LedShoppe 50mW only as bright as ebay <5mW

[midieval10]

LedShoppe 50mW Green Laser
-Ordered 6/25
-Shipped 6/29
-Arrived 7/9

I thought the LedShoppe would be brighter than my ebay $5 <5mW laser but it isn't This was 5x the cost of the ebay one. I feel like I got ripped off.

 

[Prototype]

The eBay one is probably overspec. It takes roughly four times the power to make a noticeable (twice the brightness) difference in brightness. If you're really worried about it, I'm sure someone would measure it for you on an lpm if you pay shipping.

 

[Xplorer877]

Just take a picture of the dot in low light and post it and I'll tell you if it's 50mW.

-Tony

 

[TTerbo]

Just take a picture of the dot in low light and post it and I'll tell you if it's 50mW.

-Tony

that is going to be hard....my camera pics up a 50mW laser dot to look incredibly bright like a 200mW.
my avatar

 

[vect0rx]

I got the same 50mW green from the same place in on 7/6.

Expecting to have on LPM to measure within the next couple weeks to compare but it sound's like LEDShoppe's of that power can vary at least +-10mW.

The interesting thing is that I snagged a 50mW violent and a 5mW version of the green as well. After the 5mW gets warmed up it seems to get a significant kick in brightness above and beyond the last 5mW pointer that I picked up at a local store.

Photos of comparative spots @ http://laserpointerforums.com/f38/ledshoppe-violet-50910.html

-vect0rx

[edit] oops i just realized we already spoke about these via PM so I'm sure you've seen the beam photos.

 

[TTerbo]

I snagged a 50mW violent.

i hope it wasnt too "violent"

 

[goninanbl00d]

i hope it wasnt too "violent"

Wad a die-ode involved? :crackup:

Anyway, see if you can burn a hole through a black trash bag, pop a dark coloured balloon and see if you can smoke a leather item such as a belt or wallet. If it can do that, then it's at least 50mW.

 

[midieval10]

Anyway, see if you can burn a hole through a black trash bag, pop a dark coloured balloon and see if you can smoke a leather item such as a belt or wallet. If it can do that, then it's at least 50mW.

It can't smoke or burn anything. I tried to sharpie a match and it doesn't even smoke it, let alone burn it. I put it up against a very thin black trash bag and it doesn't make any holes (I was looking for pin sized holes but nothing). It does however pop a balloon that I marked with a black sharpie very well. My ebay pen can also pop balloons.

 

[goninanbl00d]

Chances are it's only 30 or so mW, and so is your eBay pen. eBay '5mW' pens are usually extremely overspec, with some coming in at 60mW.

I'd say either get it metered by a LPF member, or send it back. LEDShoppe should take it back and give you a to-spec one.

 

[Xplorer877]

It can't smoke or burn anything. I tried to sharpie a match and it doesn't even smoke it, let alone burn it. I put it up against a very thin black trash bag and it doesn't make any holes (I was looking for pin sized holes but nothing). It does however pop a balloon that I marked with a black sharpie very well. My ebay pen can also pop balloons.

Try using a magnifying glass to focus the beam. Even my 60mW will barely smoke black leather or batches. It sounds like it's in the 30-40mW range. Even that isn't too bad for the price.

-Tony