Laser pointer that isn't junk?

ButtonPuncher

Limp Gawd
Joined
Jun 7, 2004
Messages
141
Hi Everyone,
I've been in IT for a while and one dumb little thing that's been driving me nuts is trying to find decent laser pointers for our conference rooms. I'm just looking for a standard output red or green laser pointers. It seems like everything that I've bought in the last few years from Amazon/Newegg/OfficeMax have been garbage. The switches are intermittent or the laser diodes fluctuate in brightness or die all together after a few months of light use. The last ones that I got were green ones by Meade (the telescope people) and they have the same problems.

The only thing that has worked well is the red laser build in to a Logitech presenter. But that's unnecessarily expensive and complex.

I just want the most basic laser pointer. Pen shaped with a button. No pen or stylus function. Just stick a couple AA or AAA's in it, push the button and have it work.

If you know of a good brand or source, please let me know.

Thanks,
Ben
 
Thanks. I'll have to check those out. They do have a 5mW green. I'd really like to find something in the $20-30 range so that when it walks off (and it will), I can justify having a couple spares.

As for the red, I really can't have anything over 5mW. Anything more than that and someone getting hurt from a reflection is a possibility.
 
They also don't ship to the US.

They do, but to meet US safety rules, they'll only ship the 5mW or less versions.

There's a US-based company called www.biglasers.com that carries their stuff for those of us in the USA, but I've never used them so I can't say if they're legit.
 
They do, but to meet US safety rules, they'll only ship the 5mW or less versions.

There's a US-based company called www.biglasers.com that carries their stuff for those of us in the USA, but I've never used them so I can't say if they're legit.
Interesting, I thought they didn't ship to US at all. Might have a Wicked Laser in my future, then...
 
Cool. Thanks for the additional information everyone. If anyone else has suggestions, feel free to chime in.

DejaWiz - Those AtlasNova lasers look really promising. I really like the APC feature on the green lasers, the option of 1mW or 5mW for all models, and that they offer 635nm orange-red lasers. I was also checking eBay and they have a remote switch for them too. While that's not of use at the office, I could think of a couple good uses at home for that. Remote power control interface using a relay or maybe even modulation. (But I'd need to use a non-APC laser in order to modulate it.)

https://www.atlasnova.com/product/atlasnova-635nm-red-laser-pointer/

https://www.atlasnova.com/product/atlasnova-green-laser-pointer-with-feedback-apc/

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Atlasnova-Green-Laser-Pointer-Remote-Switch-with-O-rings-/391769034918

It looks like there hasn't been much activity on the various forums about the Atlasnova stuff for a few years but if they are still making it with the same quality, works for me!


BTW, I just ordered one of each wavelength off of eBay and found out that the seller abeland1 is actually Atlasnova so you are buying direct from them.
 
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Be careful of border taking whatever you order if it's not to spec and legit. They should have an FDA number or similar usually.
This is a big headache with professional lasers which I have to deal with often.
 
Good to know. BTW, that's one of the reasons that I went with the Atlasnova laser pointers. They all have the proper FDA numbers/markings.
 
I just got the AtlasNova laser pointers. I got a Green APC 1mW, a Red 635nm 1mW, and a Red 650nm 5mW. My initial impression is that these are of VERY high quality. They feel solid, the machining on the cases is excellent, and the switches feel "right". The red unit's cases are very slim. The green's case is larger than the reds but it's still thinner than the other junk laser pointers that I've bought recently. The output for all is perfect. All are rock solid. No flicker or change in brightness. The 1mW green is more than bright enough for indoor presentation use with a regular video projector. The 650nm 5mW unit and the 635nm 1mW look almost identical in perceived brightness. The 635 is a touch pinker then the 650 but that is also what contributes to the perceived brightness. Considering the 635 is almost double the cost or the 650, it's tough to justify but I like the safety factor of the 635nm unit's lower 1mW output. Theoretically batteries should last longer considering it only draws 1/5 the power.

The Green unit's batteries were made by Mitsubishi and tested 100% on my ZTS pulse-load battery tester. The batteries that came with the red pointers were generic, weighed almost nothing, so they got junked immediately.

The green unit has a LED by the button which is nice. It'd be nice if the red ones had that added little feature too.

Even though all of them use two AAA batteries, the body on the green unit is larger in diameter then the reds. So the external switch accessory can't be used on the red units.

I'll have to report back after a few months after these get some good use.

Thanks,
Ben
 
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