Confused about blue lasers

[mcfehn]

I bought my first laser about 4 years ago. It is an x45 from NOVA. It's been great and now i'm looking to buy my first blue laser. However I'm a bit confused over what's exactly out there these days. I've seen the lower powered ones all the way up to the 1W's.

Here are my points of interest:

1. I want something more powerfull than what I have now so I can still use it for pointing and as a conversation piece.

2. Why do the lower powered blues seem to be more expensive than the 1W models?

3. It's been a few years since i've purchased so I need to who is reputable these days and delivers on their promises of advertised power.

I get the impression that the 1W models may be way more power than I need. I basically want a good moderately powered blue that I can point with and get a good beam out of. Burning is not high on my list.

Thanks for your help.

 

[wolfhunter9154]

I'm not sure about 1 and 3, but The 1 watt blue lasers are 445nm, while the lower powered blues are a 473nm color, which is very difficult to make, becuse the crystals must be paced with extreme precision. This makes them expensive. They have a cyan color to them. I personally prefer the color of a 473.

 

[rhd]

Adding to that, you'll often find 405nm lasers (purple or violet in reality) mis-labelled as blue lasers. It probably doesn't help that the 405nm diodes are used in "Blu-Ray" players, even though they're not blue at all. Generally though, 405 and 445 are on par price wise. The only difference is that 405s peak at around 750mW typically, and 445s can hit around 2W - for about the same price diode-wise.

In my experience, any blue laser has the "awe factor" that would make it a great conversation piece - but keep in mind that at these powers, you can't use it the same way as you would use a 50mW green. To get the same brightness as a 50mW green, you'd be looking at about 750mW of blue:
Beam: (532nm 50mw) vs. (445nm 716.59mw)

That's a LOT of power, and a much different ballgame use-wise as compared to holding a 50mW green. It's really not great to use a blue laser as a "conversation piece" with the sole exception being when you're outside, at night, and sober enough not to be stupid and/or let other people get anywhere near your laser.

 

[Deleted member 16589]

answer to question 2

the lower powers blues that are mot expensive is DPSS 473nm its a different technology

there are three wave lengths of so called blue

405nm ------ is called blue-ray is not blue, not blue what so ever. It is violet but it fluoresces things like a black light this wavelength looks blue ish if shined at a peace of paper

445nm ------this is Called blue however its not technically blue ether it in between blue and violet so the proper term for it is Indigo in fog it almost looks purple

473nm ----- this is my personal favorite this is your true blue. This wavelength can not be produced by a diode. It is produced by the DPSS process and is very expensive

 

[rhd]

473nm ----- this is my personal favorite this is your true blue. This wavelength can not be produced by a diode. It is produced by the DPSS process and is very expensive

Actually, there are a few 473nm diodes, and even 488. Both made by Nichia. They're quite pricey though - even pricier than the DPSS approach.

 

[Deleted member 16589]

Actually, there are a few 473nm diodes, and even 488. Both made by Nichia. They're quite pricey though - even pricier than the DPSS approach.

yea I know that im talking in the hobby industry those are for scientific research. :na:

 

[Deleted member 16589]

I'm not sure about 1 and 3, but The 1 watt blue lasers are 445nm, while the lower powered blues are a 473nm color, which is very difficult to make, becuse the crystals must be paced with extreme precision. This makes them expensive. They have a cyan color to them. I personally prefer the color of a 473.

473 has no cyan to it what so ever.
488 is cyan

 

[wolfhunter9154]

473 has no cyan to it what so ever.
488 is cyan

I see it as cyan.

 

[Deleted member 16589]

I see it as cyan.

im guessing you have never seen 488nm

 

[wolfhunter9154]

im guessing you have never seen 488nm

I have not seen 488 in person. However I have seen 473 and if I had to describe it, I would say it is cyan

 

[rhd]

473 looks fairly cyan to me:
Wavelength to RGB / HEX Calculator

I also haven't seen it up close, but every photo I've seen looks cyan:
www.cnilaser.com/picture/PGL-III-473.jpg

Is it substantially different in person?

 

[Gryphon]

^ my 473nm looks exactly like that picture, a beautiful light blue

 

[mcfehn]

So is it a safe bet to say that if it's just "beam" i'm after that I should just stay with green and perhaps get a slightly higher powered one than my curren 50mW model?

 

[InfinitusEquitas]

If you are strictly into beams, green is the way to go, it will produce the brightest looking beam.

To be honest, if you have a true 50mW green, it should produce enough of a beam to be a conversation piece already.

So far, by far the best beam I have is from the 400mW o-like. Personally I end up using a 200mW transformable from o-like the most.

 

[InfinitusEquitas]

Crap, now I REALLY want to see 473nm and 488nm live. Of course yellow would be nice too

 

[steve001]

Crap, now I REALLY want to see 473nm and 488nm live. Of course yellow would be nice too

It would look close to this in color @ 561nm