Which company to buy Red 200mW laser from?

[midieval10]

This is a great forum.

I've seen reviews from here of the Dilda style red 200mW from O-like and Budget Gadgets. Now Wicked Lasers has a Pulsar 200mW for $49. In your opinion, which would be my best choice to buy from?

Also, can you give me pros and cons of the new style vs. the old style dildas?

 

[Tech_Junkie]

O-Like. From what I've read the old style is better.

Do a quick search for dilda, and all your questions will be answered. And get some goggles because it can blind you before you can blink.

 

[aryntha]

I'd really say o-Like. Wicked has a Pulsar for about the same price, yes, but they've been known to underspec, not overspec. (Though on Red it's unlikely.)

The o-Like will be focusable "at all" whereas the pulsar won't. Pros and cons on the Old vs New style dildas: the new style ones have a more reliable focusing mechanism which stays where you want it to be as far as focus goes, unlike the old Dilda which wobbles around some if you don't use teflon tape on the thread.

IMO the "new" Dilda is built more solidly than the old, overall; they do sell the old so it must have some appeal (possibly output and the ability to put on a new lens in a standard Aixiz-sized housing) - and yes you'll have to wait a bit from China but i'd recommend o-Like over Wicked anyhow.

Besides, with the Arctic craze, you'd likely have to wait forever from Wicked on a Pulsar, too.

 

[Tech_Junkie]

No kidding? I read the new ones are under power, and not as well built as the old one. Wobbly lens, ect.

 

[aryntha]

No kidding? I read the new ones are under power, and not as well built as the old one. Wobbly lens, ect.

Wow er, not from my experiences but I may have just got a good one.. I have both; the old one goes out of focus if you so much as touch the front; the new style stays locked in pretty good and takes some effort to refocus.

I was under the impression that the 'new style' was created to make up for the focusing issues of the old.

Power on both is about equal, slightly over 200mW.

That's just my individual scenario. Maybe some others here with differing opinions could weigh in. Don't want to point someone new in the wrong direction.

 

[midieval10]

I also see that the old style dilda can accept 3.6V CR2 and get an increase in output, whereas the new style dilda does not increase in output. Is this true?

Can someone else comment on the wobble of the old style dilda?

 

[Tech_Junkie]

I also see that the old style dilda can accept 3.6V CR2 and get an increase in output, whereas the new style dilda does not increase in output. Is this true?

Yes, now I remember what the reason was.

 

[Tabish]

I'll agree with TJ. I had a newstyle dilda, the lens was very wobbly. It eventually died.
Also, the old style is $2 cheaper and looks "funny"

EDIT: I noticed the pulsar too. $49 isn't bad.

Pros:
-Aircraft-Grade Aluminum, probably good construction
-Nice sleek looks
-AAA batteries readily available
-rated 1.2mrad, nice divergence

Cons:
-Cant burn, not focusable
-AAA batteries, shorter runtime perhaps
-Might overheat more due to small pen design

For things like star pointing, id get the pulsar. Somewhat less dangerous since it wont focus/burn.

For burning, oldstyle.

 

[midieval10]

Upon further research, it seems like the old style dilda from O-like has new drivers in it so the 3.6V CR2s would not increase output. I can't buy from DealExtreme because I live in the USA

 

[aryntha]

There's no guarantee that DX's old styles don't have new drivers anyhow. Though there are some folks here who will do the buying for you if you want to give it a try.

 

[midieval10]

There's no guarantee that DX's old styles don't have new drivers anyhow. Though there are some folks here who will do the buying for you if you want to give it a try.

Looks like you enjoy your new style one. That's what I'm leaning towards now. But I also like the Pulsar from WL. The host looks nice but I'm not sure if it has any burning capabilities. I might just wait a little to see some reviews before purchasing though.

 

[aryntha]

Looks like you enjoy your new style one. That's what I'm leaning towards now. But I also like the Pulsar from WL. The host looks nice but I'm not sure if it has any burning capabilities. I might just wait a little to see some reviews before purchasing though.

I haven't dealt with any looseness on any of my new style ones, but maybe they've been revised as well.

I'll see if I can compare Old Style with New Style with rechargeable 3.6v's... but wow, doing a ~200mW red compare/review would be a bit of anachronism (but i think, still valid.)

I do know for a fact that 3.6's DO increase the output on my Old Style (purchased around 2006 from DX before they stopped selling to the US) ; I'm not sure on the New Style.