Comparison of two green laser pointers: the dangers of the cheaper one

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1. Did you measure the power output of the cheap laser?
2. Complaining that it burns. Most guys are trying to modify theirs to do this.
3. Can you minimize your co2 laser? Like do it without vacum or cooling.mini co2 laser ( 1W output power ) like bare minimum
4. one real laser second is light
5. Lol you took apart the eBay laser and adjusted the driver. Can see the scratches where you put pliers to pull the top out.
6. Most people would see that as a plus since you basically have a lighter and pointer on hand all in one if you make a lens attachment for it...
7. Can you show the inside of your lasers so I can check if mine has a IR filter or not, since I don't know how it actually loooks.
8. I see here people asking why additional IR light is more dangerous than just green light. 
   
   First at all, if they said 'legal limit' that means 5 mW, no more. Everything above is not legal (in most countries). People who have stronger laser are well aware of the danger and usually wear safety goggles (okay, there are exceptions, as always).
   
   Imagine next scenario: you bought safety goggles in order to block 535 nm (green), but the same goggles DOES NOT block IR wavelengths (808 nm and 1064 nm), so you think you are safe, but you are not. So, playing with this and other 'dual band', or 'triple band' lasers may pose 'hidden risk'. 
   
   By means of laser pointer, this is just that: pointer. Aside that, out there is laser modules in various sizes and shapes, also various output power level. The same story with not having IR blocking filter!
   
   Imagine you make holograms, and you are aware that your 100 mW laser is dangerous, and you have good safety goggles that has OD (optical density) 5 or above at 532 nm, so practically over 99% (or more) green light is blocked out. But NOT IR light - it is just blocked maybe 5-10% from first and second surface of your safety goggles. 
   
   You turn your cheap green laser, and it is matter of time when you get some laser reflection back to your eyes (even from glass surface(s) - 8% is 8 mW of 100 mW  green laser module - enough to ruin your life without goggles).  
   
   Just in time when you think you are safe, additional 100 mW IR light (or so) reaching your eyes though such 'safety' goggles... 
   
   Aside that, most of the 'black' plastic is not black at all - instead absorbing only  visible light, while passing most of the near IR light. Example: black trash bag, piece of VHS tape, black acrylic (some blocking IR, some not), black coffee (completely transparent to near IR light), etc.
   
   Have fun, play safe!
   
    
9. Thank you sir that's good information for people wanting to make an informed purchase .
10. Lots of jerks in Thai schools uses cheap laser pointers on people's eye.
11. yer boring. Av some fun will ya!
12. I am not using cheep Chinese lase as pointers at all, I use them as a laser burner
13. if you havent found your answer yet, IR is the same as any visible light in its dangers, except for the fact that its invisible and you often get it in far higher quantities. Also it refracts differently to visible light so it may become separated from the main laser beam and hit you (or a flammable etc.) even though the visible beam isnt hitting you
14. 1. Lots of light is dangerous if you magnify it enough. 2. Editing isn't that hard.
15. Hey Jarrod, I enjoyed the video. One thing that wasn't explained is why infrared energy is dangerous, and the amount of infrared that comes out of the laser vs. what would be considered a dangerous level. Could you please expound on that?
16. Well done!!!
17. Good video but most people wouldn't be turned away by a laser having the ability to burn things... Pretty shore that's Wicket Lasers motto 
18. Nice video. Nice recearch. The same is wrote in wikipedia article "Laser_pointer": "...An infrared filter behind the mirror removes IR radiation from the output beam (this may be omitted or inadequate in less-expensive "pointer-style" green lasers), and the assembly ends in a collimator lens...."
19. Good Video. I conducted a similar experiment with an infrared filter and my cell phone camera and had the same result. My next step is to measure the power of the infrared being emitted. I suspect it will be quite high as the laser pointer is rated for <50mW but outputs 90mW.
20. I think that is a very well known problem in the laser enthusiast community but probably something that people in the general population would never even consider. So thanks for making this video.