1.2W 445nm or 400mW 532nm?

[LaserNinja]

Hey guys, I have only purchased lasers from sites like laserpointerpro and amazon until now. I have a "300mW 532nm" laser that indeed cuts tape and shines a beam that's pretty bright (to me) in the sky.
However I want to see what a true high-power looks like in the sky, from what I have read so far I've gathered that a 1W 445nm laser is hard to differentiate between an 2W 455nm laser (unless of course you have an LPM). Now whether or not that is 100% true, I am not-so-willing to spend an extra $100 for a only SlightLy better effect.

The aspects I am interested in are:#1 Beam Visibility #2 Extra Lenses (diffractors) #3 Distance #4 Burning capability - In That Order.

I want to spend about $200
Bare in mind my current most powerful laser is Click>>I know, right?

Since I already have a green laser and I'm all for diversity (whether you think that'll be a true-400mW green laser or a blue laser is subject to your suggestion.) I have selected two lasers that I think are decent buys:
Click>>1.2W 455nm Laser focusable beam / EDIT: 1.5W 445nm Laser
Vs
Click>>400mW 532 focusable and water proof.

I would really appreciate which one you think is best, if you have another suggestion for a laser around $200 please post.

Thanks!! - I look forward to your suggestions

 

[Lolvo]

I would suggest going for the 445nm laser...variety is the spice of life!

 

[Lolvo]

It really depends on what you want, dealing with 445 lasers that is.

If I were to buy another laser, I would buy a custom build from an LPF member like Blord. They are powerful, well-built, and cheap.

However, for my first powerful laser, I wanted a manufactured one. I own a Lazerer Rifle 1.5W, the older brother to the one you linked. It is simply amazing! It has become commonplace to me now, and I am considering getting a different high-power laser.

Mine is overspec and is closer to 1.6W, and the purchase was well worth it. In fact, I have a lot of people over tonight to watch the BCS football championship, and I broke the laser out to show off and they were jaw-droppingly impressed.

Green lasers will be more visible, more bright, at a lower power rating; however, blue lasers are more powerful and much more impressive. It really comes down to personal want.

EDIT: You deleted your post?

I will always recommend a Lazerer 445nm laser. Let me know if I can help with anything else!

 

[LaserNinja]

Ah yes, that laser is only $30 more, I don't mind going for that one
Did you purchase the lens kit, would you recommend it?

 

[Lolvo]

Ah yes, that laser is only $30 more, I don't mind going for that one
Did you purchase the lens kit, would you recommend it?

I have the lens kit, and yes a great expansion to the laser! I don't own any separate diffraction gratings so it is a great addition to be able to screw in a different lens and get some nice effects with it. Especially since the effects can be viewed indoors without any eye protection if you use it correctly.

 

[kbg2289]

Well here's the thing... technically your 300mW green laser is going to have a brighter beam than even that 1.2W blue. So if you are really just looking for the brightest beam possible than the 400mW green laser is it. It's beam would technically appear 4.78x brighter to the "average" human eye than the 1.2W blue laser. But again, everyone's eyes are different and so this can vary a bit.

This is because the human eye through it's own evolution is most sensitive to greenish yellow light. In fact the average human eye's sensitivity peaks around 555nm.

Here's a cool tool someone built that you can use to calculate relative visibility of lasers vs each other:

Beam: (650nm 5mw) vs. (532nm 5mw)

 

[LaserNinja]

I know the 1.5W 445 will probably have more beam visibility than my current knock-off 300mW 532nm.
Do you know which of the two I posted would appear brighter? - Of course I know 532nm is much more visible than 445, but it (the 445 in this case) is more than 3 times as powerful.
NOTE: I am refering to the 1.5W not the 1.2W I posted
EDIT: Click>> HERE is the graph I found

 

[Lolvo]

The 532nm will have greater overall beam visibility than the 445nm. That's a pretty simple answer as much as I can give.

The 532 will have a more visibly apt beam with a greater distance and less divergence; but will lack in uniqueness and burning power.

Personally, I want to own both. Now that I have a powerful 445, I'd like a powerful 532.

 

[kbg2289]

Check this link out: Beam: (445nm 1500mw) vs. (532nm 400mw)

In theory, to the average human eye the beam on the 400mW 532nm green should be about 3.82x brighter than the beam on the 1500mW 445nm laser.

Yes, it's all based on subjective research. Yes, each person's eye can be slightly different. And yes we are assuming both lasers will be precisely on spec. So what's the ultimate translation on this? Provided the lasers are reasonably on spec the 400mW green laser is going to have a significantly brighter beam to your eye than the 1500mW blue.

But frankly... i'm still all for variety here. If you 300mW green is on spec, the 400mW will only be 33% brighter than that... so why not switch it up and get a blue laser?

 

[LaserNinja]

Here's a cool tool someone built that you can use to calculate relative visibility of lasers vs each other:

Beam: (650nm 5mw) vs. (532nm 5mw)

This was really useful, according to this graph calculator the 1500mW 445 laser would have 26% opacity compared to the 400mw 532 laser.
The conclusion is obviously the 445 would burn things much more efficiently but the 532 would be 4 times a bright.
Assuming that graph is accurate of course.

Edit:The guy above me beat me to it. I think I will switch it up, a blue laser sounds nice. The green one I have now is impressive but I think it is underspec around 200mW or so; having not had a good quality laser NOR LPM I wouldn't know. I'm just comparing how fast I can burn things...

 

[kbg2289]

Hah, just remember to get some good goggles for 445nm and 532nm if you're going to be burning stuff.

 

[LaserNinja]

Yes of course!~ I will purchase the appropriate goggles. I am a laser enthusiast at heart just not in budget or I would be buying both and then some

 

[Lolvo]

Yes of course!~ I will purchase the appropriate goggles. I am a laser enthusiast at heart just not in budget or I would be buying both and then some

Note that you can include a pair of very adequate goggles with any Lazerer purchase for extremely cheap.

 

[InfinitusEquitas]

My vote is for a custom 445nm laser. While the lazerer rifle is great, you can get a better laser with more power, that will last you longer, from a forum member.

Also with a 445nm you can get away with using pretty cheap goggles... personally I do not trust the "beginner" goggles from any website.

 

[LaserNinja]

Okay, I'll do a search for forum members selling lasers before I buy the lazerer rifle.

 

[LaserNinja]

So this is the laser I found from a fellow member. it does seem to be a little old. but it's wickedlasers and only $150...

Or did you mean buy a laser someone built?