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FrozenGate by Avery

Best Place to Buy ~100 mW Green Laser *Pointer* Running on AA/AAA Batteries?

astrostu said:
Also forgot to mention that I use this for astrophotography. I have a very well-internally sealed camera body and if I shoot the laser through the optical viewfinder and angle it around, I can determine in two seconds the exact field of view and where I'm pointed on the sky without any guesswork. Being able to do that with the worse optics of observatory binoculars and maybe even the telescopes would be great -- my old 15 mW couldn't do it but I'm hoping a ~100 can. So again, easy portability. Small flashlight size, I may be okay with ...but nothing larger.
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Hm...
I would be very cautious if you plan on pointing the laser into a telescope or camera.
I'm not sure what kind of camera and telescope you have, but the inside of either is usually black. If you put enough power into it, you could end up burning something and getting the optics contaminated with smoke.

I've got a Canon DSLR and my girlfriend has an 8" Celestron Schmidt-Cassegrain. I wouldn't put any more than 15mW through the telescope and I would NEVER shine any laser of any power through my camera (sensor and aperture blades of the lens will be especially susceptible to damage). It could end up badly...

I haven't tried astrophotography yet but one day I'll get around to it.
Maybe you'd like to share some of your photos? I'd be interested.
 
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Astrophotography sounds cool. I totally understand how you use a beam through your viewfinder to basically paint what your camera sees into the sky since a viewfinder wouldn't really let you see anything useful since its so dark. I would have to say that I am fairly sure that you would be just fine shooting a 100-150mW 532nm out your viewfinder without hurting anything. The laser would never get into your main lens so you would have no risk of damaging the cameras main optics. There may be a small chance you could singe the inside walls of the viewfinder if you held the laser in one spot too long though.

A side note on the keys used in LaserBTB lasers. The lasers do not require any particular order, timing, or pattern to be activated. The key system can be unlocked and then left unlocked indefinitely. The thing is when you turn on the key if the rear connector plug is in the laser will basically be in standby and uses a little power(green standby light). If you pull the rear connector plug the laser will still be unlocked and ready but you will have cut the power(no standby light). This is what I do most of the time.
 
Okey dokey, after some other work, back to this 'cause I can't sleep right now. Here's what I'm looking at based on the links to companies you provided:

Optotronics: All I'd get from them is a 100 mW green pointer (with special caps!!) for $140. Seems overpriced.

Dragon Lasers: Looking at either their Aurora or Spartan series. The Aurora is only in violet and blue and is the most pen-like; the green would be "Viper" but their 100mW is out of stock and is $230, which seems overpriced. The Spartan series are thicker, being 26mm in diameter by 180mm length so not horrible, and 175 gms without the battery ... or at least that's the claim for the green; for the violet, it says it's 30mm diameter, 286mm length, and 245gm without battery. I could get a 80mW violet for $210, 400mW blue (nothing less) for $220, 100mW green for $200, 100mW red for $220. Still seems steep price-wise.

Laser BTB: The two lines here are HL versus LP. Color-wise, the HL and LP offer violet, blue (HL is 445nm, LP is 460nm), green, and red. HL dimensions are 23.5mm diameter by 180mm length, while the LP is more pen-like, running on 2 AAA batteries and being 14mm by 171mm. Price-wise, the LP style is a bit cheaper. To compare with the previous companies, if I were to go HL (a "full" laser, Apex?), a 100mW violet is $35, 500mW blue-violet is $135, 100mW green is $100 (which seems more reasonable), 100mW red is $47. Pen-style, 80mW is $32, 80mW blue is $95, 100mW green is $57, 80mW red is $24. What concerns me is that the price for these is SO much lower than the other two. That said, their thicker PL version (38x205mm, so over 1.5" thick) would be 350mW violet $150, 500mW blue-violet $150, 100mW green $190, and 100mW red $110.

If the pen-style LP version from Laser BTB really is what it claims to be, it seems like that's really the best bet, unless I'm missing something?
 
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The LP style from laserbtb would be great if that's the style you are looking for. I am not much of a pen laser person myself but theirs are quite reasonably priced IMO. Just out of personal preference I am more of a fan of the HL and PL series just because that's more of my style. I just went through a large GB from laserbtb and every last laser came out over spec so its not difficult to see how I would suggest them. I have not dealt with them directly but if you have some means of letting them know you found out about them through LPF you may benefit, weather it be they double check your lasers output or they may even offer you a deal but it couldn't hurt. You could always contact them before you buy a laser and see what they say.

Basically, I couldn't be happier with the laser I received from them and for the price I paid I can't help but suggest them.
 
Thanks. Though apparently I left out an option -- Lazerer is apparently enjoyed similarly to LaserBTB on this forum, and their lasers look similar to Laser BTB except that I actually can't find weight and size specs on their website. But, 100mW blue is $90, 100mW violet is $40/$50/$43 depending on model, green is ~$50-60, red's around $33 for 100mW.

Seems comparable in price, seems comparable in quality from reading the board ... any difference I should know about? I can't really find specs, as I mentioned, but it seems like their "Classic" model for V/G/R and "Mini" for B would be apropos.
 
Lazerer has a pretty good rep in general but I have seen some horror stories revolving around them reticently. Mainly grossly under spec lasers or issues with shipping. I know no website is perfect and stuff happens though so I wouldn't distrust them. I would have to say between the two sites it would depend on the wavelength laser you were looking to buy. I think laserBTB might be your best bet for 532nm lasers since they actually build their own using custom crystals whereas Lazerer just uses premade modules (at least from what I have heard). Another thing about laserBTB is they sell FDA spec lasers so the odds of them shipping successfully are increased.

I own a laserBTB laser while I do not own a Lazerer so I cannot say much about the build quality or performance about their lasers based on personal exp. I considered buying from Lazerer for some time before I saw the laserBTB GB and decided to go that route instead.
 
Okily dokily, placed my order for the 80mW V/B/G/R on LaserBTB. I also used the 10% coupon code on this site that paid for half of shipping, and put a note on the order that I heard about 'em through here and to please double-check the output before shipping (their 80mW they claim is 80-90 mW). And ordered the IR filter insert for the green.

I think at the very minimum, the green (and the others for play) will be better than my 15mW from 2006 from Wicked Lasers. And I'll still get the convenience of AAA batteries and portability.

Thanks for the help, and I'll try to remember to post again when they come to let you know how it turned out.
 
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Just got this e-mail from Kevin:

Dear Stuart,

Thanks for your order,glad to know that you know as from Laser Pointer Forums (where you also got the discount code from a member).

We will install the IR filter on the green laser purchase,as your request.

We will check the power output of the lasers before shipment, we confirm they are operating at the rated 80-90 mW spec,if not you can request replacement.

I will try our best to make the lasers live up to the recommendations from the forum.
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Cool have you recieved it yet? Im dieing to hear about it!! I want to order the same one and same power but noone has posted anything on it except for you
 
I have not yet received the pointers. In fact, we're still on the "Paid" stage of the order process as opposed to "in process and production" which is supposed to take 3-4 days. I figured I'd wait until perhaps Friday and if not updated yet, I'd contact them.
 
Man, they sure are snailing out aren't they. I would poke them and see if there is a reason its held up. Its possible that the status just wasn't updated as well.
 
Ya probably you should send them a email to this guy... info@skylaser.cn

Good customer service though had a chat with the sales rep and gave me a 10% off code ill post it here if anyones interested. When did you order it though?
 
Alright, I'll e-mail tomorrow (on iPad ATM). Looking back at this thread, I placed the order Nov. 10 and was contacted Nov. 12 with the acknowledgement. The payment came out of my bank that day.
 
Btw did you order a 80mw ??and you should email for sure its been quite a while
 
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