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ArcticMyst Security by Avery

Review of: Laserlands Focusable 450nm 40mw-50mW Module (PIC HEAVY)

Joined
Aug 7, 2015
Messages
89
Points
18
Hello everyone, its Dreadnought here!

Now, this summer; I decided to buy my first 450nm laser for my RGB cheapo build. After searching the internet for a couple of hours, doing some maths and trying to actually find a good laser, I came across Laserlands's focusable 450nm 40mw-50mW Module. That was a couple of months ago, and sadly I haven't used the laser yet so I decided to create a review to try to satisfy this laser which has been in my drawer for the past couple of months.

I will be using this laser next year when I have the time to do these sorts of projects, like fixing my Model M keyboard and some other things. So lets start this review!

The link to the laser: 3.0-3.6V Focusable 450nm 40mw-50mW Blue Laser Lazer Dot Module OSRAM Diode | eBay

About the purchase:
Since I ordered this for my RGB build, it was pretty specific. I settled on buying off Laserlands as they offered a cheap alternative even though they come from China and the purchase was on Ebay. The pictures are not what the laser looks like in real life, in fact; it has a metal focusable ring instead of that ugly plastic screw 'thing'. The description only has a few details, but does have in big red text saying that the modules are tested before being sent out. I also remember there being some sort of duplicate with some details changed, which is very confusing.

When I bought this laser, it was pretty simple. I sent a PM to laserlands asking about the laser and checking if it was good. I did have some sort of problem with the shipping number, but that was resolved very quickly. Customer service is very, very good; and was very efficient too. The laser arrived quickly and safely which was a bonus.

The Laser:

Now, I don't have a battery box to put the batteries in which was a problem. 2xAA batteries gave enough juice to run the thing which was fortunate as these batteries were bought from the 99p Store! The laser outputted a beautiful royal blue beam, and was visible in the darkness.

The laser is made out of somewhat solid aluminium or nickel plated brass which dissipated the heat quite well. Removing the screw section of the laser revealed quite nice threads, which really helped with focusing the laser. The spring inside the laser made it nicer to actually adjust the focus of the laser. The lens is made out of acrylic, which is adequate but may not be suitable for the laser down the line. Also, the diode inside the module seems a little wonky, but it isn't that big of an issue. Putting the laser back together was very simple, and I could feel the smoothness of the threads, which really surprised me as this came from China! The laser has 2 wires which are colour coded (black and red) to tell you which way to put the laser.

This laser uses a 50-80mw Osram LD, and the spot has good TEM00 when focused. The divergence is low even when the laser has acrylic which is a plus. Also, the duty cycle is decent, with 90 seconds yielding a warm, yet not hot feel to it. The laser seems to have a good output, and I trust that Laserlands have tested this to see if its on spec, but I don't have a LPM so I can't verify.

I'm powering the module with two AA 1.5v Polaroid Super Heavy Duty cells, and in total gave me 3 volts to use with this laser.

The specs from Laserlands:

Wavelength: 450nm
Output Power: 50mw
Working Voltage: 3.0-3.6V
Working Current: 100mA
Working Temperature: -10 ℃~+40 ℃
Shape: Laser Shape Dot
Laser Diode: 50-80mw Osram LD
Focusable: Yes
Dimensions: 12mm*12mm*35mm

Now its time for my favorite section, the pictures!:

The album until I get pictures fixed: http://imgur.com/a/BQKjW

The module:

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4ZVrBpI.jpg


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rXqzony.jpg


KyHajPd.jpg


My OK Beamshots:

8CwxIVk.jpg


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3IgKxUJ.jpg


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vzbCIzt.jpg


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Laser dot shots:

HZNEVXA.jpg


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SAXm6H0.jpg
-Without lens

9o48VMm.jpg


The setup for the tutorial:

8AOHThO.jpg


I had to use my phone sadly as my camera broke, so these pictures are the best that I could take!



In conclusion, this laser was worth the money; with no visible issues. I am very happy with the level of service provided by Laserlands too!

Pros:
- Good quality laser
- Good, bright beam
- Good build quality
- Good customer service

Cons:
- Diode in module a little wonky
- Splash occurs (really fuzzy around dot)
- Not very detailed description
 
Last edited:





Joined
Aug 7, 2015
Messages
89
Points
18
That took a while but, the pictures are now fixed!!!

-Dreadnought :beer:
 
Last edited:
Joined
Sep 12, 2007
Messages
9,399
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113
Did you measure any of the specs at all?

The laser is made out of somewhat solid aluminium

It looks like a regular aixiz module to me, which is nickel plated brass. How did you verify it was aluminium? Not that aluminium would be much different from brass as far as performance goes in this case.

I am sure if you used 3.7, there would be a higher output from the laser.

What tests did you base this on?
 
Joined
Aug 7, 2015
Messages
89
Points
18
Did you measure any of the specs at all?



It looks like a regular aixiz module to me, which is nickel plated brass. How did you verify it was aluminium? Not that aluminium would be much different from brass as far as performance goes in this case.

What tests did you base this on?

For your first quote, pretty sure there was something that I remember laser lands was mentioning, but you could very well be right. I'll probably verify it down the road with a scratch test.

And the second quote reply:

Its logical really, I was running the laser at around 3 volts(ish). The page that the module is being sold says its rated from 40mw to 50mw. Therefore, I am not giving it 'full power' as I am not running at 3.6 volts/3.7 volts. As you know, the more voltage there is; the more current there is and therefore more power is going to be outputted. Also, read my disclaimer saying I did not have a LPM at hand so I can't verify output of the laser.
 
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Joined
Aug 7, 2015
Messages
89
Points
18
Not if it has a constant current driver. The vast majority of diode lasers use constant current drivers.

As this is my first review, I'll remove that section for you just to prevent further confusion
 
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