Help me choose a greenie!

[PlayboyJoeShmoe]

I'd like a recommendation on a greenie. I was knocked on my keester by the ones at Flashapalooza!!!

I have seen a buyers guide thread and the ones there were kind of expensive.

I'm looking at DX and KD.

I'd rather not pay a mint, and I'm not after the brightest.

I have my eye on http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.10557

But will entertain all recs!

 

[cuervo]

IMO, I'd just go with their basic 5mW laser:
http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.91

It's cheap, does what it's supposed to do, and no chance of not making it through customs since it's only 5mW. And, because of the low power, issues with IR filtering and damaging your eyes are greatly reduced.

 

[Hallis]

http://www.kaidomain.com/WEBUI/ProductDetail.aspx?TranID=3304

That is the laser I had at the get together.. both myself and my friend that ordered them LOVE them.

Shane

 

[AndrewAZ]

If your going with DX I think the 30mw is the best bang for the buck.. I wouldn't spend more than $30 on any DX laser, over $30 just save up for a Nova.

 

[PlayboyJoeShmoe]

Which 30mW Andrew? The one I linked to?

 

[Hallis]

DX is bad about having everything on backorder. Kaidomain shipped mine out a few days after i ordered it.

Shane

 

[PlayboyJoeShmoe]

All three of those at Flashapalooza were cool! I handled the silver one and it was kind of nice. Do you know what it was?

That KD 3304 is 20mW higher RATED than the one I linked to. I suppose that too is worth SOMETHING.

 

[AndrewAZ]

http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.469

DX 30mw.

Remember the MW rating for either company DX or KD can not be trusted, a large number over 98% of them do not have IR filters, so you are not getting 30mw green, you might be getting 20mw green and 10mw of IR. IR is used to boost the power rating on greens to try and get a few extra $$ out of you..

Again if you are serious about green lasers. Check out http://www.novalasers.com/, they provide great customer service along with high quality tested product, they also include a power reading for your laser.

The X-15 laser from nova at $80 will probably peak in the 20's based on novas track record of underrating its lasers, along with being a heck of a lot better than any DX laser.

My DX 50 laser lasted about a month before burning out..

 

[jrv]

IR is used to boost the power rating on greens to try and get a few extra $$ out of you..

The IR is a byproduct of the way that all green consumer lasers work (i.e., DPSS). Reputable sellers add IR filters for safety reasons due to the hazards of IR (you don't blink for IR so even low output levels can damage the eye). So the IR isn't added so much as not removed, probably because Chinese sellers like DX and KD aren't liable for injuries and by leaving a lot of IR in the output they will fool meters that require monochromatic light as input.

Keep in my that I don't think the DX or KD lasers meet legal requirements in the US and might be seized by Customs. Nova Lasers (Canadian?) may be in the same boat though I got one from them without difficulty (Nova Lasers is reputable).

Keep in mind these lasers are dangerous! The "Death-Ray" greenies over 50 mW or so are fun but you can't use them in a lot of situations. http://www.atlasnova.com/ sells some quality lower-power lasers that are safe to use indoors and with crowds. They also sell 635nm red diode lasers that are a lot more visible than the usual 650nm red pointer. I use the 1 mW red & green to play with pets.

AtlasNova is in the US so must back its products. http://www.optotronics.com/ is also reputable and US based. http://www.laserglow.com/ is reputable but in Canada. These last two sell extremely powerful handheld lasers, which are expensive.

 

[luvlasers]

If you don't need high power and just want a nice laser, my recommendation is Atlas nova. I've heard a lot of good things about them.

 

[Hallis]

All three of those at Flashapalooza were cool! I handled the silver one and it was kind of nice. Do you know what it was?

That KD 3304 is 20mW higher RATED than the one I linked to. I suppose that too is worth SOMETHING.

http://www.kaidomain.com/WEBUI/ProductDetail.aspx?TranID=2180

This is the silver one that X Marine had. I didnt play with it but its the same price as the one i have.

Shane

 

[AndrewAZ]

The IR is a byproduct of the way that all green consumer lasers work (i.e., DPSS). Reputable sellers add IR filters for safety reasons due to the hazards of IR (you don't blink for IR so even low output levels can damage the eye). So the IR isn't added so much as not removed, probably because Chinese sellers like DX and KD aren't liable for injuries and by leaving a lot of IR in the output they will fool meters that require monochromatic light as input.

Keep in my that I don't think the DX or KD lasers meet legal requirements in the US and might be seized by Customs. Nova Lasers (Canadian?) may be in the same boat though I got one from them without difficulty (Nova Lasers is reputable).

Keep in mind these lasers are dangerous! The "Death-Ray" greenies over 50 mW or so are fun but you can't use them in a lot of situations. http://www.atlasnova.com/ sells some quality lower-power lasers that are safe to use indoors and with crowds. They also sell 635nm red diode lasers that are a lot more visible than the usual 650nm red pointer. I use the 1 mW red & green to play with pets.

AtlasNova is in the US so must back its products. http://www.optotronics.com/ is also reputable and US based. http://www.laserglow.com/ is reputable but in Canada. These last two sell extremely powerful handheld lasers, which are expensive.

Yes of course IR is a byproduct, IR filters are added by reputable people like CNI type lasers who manufacture just about all the high end pen style lasers that companies such as laserglow or nova sell., so you get the true 50mw of green you paid for with no IR.

The dangers of IR are overrated, IR is just another wavelength of light 808nm (near IR) and above, 50mw's of 532nm (green) is just as dangerous as 50mws of IR, well actually IR would be less dangerous in most cases since it usually has very poor divergence hence the IR halo that can be seen around most cheap green lasers. If you have a laser over 5mw you should have laser glasses to protect you, 10 mw of green, red, IR, will all do the same damage to the eye.

 

[jrv]

The dangers of IR are overrated, IR is just another wavelength of light 808nm (near IR) and above, 50mw's of 532nm (green) is just as dangerous as 50mws of IR...

The problem with IR isn't the power but rather the fact that it doesn't trigger the blink reflex. 5 mW of green will trigger a blink before any damage can occur but 5mW of IR will not.

 

[wasBlinded]

If you have a laser over 5mw you should have laser glasses to protect you, 10 mw of green, red, IR, will all do the same damage to the eye.

This really is not true. Damage from light is dependent on where it is absorbed by tissue, and this is dependent on wavelength. IR energy is well absorbed by water, so IR energy won't get far in human tissue and will be absorbed by the cornea of the eye, near the surface. If it is strong enough, corneal proteins will be coagulated but the retina will be fine.

Green laser light will pass to the retina, where it will be well absorbed by hemoglobin in the blood, causing retinal damage.

Red laser light will also make it to the retina, but because it is less well absorbed in tissues, it will scatter and dissipate its energy through a larger area. This means that for exposure for a given period of time, it will take more power from a red laser to cause significant damage than a green laser or an infrared laser.

The point to all this being that equivalent powers of red, green, and IR do not have equivalent potentials for damage to the human body, particularly the eye. Of course, AndrewAZ is right - eyeprotection with the proper absorption characteristic for the wavelength laser in question is always safer.

 

[PlayboyJoeShmoe]

I've sent an email to my "supplier" to get a KD 3304, a DX 91 and a DX 10557 as I think the flashlight look is killer.

 

[Hallis]

Well i can only personally vouch for the 3304. Oh and my friend has one and loves it too. He got his the day after i got mine.

Shane

 

[luvlasers]

This really is not true. Damage from light is dependent on where it is absorbed by tissue, and this is dependent on wavelength. IR energy is well absorbed by water, so IR energy won't get far in human tissue and will be absorbed by the cornea of the eye, near the surface. If it is strong enough, corneal proteins will be coagulated but the retina will be fine.

Green laser light will pass to the retina, where it will be well absorbed by hemoglobin in the blood, causing retinal damage.

Red laser light will also make it to the retina, but because it is less well absorbed in tissues, it will scatter and dissipate its energy through a larger area. This means that for exposure for a given period of time, it will take more power from a red laser to cause significant damage than a green laser or an infrared laser.

The point to all this being that equivalent powers of red, green, and IR do not have equivalent potentials for damage to the human body, particularly the eye. Of course, AndrewAZ is right - eyeprotection with the proper absorption characteristic for the wavelength laser in question is always safer.

Aarrgghhhh I don't care if reds do slightly less damage. I'd rather not have my corneal proteins coagulated. Anything that involves that kind of damage sends shivers down my back.

 

[3rd_shift]

I had the DX 50 mw one.
Under $30 shipped.
That was the one that wouldn't fire up unless it was at room temperature or higher.
Just make sure that DX has your laser marked as "in stock".
Not back ordered.

 

[PlayboyJoeShmoe]

My "helper" hasn't gotten back to me about my current order.

He orders and gets it sent to me and I send him a money order.

I reckon he might be vacationing or something because he's usually quite prompt!