Penta-Review (5mW, 30mW, 115mW, 134mW,DIY)

[Rhith]

**Note: This is progress, not all lasers are here yet and I will be updating it as I take more pictures and do more tests and hopefully get the power checked on each laser!**

This review will consist of four different 532nm hand held lasers, both Class IIIa and IIIb. The lasers Included are as follows:
Deal Extreme True 5mW - http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.91
Deal Extreme True 30mW - http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.469
CNI Pen ~115mW - http://www.novalasers.com/NOVAstore/pc/viewPrd.asp?idcategory=3&idproduct=87
**Not purchased from Nova Lasers but is equivalent laser.
BFG Lasers 100mw - http://www.bfglasers.com/
**Rates at 134mW Average, bought used from Kenom.
DIY Mini Dorcy using Sony 16x DVD Burner Diode - http://sales.stonetek.org/

Each review will be conducted in separate posts to keep everything organized.
If you wish to see more pictures feel free to visit my website. http://www.wirelesscord.com/
I will try and all of my pictures to my website sometime soon once all of the reviewing is done.

 

[Rhith]

Re: !In Progress! Quad-Review(5mW, 30mW, 115mW, 13

Deal Extreme True 5mW - http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.91
11/20/2007 - Tested with 15.3mW peak! And a steady 13mW+ ;D ;D



After waiting exactly three weeks from placing the order it is finally here!
The unit was heavier then I expected it to be even without batteries. Using the included batteries this thing is a lot brighter then I expected! In my room with the lights on you can faintly see the beam and at night you can see a decent beam shooting off into space. I have a feeling it may be a bit over powered but I have no meter to check the power of it with. In my LEGO Spyrograph (http://www.laserpointerforums.com/forums/YaBB.pl?num=1192596058) it gives nice results and doesn't heat up if I leave it running for a longer period of time. At first the button to the laser would stick and it wouldn't "click" but after using it for a while it moved into place and works wonderfully. The case seems sturdy, not necessarily made of the best material but it will hold up decent. I plan to keep it in my pelican case anyways so This won't be an Issue. Considering this is a "safer" laser compared to my 115mW I was sure my cat would love to have something to chase around. It works wonderfully for pointing and giving the cats something to do. I'm not expecting it to even damage a black balloon with a lens but I got this one as a pointer and to have a "legal" Class IIIa laser. Enough rambling, picture time.

Closed Case

Open Case

On Top of Case

Taken Apart

Dot in a Lit Room

Through WL Laser Shades

Through WL Sport Elite Goggles

Compared to 115mW

**** I have now POPPED a balloon with this laser using a convex lens! ;D ;D I posted about it in the multimedia section but here's the video as well.

 

[Rhith]

Re: !In Progress! Quad-Review(5mW, 30mW, 115mW, 13

Deal Extreme True 30mW - http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.469
11/20/2007 Tested 42.8mW Peak! Gave a good 34-35mW stable with a very slow drop from that!



It took 28 days to get this laser from the date I ordered it (27 but no one was here to sign so I had to wait until today to pick it up). As with my "True 5mW" it came in the same cheap case and two no name brand alkalines. The foam in this box seems a bit sturdier but that doesn't really matter ebcause I keep it in my 1150 Pelican Case anyways. This didn't impress me as much as my 5mW did but then again it's not too much more powerful. In my room right now, even with the lights on, you can distinguish a beam. I have no yet tried to pop a balloon or anything else and that will surely wait until tomorrow. Visually it is the same as any other New Wish pen. The main difference between this one and my True 5mW is that on my True 30mW the batteries seem to have a tiny bit more room inside the barrel allowing them to move a small amount when shaken. The button is notably "studier" then on my 5mW; this one provides a strong "click" when pressed and I had no issues with it sticking. Similar to the 5mW for the output, is that they both take a moment to reach full power; even if it is only for a fraction of a second. This one sits at about half power or less for a small moment and instantly jumps to full power and shows no figns of fluctuation afterwards. It is still running fine even though I was carrying it throughout school taday and with me while I was Trick-or-Treating. I can't think off to much else to say besides it is a great unit for the money and I advise anyone who has an extra $25 USD sitting around to get one.


Standard Case

Label of 5mW and 30mW

Label of 30mW

Dot

Dot through Laser Shades

Dot through Sport Elite Goggles

For comparison shots view my later post.

 

[Rhith]

Re: !In Progress! Quad-Review(5mW, 30mW, 115mW, 13

CNI Pen ~115mW - http://www.novalasers.com/NOVAstore/pc/viewPrd.asp?idcategory=3&idproduct=87
**Not purchased from Nova Lasers but is equivalent laser.


When I purchased this laser included was, One 532nm CNI Pen Laser, One Dragon Case, One Box of Matches, One Bag of Balloons, One <5mW Key Chain Red Laser Pointer (with an extra set of batteries), A handful of AAA batteries, and Two Power Graphs of the 30 second and 60 second samples.
This is my only high powered laser at the moment and it also being my first I was very amazed with the intensity of the beam. With a regulated 3.1V power supply it provided an average of 114.2mW over 60 seconds and 116.5mW average over 30 seconds. The highest peak between the two graphs was 130.2mW. The standard deviation was only about 6.4mW between the two graphs, thusly being a very stable unit. I was also able to get a unit with a beam diameter of ~1mm and an mRad of about ~1.22-1.36mm. Though all of this information is important I'm sure everyone wants to see the pictures of this unit in action right?

The picture with the beam in it is with some fog but it is still a marvel to look at without fog. My camera isn't the best at capturing the true beauty of a laser such as this, as is the case with many. I can easily light a sharpied match at a distance if I am using my miniature tripod to hold the laser steady. With my Cap Set I am able to light a white match at the focal point almost instantly with rechargeable batteries. Balloons don't even stand a chance against my laser unless they're lucky enough to be white.

But when they're black it spells out instant death for them!



Matches are no "match" for my laser either.

Overall, this is an amazing type of laser to have. I have only been able to compare it to my friend's X-85 that rates >100mW and both units are made incredibly. If you are ever looking around for a "pocket" sized laser to have I would not hesitate to recommend a CNI Pen. www.NovaLasers.com seems to have the best deals for these as a distributor, mine would be an "X-105".


Previous parts to this review were taken from one I did earlier, though I have not used it too much since them I have some pictures of the dot through Laser Shades and Sport Elite Goggles as well as pictures of it next to a New Wish/DX style laser.

Sorry for poor quality, my camera can't focus well without a flash.
Through WL Laser Shades

Through WL Sport Elite Goggles

 

[Rhith]

Re: !In Progress! Quad-Review(5mW, 30mW, 115mW, 13

BFG Lasers 100mw - http://www.bfglasers.com/
    **Rates at 134mW Average, bought used from Kenom.




Sorry for delays, this seems like it will be a great unit but it is currently undergoing repairs.

 

[Rhith]

Re: !In Progress! Quad-Review(5mW, 30mW, 115mW, 13

**Group pictures and comparisons.

Left to Right: True 5mW, True 30mW, 115mW CNI (Smoking the chair!) [Flash]

LtR: True 5mW, True 30mW, 115mW CNI [No Flash]

LtR: True 5mW, True 30mW, 115mW CNI [Short Exposure]

All three pen lasers (For length comparison)

 

[RobTheVIP]

Re: !In Progress! Quad-Review(5mW, 30mW, 115mW, 13

mmmmmmmmmmmmmm..Lasers

 

[Tallaxo]

Re: !In Progress! Quad-Review(5mW, 30mW, 115mW, 13

Nice reviews there Rhith. That is a cracking beam shot of the CNI in the smoke. Keep up the good work.

Jase

 

[Rhith]

Re: !In Progress! Quad-Review(5mW, 30mW, 115mW, 13

The CNI in smoke picture was actually taken with my camera phone too! I'm surprised it came out so well. I actually keep it as the background to my phone. :

 

[Rhith]

Re: !Stalled! Quad-Review(5mW, 30mW, 115mW, 134mW)

Added my True 30mW that I got today (10/31/2007) and more pictures to the group and comparison shots post.

 

[marianne]

Re: Quad-Review (5mW, 30mW, 115mW, 134mW)

that's interesting - your newwish style seems to be almost the exact same length as a CNI pen, but my 30mW one (the optotronics evaluation one) was about 1 or 2 cm longer. then again, it also had the dimples near the aperture, instead (where your safety label is), and no writing on the silver clip.

 

[Rhith]

Re: Quad-Review (5mW, 30mW, 115mW, 134mW)

The angle it's hard to tell but it is a bit longer, I'll do a picture to show the difference that you can see better though.

*Picture is added to comparison post*

 

[kaeus]

Re: Quad-Review (5mW, 30mW, 115mW, 134mW)

Well...now it looks like I want to get a CNI instead of DX 30mW if I get a green laser. Nice review =)

 

[Rhith]

Re: Quad-Review (5mW, 30mW, 115mW, 134mW)

Added a video to the 5mW review. It POPPED a balloon! <3

 

[Rhith]

Re: Quad-Review (5mW, 30mW, 115mW, 134mW)

Thank you everyone who has commented this thread and said kind words to me on here and on laserchat. I'm just surprised I haven't gotten more comments asking questions or just saying "Nice work Rhith!". As for the BFG review, I am sorry about that. It is currently getting repaired and as soon as I get it back I will put it at the top of my "To Do List" and get a wonderful review and pictures for everyone! But until that time comes, does anyone want to be generous and order me an extra set of foam for my Pelican 1150 Case? ;D I want to make it so it can hold my BFG, three pen lasers, optics and whatever batteries I can squeeze into the remaining space.

 

[Rhith]

Good news everyone! ;D I'm going to the college here (which I was accepted into!) today and I get to visit the photonics lab and get all of my stuff tested out! Be sure to keep an eye out for everything, I'm really hoping I can get both paper and digital copies of the power readings. I think this was great timing too since I just built a Mini Dorcy DIY last night and got it all finished a moment ago. Should be nice to get some PROFESSIONAL readings on my DX lasers and double check the power on my CNI pen. ;D ;D ;D