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Quick Question about 5in1 Green Laser Pointer

H

hiphiphooray

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I got one of these from O-like a while back saying it was 50mw, but I didn't notice much difference in my 50mw vs my friends 5mw from ebay. Mine recently broke (I would shake it a bunch, which led to the crystal becoming unaligned...i think). I want to get a replacement and I was wondering if there is any real difference in 50mw vs 5mw or if O-like just screwed me over.

I basically just want a laser pointer to stare at it projection on the walls in my room, but I also enjoy shining it at very distant objects at night. I originally got 50mw because I wanted the extremely bright beam (Which it had), but I'm not sure if it really was the 50mw i paid for...

Any advice is greatly appreciated.
 





Your friends '5mw' from eBay is most definitely more than 5mw, eBay green pens can output in some cases in excess of 50mw,

You should search 'over spec eBay pens' in the search bar below
 
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So can I be confident buying one from Ebay then? I just want a bright laser pen, that hopefully isn't leaking IR.
 
Ebay pens leak IR like no tomorrow. Honestly your best bet is to deal with Laserbtb, sflasers.us (my recommendation) jetlasers, or novalasers. They all have a good rep around here,
 
Lia Johnson said:
Ebay pens leak IR like no tomorrow. Honestly your best bet is to deal with Laserbtb, sflasers.us (my recommendation) jetlasers, or novalasers. They all have a good rep around here,
Click to expand...

Or you can get a 5$ eBay pen...

Power, price, quality... pick two
 
What do you expect for that price?

But mine have lasted for years... I have no complaints... violet and red ones can burn matches... greens output razor thin beam for the first 15m, and is highly visible in dark, and even weak-lit rooms...

I don't see the point in panic about IR...

As I said, this is a cheap option... Not a quality one...
 
Cel said:
What do you expect for that price?

But mine have lasted for years... I have no complaints... violet and red ones can burn matches... greens output razor thin beam for the first 15m, and is highly visible in dark, and even weak-lit rooms...

I don't see the point in panic about IR...

As I said, this is a cheap option... Not a quality one...
Click to expand...

How bad is the IR leak really? I plan on just viewing the beam from close range on the wall.
 
It is ok to view the beam, but not the dot at close range.

Don't shine it to reflective/white surfaces, nor people; use it outdoor, and all should be fine.

For close range viewing of the dot on a wall, you must use laser safety goggles (for that specific wavelength(s)).
 
And if I want to use it without safety goggles or taking extreme precautions, where can I get a "safe" laser that is actually under 5mw?

Thanks for the help so far btw
 
As long as you don't shine it at others, or at reflective surfaces (mirrors, white colored walls), and use it outdoor, you will be fine even with 50mW one...

At this power, you don't need extreme precautions, just common sense.

You can get low power, yet a quality laser, from Optotronics, or Laserglow. They will be IR filtered, but will cost more.

If I were you I'd get either a ebay greenie (which is a bit gamble, cheap option), or a RPL (or pen, whichever you prefer) from optotronics (expensive, but high quality).
I'd go with at least 25mW (ebay pens have random power, most often 10-40mW + some IR), which is fine as long as you don't shine it at mirrors or others, or look at a very close distance...
 
I was actually planning on using a lot of mirrors with this pen... I was going to have them secured in place so that the laser follows a predesigned pattern though. Ehhh... still not sure which method to use. I want a working laser, a safe laser, and a bright laser. if you can confidently tell me that the safe lasers are also bright enough for my indoor needs (even in maybe dim lighting) then I'll throw the extra money and get one from optotronics.
 
You can use a lower powered one, but to make the beam more visible, you can use a fog machine or this method. To see the beam without the fog, you will need a very dim lighting, and at least 10-20 mW.

Or, you can just use more power, but then you need safety goggles. But you won't see the beam with them. So higher powered one should be used outdoors if you want to look at the beam.

For your application, I'd recommend the first choice. Or, get a labby-style laser and a separate one for outdoor use.

There are a lot of alternatives.

I have bought a few of these (and some others from the same seller). I have no complaint. Most are highly visible in the dark, and with the caps, you can use it indoor, shining it at wall or ceiling. But still avoid eye hits.
 
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I went with the ebay link. Thats the same model I had from Olike and I liked it. I still have a few extra caps to play with too. Thanks for all the help.
 
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