445nm 5W+ Beam divergence?

[bmwskills]

So I'm finally ready to drop $500 on a laser. Scary. Help me with my purchase! Is beam divergence terrible beyond 3W?

My previous laser was an OXlaser 3W 445nm. Like 6 years ago the button activated via jostling in my backpack and burned the lens and I'm too stupid to be able to screw the glass lens out of the front. It wouldn't unscrew. I'm gonna buy from a reputable source now. From what I gather that's Jetlasers or Sanwu.

My biggest question is beam divergence. My 3W 445nm, I never had any complaints about. I could burn my friend's leg hair from 30 feet away. It was a normal laser dot though glasses at 30 feet. Pointing it out into the distance, it looked like a beam, not a cone. What will a 5W jetlaser, or 7W/7.5W Sanwu laser look like at 30 feet, and at infinity? Will I get a normal laser point at 30ft w/ glasses? Pointing it at the sky, will it look like a beam, or a cone?

I don't know much about lasers other than power and color, and I can't solder. It seems like someone was saying anything beyond 3W is going to have terrible beam divergence. Is this accurate? Have any of you bought the Sanwu 7W or 7.5W? Were you satisfied with beam divergance? Did it look like a beam when pointed at the sky, or a cone?

Yes, I know about laser safety.

P.S. What is a beam expander? It reduces beam divergence, right? Is it still focusable while using a beam expander? Does a beam expander reduce output?

 

[WizardG]

Point any of the high power blue diodes into the night sky and it will look like a blade. The beam will be thin on one axis and diverging pretty rapidly on the other. The x140 diodes weren't too bad but the 7 watt diodes. Pure crap beam quality without correction.

 

[Commander J. Bloodmaker]

So I'm finally ready to drop $500 on a laser. Scary. Help me with my purchase! Is beam divergence terrible beyond 3W?

My previous laser was an OXlaser 3W 445nm. Like 6 years ago the button activated via jostling in my backpack and burned the lens and I'm too stupid to be able to screw the glass lens out of the front. It wouldn't unscrew. I'm gonna buy from a reputable source now. From what I gather that's Jetlasers or Sanwu.

My biggest question is beam divergence. My 3W 445nm, I never had any complaints about. I could burn my friend's leg hair from 30 feet away. It was a normal laser dot though glasses at 30 feet. Pointing it out into the distance, it looked like a beam, not a cone. What will a 5W jetlaser, or 7W/7.5W Sanwu laser look like at 30 feet, and at infinity? Will I get a normal laser point at 30ft w/ glasses? Pointing it at the sky, will it look like a beam, or a cone?

I don't know much about lasers other than power and color, and I can't solder. It seems like someone was saying anything beyond 3W is going to have terrible beam divergence. Is this accurate? Have any of you bought the Sanwu 7W or 7.5W? Were you satisfied with beam divergance? Did it look like a beam when pointed at the sky, or a cone?

Yes, I know about laser safety.

P.S. What is a beam expander? It reduces beam divergence, right? Is it still focusable while using a beam expander? Does a beam expander reduce output?

I have never used any of those. I actually purchase almost solely from techhood on ebay. I have been doing business with them for literally years. May have put some of their kids through school by this point. lol. They are so good to me. I will write them an email before a purchase and let them know what I need. They hand pick my orders and test them before shipping. Have I mentioned I have spent a ton of money with them, lol. They have a " kit " for a 455nm handheld. I have bought their 2w and 4w kit. Really, it's you screw it all together and add batteries. The laws consider it a kit because it need some assembly. Which is perfectly legal, it just can't be assembled before shipping ( because of the wattage). The 2w kit is the best for longevity, some of mine are 5 years old and still just as strong as the day I fired them up. I have usually sold them to friends wanting a laser, then buy a new one. There are a few that I kept for myself though. The 4w kit was amazing!! Burning log and paper as quite a distance. I have noticed with the new sets, the lens used have left me pondering. The older kits would go to infinity. The newer kits seem to only go to 15-20 feet with a tight focus focus. I believe this is because of the way the laws are being structured over there. The newer kits cone out to a square at 10 - 15,000 feet on the cloud deck. A huge bright blue square on the clouds. My older kits go to infinity. Maybe try talking to Ringo and see if he will set you up with an infinity focus on a kit. They are very reasonably priced. Ringo is the man, he is quick to reply if it is a ya or nay. Everyone I have ever sent their way has been happy as I am. It's why I recommend them. They sell a lot of laser stuff, not just handheld kits, an I mean a lot of laser stuff. They are my fat beam ( oh my gawd I love fat green beams ) go to place for lasers. They will make me custom laser modules and handhelds if I ask if I ask.