Best Laser Output Measuring Meter

[carlos3621]

Thanks for the reference allthatwhichis. I ordered one, this one:

http://www.cascadelaser.com/coh1159770.html

Doug, from Cascade Laser Corp., gave me free shipping as well.

aehaas

Thats expensive and similiar to the one i got from thorlabs. Mine also hooks up to a DMM for display, but mine goes up to 10 watt broadband, and i paid 200.00 less than you did.......

[drlava]

My lab has a black thorlabs digital meter and that thing isn't so great (not sure if it's the one you have). It turns itself on randomly and when line powered the noise causes trouble with mW level measurements. From my experience with the FieldMax, it is far superior.

[AEHaas]

I apologize that I was ill prepared to even make a reasonable estimate of what meter would satisfy my desires. My initial thoughts were based on several meters I saw for less than $100. Others were several hundred. I felt that $500 would be one on the higher end for a hobbist.

I performed a search that was not revealing. Just try putting in words as “meter” “light” “laser” “measurement” for example and you get many threads as these are common words.

I went to the resources indicated by those who answered my question. I learned more as I went along. I found that the lesser meters were not going to do as I envisioned at my price point. I thus decided on a more costly but clearly more versatile and accurate product.

Criteria change with knowledge and I thank those who helped. I am sorry I upset some people. That was not my intension.

aehaas

[carlos3621]

Hey.... thats exactly what i went through, when i was inquiring about building an RGB projector......
but i ended up buying one instead

[ElektroFreak]

I apologize that I was ill prepared to even make a reasonable estimate of what meter would satisfy my desires. My initial thoughts were based on several meters I saw for less than $100. Others were several hundred. I felt that $500 would be one on the higher end for a hobbist.

I performed a search that was not revealing. Just try putting in words as “meter” “light” “laser” “measurement” for example and you get many threads as these are common words.

I went to the resources indicated by those who answered my question. I learned more as I went along. I found that the lesser meters were not going to do as I envisioned at my price point. I thus decided on a more costly but clearly more versatile and accurate product.

Criteria change with knowledge and I thank those who helped. I am sorry I upset some people. That was not my intension.

aehaas

You made a good choice, and that's what matters.. Nothing I have to say should influence your feelings about that. Fieldmax meters are top notch. My rant wasn't necessarily aimed at you specifically, I see the scenario I described happen in various forums regularly and since the experts here tend to be very knowledgeable and well-connected I'm sure one of them could have satisfied your requirements and then some. It does sound like someone was giving you sound advice about quality, though, which ultimately led to you ending up in posession of a very nice meter. You didn't do badly.

Plus I'm not that hard to upset, I'm known to have a short fuse. Type A and all that..

[allthatwhichis]

but i ended up buying one instead

Understatement of the day...

[mixedgas]

My lab has a black thorlabs digital meter and that thing isn't so great (not sure if it's the one you have). It turns itself on randomly and when line powered the noise causes trouble with mW level measurements. From my experience with the FieldMax, it is far superior.

Have you talked to Alex at thorlabs about that? He needs to know...

Steve

[carlos3621]

sounds like that meter has a problem...
i think Thorlabs stuff is high quality , my meter works as advertised, but then again it is brand new

[drlava]

Have you talked to Alex at thorlabs about that? He needs to know...

Steve

Didn't have time for any of that, it's older and out of warranty I'm sure. Just trying to help by sharing my experience since the thorlabs meter subject was raised.