Lasers and photography

[hummingbird]

Hello all,

I'm experimenting with stereo photography and always wondered if I could use a laser to align the cameras. In daylight it's not so much of a problem, as there usually are enough visible objects that help me manage this. But in low light conditions or at night it's not so easy.

I've spent some time lurking here, but my knowledge in lasers is really limited. In theory I'm looking for a laser that's small, portable and able to shoot continuously without me having to keep pushing a button. I don't care about color, but I'd need something that's visible in the viewfinder in low light but also brighter conditions. I don't need a visible beam, but a bright dot would be great.

Safety is important. I don't shoot things right in front of me, mostly landscape and wide-angle, so there's usually at least 30 feet between me and the things I shoot. Of course I'd make sure the laser doesn't hit reflecting surfaces before looking through the viewfinder, but I wonder what distance is considered as safe in terms of IR or possible light coming from things like reflecting leafs etc.

I'd be really happy to get some suggestions or thoughts on this. Thanks in advance!

Matt

 

[RA_pierce]

Hello all,

I'm experimenting with stereo photography and always wondered if I could use a laser to align the cameras. In daylight it's not so much of a problem, as there usually are enough visible objects that help me manage this. But in low light conditions or at night it's not so easy.

I've spent some time lurking here, but my knowledge in lasers is really limited. In theory I'm looking for a laser that's small, portable and able to shoot continuously without me having to keep pushing a button. I don't care about color, but I'd need something that's visible in the viewfinder in low light but also brighter conditions. I don't need a visible beam, but a bright dot would be great.

Safety is important. I don't shoot things right in front of me, mostly landscape and wide-angle, so there's usually at least 30 feet between me and the things I shoot. Of course I'd make sure the laser doesn't hit reflecting surfaces before looking through the viewfinder, but I wonder what distance is considered as safe in terms of IR or possible light coming from things like reflecting leafs etc.

I'd be really happy to get some suggestions or thoughts on this. Thanks in advance!

Matt

Hello and welcome.

First of all, what equipment are you shooting with? Just curious.

You will want a green laser of at least 50mW. It will not be visible in bright sunlight at a great distance but from what I read above it seems that's not a concern. During the twilight hours it will be very visible.
There are many places that sell green lasers of 50mW for low prices. However the cheaper you go, the more unreliable they generally get. Regardless of price, green laser technology is sensitive to temperature and is not particularly robust - physically. Then you will have to find one that has enough mass for continuous operation.

About the IR thing... I'm not sure what you mean by that. Are you talking about IR from the laser? If that's the case, there is no need to worry. Only green "DPSS" lasers produce IR leak and it is generally either spread out and harmless or focused with the green beam - in the latter case it would only be harmful if you are directly exposed to the green light as well so it is easy to avoid.

I haven't purchased a laser in a long time (DIYer) so I'll let others with more experience with the current marketplace chime in for that.

Just one more thing...

Some people come here with a problem to solve and ask what kind of laser would be suitable for their application.
To be honest, sometimes a laser is not the most practical solution.
Lasers are expensive and sensitive electronics. Personally I think adding a laser to your system could add more complexity and inconvenience.
I don't know what your shooting style is but when I go out to photograph, the fewer things between me and my subject, the better.

I would recommend a good flashlight. Search around Dealextreme.com for an 18650 powered LED light.
I own this one: UltraFire A10B Cree R2-WC HA-III 5-Mode 250-Lumen LED Flashlight (1*18650) - Free Shipping - DealExtreme
It has good throw (goes a long distance) and has no problem illuminating a subject at 30ft. Of course you'll have to get batteries and a charger but trust me, if you don't already own a decent LED light you won't know how much better it is than those ancient incandescent lights like MiniMags. Besides that, flashlights are much more robust and useful for other things as well.

Speaking from experience, it is not that easy to focus a camera in very low light with only a laser's dot in the viewfinder.
I've shot some landscapes at night and it is much easier with a flashlight to help set-up the shot. Your application is a bit different it seems but I just don't think a laser is the best choice.
That said, places like dealextreme, ebay, and amazon have 5mW green pointers for cheap. You might as well pick one up just for fun and to test out whether or not it will work for your stereo photography. Then you can decide if a better laser is worth it.

Hope it helps...