Sci-fi Lasers SF501B 520nm ~200mW

[BoskoSLO]

Yesterday I received my new SF501B 520nm forest green 170-300mw laser from Sci-fi for 134$ without shipping cost.

Laser specs:
- PLP-520-B1 520 nm laser diode
- Power output 170-300 mW
- 405G2 / G9 / G1 (can't tell which one I have)
- 60 sec on / off duty cycle
- 2 x 18430 battery
- WF-501B host (black)

- The laser came in a standard bubble wrap package.

- The laser is assembled in the well know host WF-501B. I think most of you people already had this host in your hands. I choose the black colour because I'm not that picky and the black colour is a little shiny so it looks just perfect and the host came undamaged.

- The laser module sits tight in the aluminium heat sink, but the aluminium heat sink arrived wobbly and with very tiny aluminium filings that I cleaned right away. I had to adjust the top 2 parts of the host to fix the problem.

- I don't really know but I think the laser should come with a power certificate, because on the official Sci-fi website it clearly says it comes with the package. So I really don't know the exact power of my laser which I find really annoying. I emailed MrThejoker3 and waiting for an answer.

- I feel kinda bad for saying this but to be honest, the communication with MrThejoker3 was really bad. I took him 10 days to give me the tracking number which in the end turned out to be the wrong one.
The one I got says the package is on the way to Norway but I live in Slovenia. Very odd.
Proof: https://track.aftership.com/israel-post/Rr512479582il
He said he got some IRL problems but still it takes like 1 min to send me the right tracking code. The conversation was awkward.

- The only thing that is bothering me is the green square around the dot when I point the laser on the wall. MrThejoker3 said it's because the way these 520 nm laser diodes are build. I know for sure that this is true for 445 nm lasers because the one I got from Blord has a similar fuzzy light around the dot but it's less noticeable because of the immense brightness of the dot.


To sum up the review. I think that the laser is just fine for the price I paid. The beam looks really good in the night sky and in the forest covered in snow. The cold doesn't effect the power of the laser at all and by focusing the beam I can ignite a match without any problem what so ever.

The next thing I need to consider getting it, is a Laser power meter, so I always know the exact power of my lasers that I will collect later on in my life.

Some pictures of the laser and beam/dot ( my camera really doesn't like the brightness of the dot).

imgur links:
http://i.imgur.com/6agO2B4.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/0svw3pF.jpg

 

[Geeker]

Seem to be a good quality laser.
Don't like the host though.

 

[Thejoker301]

Thanks ! I will email you the power check within Sunday when I will be back to work after the weekend

 

[Alex2893]

i have the same laser and i lpmed it at 230 mw peak. so yours should be close. the square box thing is because of the g2 lens. if you put a 3 element lens on it that will go away but because this diode has such amazing divergence you might as well just stick with the g2 lens as you get all the output possible. if you go 3 element lens you will lose 30-40 mw and have a fatter beam at aperture which makes beam brightness suffer a bit. the g2 lens has a narrower beam at the aperture so it looks brighter. but if you cant stand the box the 3 element lens will clear it right up at the expense of slightly less output

 

[BoskoSLO]

i have the same laser and i lpmed it at 230 mw peak. so yours should be close. the square box thing is because of the g2 lens. if you put a 3 element lens on it that will go away but because this diode has such amazing divergence you might as well just stick with the g2 lens as you get all the output possible. if you go 3 element lens you will lose 30-40 mw and have a fatter beam at aperture which makes beam brightness suffer a bit. the g2 lens has a narrower beam at the aperture so it looks brighter. but if you cant stand the box the 3 element lens will clear it right up at the expense of slightly less output

Interesting. I'm all about brightness and good beam divergence so I will just stick with the G2 lens. Maybe in the future there will be new / better lenses.
I think my laser outputs ~200-230 mW because the way it can burns black stuff like plastic. I compared it to a few videos I watched on youtube.

On my "to get list" is a LPM. I was thinking about making one but then I realized that calibrating it, is going to be a pain in the a$$. So in the near future I may buy one from LaserBee.

edit: Where did you bought your LPM? if I may ask.

 

[BoskoSLO]

Well it turned out that Thejoker301 doesn't want to send me the power certificate even after telling him hundred of times to do so.

Just a reminder for everyone: If you planning on buying a laser from Sci-fi, be prepared to get really terrible communication but you will get your laser delivered so that is that.
I'm really disappointed by not getting the power certificate even if it says so on the official Sci-fi store page that you should 100% get one by ordering any laser from them.

 

[Lifetime17]

Hi,
Keep buying from him maybe he'll get the picture one day, and turn around the way he conducts his business . Hey i'm not bashing him ,but i hear way to many Neg- posts about him. Un real hosts come damaged, no tracking till weeks later, customs issues, retuned items, refund issues it goes on. hey don't get me wrong but i wish him the best of prosperity in running his company. I'm sure he comes through in the loooooong run but it's not fair to let good folks with hard earned money to go through this.

Rich

 

[RedCowboy]

Beware lemmings, danger ahead. :horse:

 

[Thejoker301]

Well it turned out that Thejoker301 doesn't want to send me the power certificate even after telling him hundred of times to do so.

Just a reminder for everyone: If you planning on buying a laser from Sci-fi, be prepared to get really terrible communication but you will get your laser delivered so that is that.
I'm really disappointed by not getting the power certificate even if it says so on the official Sci-fi store page that you should 100% get one by ordering any laser from them.

I will forward it today. Check your email in the next few hours.

 

[BoskoSLO]

I will forward it today. Check your email in the next few hours.

Oh really? You said that like 20 times already. Stop saying that if in the end it turns out to be a lie or a broken promise.
I know that sometimes you can be busy as everyone else on this world but after more then 1 month (oh god it's almost 2 months now) since I ordered the laser, there is absolutely 0 excuse why you couldn't send me the dam-n power certificate. I really really hate this behaviour from anyone who does that to me or someone else.:tired:

 

[Richie89]

I love my Scifi!! Great lasers for sure, and I recently learned how durable and tough they are when I dropped mine out of my delivery van onto the concrete and scratched it up, still worked like a charm!!

 

[EllyEnthusiastic]

Oh really? You said that like 20 times already. Stop saying that if in the end it turns out to be a lie or a broken promise.
I know that sometimes you can be busy as everyone else on this world but after more then 1 month (oh god it's almost 2 months now) since I ordered the laser, there is absolutely 0 excuse why you couldn't send me the dam-n power certificate. I really really hate this behaviour from anyone who does that to me or someone else.:tired:

Have you opened a Paypal dispute? Do that, then escalate it to a claim.

Read this thread by Joker: http://laserpointerforums.com/f41/apology-everyone-97128.html

 

[gozert]

I'm still waiting on the power certificate from a laser I bought from him in 2014... TheJoker is literally a joke. Can't take this guy seriously anymore after the shitstorm he has caused here.