Help deciding on green laser

[Autumnknight]

Hello, this is my first post here. I have been lurking for a couple of weeks, as I had done a google search for green lasers, and found this wonderful forum!

I have always been fascinated by lasers, and I have a basic red "cat toy" laser. I would love to get a green laser.

I am a total novice to lasers, and have been reading quite a few of the posts here. I was initially looking to spend less than $100, but then I realized that I want a decent one if I am going to get one, but don't really want to spend more than $300. That being said, it seems the BFG or Phraug laser is well thought of here, and it is currently $280....which is still a lot of money.

What things should I ask myself as to what I want, and I would really appreciate some guidance here. I haven't seen any threads about the green lasers at thinkgeek.com, there is one for $89, and a 10mw one for $149. Any thoughts on these?

Thanks in advance for the help, and thanks for a really cool forum!

Steve
Spokane, WA

 

[billy1954]

I've buyed many lasers, the last is a Spyder II (really fantastic).
If You buy a Wickedlasers, (they are not too much cheep) but you have a good laser.

 

[ah-see]

Ok some things that you would ask yourself are:
- What will you be using it for?
- How much are you willing to spend on one?

 

[SenKat]

The lasers that Thinkgeek sells are over-priced in my opinion. You can get much higher quality, and power shopping elsewhere. It DOES depend on what you are looking to do with it, though !

 

[Autumnknight]

Thanks! Which green lasers would be the best, as in highest quality, for less than $100? Less than $200? less than $300? I figure if I can narrow it down to just a few lasers to look at, it will make things easier.

Thanks for the opinion on the thinkgeek lasers, by the way, I kind of thought they were a bit overpriced for what you get.

Thanks again!

Steve

 

[FliGuyRyan]

Wickedlasers.

 

[SenKat]

Thanks! Which green lasers would be the best, as in highest quality, for less than $100? Less than $200? less than $300? I figure if I can narrow it down to just a few lasers to look at, it will make things easier.

Thanks for the opinion on the thinkgeek lasers, by the way, I kind of thought they were a bit overpriced for what you get.

Thanks again!

Steve

Take a look around at the "big guys" - then determine exactly what it is that you want out of a green laser. I am not a "brand concious" person - that said, I will chose particular brands over others, due to the inherent flaws/pluses of particular companies.

I suggest you look at the CNI type of laser for many reasons - CNI (ChangChun New Industies) has been manufacturing lasers for quite some time - they are reliable, and most of the quirks have been worked out of their products. Nova Lasers, Dragon Lasers, Laserglow and a few others all sell their product lines. Wicked lasers now manufactures their own line - or has them made for them (whichever) and although I have not persoanlly purchased any lasers from them for my personal use - I have read on their forums that the majority of their product lines are plagued with issues requiring multiple returns. Also - according to most, quite a few of their products require an external lense to "burn" - which suits plenty of people, but not me. I can save $300 by buying a magnifying glass and taking it outside to focus the sun - and not need a laser if I am going to be forced to use a lense.

a LOT of the choice will remain up to you - regardless of the amount of research you do, or the number of opinions you gather - you will have to make the final choice, and gamble that you made the right choice. Like I first stated - you need to figure out WHAT you want to do - if all you want is a pretty green light ? Then buy a flashlight ! If you want other things - unaided burning, tight beam, good looks, warranty, daily useability, etc - then do LOTS of research. Read here, read on Laser pointer Forums, read over on Laser Community, read at Destructive Gear - LOTS of reading !

Although my initial desire is to have helped you some, I fear I may have muddied the waters further - I hope you can glean some information from my long winded reply !

 

[Gazoo]

I don't have a green laser yet but lets also include optotronics. They are more than $300.00, but from what I have read they rock and customer support is very good.

 

[SenKat]

I too have heard lots of good things about Optotronics - I have only bought an optics kit from them, no lasers so cannot personally vouch for them in that regard.

 

[FNinjaP90]

Can't go wrong with our Envees.

 

[SenKat]

Can't go wrong with our Envees.

I'm sorry I left Lucent out of the naming - my most sincere apologies !

 

[FNinjaP90]

I'm sorry I left Lucent out of the naming - my most sincere apologies !

Apology accepted

 

[billy1954]

Before to buy a laser, read well something on the forum of Wickedlasers at www.Wickedlasers.com, community, forum.
I've buyed many lasers from many productors and many lasers was really trash: not collimated, not stabile, not bright.
I don't say the names of bad productors but read well their forum for all the problems of lasers.
Best Regards

 

[billy1954]

Before to buy a laser, read well something on the forum of Wickedlasers at www.Wickedlasers.com, community, forum.
I've buyed many lasers from many productors and many lasers was really trash: not collimated, not stabile, not bright.
I don't say the names of bad productors but read well their forum for all the problems of lasers.
Best Regards

 

[Reid]

Q: who makes this CR123-powered unit?

edit: found it:
http://www.beamshot.com/

[FONT=verdana, arial, helvetica]GreenBeam 100 Green Laser Pointer... giving true daylight visibility....
Our 532 nm wavelength GreenBeam laser pointer provides 100+ meters of daylight visibility and a 1+ mile night time range.
This is a 10mw Class 3B Green Laser Pointer.[/FONT]

full text and sales offer here:
http://www.microfiber-products-online.com/gr100grlapo.html


_______________
Seems extraordinary, that purported daylight power, for a "10mw" rated unit.

I like the battery choice, though the unit is too spendy for me, for a first-time laser toy.

_____________
edit, addendum: found here
http://www.beamshot.com/home_testimonials.html

...we got a laser that works in the "daytime" and it is awesome....went back into this problem neighborhood to serve a search warrant on this drug house. I had put a couple of SWAT guys at the edge of the wood line...when the suspects saw us coming they started to run as usually, only this time things went a little different, we..."dotted" them with the Greenbeam laser...They...freaked out to say the least. Not only did the equipment stop them dead in their tracks, one suspect was so scared that when he saw the Greenbeam laser on his chest, he laid down on his back and gave up...the Greenbeam Laser is the heat. It is going to be a great psychological weapon....

edit, addendum, screenshot of the specification.
It's not even a newly-introduced product (2004).
I cite the thing in detail because it is the first ruggedized
pointer that I (a noob) have run across in study. And it's what? Two bills.
Wonder if it survives hard knocks?



New question: are there other "chunky" pointers out there?
Here, see, the greater surface area/mass of aluminum
may well allow for superior heat-sinking. Aluminum is
the most thermally-conductive metal of all. So, it stands to reason,
hell, just look at the surface area.

Q: Why are most all the pointers in skinny encasements and running off penlight cells?

Q: (humor) Why do I get so deep into mind-numbing questions?
:candle::shakehead

 

[Kenom]

If your looking for a really beefly laser then look at www.phraug.com/laser it's nice and sturdy although I don't think I would be dropping any pointer regardless of how expensive it is. I've yet to see a laser that would survive the shock of a few drops. It is also nicely heatsinked with all the aluminum around it and Silver is a better thermal conductor than aluminum. And oh we all get stuck in the question after question after question it's how we learn

 

[chuck]

Why do they all take penlight batteries? Um...maybe because they're cheap, effective, and available absolutely everywhere?

I've never understood the desire of some of these companies to use exotic cells. CR123A is becoming much more common, but I still can't buy one at a Quick Check (a rural Texas version of a 7-11). And, frankly, they're kind of expensive. The use of AA or AAA batteries, in any device, is always a selling point to me. Any store, any where sells those, at any time of day...and rarely for more than a couple of dollars.. $0.96 at WalMart, in fact.

OK, so the dollar batteries aren't of the highest quality...but they're available if my batteries go dead.

I agree, though, on the skinny cases. Knowing that the diode produces heat, *I* would design a case capable of acting as an effective heat sink. Heck there are aluminum Mag-Lite knockoffs available from China for just a few cents. They would make just as effective a case as the skinny penlight designs that are in common use...and serve as a significantly better heat sink.

-- Chuck Knight

 

[Kiessling]

The CR123 is the far superior cell compared to AA and AAA alkalines. I just do not understand how you all spend boatloads of dollars on lasers and feed them with the least capable cells around.

A CR123 is about $1 online. Since all of you who are complaining actually *are* online, this shouldn't be a problem.

bernhard

 

[Kenom]

And out comes the lover of the cr123. I have a lot of things that take cr123 batteries and have even purchased a few rechargables in said capacity. I know that you can buy them online for cheap but most people when they need a new battery are not going to want to wait the week or so for the batteries to get there. Usually it's "crud my batteries are dead. I wanna play with it NOW!" so it's off to the store to get some more. Yes they are innefecient. Yes they are cheaper in local stores. Yes more devices take them. the best thing is to buy 100 of em and then you never run out. or when you get close buy another bunch of 100. Too bad they don't have a nice battery rack that holds them nice and conveneint. Like a Bag of holding from D&D. Spacial bag that holds lots more than you can see.

I love cr123's as apposed to AAA's or AA's. they last longer and have more power. Just don't like the local cost of them. They are spendy.

 

[chuck]

Actually, I wasn't complaining. I was merely stating a fact. AA and AAA batteries are much more widely available, at the exact moment that you need them, than CR123, in all locations.

It's the same reason that, in photography, 35mm film has survived so many competitors. Absolute availability, absolute predictability, absolutely everywhere.

Though CR123 is a superior battery form, there's nothing wrong with standard penlight batteries...CR123 is an upgrade, but, as with ALL decisions, there are some tradeoffs too. This is not a complaint...just a fact.

Here's a fact from my own life -- 5 minutes before a presentation, in the "middle of nowhere" town where I live, I can find AA batteries. The same cannot be said about CR123 batteries...and that aspect is important to me. Heck, my little town doesn't even have a Radio Shack! We've got several gas stations, though...

-- Chuck Knight