lets see.. flashlites about 100x's more useful than lasers?

[ballisticmike]

so whats the deal with lasers? we all know the countless utilites a good pocket light possesses. But can the same be said of all the fancy lasers available these days? Look, I admit I owned a simple, cheap red laser 10 yrs ago. My dog loved to chase the red dot at night on the soccer field. My kids thought it cool when i put a red dot on a stop sign or a license plate a few blocks away. once i even had some seagulls chasing the red dot in circles on the ground. But thats about it! nothin more, nothing else. So new green lasers will shine miles. Big deal, can you or anyone see it at that distance?
And dont bring up that its a survival tool unless you live in alaska or get lost in underground parking lots frequently. I still have my AAA red laser and it sits in my drawer. YAWWNN. Boring!! While kind of cool initially, i cant bring myself to drop a couple hun on a purple or green laser.
"whats that near my car? Dammit, i only have a laser with me.."
"my wallet fell under my carseat somewhere. Does someone have a laser." NOT!!

I'm not hatin' on laser afficiandoes but I JUST DONT GET IT

 

[derangboy]

Try playing a DVD with a flashlight

I think you are ranting about a very small portion of the laser hobby. I have not met anyone who honestly thought a keychain laser would be a handy source of light (although a low powered green bounced off the ceiling works really well). Many of the people behind the DIY portable lasers have interests other than pointing a laser at random things.
For example, I've use lasers for:
quantifying combustion products in engine oil
identifying and quantifying drug and nutritional ingredients
determining contamination in hydraulic fluid
wireless secure data transfer

The usefulness of anything on your person is very subjective unless you outline specific circumstances. If my wallet falls under my car seat, I'm more likely to feel around than whip out a light and put my face on the floor mat. Yes, a pocket laser is less useful than a pocket flashlight. But if I had to choose between a light and a knife, well...

 

[Flying Turtle]

I've never done anything useful with one, but they're still fun. It was kind of neat the other night when snow was falling, or if it's foggy. If you hold it along the side of binoculars you can really pinpoint the beam. And, I've always been tempted to light up someones window and room at a few hundred yards.

For me they're only good for occasional goofing.

Geoff

 

[Kraeken]

Dude... It's a laser. A LASER!

 

[JCK]

mount it on a shark
or your dog

seriously though the ones on science labs are pretty cool, not very pocketable though

 

[dano]

There's a whole CPF forum dedicated to them: http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/forumdisplay.php?s=&daysprune=&f=53

Better than posting this in General....

 

[ballisticmike]

like i say i'm not bashing just not digging them as much. I will say.. i want a cool green one and i dont even know why lol

 

[LightJaguar]

Never had a use for one. The only time I've seen them use out there is when some dude points it at the screen at the movies and thinks he is being cool. Also on a very few occasions some idiot thinks its funny to point them at my eyes.
One night I was driving near my friends house when some kid that lives across the street pointed a bright green laser at my eyes while I drove.
It was quite bright even at at a distance and he caught me a few times in the eye. I drove by him stopped and lit him up with my Ultrafire recoil. The liil punk got scared and ran into his house. I was very tempted to have a few words with his parents.

 

[Locoboy5150]

I've never had a use for a laser pointer thus I've never owned one.

Now flashlights on the other hand, that's a totally different story!

 

[DM51]

Wrong forum. Moving to Lasers...

 

[Ny0ng1]

i bought a DX 30mW laser thinking its just a toy and because i've always been wanting to have a green laser after hearing stories and looking at photos.

rather unexpectedly, i've found a very good use of it on my line of work, which is a construction site activities, which generally is an open space with either under a very bright sun, or inside a dark room without any lights or inadequate temporary lights.
I used my green laser to point things whenever i need to communicate with peoples on site. Easily dozens times a day, you are required to point things from far away, and mention exactly what action or activity to do with that area or items. A red laser won't do much in a bright day, a green one will.
And man, its really cool to point stuff with green laser in the night

 

[ballisticmike]

Wrong forum. Moving to Lasers...

no, wait.. we can start talking led lights instead.. waiiitttt !!
NOOOOOOOOOOO !!!!!
:naughty:

 

[DM51]

no, wait.. we can start talking led lights instead.. waiiitttt !!
NOOOOOOOOOOO !!!!!
:naughty:

LOL, too late - you are now the proud OP and progenitor of a thread about lasers!

 

[bshanahan14rulz]

Laser pointers are great for pointing out things.
Great for pointing stars too

Oddly enough, my favorite use for lasers is actually with a blu-ray that is defocused instead of focused out to infinity. I can see things that fluoresce and find random things that glow. (would you believe random plastics can glow? What about peanut butter? )

But mostly pointing. And experimenting.

 

[gcbryan]

Lasers and flashlights...apples and oranges.

Lasers are for pointing things out. Do I need to do that often...no...I just like the effect of my green laser at night and it sometimes comes in handy during the day.

I only recently got one however and got my first red one at the same time. They don't get much use but they weren't expensive and they are fun and can be useful.

 

[wyager]

Let me ask you this-What's the use of spending thousands of dollars on flashlights that you just shelf anyway? Absolutely nothing. Doesn't stop anybody here from doing it
It's a hobby. It also had its uses, like pointing out stuff, mineral excitation, or putting on a gun. I say it's a more useful use of your money than spending it on a coin collection or something. (nothing wrong with that, it's a hobby too.)

 

[ballisticmike]

Let me ask you this-What's the use of spending thousands of dollars on flashlights that you just shelf anyway? Absolutely nothing. Doesn't stop anybody here from doing it
It's a hobby. It also had its uses, like pointing out stuff, mineral excitation, or putting on a gun. I say it's a more useful use of your money than spending it on a coin collection or something. (nothing wrong with that, it's a hobby too.)

touche' ,.. Poindexter. Indeed.:twothumbs

 

[baterija]

Lasers are useless. Next time I brief from projected Powerpoint slides I will use a flashlight instead. Something really bright so I wash out the entire slide. Think an SST-50 will be enough to handle the job? :nana:

I do know people that have saved lives with green lasers. The people illuminated were coming very, very close to having lead instead of light being used to stop them from coming closer.

 

[wyager]

^lol, that might be the one of the best uses out there. In fact, sometime in the next few years gun lasers should get a big upgrade. Companies are coming out with green diodes, this means smaller, more efficient, more durable and much brighter weapon lasers. Depending on the person viewing the laser, it should be anywhere from 4-40 times brighter than a standard red laser sight with the same size, battery drain, etc.

 

[Kenom]

As a owner of several (9 or so) laser pointers in the high power range, I can say that there are a ton of things I can do with my laser that are identical to what I can do with a flashlight. Oh no I dropped my keys under the car?? You betcha. My 300mw green laser is MORE than capable of providing me with enough light when bounced off the cement or undercarrage to allow me to see where those keys are. Hell I could do the same thing with a 30mw green laser. Bounced off the ceiling of a room is enough to wake my wife in bed. "Turn that damn thing off!" she says. Red isn't quite as bright, but my 300mw is still enough for me to navigate very easily in the dark.

I do understand your confusion. Lots of people don't get the fascination that folks have with spending tons of money on a flashlight. Hell, I donno how many people I've talked to who say to me when I show my laser off.. "what do you use it for?" Well, obviously other than the coolness factor, it does light things on fire. I've forgotten my cigarette lighter a few times and had to rely on my lasers to get my next nicotine fix. Have I started a campfire with one yet? No, and honestly, I havn't got the patience nor the inclination to do so...LOL

My laser show is very impressive during the 4th of July fireworks displays or at the local club. And, if I want to show someone where the Big Dipper is, my green laser is there for me to point out each star individually in the constellation with a beam that can be seen all the way to the star. (from my perspective)

Ya know that old saying "different strokes for different folks" well it applies to just about everything including flashlights...

Now I own some very impressive flashlights so I've been on both sides of the coin. Try getting yourself a bluray laser and see peanut butter glow in the dark... A greenie and see that room glow in green photons. Only know what your missing when you try it.