Help deciding on a 405 nm laser for ~ 30 m/100 ft distances

[theo4]

Hello everyone,

I've been scouring the forums to get some direction on a purchase, but am having trouble and was wondering if I could get some guidance.

I'm conducting research for a university and my group is interested in detecting insects in trees at night. We came across a group that used a handheld focusable laser to do so after marking insects with fluorescent powder. They managed to get a 1-m diameter beam at a distance of 40 m. They purchased a PX 600mW (class IIIB purple/405 nm laser) from biglasers.com.

I've been reading the forums here on biglasers.com and have realized there's no guarantee of what I'll receive, particularly power-wise, so I want to go with a different company.

However, when I check out other websites (e.g., jetlasers.com), the quoted power levels are substantially lower (300-400 mW). I assume that the biglasers 600 mW is not accurate, and that I would have received a laser of much lower power, but do you think I would get similar results with jetlasers' 300-400 mW laser? Laserglow in Canada also has 200-300 mW lasers.

I'm in Canada, so I'm also trying to figure out from the government if I'm allowed to import a class IIIb/IV laser if I'm using it for research, and have reached out to the laser safety officer on campus as well.

Thanks for your help!

 

[diachi]

Hello everyone,

I've been scouring the forums to get some direction on a purchase, but am having trouble and was wondering if I could get some guidance.

I'm conducting research for a university and my group is interested in detecting insects in trees at night. We came across a group that used a handheld focusable laser to do so after marking insects with fluorescent powder. They managed to get a 1-m diameter beam at a distance of 40 m. They purchased a PX 600mW (class IIIB purple/405 nm laser) from biglasers.com.

I've been reading the forums here on biglasers.com and have realized there's no guarantee of what I'll receive, particularly power-wise, so I want to go with a different company.

However, when I check out other websites (e.g., jetlasers.com), the quoted power levels are substantially lower (300-400 mW). I assume that the biglasers 600 mW is not accurate, and that I would have received a laser of much lower power, but do you think I would get similar results with jetlasers' 300-400 mW laser? Laserglow in Canada also has 200-300 mW lasers.

I'm in Canada, so I'm also trying to figure out from the government if I'm allowed to import a class IIIb/IV laser if I'm using it for research, and have reached out to the laser safety officer on campus as well.

Thanks for your help!

You can trust JetLasers and LaserGlow, although LaserGlow are quite pricey. Sanwu Lasers is another good option.

As for imports, I've yet to see anything be confiscated, so you'll probably be fine. Good to know you've got a laser safety officer on campus, they'll have all of the information you need regarding safety and regulations.

Welcome!

 

[paul1598419]

Another option would be to semi build one. By that I mean that you can get the diode, module, driver and lens supplied by DTR a member here and put it into a host of your choosing. DTR will set the driver current for you and send you the complete module that only needs to be soldered (two wires) to the pill of the host. This would be a cheaper way to go as well, and you would be assured of the power you need.

 

[steve001]

Hello everyone,

I've been scouring the forums to get some direction on a purchase, but am having trouble and was wondering if I could get some guidance.

I'm conducting research for a university and my group is interested in detecting insects in trees at night. We came across a group that used a handheld focusable laser to do so after marking insects with fluorescent powder. They managed to get a 1-m diameter beam at a distance of 40 m. They purchased a PX 600mW (class IIIB purple/405 nm laser) from biglasers.com.

I've been reading the forums here on biglasers.com and have realized there's no guarantee of what I'll receive, particularly power-wise, so I want to go with a different company.

However, when I check out other websites (e.g., jetlasers.com), the quoted power levels are substantially lower (300-400 mW). I assume that the biglasers 600 mW is not accurate, and that I would have received a laser of much lower power, but do you think I would get similar results with jetlasers' 300-400 mW laser? Laserglow in Canada also has 200-300 mW lasers.

I'm in Canada, so I'm also trying to figure out from the government if I'm allowed to import a class IIIb/IV laser if I'm using it for research, and have reached out to the laser safety officer on campus as well.

Thanks for your help!

If this is research conducted through the University then this University should aquire one not you. Laserglow will not sell to individual Canadian citizens.
I'd go with JetLasers if you are buying or Laserglow through your University department.

 

[Encap]

Hello everyone,

I've been scouring the forums to get some direction on a purchase, but am having trouble and was wondering if I could get some guidance.

I'm conducting research for a university and my group is interested in detecting insects in trees at night. We came across a group that used a handheld focusable laser to do so after marking insects with fluorescent powder. They managed to get a 1-m diameter beam at a distance of 40 m. They purchased a PX 600mW (class IIIB purple/405 nm laser) from biglasers.com.

I've been reading the forums here on biglasers.com and have realized there's no guarantee of what I'll receive, particularly power-wise, so I want to go with a different company.

However, when I check out other websites (e.g., jetlasers.com), the quoted power levels are substantially lower (300-400 mW). I assume that the biglasers 600 mW is not accurate, and that I would have received a laser of much lower power, but do you think I would get similar results with jetlasers' 300-400 mW laser? Laserglow in Canada also has 200-300 mW lasers.

I'm in Canada, so I'm also trying to figure out from the government if I'm allowed to import a class IIIb/IV laser if I'm using it for research, and have reached out to the laser safety officer on campus as well.

Thanks for your help!

What steve001 said + please be advised do things the correct and responsible adult way to avoid trouble and problems from violating your Country's laws and regaultions and incurring punishment for same + avoid BigLasers.

You can't persaonally import a hand held laser into Canada, legally. Only in violation of the laws and regulations--as an outlaw smuggling one in.

From Justin owner of Laser Glow:
"I've seen a bunch of posts in the last little while relating to new Canadian regulations regarding portable lasers. Before any more speculation takes place, I would like to provide you with the correct information, which I have obtained by meeting with representatives from Health Canada.

Quick summary: As of June 2011, it is illegal to sell or provide high-powered portable lasers (Class 3B and Class 4) to consumers in Canada. That means you.

Before the inevitable discussion starts: It doesn't matter what you intend to use them for, or that you already have one, or whether you think that you're not a "consumer" because you think you're a "laser expert", hobbyist, inventor, or whatever. If you are not a scientist working in a laser lab at a University, or a CLSO, or an OEM which is integrating these lasers into other devices for commercial purposes, then you are a consumer. If your organization's primary activity does not involve high-powered lasers, then you are a consumer. If you do not have a clearly-defined commercial or academic requirement for a high-powered portable device, which cannot be fulfilled with a lower-powered or non-portable device, then you are a consumer. In fact, I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that, as far as Health Canada is concerned, every person on this forum is probably a consumer.

The actual regulation which was implemented in June 2011 is called the Canada Consumer Product Safety Act (CCPSA) and you can find the full mind-numbing legal document here: Canada Consumer Product Safety Act

Specifically, in Section 2 they define "danger to human health or safety”:

“danger to human health or safety” means any unreasonable hazard — existing or potential — that is posed by a consumer product during or as a result of its normal or foreseeable use and that may reasonably be expected to cause the death of an individual exposed to it or have an adverse effect on that individual’s health — including an injury — whether or not the death or adverse effect occurs immediately after the exposure to the hazard, and includes any exposure to a consumer product that may reasonably be expected to have a chronic adverse effect on human health.

Now, whether you agree with them or not, Health Canada has classified all portable Class 3B and 4 lasers as "a danger to human health or safety", as defined by the CCPSA. There is no debate to be made about this, it's done and there's little chance of getting them to change their minds."

From post here--see: http://laserpointerforums.com/f44/canadian-restrictions-portable-lasers-official-info-release-laserglow-73129.html

 

[theo4]

Thanks everyone, I think I've figured out the importing side of things. I've spoken with Health Canada reps who say since it's for research and it would be shipped to the university, everything should be fine. As long as I also get the company to include some extra information, it should arrive no problem.

Now, I just have to figure out if the power will be enough, and what the "range" of a 300-400 or 200-300 mW purple laser would be.