09-13-2007, 02:44 AM
Tech Toy Deal Tip!
Do you spend hours with your cheap red laser pointer putting dots on things? Running your cat, dog, or children around chasing the dot?
Well, I don't know if you know how much BRIGHTER green laser pointers are than red ones... but they are. And just darn cool!
(Technical reason; the 635 nanometer wavelength of the red lasers is at the edge of the eye's ability to see... whereas the 530 nanometer wavelength of the green laser is smack in the "sweet spot" of human vision... appearing much brighter).
After my red laser pointer (after many years of good service, and after many many hours of entertaining my cat) was stolen out of my desk at work (and yes, I'm still a little bitter....).. I went looking for a new one.
A couple years ago, Green laser pointers were still HUNDREDS of dollars. After some googling and reading some forums about some really weird gadget geeks that "mod" their laser pointers (you think computer overclockers go overboard?), I found this site with some good laser deals;
http://www.dealextreme.com/products.dx/category.911
I ordered two ultra-cheap red laser pointers (sub $3 ea) for my desk at work and one <5mw (less than 5 milliwatt) Green laser.
The red lasers are perfectly adequate...
The green laser is freakin' awesome! Especially at just under $18.
I can see a visible beam in low daylight, and at night, the beam is visible for at least 800 yards! (neighbors house, currently UNoccupied, that I have used a rangefinder on in the past).
Dealextreme ALSO carries higher powered 10mw, 20mw, 30mw, and 50mw green laser pointers. WARNING! At 10mw, the green lasers are "casual contact safe", but WILL cause eye damage shining it into your eyeball. the 20-50mw lasers will DEFINITELY cause some no-sh!t damage to your eyeballs even with INCIDENTAL reflected contact! I wouldn't use a greater than 10mw laser without laser safety goggles!
The 5mw is seriously cool... I'm thinking about buying a 10mw one.. but beyond that I think I'll pass... too easy to get just a LITTLE too sloppy and direct a reflected bean onto my tender retina's and fry some rods and cones...
By the way... some folks have "modded" 50mw green lasers to over 100-150mw, enough to pop balloons and light matches! 8D
Do you spend hours with your cheap red laser pointer putting dots on things? Running your cat, dog, or children around chasing the dot?
Well, I don't know if you know how much BRIGHTER green laser pointers are than red ones... but they are. And just darn cool!
(Technical reason; the 635 nanometer wavelength of the red lasers is at the edge of the eye's ability to see... whereas the 530 nanometer wavelength of the green laser is smack in the "sweet spot" of human vision... appearing much brighter).
After my red laser pointer (after many years of good service, and after many many hours of entertaining my cat) was stolen out of my desk at work (and yes, I'm still a little bitter....).. I went looking for a new one.
A couple years ago, Green laser pointers were still HUNDREDS of dollars. After some googling and reading some forums about some really weird gadget geeks that "mod" their laser pointers (you think computer overclockers go overboard?), I found this site with some good laser deals;
http://www.dealextreme.com/products.dx/category.911
I ordered two ultra-cheap red laser pointers (sub $3 ea) for my desk at work and one <5mw (less than 5 milliwatt) Green laser.
The red lasers are perfectly adequate...
The green laser is freakin' awesome! Especially at just under $18.
I can see a visible beam in low daylight, and at night, the beam is visible for at least 800 yards! (neighbors house, currently UNoccupied, that I have used a rangefinder on in the past).
Dealextreme ALSO carries higher powered 10mw, 20mw, 30mw, and 50mw green laser pointers. WARNING! At 10mw, the green lasers are "casual contact safe", but WILL cause eye damage shining it into your eyeball. the 20-50mw lasers will DEFINITELY cause some no-sh!t damage to your eyeballs even with INCIDENTAL reflected contact! I wouldn't use a greater than 10mw laser without laser safety goggles!
The 5mw is seriously cool... I'm thinking about buying a 10mw one.. but beyond that I think I'll pass... too easy to get just a LITTLE too sloppy and direct a reflected bean onto my tender retina's and fry some rods and cones...
By the way... some folks have "modded" 50mw green lasers to over 100-150mw, enough to pop balloons and light matches! 8D
