3.0mw vs 5.0mw

[trencheel303]

Here's a pen for you built this one last month. 1540mw! 445nm of course.

Took some modification but she's running strong. Super tight build.

I love this. It's a prime example of "because I could" - and that's the best reason anyone needs to do something like this.

 

[beamjunkie7]

As an astro person too, 50mW 532nm is what you need for star pointing... 5mW 532nm just won't do the job for that. But, anything over 5mW is too much for presentations... and you can't see the beam well from a 5mW 532nm laser at night... it's there but not very visible

You're right, I decided 5mw was not quite enough. But, I don't want to go all the way to 50mw either, because in all honesty I don't plan on being too too careful with this laser (I'm gonna treat it like a 5mw). So, 20mw seems like a happy medium, and I'm sure that beam will be enough with a green laser. I am used to stargazing with weak 5mw cheapies so 20 will be perfect!

And nice Tmack that's awesome I bet it's a lot of fun to burn with haha (Or just pretend it's a lightsaber lol). I agree with Trencheel303!

 

[ultimatekaiser]

If you don't mind spending a little extra money I would actually get/make a 520nm. It's a bit more unique, still very bright, and easier on your eyes in the dark. But it's also a diode not DPSS, so it won't be affected by the cold as much whe you are outside... You can get up to and over 50mW pretty readily, and it'll have a good lifetime too.

Edit: if you're looking for beam visibility it's not about total power emission, it's about concentration/density of that power. Laserglow's lasers have a thin beam, so the total intensity is higher, so the beam is easier to see than if we did the same thing with a typical g-lens because it has a larger diameter

 

[beamjunkie7]

If you don't mind spending a little extra money I would actually get/make a 520nm. It's a bit more unique, still very bright, and easier on your eyes in the dark. But it's also a diode not DPSS, so it won't be affected by the cold as much whe you are outside... You can get up to and over 50mW pretty readily, and it'll have a good lifetime too.

Thanks for the offer, and now that my order from LEDShoppe didn't go through and I would have to re-order anyway I may be interested. It depends though, I really don't want to spend a lot of money and I don't want to lowball you for what I'm sure is great work. I couldn't spend any more than around $40 so if that's not enough, no worries! I was looking at 520nm lasers before, but they were around $70 even on the cheapest sites....

 

[ultimatekaiser]

That's because that's how much the diodes cost. personally I do astronomy as well and I use my Galileo for pointing my Telescope. Too bright and it washes out the image from the scope. But I've made a few different greens, and they are very easy to see, especially if they are well collimated. Just watch out for planes!

 

[NightExplorer96]

If you don't mind spending a little extra money I would actually get/make a 520nm. It's a bit more unique, still very bright, and easier on your eyes in the dark. But it's also a diode not DPSS, so it won't be affected by the cold as much whe you are outside... You can get up to and over 50mW pretty readily, and it'll have a good lifetime too.

Edit: if you're looking for being visibility it's not about total power, it's about concentration power. Laserglow's lasers have a thin beam, so the total intensity is higher, so the beam is easier to see than if we did the same thing with a typical g-lens because it has a larger diameter

May I also add that 520nm will appear "brighter" then 532nm in the dark

 

[beamjunkie7]

May I also add that 520nm will appear "brighter" then 532nm in the dark

This may be true but unfortunately because I didn't realize how much my 750mw laser would cost all-told (after tax, shipping, and batteries) I sorta overspent and I don't have any more money lol. Being a student, I'm sorta on a fixed budget. I wish I could get one! Getting a pure diode laser would be awesome and having a wavelength I've never owned before would be cool but oh well. That's what the future is for haha

 

[Blackwolf]

If you really want 5mw for that price get the wicked lasers core it uses a photo diode to measure the output and adjusts the current to keep a stable 5mw and it is IR filtered too.

 

[beamjunkie7]

Yeah but if I went with $50 I'd buy from LaserGlow over WickedLasers. Just from what I've heard around the forum, and also because I've always admired LaserGlow (it's like admiring a nice car brand haha).
Nice avatar by the way Blackwolf! Haha

 

[ultimatekaiser]

May I also add that 520nm will appear "brighter" then 532nm in the dark

No it won't. 553nm is the peak for human eyes on average but lets not split hairs, it's really close.

 

[Blackwolf]

Yeah but if I went with $50 I'd buy from LaserGlow over WickedLasers. Just from what I've heard around the forum, and also because I've always admired LaserGlow (it's like admiring a nice car brand haha).
Nice avatar by the way Blackwolf! Haha

The core is the only thing they make well it is well made real nice and heavy in your hands and is 5mw not 3 not 2.6375 just 5. If your hearts set on LG go LG

thanks I knew it would be a sweet avatar as soon as I saw it

if you ever want a little more green check out this pen it takes one AAA and is at least 30-80mw

 

[Blackwolf]

No it won't. 553nm is the peak for human eyes on average but lets not split hairs, it's really close.

It has been established that the maximum spectral sensitivity of the human eye under daylight conditions is at a wavelength of 555nm, while at night the peak shifts to 507nm

(555+507)/2=531 where are you getting 553nm

 

[NightExplorer96]

No it won't. 553nm is the peak for human eyes on average but lets not split hairs, it's really close.

Peak brightness for a dark-adapted eye is 507nm

 

[ultimatekaiser]

Well the rods and cones are 500 and 555 respectively. Now that you mention it though, I think it does edge around based on absolute dark, vs certain types of lighting. Thx green :beer:

 

[beamjunkie7]

The core is the only thing they make well it is well made real nice and heavy in your hands and is 5mw not 3 not 2.6375 just 5. If your hearts set on LG go LG

thanks I knew it would be a sweet avatar as soon as I saw it

if you ever want a little more green check out this pen it takes one AAA and is at least 30-80mw

Yeah in the end I am going to buy a cheap laser like that 5mw on fasttech's site. If you endorse that one, then maybe I will get that. How was shipping and does it have a good beam/low divergence?
Also how much did that 473nm you had set you back and where did you get it? That looks great haha

 

[NightExplorer96]

Yeah in the end I am going to buy a cheap laser like that 5mw on fasttech's site. If you endorse that one, then maybe I will get that. How was shipping and does it have a good beam/low divergence?
Also how much did that 473nm you had set you back and where did you get it? That looks great haha

I know you asked Blackwolf but I thought it wouldn't hurt to add mine.

My 473nm which I bought from LaserGlow set me back $336. It normally is $449 but I caught it during the New Year's Sale they had going on


Be aware: You can buy 473's at a much lower price, Im just on a LG *craze* currently.