DealExtreme 5mW Blu-Ray Laser Pointer

The Basics
This laser is one of DealExtreme's newest additions to their lasers. This laser comes in advertised powers from 5mW up to 100mW, with very low prices increases between most powers. For US buyers, the 5mW version is the only one available so I decided to give it a shot.

Shipping/Packaging
Shipping took about a month from China, but I ordered this while the website said it was back ordered so this should come in faster to buyers when it is in stock. Like I said earlier, this laser is legally shippable to the US. The packaging was a padded envelope. The laser itself came in a cheap black presentation box with spots for the laser and two AAA batteries (included).


Overall Appearance/Feel
This laser overall looks like your typical NewWish brand laser pen.


The switch is a momentary push button which has a solid click. The laser is very heavy for its size which is a big plus IMO because it feels well made. The warning sticker is accurate by showing a violet beam instead of the standard red beam.


Visibility/Output
Visibility is what you would expect for only 5mW of 405nm, not very bright. My original intention when getting this laser was to pot mod it, but then it would be just like any violet laser we have today. With a somewhat "eye safe" pointer I can bring it into public if I want and still demonstrate all of the tricks it can do. Also, at only 5mW the color of the violet won't wash out the fluorescence color of some objects. Here is this laser fluorescing on paper (My camera can't pick up straight 405nm very well so all of the pictures of this laser will show it fluorescing on something.)


In a well lit room from up close, the violet appears about as bright as a cheap red laser pointer. Thanks to daguin for the red pointer!


There beam is pretty clean, the only artifacts are almost invisible and aren't any worse than out DIY builds.

The beam diameter of this laser is fairly large because of it being just a laser diode with a lens slapped in front, but because of this the divergence is great. I have seen many complaints on the DX forums about this laser having crappy divergence, but I can almost guarantee that this is just the 405nm fuzzy dot eye trick that is just messing with them. Human eyes have trouble perceiving this color correctly, so this laser is not good for distance pointing because the dot appears blurry over a distance.

The beam at night is actually pretty visible as long as where ever you are using it is pitch black. The beam doesn't have a violet color like higher powered violets have, it appears more gray than anything. Here is a beam shot in some fog:


Fluorescence
As you would guess, this laser is perfect for fluorescence tricks! At only 5mW, the color of the violet won't wash out the color of some objects that only fluoresce a small amount. Half the objects sitting around the house will glow under a 405nm beam, usually glowing blue. Here is a picture of this laser shining off a Vaseline glass marble:


This laser also works great at "charging" Glow-in-the-Dark items, I have a GITD board that this works perfect with.

Innards
This laser is not easy to disassemble, so don't try it unless you have to. I use the wood blocks/vise trick which works great. From the outside, the module itself resembles the green modules used in NewWish pointers.


The board is a boost driver so it looks different than the typical drivers in NewWish lasers. It has a pot which would probably work if you wanted more power out of it, my theory is that all of these violet pointers up to at least the 50mW use the same laser diode pushed to different currents. Here are some pictures of the driver:



The laser module disassembles into three main parts: the driver/laser diode, the lens, and the part that screws into the pen cap.


The lens appears to be an AR coated Aixiz lens! It has the same threads that fit in an aixiz module, and it even has that back part that most of us cut out for more power.


Burning
Even at only 5mW, this laser can pull off some minor burning tricks when focused down with an external lens. I am able to get a couple puffs of smoke from my leather wallet, and that's probably about it. Don't buy this if you expect it to burn.


Overall: This is a great laser for the price, it would be impossible for us to try to DIY something like this for the price that runs of AAAs. This laser costs less than the flexdrive alone and is easily wroth the money.

Video Overview: