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Thread: 445nm lensing options - discuss them all here!

  1. #21
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    And I managed to remove the diode from the lens tube without damage either
    Yes, this has been worrying me a bit if I want to try a few different things.
    Is it best to find a flat ended cylindrical bar that fits snuggly down the front of the tube and press it out squarely on the face of the diode? I suppose you could add a felt/soft face to the bar as well.

  2. #22
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    Quote Originally Posted by norty303 View Post
    I did have a 650 with high divergence and I didn't find it too bad,
    Those big Laserwave 650's are 5mrad so you may well be happy with 3.

    Deffo helps when audience scanning,I increased the divergence on my 1W green to get the numbers down.
    http://img62.imageshack.us/img62/3985/laser.gif

    Doc's website

    The Health and Safety Act 1971

    Recklessly interfering with Darwin’s natural selection process, thereby extending the life cycle of dim-witted ignorami; thus perpetuating and magnifying the danger to us all, by enabling them to breed and walk amongst us, our children and loved ones.





  3. #23
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    Found this thread on LPF and they seem to be having good results with Aixiz glass lens

    http://laserpointerforums.com/f65/44...ons-51456.html

    Does anyone here supply them, or is it just a case of getting them off ebay? Anyone in the UK got any?
    Last edited by norty303; 06-05-2010 at 15:25.

  4. #24
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    Not un-typical 20% Aixiz losses (probably due to beam clipping) but I guess that will not be problem for most people.

    I have some large diameter (M12x.5) 8mm FL lenses with a large CA on the way, based on the way I plan to layout #1, and beam data so far, this should see 2 diodes make a 3.6mm/1.5mR randomly polarised beam. We'll see..

  5. #25
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    Edit: Oops... I see that you just posted the link EF. sorry...


    I tested three glass lenses... Here are the results:

    I just set up a conservative setting of 475mA's with my 18650 build, using a copper (press fit) heatsink design for the lens comparisons. (Micro BoostDrive)



    * Micro BoostDrive
    * 475mA's
    * 545mA's battery current draw
    * Diode voltage at this current - 3.91... Hmmm... Well, the Micro Boost driver is still working fine. Very stable. So I guess it's fine even though it is a little lower voltage than a fully charged 18650 at this current... (I would expect the forward voltage to be higher at higher currents though)




    The stock projector lens is 6mm... This is the same size as the AixiZ glass lens. Which is smaller in diameter than the 405-G-1. It has a short focal length somewhere between 4.2 and 4.5mm. (guessing)






    5 Lenses Compared: I was expecting more power at this current from what I read others were getting, but very happy none the less!

    @ 475mA...

    * Stock projector lens: 352mW's - Wide spreading thin wings... not desirable.
    * 405-G-1: 360mW's - Not too bad... Most power, but same side splash that is much more noticeable than with blu-ray because of the visibility of the 445...
    * AixiZ 405 glass: 315mW's - This is the one for me! Very nice clean dot! (better than I had hoped for anyway) Still fairly good power.
    Edit: I added a couple of more lens power comparisons. (no pictures for these two)
    * AixiZ glass lens: 272mW's... The dot and beam looks the same as AixiZ 405 glass. I believe it is the same optics but with a different coating...
    * AixiZ acrylic (back opened) gave 293mW's. But I don't think acrylic is an option because it will most likely degrade quickly. But just to show the power comparison...



    Update:

    Turned up the power to make it a class 4 hand held...

    * Lens used - AixiZ 405 glass
    * 640mA's
    * 530mW's
    * Forward voltage - 4.03
    * Battery current draw using a Micro BoostDrive, and AW 18650 - 812mA's

    This driver is using extra current even though it is not having to boost voltage... Not sure why yet. (I asked drlava though) I doubt that the initial voltage would sag that much...

    That said, it is a very stable driver.

    The dot comparisons are at about 7' distance...

    Note: My camera picks up the color as kind of violet, but it is probably because of the brightness and the white wall or something...

    The 445 diode is a very nice blue! Pretty close to the look of 473nm, but bluer!...






    The only problem is that these AixiZ 405 glass lenses are mounted in a nut that has only half of the nut threaded. So I will be re-mounting the optics from this lens assembly into a nut with full length threads so that I can use the AixiZ focus ring...

    Also, I tested the AixiZ 405 glass lens for how it looked at a distance of 70', and it can be focused to a decent dot. (slightly elongated) I think that for best all around pointing, I would say that best visual dot at 40 feet or so, will give a good all around dot. It will be slightly elongated at close distance, and a little more at longer distance, but not too bad really... (IMO)

    Edit: I glued on an Aixiz focus ring to my (half threaded) AixiZ 405 glass lens and it is not too bad at all like this...

    So I'm thinking that this is good enough. (for now at least)

    And I still think AixiZ can send them in the full length threaded nuts just like their normal AixiZ glass lenses...





    Divergence:

    Wearing eye protection, you can see that this diode (using the AixiZ 405 glass lens) still produces a line, not a dot. But pointing out into the night sky, and just normal pointing like we do normally, it looks pretty good for a cheap way to collimate this diode.

    I measured the 'dot/line' at 20' best focus. At this focus, I measured the dot/line at 20', and also at 2" distance...

    * 2": 2.3mm X 5.4mm
    * 20': 2.2mm X 16mm




    Videos:

    Beam and dot

    Cutting a match




    In conclusion:

    You will get the most power output with the 405-G-1 as shown above.

    However, I recommended what I honestly thought was the best set up for this diode.

    If it's max power your after, the 405-G-1 is a decent beam and dot. Just not as clean as the AixiZ 405 glass lens...

    I like the AixiZ 405 glass lens best.

    I have not tried to measure exact losses with the lens comparisons...

    Just doing power comparisons. I do know that the AixiZ 405 lens assembly is a multiple element configuration. I would just guess that the coatings are within the 445 range, but that it's lower output in comparison to the 405-G-1 is mostly due to the way it 'clips' the wings and gives a cleaner output. (plus having to pass through more than one optic)

    The AixiZ 405 glass lens is not a bad lens choice at all considering that this diode is multimode, and the lens is available right off the shelf for cheap, and it just threads right into an AixiZ module! Getting absolute perfection from this diode will probably mean a combination of optics that will not just thread into an AixiZ module... (most likely)

    It gives about 7% more power vs AixiZ acrylic (back opened) with this 445nm diode... (but acrylic is not really a consideration - just a power comparison)

    No, it's not absolutely perfect. But try it out, and see if you agree that 'all things considered'... It's good enough!

    Of course we'll all be keeping our eyes out for other possible options. There will be much testing from lots of people in the coming days! So please let me know if you find something better!




    P.S. Before buying, you guys should get a few more opinions about lenses... But then again, the AixiZ 405 glass lenses are cheap enough...

    If you test one, please post and let me know if you agree with my findings!

    I would hate to have pointed people the wrong direction with this lens. (I only tested the three main candidates that I had)...

    And it's just that there are many people testing different options still!
    Last edited by jayrob; 06-09-2010 at 01:45.

  6. #26
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    great to see a picture and measurements of the beamspot. any ideas about divergence?

    it needs some collimating thats for sure

  7. #27
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    Quote Originally Posted by jayrob View Post
    * 2": 2.3mm X 5.4mm
    * 20': 2.2mm X 16mm
    Thanks Jayrob

    Does anyone have any input on what angle of anamorphic prisms would be required to correct this, or more usefully, how one calculates the required parameters of anamorphic prisms given the above info?

  8. #28
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    This short video shows how the beam and dot look from 8' distance (on the ceiling), to 35' distance to the far wall... (it's way brighter and bluer to the eye)

    315mW's - AixiZ 405 glass lens...

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_yO3wgN6S-Q

  9. #29
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    First tests show a half divergence of 0,5mRad at the small side and 1,6mRad at the wide side is possible.

  10. #30
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    please tell what you used to get divergence of 1.6mrad

    Quote Originally Posted by mccarrot View Post
    First tests show a half divergence of 0,5mRad at the small side and 1,6mRad at the wide side is possible.

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