nero_design
Enlightened
EDIT:
The MIRAGE arrived today via UPS for testing and photographing and I was pleased to get an early look at the packaging from laser newcomer 'Tech Lasers'. Note to CPF members: I've reduced the images to under 640 pixels wide so as not to consume bandwidth.
This is a 5mW Blue laser (473nm) which makes it one of the best alternatives for lecture pointers simply because people are sick of the reds and we're all used to the green pointers of late. Even pets can be entertained with this pointer since it's in the safer range suited ideally for such uses.
A solid foam insert inside the box slit into halves to reveal the MIRAGE inside. The Blue enamel-looking finish makes the laser stand out amongst the black and silver cases of other lasers so you can grab the right one on sight. Brass fittings on the ends and in the middle make the laser look contemporary and befitting of any corporate board room. There is no pocket clip on the pointer so users should show caution when leaning over with this laser in their pocket.
Now I had stockpiled about 20 loose CR2 batteries from my other cameras and after placing several batteries into the MIRAGE without effect, I then tested the batteries and found them to be all close to empty after years in the cupboard. I did find three with max power and placed one of them inside the MIRAGE and it instantly lit up. The dot is VERY tight and refined. Unlike the oval and wider beam of the SPYDER BX model laser from Wicked, the lower powered beam of the MIRAGE was exactly the same color (a Sapphire Blue of high saturation). I immediately flashed the laser about to see how well the physical contacts on the switch and batteries were and discovered that the MIRAGE is actually pulsed. The flicker rate is so fast that it does not appear to be strobing until the beam is quickly flicked back and forth on a white surface.
Now I was under the impression that a 5mW Blue would not offer a significant beam visibility alongside a Red of similar power. Not so. The MIRAGE emits a bright beam which has a strongly saturated blue hue. This beam was visible the moment I lit an incense candle nearby for the purpose of photographing it for this review. There was no visible fluctuation other than a slight intensity shift after powering it up the very first time. No noticeable heat accumulation at all.
As you can see here, my cat Mauii really loves to chase a laser and the MIRAGE certainly had his attention for quite some time. The reflection on the carpet is due to a reflective gloss paint that was used on the skirting board.
Now the MIRAGE was also tested alongside the CORE (Wicked's 5mW Green) plus a generic Red laser pointer which I purchased from Tandy last time I was in North America. Here's an image I took in my office showing the variation of brightness. A lot of people have commented that green is actually a little overbearing as a lecture laser due to its brightness and the reds at 5mW were often considered ideal. For this reason, the MIRAGE is a superb output for presentations in my opinion as it is brighter than the red and comes in at close to half the brightness of the green CORE.
Fresh out of the foam-cored box.
The Blue dot of the MIRAGE is considerably more visible than the SONAR which in turn will only show up brightly against white materials... the MIRAGE on the other hand projects a tight blue dot on any colored material. Though not competing on the same level as the SPYDER BX (30mW?), its still a fantastic laser color. Bright, sharp and clear.
Not a long exposure - less than a second... this is the beam visibility taken with just an incense candle in the room. A fogger would make this a brilliant beam! This is exactly how the beam appeared to my eyes. NICE!
Side by side for comparison with some of Wicked's lasers... great size!
As you can see... the MIRAGE appears to be pulsed. It's a much faster strobe rate than the SONAR though. Took me a moment to spot the pulse even when flashing it around.
CONCLUSION:
My sample MIRAGE worked flawlessly. VERY nice color. Great beam visibility. I couldn't find any aspect of this laser that I didn't like or which indicated a performance issue. Pricing is great for a low powered BLUE. The CORE is noted for it's well collimated optics and beam and I am happy to report that the MIRAGE performed identically side by side in a test at about 50 feet indoors.
EDIT:
I've noticed that the MIRAGE laser triggers slight fluorescence in certain materials. Here's an example for the geeks out there. Look at the light reflecting onto the model to see the actual color being generated by the material.
My observations are usually pretty down to earth and I really need to get my hands on another laser-check. In the meantime, hope you enjoy the pics.
The MIRAGE arrived today via UPS for testing and photographing and I was pleased to get an early look at the packaging from laser newcomer 'Tech Lasers'. Note to CPF members: I've reduced the images to under 640 pixels wide so as not to consume bandwidth.
This is a 5mW Blue laser (473nm) which makes it one of the best alternatives for lecture pointers simply because people are sick of the reds and we're all used to the green pointers of late. Even pets can be entertained with this pointer since it's in the safer range suited ideally for such uses.
A solid foam insert inside the box slit into halves to reveal the MIRAGE inside. The Blue enamel-looking finish makes the laser stand out amongst the black and silver cases of other lasers so you can grab the right one on sight. Brass fittings on the ends and in the middle make the laser look contemporary and befitting of any corporate board room. There is no pocket clip on the pointer so users should show caution when leaning over with this laser in their pocket.
Now I had stockpiled about 20 loose CR2 batteries from my other cameras and after placing several batteries into the MIRAGE without effect, I then tested the batteries and found them to be all close to empty after years in the cupboard. I did find three with max power and placed one of them inside the MIRAGE and it instantly lit up. The dot is VERY tight and refined. Unlike the oval and wider beam of the SPYDER BX model laser from Wicked, the lower powered beam of the MIRAGE was exactly the same color (a Sapphire Blue of high saturation). I immediately flashed the laser about to see how well the physical contacts on the switch and batteries were and discovered that the MIRAGE is actually pulsed. The flicker rate is so fast that it does not appear to be strobing until the beam is quickly flicked back and forth on a white surface.
Now I was under the impression that a 5mW Blue would not offer a significant beam visibility alongside a Red of similar power. Not so. The MIRAGE emits a bright beam which has a strongly saturated blue hue. This beam was visible the moment I lit an incense candle nearby for the purpose of photographing it for this review. There was no visible fluctuation other than a slight intensity shift after powering it up the very first time. No noticeable heat accumulation at all.
As you can see here, my cat Mauii really loves to chase a laser and the MIRAGE certainly had his attention for quite some time. The reflection on the carpet is due to a reflective gloss paint that was used on the skirting board.
Now the MIRAGE was also tested alongside the CORE (Wicked's 5mW Green) plus a generic Red laser pointer which I purchased from Tandy last time I was in North America. Here's an image I took in my office showing the variation of brightness. A lot of people have commented that green is actually a little overbearing as a lecture laser due to its brightness and the reds at 5mW were often considered ideal. For this reason, the MIRAGE is a superb output for presentations in my opinion as it is brighter than the red and comes in at close to half the brightness of the green CORE.
Fresh out of the foam-cored box.
The Blue dot of the MIRAGE is considerably more visible than the SONAR which in turn will only show up brightly against white materials... the MIRAGE on the other hand projects a tight blue dot on any colored material. Though not competing on the same level as the SPYDER BX (30mW?), its still a fantastic laser color. Bright, sharp and clear.
Not a long exposure - less than a second... this is the beam visibility taken with just an incense candle in the room. A fogger would make this a brilliant beam! This is exactly how the beam appeared to my eyes. NICE!
Side by side for comparison with some of Wicked's lasers... great size!
As you can see... the MIRAGE appears to be pulsed. It's a much faster strobe rate than the SONAR though. Took me a moment to spot the pulse even when flashing it around.
CONCLUSION:
My sample MIRAGE worked flawlessly. VERY nice color. Great beam visibility. I couldn't find any aspect of this laser that I didn't like or which indicated a performance issue. Pricing is great for a low powered BLUE. The CORE is noted for it's well collimated optics and beam and I am happy to report that the MIRAGE performed identically side by side in a test at about 50 feet indoors.
EDIT:
I've noticed that the MIRAGE laser triggers slight fluorescence in certain materials. Here's an example for the geeks out there. Look at the light reflecting onto the model to see the actual color being generated by the material.
My observations are usually pretty down to earth and I really need to get my hands on another laser-check. In the meantime, hope you enjoy the pics.
I wish I could take pictures like that... :shakehead
