Need some help in selecting a company to purchase from

[lordfresh]

Hello,
I am in the market for a high power green laser. I have been wanting one for a while now and I am ready to pull the trigger. Just want to make sure I get the best bang for my buck and I don't get burned. So any help in this matter would be greatly appreciated. Im in the market for a 250-500mw green laser pointer. What do you think of Wickedlaser.com and Lazerer.com? Why does a 400mw green on lazerer sell for far less than a 250mw on wicedlaser? I am just dying to own one finally and just looking out for my purchase. Also, I am on the East Coast in the United States. Will customs be an issue? About how long can i realistically expect to receive the laser? Once again, your help will be GREATLY appreciated!! Thanks!

 

[ryansoh3]

Hi there, welcome to LPF. Hope you enjoy your stay here.

First, I feel a bit sad because most of the new people sign up on LPF thinking that Wicked Lasers is the best company ever.
What makes me even more sadder is when the experienced ones break newbies' hearts by saying that WL is, in fact, the worst brand.

Here's a link to get you started: http://laserpointerforums.com/f65/33-reasons-not-buy-wicked-lasers-56289.html

Don't worry, you'll learn a ton of (shocking) truths here, contrary to the things that the WL fanboys (ahem KipK@y) have been advertising.

Lazerer is a company with a good reputation around here. All of the products meet the advertised output, and many surpass them. WL is more expensive because of the markup price, even though their products are crappier.

You should realize that a 400mW green laser is pretty darn bright and is more than enough to blind you. I strongly recommend you start off with a green pointer like the set here. They're advertised as 5mW, but some members have seen them to be 10-20 times the power. Some pointers even burn.

Please remember to buy appropriate safety goggles though.
Again, welcome to LPF and enjoy your stay.

Cheers!

 

[lordfresh]

Hey thanks for your prompt reply.
I have read a lot of negative reviews about WL and figured they were just a really overpriced company that might be a little be sketchy. The guy Max from Lazerer has replied to all my questions and requests.
I am not looking to burn things, although popping balloons seems a bit fun. I just want a laser that i can use at night and light up the sky. Theres a lot of open space around where I live, so I'm looking for something that I can experiment with outdoors at night and see if a buddy that lives a few miles away can see my laser. Im a responsible adult and not looking to endanger anybody or myself, just want to be able to have some good, clean fun at night with this thing. Goggles definitely would be purchased. Again, any more insight is always appreciated. Thanks!

 

[ryansoh3]

Good to hear that you're a responsible gentleman.

Yeah, Max is a great guy--he'll help you solve any problem/question you encounter.

50-100mW and above you'll be able to burn things and pop balloons. Those are always fun.

LPF is full of wonderful threads that answer most of our questions, so the new Google custom search will be very helpful.

Cheers and have fun!

PS. Curious of where you live. Maybe add that to your profile?
Haven't had much open space here in Seoul. haha :wave:

 

[lordfresh]

I live in Rhode Island in the United States.
However, I have a 70 acres of open land in northern Maine that is very secluded.

 

[InfinitusEquitas]

While it's true that lazerer is a great company, and is better than WL in every respect, if you can afford to increase your budget, there are better options.

Specifically I'm talking about Jetlasers.

Either way you won't go wrong though.

 

[ZRaffleticket]

Oh I love northern maine, last year I took a vacation in caribou, it's very nice up there, and the skies don't have much air traffic whatsoever.

I second IE's post, but I actually recommend lasever moreso. Prices for a 400mW green seem much lower than anywhere else I've gone to, that I actually trust what they have labeled in terms of power... I haven't been disappointed by them yet, neither has anyone else I know of. In terms of high power... I've seen 5W green for $27 here but...

 

[lordfresh]

I really appreciate all the feedback guys. And I understand I don't want to ask "stupid" or "simple" questions! There is so much info on the search bar that pops up. So please don't be upset if my question are a bit redundant!
Really quick question, if I have a clear line of sight to a water tower that is 5 miles away, what output green laser would I need to hit the target? 10 miles? 20 miles? From the reading I've been doing on here, it seems like a popular question with a lot of vague answers. Just looking for some suggestions for my first decent power green laser. Do i really need to jump into a 400 or 500mw right away? Or can I get away with a 150mw for the time being? I haven't even purchased one yet and I am already addicted to the science behind it. Laser geek in the making! Cheers.

 

[lordfresh]

Okay, I'll try to make it simple. If you've read the previous posts, you know what I'm looking for as far as use of the laser. In your professional opinions, which of these would be a good first purchase for me? (I'm sure theres more to come). There are two lasers from lazerer, and two from o-like. They all vary in power, but all within my price range. Thanks guys.

LZSK - 532nm 300mW High Power DPSS Green Laser Pointer

LZCB - 532nm 100mW Focusable Green Laser Pointer

Sharp High Power Green laser 100mW /Waterproof/focusable [OL-WG-100] - $75.99 : Zen Cart!, The Art of E-commerce

Crown upgrade 400mW green laser torch/adjustable/waterproof [OL-CGL-400] - $195.99 : Zen Cart!, The Art of E-commerce

 

[Quetzal]

Hello,
I am in the market for a high power green laser. I have been wanting one for a while now and I am ready to pull the trigger. Just want to make sure I get the best bang for my buck and I don't get burned.

I see what you did there

In any case, great to know you're entering the laser community with the correct mindset (ie. goggles and being responsible).

I would personally lean toward the Lazerer products, because I've heard of some people having not-too-good experiences with o-like (although I've never bought from them myself).

There's a good chance you'll eventually feel the urge to start burning, and once you do, the increase in power and the increase in price are disproportionate for pre-assembled products.

In addition, you'll find that you can build ~1W laser for the same price as a pre-made 100mW of the same quality.