Heres what I've come down to...

[L4sers]

So what site do YOU reccomend for lasers? And yes, I did read the FAQ.

Edit: do 20mW lasers emit more IR than 30mW/50mW?

 

[Chad]

Probably not. The DX lasers use the same pump diode...the only thing that really varies is the efficiency of the crystals. It'll be comparable, although not exactly the same.

I recommend Nova Lasers, Laserglow, and Optotronics. They're quite a bit more expensive, but you're guaranteed to get an amazing laser from all of them, no questions asked.

 

[L4sers]

I could im really nervous bout buyin lasers. im 16 yrs old and i just cant get over the fact that I might go "blind". Can anyone gimme some tips on how to avoid getting it into my eyes, and how to get over this fear?

 

[styropyro]

DX does sell good lasers, you just have to know what ones to buy. BTW, it is not just the 30mW greens and the 200mW red that is good from DX that is good.

I'm gonna make an argument about your NewWish statement...you recommended Optotronics, they sell some Newwish lasers too. Obviously NewWish makes SOME good lasers if Opto is selling them. CNI makes bad lasers too, just look at some of the things TL has sent out.
Sure, DX isn't great quality, but they are great to start off with.

Probably not. The DX lasers use the same pump diode...the only thing that really varies is the efficiency of the crystals.

Nope, The Newwish lasers over 50mW use a 9mm 500mW pump, while the smaller ones use a 200mW pump.

 

[Chad]

Blast, I knew I got something wrong. It's too dang late.

Well, all I'm gonna say is that I'm entitled to my opinion. I could quote Voltaire here too... whatever...

 

[wicked1]

I could im really nervous bout buyin lasers. im 16 yrs old and i just cant get over the fact that I might go "blind". Can anyone gimme some tips on how to avoid getting it into my eyes, and how to get over this fear?

Be afraid. It'll stop you from loosing your vision.
Get some laser goggles
Don't shine it at anything that could reflect back to you.

Getting it in your eye probably won't cause you to go completely blind. You'll get blind spots, or blind lines that you notice while looking at a bright sky, or white wall, etc.

I've got a few blind spots from about 12 years ago when I got my first argon laser.

 

[Razako]

What's up with all of the DX trashing going on here? I have bought lots of good lasers from DX. Also the IR isn't nearly as dangerous as the green unless you are using the laser for burning. After 20 feet or more the IR has almost completely dispersed. I know this because I have tested an IR filterless dx laser with my lasercheck and at 10 feet it only picks up 1-2mw of IR compared to 20+mw at 1 foot. This constant IR paranoia is getting annoying.

 

[L4sers]

Yeah, and what are the chances a lazer will hit my eye? I am buyin a 50wM 2mrrow i think. am i allowed to hav one at 16 yrs old? im pretty mature, i wont let any of my stupid friends use it. i know they'll be like "hmmm.. a mirrow, omg cools!!!!!"

 

[Razako]

Yeah, and what are the chances a lazer will hit my eye? I am buyin a 50wM 2mrrow i think. am i allowed to hav one at 16 yrs old? im pretty mature, i wont let any of my stupid friends use it. i know they'll be like "hmmm.. a mirrow, omg cools!!!!!"

If you are smart and use common sense it shouldn't hit your eye. Use goggles whenever you have it inside and don't point it at shiny things like cars if you are outside.

 

[Razako]

[quote author=bobobob121 link=1211925366/24#27 date=1211937889]i don't know what your talking about. Most of DX's items are pretty dang good quality. And i don't know if i feel like spending twice as much for a laser. After all, IR isn't as much of a big deal as people make it. So its fine if some leaks

Umm... Aright. the first words that popped into my head after reading that were "WHAT THE HELL?!??!".

DX lasers are CRAP. Pure and simple. The only ones with any real merit at all are the 200mW red and one of the 30mW greens. Have you forgotten what good quality is? I have not seen, heard of, nor tested any DX laser that performed at-spec, save 1. And, guess what most of their units are? Newwish - the source of MORE THAN HALF of the total eBaysers out there (the other half is spymodex...those are even worse). Geez.

And, another WTH?!??!
IR IS BAD! HOLY CRAP! How would you feel about 70+mWs of green ricocheting around? Not too good, I'd bet. And yet, that's about what leaks out of most IR-filterless lasers out there. Sure, it diverges faster, but the damage is comparable.

GRR. Learn stuff before posting things like that. [/quote]
Just because YOU had bad luck with dx doesn't mean everyone else has the same rotten luck. A lot of my DX lasers perform at or above spec and put out only 10-30mw of poorly collimated IR. Read Timelord's ultrafire 20mw review. There are some good dx lasers out there. If you look through the other sections you will notice a couple of people having problems with their nova lasers.

Based on my observations this is approximately how IR behaves.

 

[L4sers]

the IR is more than the regular ouput? So if I had a 50mW, and it leaked a little bit, (say I shoot it at a wall 10ft away), how much IR do you think will be in the air?

 

[bobobob121]

See, its like ive been trying to say. IR isn't all that bad as people make it. But yea, its still not good.As long as you use it outside "like im planning" you should be perfectly fine. Not only that, but it will help you with short distance burning. When i get my laser you can expect MANY videos of it along with a complete review of its capabilities. But all of them will be filmed outside

and about the IR question; 50mW greenies should use a .5w pump. If the crystal set is decent. You can expect to get anywhere around 20-40mW of IR out of it. When pointed at a wall from that far away, you will still have that same amount of IR leaking out; it is just dispersed out in a larger area. Id say around 1-3mW in the area near the green laser on the wall though. "correct me if im wrong"

[quote author=Chad link=1211925366/24#31 date=1211942067][quote author=bobobob121 link=1211925366/24#27 date=1211937889]i don't know what your talking about. Most of DX's items are pretty dang good quality. And i don't know if i feel like spending twice as much for a laser. After all, IR isn't as much of a big deal as people make it. So its fine if some leaks

Umm... Aright. the first words that popped into my head after reading that were "WHAT THE HELL?!??!".

DX lasers are CRAP. Pure and simple. The only ones with any real merit at all are the 200mW red and one of the 30mW greens. Have you forgotten what good quality is? I have not seen, heard of, nor tested any DX laser that performed at-spec, save 1. And, guess what most of their units are? Newwish - the source of MORE THAN HALF of the total eBaysers out there (the other half is spymodex...those are even worse). Geez.

And, another WTH?!??!
IR IS BAD! HOLY CRAP! How would you feel about 70+mWs of green ricocheting around? Not too good, I'd bet. And yet, that's about what leaks out of most IR-filterless lasers out there. Sure, it diverges faster, but the damage is comparable.

GRR. Learn stuff before posting things like that. [/quote]
Just because YOU had bad luck with dx doesn't mean everyone else has the same rotten luck. A lot of my DX lasers perform at or above spec and put out only 10-30mw of poorly collimated IR. Read Timelord's ultrafire 20mw review. There are some good dx lasers out there. If you look through the other sections you will notice a couple of people having problems with their nova lasers.

Based on my observations this is approximately how IR behaves.

[/quote]

btw, thanks for defending me The reason i wanted to get the 50mW laser is because i have heard from people on HERE that it a a fairly good quality laser.

Sure, MOST lasers on DX are garbage. Ill give you that, BUT there are a select few "like the ultrafire 20mW, and this 50mW" that are pretty dang decent.

 

[Chad]

YES, Razako...as I said, some DX lasers are actually decent. However, the vast majority aren't even close.

A lot of my DX lasers perform at or above spec and put out only 10-30mw of poorly collimated IR.  Read Timelord's ultrafire 20mw review.  There are some good dx lasers out there.  If you look through the other sections you will notice a couple of people having problems with their nova lasers.

Hmm. ONLY 10-30mWs? That may be good for DX, but I've never claimed that any laser that leaks more than 2mWs of IR is "decent".  Not to mention that I've only heard of 1 or 2 other lasers from them that have been up-to-spec otherwise.  

About your diagram - Yes, I know how IR behaves. The reason I'm so "paranoid" about it is... guess what... My eyes have been damaged by it before! It sucks, and all I'm trying to do is keep that from happening to other people.

 

[Switch]

Well, my DX30 uses a 200mW diode to achieve 30mW(or pretty close to that), and it doesn't have an IR filter (since it completely flashblinds my webcam with a direct hit) , but still it can't go through a trashbag at point blank.It must be leaking little IR anyway.

How did you get your eyes damaged by IR? :-/

Btw, I find those diagrams really inacurate.First time I saw it on WL.com and I thought that leaking IR really diverges like that.But seriously, it might diverge faster but not ~15Rad like those diagrams seem to show.You can still look down the beam without getting a direct IR hit.

 

[bobobob121]

YES, Razako...as I said, some DX lasers are actually decent. However, the vast majority aren't even close.

A lot of my DX lasers perform at or above spec and put out only 10-30mw of poorly collimated IR. Read Timelord's ultrafire 20mw review. There are some good dx lasers out there. If you look through the other sections you will notice a couple of people having problems with their nova lasers.

Hmm. ONLY 10-30mWs? That may be good for DX, but I've never claimed that any laser that leaks more than 2mWs of IR is "decent". Not to mention that I've only heard of 1 or 2 other lasers from them that have been up-to-spec otherwise.

About your diagram - Yes, I know how IR behaves. The reason I'm so "paranoid" about it is... guess what... My eyes have been damaged by it before! It sucks, and all I'm trying to do is keep that from happening to other people.

were you inside by any chance?

 

[Razako]

the IR is more than the regular ouput? So if I had a 50mW, and it leaked a little bit, (say I shoot it at a wall 10ft away), how much IR do you think will be in the air?

Probably anywhere from 10-40+ mw. It varies depending on the laser's crystal alignment, design and other factors.