Review: KD 150mW Baton Style Green Laser

[lazernut]

WHOPPIEEEEE , My status has now been changed to SHIPPED!!! ;D

This is going to be the longest shipping time of my life!

 

[mikeeey]

WHOPPIEEEEE ,  My status has now been changed to SHIPPED!!! ;D

This is going to be the longest shipping time of my life!

MINE TOOO!!!!! YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

 

[f22warzone]

: ( mine still says ready

 

[mikeeey]

: ( mine still says ready

atleast they're still in stock. well hopefully... i dont think they ran out already?

btw does anyone know if there is a way to track a KD order?

 

[happytomato]

This is a photo from the DX 200 version of this on their site:

Multimode, or comparison?

 

[IgorT]

I would say comparison.. I've never seen such clean mode hopping. And i've seen all of them while aligning crystals.
The power is usually "evenly" spread between the dots, besides, from such a short distance, it would look like one dot anyway, even if it was four.

But there will probably be some, that will mode hop. If i recall correctly, the one Miloš got has a very oval beam.. A little more, and it could split.

 

[Milos]

Hi,
I have corrected my review soon after I wrote about not being able to focus (converge) beam for burning pleasures.

You definitely can. It burns everything on its way. Check out my update on review.

btw.

My unit is still kicking great. Very nice beam (except that it comes out a little croocked- but not that noticable)

best green HP portable for the $ ever !!!

 

[mikeeey]

and for those who cant see his review, here I've quoted it (I hope you dont mind )

Hi, I have couple of corrections and updates.

First off my IR filters are from NOVA lasers, not Dragon. I mistakenly mixed them up.
I don't know the specs, but I tested my Executive 75mW green laser that already has IR filter, and according to measurements, NOVA lasers external IR filter blocked only 3-5mW of green.

I did more tests yesterday and some today. It seems that IR output on Kaido150 is somewhere in the range of 8mW and 20mW. I find it difficult to get satisfactory measurement. I just have to set it up better and do it right. Don't have much time lately. I will keep you updated though.

Secondly,
I noticed that when I rotate focusing lens from best collimation to "wide throw" the beam does converge to create wide beam! I was mistaken at first. This is great news to all of you that love to burn because this thing is burning EVERYTHING on its way!! The focusing knob makes 2.5 turns total.

Converging point when the projected dot is biggest is ~4cm from the laser output.
By rotating the ring back towards smallest projected dot, you can make converging point move nicely to about 20-22cm effective burning focus.

As for heat sink, I don't plan on improving anything on this laser. Its pretty stable in the first couple of minutes. Far better than any green pointer. Not that this unit is quite a pointer, but its not an RPL either. It has momentary On/Off switch so i don't plan on using it other than for pointing around and having some high powered fun

I tested it for 8 minutes ON and it keept above 100mW. Again, heat sink was nowhere near even a little bit warm. Nor was the rest of the body. Strange.

i will update my original post now.
cheers everyone

One more note, just noticed!
There is a possibility for tweaking the lens and adjusting focus through front hole. It you have right width flat head screw driver, you can just stick it through the front and further adjust its best focus or improve collimation. Just be careful not to slip and damage the leans. Luckily, the lens is on the opposite side so its somewhat safer.

Updated Original Post

Whats up laser freaks,
Here it is, straight from here:http://www.kaidomain.com/WEBUI/Produ...px?TranID=4351

As you know, there isn't many adjustable focus green pointers out there, and I always wanted one, so I took a risk and ordered this low cost, high power pointer.

I got it today, and here are few impressions and test results.

First, it looks nice (although that's a thing of personal taste),and even though it resembles RPL and PGL style lasers, it is A LOT smaller. It feels good in the hand and size makes it great for carrying around.

It takes one 18650 battery, just like RPL. It has nice rotating shutter by the front much like PGL lasers. Momentary ON button is located right behind little blue LED hat lights up only when laser is engaged. Battery comes with the laser, as well as a case strategically labeled "Green Laser Pointer"

It has 3 pin T-3 connector on the back which is necessary for engaging the momentary ON/OF button. There is no delay in diode engagement, so it outputs the moment you push the button. I think that is great thing, and I'm glad they didn't copy that delay feature from CNI's models.

Here is quick pros/cons/specs i discovered so far.

Pros:
-Looks and feels good!
- Cheap and powerful, with quite stable beam ( read more on this below)
-Adjustable focus feels good and it makes sense in my opinion. Makes 2.5 turns!
(when ring is turned all the way in one direction it is best collimation, so you don't have to look for best collimation somewhere in the middle when you want it.)


Collimation:
(my measuring is not 100% accurate, but it is in this range ! )

Min. beam divergence measured at 25m = 1.1mRad-1.3mRad
Max projected dot size at 6m = 20x25cm
Convergence : yes!


Beam diameter 1mm-1.2mm

Dot at close range (6m or less) appears to be perfectly round, and very nice, with very clean lens. No scatter what so ever. However, when I twist the ring all the way to the other side and make dot as big as it can be, it is noticeable that it is oval. It measures 20cm x 25cm at distance of 6m. See the photo. It does not appear to be changing as in -mode changing. If it is slight mode shift, it is very slow and minuscule, and it never splits the dot. I will report here if I notice any other related things.

I had the laser for 1-4 minutes at the time. Here are some power measurements:

Tools used:
-Brand New Coherent Laser Check (CLC)
-Kenom Thermal Power meter (KTPM)
-10x10cm IR filter from Dragon lasers

Both units agree: Without external IR filter:
150-168 within first 60sec.

with external IR filter
148-158mW

Power drops down after 2-3 minutes with fresh battery to 70-80mW, and then I turned it off. Same happens sooner (about 40-80 sec.) if battery isn't fresh or isn't rested. Heat sink doesn't get warm, which can mean it is inefficient!

This IR is puzzling me as I expected much lower output measuring with external IR filter.
It this unit seem to output only ~10mW of IR ! I tried two different IR filters from DL. Unless DL IR filters don't block IR I doubt that!
I visually compared my 75-80mW Executive pointer (with iR filter)from WL and this laser, and there is noticable difference in beam visibility. Kaido150 has much brighter beam.

Cons:
No IR filter - as advertised.
Beam comes out of the laser under slight angle. Its not very noticeable, but its there
Front rotating shutter is not as tight as everything else (being little too picky here )
No ability to converge the beam for increased burning pleasures. (This is also a very good feature as you don't need to look for best collimation point)
Heat sink questionable so far. Not getting warm much when laser exhibits tiredness after longer ON period.

very good deal in my opinion considering safe and free shipping, and price vs. power/features .

here some pics for you-pleasures.

regards
Miloš

 

[mikeeey]

that last picture worries me, is that mode hopping or just a shaky laser?

 

[happytomato]

It looks like it could be on the boundary of mode-hopping, but to be honest, you're bound to get some that do it at that price, just RMA them.

 

[Milos]

yes, its not a big deal. I cant even tell for sure if it starts to change mode or not.

See, I bet you many portable green lasers do this without you ever knowing because beam is well collimated into a small dot. If you were to view it through lens that widens the beam, you would see a large dot and much enhanced all of its imperfections in beam stability.

 

[mikeeey]

that makes me feel better, so if i do recieve a laser that mode hops, it shouldnt be too noticable..
what's a good way to pass time, for a week? i want that laser now!

 

[styropyro]

that makes me feel better, so if i do recieve a laser that mode hops, it shouldnt be too noticable..
what's a good way to pass time, for a week? i want that laser now!

A good way to pass time is to go outside, pretend that you have the laser in your hands and pretend to point it in the sky ;D

 

[nikokapo]

Milos, did you buy the THREE of them? :O

 

[mikeeey]

[quote author=mikeeey link=1210024232/72#75 date=1211847323]that makes me feel better, so if i do recieve a laser that mode hops, it shouldnt be too noticable..
what's a good way to pass time, for a week? i want that laser now!

A good way to pass time is to go outside, pretend that you have the laser in your hands and pretend to point it in the sky ;D[/quote]
hahaha that actually made my laugh!
well fortunatly i have my romison 30mW so i dont need to go that low, but thanks for the good laugh! ;D

 

[Milos]

Milos, did you buy the THREE of them? :O

yes, over a period of time ( not at once of course)
I got great deal on all 3 too