- Joined
- Oct 15, 2007
- Messages
- 510
- Points
- 18
Hello guys,
I've received my green Jetlasers not long ago, and I've decided to write a review of this laser because it is worthy of one.
The detailed specifications according to the Jetlasers website:
Wavelenght: 532nm
Host size: Φ38x200mm
Output Power: >300 mW
Transverse Mode: TEM00
Beam Divergence: 0.8-1.2mrad; Adjustable
Beam Diameter: 1.2 mm @ aperture; Adjustable
Switch: Push button
I've calculated the actual divergence of my laser and it turned out to be around 1.05 mRad, which is very impressive.
I measured the beam diameter to be 3 mm at the aperture, which is more than what I was expecting, so forget lighting a cigarette with this one without focusing the laser to a pinpoint first.
Here is the link to the video of this laser: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yC06L5iuvOo
Shipping:
The laser was shipped to me via Aramex, and arrived within a week from the day it was sent to me. Gray declared a low value for the laser and gave it a description being: "Flashlight accessories". It was smart move because I didn't have any problems with the customs in Lebanon, and only had to pay around 17 $ for custom fees and taxes.
The Package:
The laser came in a cartoon box with a serial number which included the following:
- PL-C Laser
- 18650 battery charger
- Safety key
- Safety pin
- Lanyard
The Host:
I really love this host due to the professional lab grade laser feel to it. The machining of the aluminum body is flawless and very well engineered.
The laser is focusable by turning the focusing head clock-wards or anti-clockwards. The later adjusts the laser's beam for maximum divergence, while doing the opposite results in the minimum divergence possible for this laser.
The aperture shutter functions very smoothly and leaves no gap when fully closed to prevent dust and debris from accumulating onto the laser's lens. This feature is especially useful when carrying the laser in a pocket.
The tail-cap has a gold plated spring that makes contact with the positive end of the battery, which is something I like because I've owned other lasers that do not have a spring but rather a brass contact plate that may cause contact problems between itself and the battery's cathode when inserting different sized batteries into the laser.
The spring in this model eliminates this problem because it just compressed itself more or less depending on the length of the battery.
I find the safety features on this model particularly amusing because there are various ways of not allowing the use of this laser by anyone other than yourself. I do find that having a safety key and a safety pin that is inserted at the bottom of the laser is a little bit redundant unless you cut the red wire of the safety pin provided and connect the two ends to an external power supply.
I find the blue led light that turns on when the laser is operational to be a good idea in order not to forget opening the aperture when in use, but I found it a little too bright to "just" serve the purpose. It distracts the eye when staring at the green beam at night, so I find myself covering it with my thumb when doing so.
The power button can be pressed temporarily to power the laser or all the way to keep the laser operational. I do worry about the long term durability of this switch as I've owned similar ones in the past and have failed on me twice.
The lack of a tripod mounting hole at the bottom of the laser makes it difficult to mount on a stand unless you have a clip holder or force fit it into a microphone holder.
The Beam:
The beam on this particular model comes out at a slight angle, not perfectly aligned with the laser's body.
The beam diameter is thick, which is not something I am not too keen of but is compensated by the relatively good beam divergence.
I have noticed that the dot is not perfectly TEM00, but mode hops a little bit upon warming up and then stabilizes. There are a few visible artifacts around the laser's dot, which is not something to really complain about due to the price of this laser.
The Duty Cycle:
Jetlasers recommend a 5 min on duty cycle followed by a small rest in order to prevent overheating. This has not been the case with my laser as it doesn't even get warm after a couple of minutes of usage due to the massive aluminum heat sink with fins that increases surface area and maximizes heat exchange with the surrounding air.
Measured Power Output:
Gray sent me a video showing my laser being metered. It peaked around 330 mW and had a minimum output of 298 mW. Not too shabby for a 300 mW laser.
Unfortunately, I do not own a LPM so measuring the output power for myself was not possible in this case. Although I trust Gray that the laser in the video was mine.
Conclusion:
Being a customer, I have enjoyed Gray's service very much. He is a very nice guy that replied to my inquiries within no time and was very understanding. The deal went swiftly and I'm looking forward to dealing with this fellow again in the near future.
Pros:
- Solid host
- Safety features
- Bang for buck
- Output
- Customer service
Cons:
- Blue LED too bright
- Laser beam could be cleaner
- Flimsy on/off button
- Difficult to clean the lens
- Tripod mount not available
I hope you enjoyed this review as much as I have by typing it for you. Please let me know if there is something missing. Feel free to comment and ask questions regarding my experience with Jetlasers and/or the laser itself.
Thanks for reading!
I've received my green Jetlasers not long ago, and I've decided to write a review of this laser because it is worthy of one.
The detailed specifications according to the Jetlasers website:
Wavelenght: 532nm
Host size: Φ38x200mm
Output Power: >300 mW
Transverse Mode: TEM00
Beam Divergence: 0.8-1.2mrad; Adjustable
Beam Diameter: 1.2 mm @ aperture; Adjustable
Switch: Push button
I've calculated the actual divergence of my laser and it turned out to be around 1.05 mRad, which is very impressive.
I measured the beam diameter to be 3 mm at the aperture, which is more than what I was expecting, so forget lighting a cigarette with this one without focusing the laser to a pinpoint first.
Here is the link to the video of this laser: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yC06L5iuvOo
Shipping:
The laser was shipped to me via Aramex, and arrived within a week from the day it was sent to me. Gray declared a low value for the laser and gave it a description being: "Flashlight accessories". It was smart move because I didn't have any problems with the customs in Lebanon, and only had to pay around 17 $ for custom fees and taxes.
The Package:
The laser came in a cartoon box with a serial number which included the following:
- PL-C Laser
- 18650 battery charger
- Safety key
- Safety pin
- Lanyard
The Host:
I really love this host due to the professional lab grade laser feel to it. The machining of the aluminum body is flawless and very well engineered.
The laser is focusable by turning the focusing head clock-wards or anti-clockwards. The later adjusts the laser's beam for maximum divergence, while doing the opposite results in the minimum divergence possible for this laser.
The aperture shutter functions very smoothly and leaves no gap when fully closed to prevent dust and debris from accumulating onto the laser's lens. This feature is especially useful when carrying the laser in a pocket.
The tail-cap has a gold plated spring that makes contact with the positive end of the battery, which is something I like because I've owned other lasers that do not have a spring but rather a brass contact plate that may cause contact problems between itself and the battery's cathode when inserting different sized batteries into the laser.
The spring in this model eliminates this problem because it just compressed itself more or less depending on the length of the battery.
I find the safety features on this model particularly amusing because there are various ways of not allowing the use of this laser by anyone other than yourself. I do find that having a safety key and a safety pin that is inserted at the bottom of the laser is a little bit redundant unless you cut the red wire of the safety pin provided and connect the two ends to an external power supply.
I find the blue led light that turns on when the laser is operational to be a good idea in order not to forget opening the aperture when in use, but I found it a little too bright to "just" serve the purpose. It distracts the eye when staring at the green beam at night, so I find myself covering it with my thumb when doing so.
The power button can be pressed temporarily to power the laser or all the way to keep the laser operational. I do worry about the long term durability of this switch as I've owned similar ones in the past and have failed on me twice.
The lack of a tripod mounting hole at the bottom of the laser makes it difficult to mount on a stand unless you have a clip holder or force fit it into a microphone holder.
The Beam:
The beam on this particular model comes out at a slight angle, not perfectly aligned with the laser's body.
The beam diameter is thick, which is not something I am not too keen of but is compensated by the relatively good beam divergence.
I have noticed that the dot is not perfectly TEM00, but mode hops a little bit upon warming up and then stabilizes. There are a few visible artifacts around the laser's dot, which is not something to really complain about due to the price of this laser.
The Duty Cycle:
Jetlasers recommend a 5 min on duty cycle followed by a small rest in order to prevent overheating. This has not been the case with my laser as it doesn't even get warm after a couple of minutes of usage due to the massive aluminum heat sink with fins that increases surface area and maximizes heat exchange with the surrounding air.
Measured Power Output:
Gray sent me a video showing my laser being metered. It peaked around 330 mW and had a minimum output of 298 mW. Not too shabby for a 300 mW laser.
Unfortunately, I do not own a LPM so measuring the output power for myself was not possible in this case. Although I trust Gray that the laser in the video was mine.
Conclusion:
Being a customer, I have enjoyed Gray's service very much. He is a very nice guy that replied to my inquiries within no time and was very understanding. The deal went swiftly and I'm looking forward to dealing with this fellow again in the near future.
Pros:
- Solid host
- Safety features
- Bang for buck
- Output
- Customer service
Cons:
- Blue LED too bright
- Laser beam could be cleaner
- Flimsy on/off button
- Difficult to clean the lens
- Tripod mount not available
I hope you enjoyed this review as much as I have by typing it for you. Please let me know if there is something missing. Feel free to comment and ask questions regarding my experience with Jetlasers and/or the laser itself.
Thanks for reading!
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