Waterproof Laser Review

[Benm]

True.. the glass probably gives a bit of a loss due to scattering and reflections (could well be 10% or so), but makes it water/weatherproof. I guess it could be removed, right?

As for the 501 housing, i guess its more weatherproof than the average pen style laser pointer, but not submersible.

Btw, i just saw this (elongated? fits 18650 cell) 502 with a 100 mW module on kaidomain:
http://www.kaidomain.com/WEBUI/ProductDetail.aspx?TranID=3726

At $140 its not really a bargain, but looks comparable to the one you reviewed, just more powerful.

 

[yew.sir-name]

The lens can be removed, atleast in the one i have, there is a aluminium ring that screws in behind the lense to secure/waterproof it. I'll upload a pic at some point.

True the 501 is a good housing, pretty solid and keeps the internals dust/rain free. You'll never want for a lenspen again with that kind of protection.

The original 502b torch on dx takes the 18650 battery http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.3371 there is a 30mm difference between the size of a CR123a and the 18650. Both torch and laser are the same lenth, but the driver of the laser probably accounts for the need of a shorter battery... just read some forum posts on the torch and it fits two CR123A batteries. So they just modified the 502b and put a module in it.

Maybe the 502c has a longer barrel or a shorter driver board for the laser. It is advertised as 'true' maybe someone at some point will buy one, but you're right, for the price it's not really a bargain, but at the same time it is if it really puts out the 100mw stable and lasts. Nothing about it being waterproof though.

 

[Greenie]

Great review. I wouldn't mid having one.

 

[Jam_Master_Clay]

do DX lasers come with batteries?

 

[Benm]

All i ordered so far did... though they are not very good quality batteries.

 

[SenKat]

One thing to keep in mind, folks - anytime you have a window in front of the point of emissions for a laser, you REALLY WANT that window to be AR coated - if it is not, you are giving the LD lotsa feedback, in the form of reflected energy, right down it's throat. The end result being, if it uses the photo-diode in the setup, you will over saturate the sensor, lowering hte output of the laser significantly, if not killing it outright. a LOT of DIY reds end up dying that way....they look spiffy as hell with the lens on the end - but the reflections can kill the diode. Food for thought ! VERY nice review - well thought out, well written, too

 

[yew.sir-name]

Again Thanks.

I'm thinking about getting one of them screen protecter films that claim to have an ar layer and seeing if that's any better, I fear it'll die quicker because it does not have an ar lens. The lens of the module may be ar coated but without knowing for sure I don't want to push it too much.

My dx pen style lasers shipped with batteries but this one did not.

You'll also notice i did no post pics of the box it came with, that's because it didn't. I asked them and they said if I order anymore to open a ticket and they'll ship with the box. So for anyone who has orderd and wants the box you should open a ticket and endure the proccess of translation problems till they understand you.

As stated previously the lens can come out by twisting the aluminium retaing ring (pic to follow) so if anyone knows where to get cheap ar lenses I'd be interested.

 

[Benm]

One thing to keep in mind, folks - anytime you have a window in front of the point of emissions for a laser, you REALLY WANT that window to be AR coated - if it is not, you are giving the LD lotsa feedback, in the form of reflected energy, right down it's throat.  The end result being, if it uses the photo-diode in the setup, you will over saturate the sensor, lowering hte output of the laser significantly, if not killing it outright.  a LOT of DIY reds end up dying that way....they look spiffy as hell with the lens on the end - but the reflections can kill the diode.  Food for thought !  VERY nice review - well thought out, well written, too

Actually, i doubt DIY reds would be that sensitive to a noncoated output window. Plain untreated glass does reflect some light back at the diode, but realsitically this is never more than 10% or so at a normal angle. All that light will bounce straight into the diode if the window is at exactly at a normal angle, but it only rises optical strain by that 10%.

If the laser has optical feedback it will probably reduce output to compensate for the reflection, resulting in a loss of power but preventing any dangerous situation.

In any case, applying a good AR coating to an existing piece of plain glass yourself is impossible... so your options are leaving the window out or living with it. You could cut a piece to size from AR coated glass (the kind for poster frames), but that would be difficult to do, and performance wouldn't be very good.

 

[drlava]

reds are sensitive to back reflection, esp. if they are pushed to the limit:
http://www.photonlexicon.com/forums/showthread.php?t=3274

 

[roSSco]

Sorry to bump an old thread, but has anyone ordered one of these recently? I would like to order one but am put off by the Back Ordered status.

 

[roSSco]

Never mind, I ordered this one instead.
https://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.7884

 

[bobobob121]

does the brass part the circuit board and diode screw out or is it pressed into the the silver base?