2000mw laser?

[jlcame]

Hello. I'm new to lasers, and interested on getting my evil hands on one of these bad boys. Like this one:
Buy 2000 mw 532 nm Adjustable Focus Green Laser Pointer (Black) in US$ 123.75 in Low Price- Free Shipping
It's an 2000mw green laser for about 123.75$... new. My question is, does this laser, according to your green wisdom, worth any good? Thank You!!

 

[ZRaffleticket]

Nope.

 

[hwang21]

Total junk. If you're new to lasers, don't get anything over 5mW unless a) you wish to harm yourself and b) you wish to be arrested

Oh and, eBay, Amazon, and most chinese company lasers that are cheap are either total crap or total crap on top of dying in a week

 

[Raiden Gekkou]

Would a 2W green handheld even be possible without the entire unit succumbing to heatstroke after 30 seconds of use?

 

[ARG]

Yeah, it would be possible. Would need a power source capable of handling the draw (4x 18650's ought to do), a large heat sink, and a fan couldn't hurt.

 

[jlcame]

Good replies. Thanks.
What about this one? 50mW 80$, green too. Is this worth anything or is it junk? It also brings ignition keys. Its an lllb class.
Powerful Green Laser Pointer
Oh, and im going to use this on... astronomy... yes... :shhh:

 

[steve001]

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Oh, and im going to use this on... astronomy... yes... :shhh:

Assuming you live in the states.
It's irresponsible attitudes directly or hint like this that appear to have lead the FDA to do this. Read all the recent postings that have the FDA in the title Safety & Legal Issues - Laser Pointers

 

[jlcame]

Assuming you live in the states.
It's irresponsible attitudes directly or hint like this that appear to have lead the FDA to do this. Read all the recent postings that have the FDA in the title Safety & Legal Issues - Laser Pointers

I'm fully aware of laser danger. Almost got blind by one when i was younger and I'm fascinated by the laser beans through the skys or how far they can reach. I know that anything above 5mW is faster than the eye can blink cause by reflex and can cause (sometimes irreversible) damage. And i own and used to handguns, so i'm aware that a powerful laser it's not a toy. And no. I don't happen to live on the states. Thank God no.
:thanks:

 

[SKeeZ]

Stay away at all costs.

 

[jlcame]

Good replies. Thanks.
What about this one? 50mW 80$, green too. Is this worth anything or is it junk? It also brings ignition keys. Its an lllb class.
Powerful Green Laser Pointer
Oh, and im going to use this on... astronomy... yes... :shhh:

Nobody?

 

[steve001]

I'm fully aware of laser danger. Almost got blind by one when i was younger and I'm fascinated by the laser beans through the skys or how far they can reach. I know that anything above 5mW is faster than the eye can blink cause by reflex and can cause (sometimes irreversible) damage. And i own and used to handguns, so i'm aware that a powerful laser it's not a toy. And no. I don't happen to live on the states. Thank God no.
:thanks:

Then disregard everything I said. Have fun with your laser.

 

[jlcame]

Does any member know about some kind of laser pointer (pen style) that could give me a nice bright long steady green beam? For a reasonable price?

 

[NO4H99]

Okay... So you've got a couple options, but before we go into that there are a few "for future reference" things we should cover.

See that bar across the screen right under the "List of Top Laser Pointer Sites"? One of the items on it says "LPF Search". Use that button. Many of the questions you asked (like the ones in your last post) have been asked literally hundreds of times before. The answers are out there.

Second, look through the Rules and Stickies tab (second from the top on the main menu.) The threads there contain very useful information, applicable to many situations (and to a few of your questions). These threads were stickied so that info would be easy to find, and not need to be repeated three times a day in various threads.

Next, the companies tab. As your question involves which company to buy from, I would personally suggest that you research what can be expected from each vendor - before you send them your money. For questions on specific models, the reviews tab may be more helpful. (Alternatively, you could use the search bar to find this info.)

Finally, safety. After reading your post, it appears that you are knowledgeable on this subject already. I would just like to again stress that if you get a laser above ≈20mw, and intend to use it for anything other than pointing out stars, (esp. for indoor use), get safety glasses. In my signature there is a link to a cheap ($8) pair that will adequately protect against lower power greens (the Uvex ones). Just remember that any infra-red light is NOT filtered out by the glasses.


Now on to answering you questions.

I would personally suggest anywhere from 30 to 50 milliwatts of green. At least where I live, 30mw has a clearly visible beam at night. Depending on the air quality of where you live, it may be easier or harder to see. A 50mw beam is noticeably brighter, can easily be seen from 20ft away at a 90 degree angle (if it is dark), and seems solid when looking close to parallel. The downfall of the 50, however, is that it is really not very safe for messing around inside, as the dot becomes uncomfortable to look at. If you choose a 50mw, I would suggest safety glasses. If you need any more info, feel free to pm me for pictures of each beam at various angles.

As for companies, you have several options.

If you want preassembled for cheap, look at O-like or even lazerer. Both are chinese companies (so will take a few weeks for shipping), and will have up to spec (or close) outputs. They do however, have mixed reviews (esp. Lazerer) on this forum. Look in the companies tab for more details.

Alternatively, you could buy an ebay pen. Almost all of these are over spec, and if you search the forum, people have shared which sellers are best. The downfall is that they are kind of a crapshoot, due to the sheer volume of sellers. Also, you will not know (or be able to find out without an expensive lpm) how powerful they are, which poses a safety issue if you think you have a 10mw, and actually have a 70mw.

You could also do as I did and buy the cheapest pen possible, and switch the module out with one from dx.com or fast tech.com. This is quite easy, requires only a few minutes of soldering, and has been demonstrated in several threads on this forum, and in multiple youtube videos. Although these modules will likely not be ir filtered, They will be much closer to their listed power than an ebay pen (with the exception of the 5mw fasttech module, which will put out ≈50mw)

Another option would be to buy a pen build or lpm-ed ebay pen from a forum member.

My personal suggestion, though is to buy a pen from here - LP 515nm 532nm 1-150. Laserbtb.com (or sky lasers) is a reputable seller, with quality products. Their prices are quite fair for what you are looking for, and their hosts are very nice (even with a keylock on the pen host). Should you choose to order from there, I'm fairly certain that you will receive a quality product that is at, or even above spec. That said, I have never personally dealt with them, so you would be wise to read some reviews.

If "astronomy" was just an excuse , or if you're not committed to the pen host and want a higher power, I would absolutely suggest TheJoker. You can contact him through this forum (username: TheJoker301), or through his website Sci-Fi-Lasers. I have personally dealt with him before, and cannot recommend him enough! He is a great guy, provides a top-notch product (looks and functions great), and amazing service. If you want visibility, look at his 100mw SFCG. For burning, start with the 200mw SFCR. Just be sure to get goggles.

Hope this information helps you.
-Noah

 

[Raiden Gekkou]

Yeah, it would be possible. Would need a power source capable of handling the draw (4x 18650's ought to do), a large heat sink, and a fan couldn't hurt.

And how much would that cost? Like $4000?

 

[jlcame]

Noah - Thank you for your time. Very helpful indeed
Yes, i'm aware that i will need safety glasses for indoor use, as it can accidentally reflect the beam to someones eyes. The laser pen you quote is very interesting. I see that they are several mW options for the pen. Does the 150mW one have the same host as the picture? Because i see on this site (http://www.apinex.com/ret2/H532L-50B.html) and the host is bigger and weights around 160g, but its an 50mW, still, the host brings a nice key system and comfortable to hold up, from what i see on pictures. Could this be related to the lens being better or something? Thanks.

 

[NO4H99]

The host pictures is the laserbtb handheld host. If that is actually what they send you, it will be a quality host. Before you buy, however, I'd research the company (apinex), as I've never personally heard of them before. Even if the host is nice, the laser inside may be crap. If you are interested in a handheld, I'd definitely look at Sci-Fi Laers. Rayfoss, Laserbtb, the B/S/T section, or maybe O-like are other good options. For a pen, go with Laserbtb. For the price you cant beat their pen host - its solid.

To answer your last question, the lens will be no better, maybe even worse, on the site you linked to. The price is higher because 1) The host is bigger and has more materials, 2) It is focusable (not necessary for a lower power esp. green as greens at that power are almost always to unstable in output to burn), and/or 3) The company is just trying to rip you off.