Welcome to Laser Pointer Forums - discuss green laser pointers, blue laser pointers, and all types of lasers

Buy Site Supporter Role (remove some ads) | LPF Donations

Links below open in new window

FrozenGate by Avery

I want to buy a blue laser...






@Leodahsan why is 400 bluray not? This might sound like a stupid question but is that wavelenght not supposed to be safe as long as you don't point it at your eyes?

@anselm Thanks for the link. I might get that one too but I am always scepticle when buying from ebay no matter how good the seller is. From what I've heard, you might never know how well your laser will perform when you recieve it. But for that price, how can I go wrong!?
 
400mW is a lot of power, accidental reflections (they do happen) could spell
a quick end to your new hobby.:whistle:

A laser being safe or not has nothing to do with the wavelength, it's the all about those mWs of power.
Generally, only lasers <5mW are considered "safe", even if you caught one in the eye.
 
Last edited:
Thanks anselm. Can you tell me how much IR leakage I would get from a 50 mW green? I am just worried about my eyes because I want to be safe using high powered lasers. Oh and could you also tell me if O-like will put in a free IR filter if I decide to go for higher mW please?
 
@Stephen:
You are free to spend your money on whatever you want.
We are just offering some advice as a warning. We cannot limit your purchase for you. ;)

FYI: 532nm (green) is DPSS and so is 473nm (blue) but 445nm is now primarily direct diode. There are some DPSS and Gas lasers that lase around 445-450nm but you won't find one of those in a pointer.
Also, IR leakage in most cases is around 20-30mW or 20-25%. YMMV.
 
@RA_pierce
Yeah man thanks and does that mean that if I got a 200mW green that only 180-170mW would be pure green and the extra 20-30mW is IR?
Sorry I'm just a little confused.
 
StephenOConnor it's not the F***ing IR from a laser what can blind your eyes

Just buy a 10 -15 mW green pointer and learn your way till it dies and then you can step up to a 50mW module and start making some fun stuff with mirrors and so on
lasers don't respect you , you have to respect them.
 
Last edited:
Trust me :) i have eye damage from 15 years ago when i got my red laser ( about 5 mW 635nm) and with a sunny day i still see the grey burn spot in my left eye
 
weeba2kv said:
Trust me :) i have eye damage from 15 years ago when i got my red laser ( about 5 mW 635nm) and with a sunny day i still see the grey burn spot in my left eye
Click to expand...

be careful when using lasers. suggest to wear a protetive goggles.
 
Anything over IIRC 300uW (yeah 300 microwatts) WILL DAMAGE your eyes. What matter is the time of exposure, conditions of pupil etc...
You will get the crap out of you if a 1mW green get pointed on your eye on a perfecly dark environment, and will not even notice if you're in a sunny day.

My recommendation
if you want 'the blue light' itself, get a low powered PHR, it will burn and will not blind you by looking the dot at a white wall 4 feet distant.


edit: If you want a visible beam, get yourself a 50mW green. Worried with the IR leakage, buy a filter or ask someone to sell you a filtered one.
 
Last edited:
the reason 5mW and under is Legal is because of the time it takes your eyes to react to a direct hit to close themselves (blink). a direct hit then an instant blink "isn't supposed to blind you"
 
5mW don't seem too much. IIRC, TJ got damage on his eye with a led, while looking at it with a magnifying glass. Accidents can happen people.. :(
 
StephenOConnor said:
@RA_pierce
Yeah man thanks and does that mean that if I got a 200mW green that only 180-170mW would be pure green and the extra 20-30mW is IR?
Sorry I'm just a little confused.
Click to expand...

Yes, that is common. However, it is not true, and definitely not exact, all the time.
The "20-30mW or 20-25%" is just a "rule of thumb" for the cheaper lasers.
DPSS lasers vary a lot and under many different circumstances so there is no exact figure.

Good luck on your purchase. When it arrives, maybe post a brief review of your experience to help others who may be in the same boat as you.
:)
 
Oh yeah and another thing guys, I think I have found something that might work instead of buying an IR filter.
Would these glasses work to block IR?

2el4eqc.jpg


The wavelenghts they protect against are:
405nm,445nm,808nm,1064nm safety goggles/200-450,800-2000nm
I know it doesn't say they protect against 532nm but if they protect against wavelenghts from 405nm-808nm then wouldn't it protect against green as it is in between those wavelenghts?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.


Back
Top