How do YOU see 405nm?

[Grix]

This is what I call purple/violet
This is what I call blue

405 to me is definately the last one, blue, maybe with a tiny hint of violet, especially at the dot.
Now I haven't ever seen a true blue laser, it will be interesting to compare when I get my 445 diode soon.

 

[realista]

i see it bad... over 50.. 100 mwter i cannot see it in night.... it is useless for pointing around.. i would sell it XD

 

[oic0]

Let me add some science to this that will freak you guys out.

HUMANS CAN SEE ULTRAVIOLET But there is a filter on your eyeball to stop it from coming through. Why? because the more color range you are presented with the more you sacrifice acuity and sharpness. Our eyes are designed to strike a balance. If for instance you have cataracts surgery you will gain the ability to see ultraviolet. Monet had it, thats why his artwork looks so different than what we see normally.

How is this relevant? I would hazard a guess that differences in the UV filter on each of your eyes will affect your perception of near UV colors.

 

[Doofus]

Not to be a troll, but you can't upload a picture of a drawing and expect it to match, as computer monitors and TV's have different color "temperatures" that change the colors of displayed images between different monitors. Like a samsung monitor and an LG monitor will have different colors of the same image. For something as specific as a laser coloring, it really doesn't do any good to upload an image you make on your specific monitor. :S

To me, the beam is darker than the dot. More "purple".

 

[daguin]

All of the above, plus, as the eye ages, the cornea has a tendncy to turn more yellow. This can block violet.

I see the spot as violet and the beam as a grey/white-violet

I couldn't even see the beam until we finally got above 300mW

Peace,
dave

 

[Doofus]

You should go get cataract surgery daguin, just so you can see the ultraviolet

 

[flogged]

405nm? I see it as more violet than blue. Not a pure violet - there's enough blue mixed in to make it otherwise. At night, using my 50-100mW, the beam is grayish and the spot looks white/purple. Odd color.

 

[Canuke]

I find that 405nm is more purple-violet at low levels, but a more bluish violet when bright (such as when seeing the dot). This can vary with low-level fluorescence from the surface contributing other hues, watch out for that.

445 is comparable; pure blue at the dot, but taking on a violet-ish tinge in the bounce illumination in a dark room.

 

[Canuke]

To me it looks violet around the dot, but the dot itself is white. Since I only got my 405nm yesterday, I always try to squint at the dot to try to make it less fuzzy, but it never works.
The coolest thing I've found are these UV blocking lab goggles, and the lens is actually clear, not tinted like safety goggles, so i can focus it and see the actual purple without the fuzz.

If you are seeing a dot surrounded by violet "fuzz", odds are that the fuzz is the actual 405nm, while the visible dot is a touch of longer-wavelength fluorescence from the surface itself. This is due to chromatic aberration; most people's eyes will focus for maximum sharpness in the red-green zone (as that's where the bulk of our acuity is). This is the main reason why many people report trouble focussing on blue lights.

 

[oic0]

Now that I have a couple too, I can chime in on what I see. I see violet white.
Like this flower, just a bright light.

 

[kevinmost93]

The only 405nm laser I have is a "5mW" generic New Wish style laser. I bought it from eBay for $9 after hearing here that it's overspec.

I see the dot, when on a non-fluorescing surface, as a sort of whitish-violet. Not that I have many other laser wavelengths to compare to (just 405 and 532). In the dark, I can see the beam faintly and it looks violet to me.

I don't think it's been mentioned yet but it might be worth noting that different people have different lasers which operate at different wavelengths. It's 405nm +/- 10. So if you have 415 you'll probably report a lot more blue and a lot less weird optical illusions than if you have 395.

 

[Napalm101]

Only way to see Violet at it's best is right infront of the Beam.


Now i'm not saying go and Shine the Beam into your eye.. <-- That's just Wrong.


But ye, Obviously safety 1st.... View the beam from 20meters away. Nice and Safe from the front. Then you can really see it nice and strong.


I also agree 405nm (50-100mW is good enaugh for playing around, 150mW if you want a nice beam)... Anything above 200mW is basically for Burning!!!!


Keep Well
My 2Cents

 

[DJNY]

I see it more like 415nm, I don´t know what I´m doing wrong

 

[Arshus]

My 405 looks violet, except when I point it at a white cloth, then its light blue.

 

[Weltall]

Dot: a white-ish or light violet dot surrounded by a deep violet/purple haze.

Beam: in pitch black areas it looks gray-ish while in slightly lit conditions or against dark backgrounds it just looks like a transparent deep violet line, very cool too.

 

[DJNY]

My 405 looks violet, except when I point it at a white cloth, then its light blue.

How many mW we´re talking about?

I would love to see mine on a cloud