSS lasers are as clean as a good quality 532 module, than I would say it's worth the extra cash, regardless of how pure or what-have-you the blue is.

Oddly enough, now that I have this 445nm build in my hands, I'm not sure how to categorize it (i.e. 5xx & 473 for beam "viewing", 660, 405 for burning...). Maybe it will turn out to be the jack of all trades, burning and looking good while it's at it...

I gave my host a rubberized gray finish.

Wow, that looks kewl Did you remove the original anodized finish? How tough (scratch resistant, etc.) is that finish?

 

[Exerd]

I don't know if it's my eyes being more sensitive to blue or what, but I set my 445nm laser down to 750mW, and it is WAY brighter than a 145mW green beam sitting right next to it. Actually, 5 people agree with me seeing it in person. The 445nm beam appears 3 times brighter than the 145mW of green.

 

[rangedunits]

I don't know if it's my eyes being more sensitive to blue or what, but I set my 445nm laser down to 750mW, and it is WAY brighter than a 145mW green beam sitting right next to it. Actually, 5 people agree with me seeing it in person. The 445nm beam appears 3 times brighter than the 145mW of green.

Uh, oh then! 3 times brighter than an evo pro.. holy damn it must be hella bright.

(I am getting a 18650 jayrob kit with a 405-G-1 :3.. @ 750mw)

Cough cough unwanted attention.

 

[Traveller]

...set my 445nm laser down to 750mW, and it is WAY brighter than a 145mW green beam sitting right next to it...

I just took my 130mW 532 and 700mW 445, pointing them out into the night sky (it's a no-fly zone...) and the 445 is bright, no question about it, but it's a thick - but diffused beam while the green is thinner but 100% solid.

So, to my eyes, the green is still more "intense" than the blue. Compared to a 230mW 405nm though, the 445 has to be brighter by a factor of 10 :bowdown: