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- Jun 28, 2007
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I have to say I was pleasantly surprised to be sent a Wicked Lasers Spyder I laser to review, and if I get the opportunity I would be glad to review another WL product as well. I hope to serve you my readers, with the best and most useful information I can supply on this unit which I was so kindly sent.
These pictures are with no fog or smoke.
I know JL already started a review on the same model & all he said is pretty much true of my experience as well. My output power is also close to the unit John reviewed. Here's a link to what JL wrote: http://laserpointerforums.com/f52/new-spyder-one-pro-200mw-532-handheld-43111.html
I am a fan of many designs and Wicked Lasers, hence forth WL (I totally love the company name btw, & I wish I had thought of it first, LOL!). WL stands tall in the design department. This laser though, is a bit more generic in design much like lab equipment. Aside from the safety interlock, (which I like, as it's an unobtrusive button once in), the body is all a cylinder with knurling on several areas and with several band areas smooth, with a good balance of these areas. Still, it is a bit on the plain looking side by comparison to several of the futuristic designs such as the Spyder II , Spyder III and the Evolution Pro 2010. It is easy to clamp it though, into brackets that are usually better at holding simple cylinders. The "hard anodizing" is indeed good looking and I expect robust. It is water resistant I am told, not water proof.
The very bright beam emerges through a flat window, (anti-reflection coated), which is a good protection from moisture and dust. However I noticed the dot at 50+ feet is easily smaller looking with the window taken off, (easily unscrews).
The beam is much more parallel to the body than most all green lasers I have checked for "concentric beam" Which is an attraction for astronomers who, may mount a laser on the telescope, then they would otherwise be bothered with a laser that can not be aligned with the telescope unless they re-mount the finder rings. I have heard astronomers complain about this before, so it is good the unit I have is so beam concentric.
I also noticed the graph I was sent along with the laser uses as part of the standard deviation the moment before laser is actually operating, this is not best, as the operating STD DEV s/b and actually is smaller. The unit is far more stable than I expected it to be.
I will use a second Power meter, (daguin owns) for my next test to report the output power again, but my Kenom Thermal LPM showed it to be at 225 mW to 255 mW. This is indeed very little variation in a portable laser of this output power. It uses a battery that I would choose for such a unit as well, as my first choice, 1X 18650 is the battery.
Edit from 9-1-09: Dave's meter shows about 216 to 224 mW and Dave explains, his and WL's meter show an "artifact" the meter will overshoot the reading for a brief moment when the laser first hits the sensor in these "calorimeter" type sensor, so the about 260 mW peak seen immediately at the turn on of the laser is likely not an actual output on WL's graph, certainly not w/ Dave's.
I will take more measurements and get some pictures ASAP, but I'll just say now, were I to buy this unit as a 200 mW laser, I would say that it is a very good laser and I can recommend it for many uses. As I consider this review a work in progress, I welcome any questions or statements about the facts about the unit I am enjoying. Thanks folks! -Glenn
I know JL already started a review on the same model & all he said is pretty much true of my experience as well. My output power is also close to the unit John reviewed. Here's a link to what JL wrote: http://laserpointerforums.com/f52/new-spyder-one-pro-200mw-532-handheld-43111.html
I am a fan of many designs and Wicked Lasers, hence forth WL (I totally love the company name btw, & I wish I had thought of it first, LOL!). WL stands tall in the design department. This laser though, is a bit more generic in design much like lab equipment. Aside from the safety interlock, (which I like, as it's an unobtrusive button once in), the body is all a cylinder with knurling on several areas and with several band areas smooth, with a good balance of these areas. Still, it is a bit on the plain looking side by comparison to several of the futuristic designs such as the Spyder II , Spyder III and the Evolution Pro 2010. It is easy to clamp it though, into brackets that are usually better at holding simple cylinders. The "hard anodizing" is indeed good looking and I expect robust. It is water resistant I am told, not water proof.
The very bright beam emerges through a flat window, (anti-reflection coated), which is a good protection from moisture and dust. However I noticed the dot at 50+ feet is easily smaller looking with the window taken off, (easily unscrews).
The beam is much more parallel to the body than most all green lasers I have checked for "concentric beam" Which is an attraction for astronomers who, may mount a laser on the telescope, then they would otherwise be bothered with a laser that can not be aligned with the telescope unless they re-mount the finder rings. I have heard astronomers complain about this before, so it is good the unit I have is so beam concentric.
I also noticed the graph I was sent along with the laser uses as part of the standard deviation the moment before laser is actually operating, this is not best, as the operating STD DEV s/b and actually is smaller. The unit is far more stable than I expected it to be.
I will use a second Power meter, (daguin owns) for my next test to report the output power again, but my Kenom Thermal LPM showed it to be at 225 mW to 255 mW. This is indeed very little variation in a portable laser of this output power. It uses a battery that I would choose for such a unit as well, as my first choice, 1X 18650 is the battery.
Edit from 9-1-09: Dave's meter shows about 216 to 224 mW and Dave explains, his and WL's meter show an "artifact" the meter will overshoot the reading for a brief moment when the laser first hits the sensor in these "calorimeter" type sensor, so the about 260 mW peak seen immediately at the turn on of the laser is likely not an actual output on WL's graph, certainly not w/ Dave's.
I will take more measurements and get some pictures ASAP, but I'll just say now, were I to buy this unit as a 200 mW laser, I would say that it is a very good laser and I can recommend it for many uses. As I consider this review a work in progress, I welcome any questions or statements about the facts about the unit I am enjoying. Thanks folks! -Glenn
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