Is it really worth it? 445nm diode inside

[Mille]

So the question is: who sells 445 nm modules and what is the price?

[sbk]

Kvant, Swisslas, Rgblasersystem are selling 445nm modules, and I'm sure I forget a few manufacturer.
Expect to pay >2100€ for a 500mW, and at least 3000€ for the 1W model. That's not really cheap

[greenalien]

I had the opportunity to show my RGB laser at UKLEM4.5 last weekend - it uses a Kvant 1W 445, Kvant 1.2W 640 and a Viasho 1W 532. Colour balance is pretty good but the white is pink-ish. Still some tuning to do, and I think there may be some power loss on the galvo mirrors. Nevertheless, the almost universal reaction from other attendees was 'OMG - must sell my 473 and get one of those 445 diodes'. I expect there to be a lot of pre-owned 473 modules on sale soon...

[Zoof]

Yes, I read all the thread, but there's no concrete example with the 445, the discussion was more focused with 405nm.
So this would mean that if I have 1W 445nm with some green, it should be brighter than 1W of 473nm?!

.

This thread is about the 445, read posts 21-24, especially Tocket's post:
http://www.photonlexicon.com/forums/...ght=445&page=2

So yes: 1W 445 + 0.2W 532 is as bright as 1.8W of 473 with similar hue according to the model used.

[Insanity]

I had the opportunity to show my RGB laser at UKLEM4.5 last weekend - it uses a Kvant 1W 445, Kvant 1.2W 640 and a Viasho 1W 532. Colour balance is pretty good but the white is pink-ish. Still some tuning to do, and I think there may be some power loss on the galvo mirrors. Nevertheless, the almost universal reaction from other attendees was 'OMG - must sell my 473 and get one of those 445 diodes'. I expect there to be a lot of pre-owned 473 modules on sale soon...

Yes, I was there and it was a sight to behold... So much so that I ordered a 445 from Kvant today... Will be living off bread 'n water for a while now but hey, it's worth it for such a beautiful colour

Mark

[sbk]

I had the opportunity to show my RGB laser at UKLEM4.5 last weekend - it uses a Kvant 1W 445, Kvant 1.2W 640 and a Viasho 1W 532. Colour balance is pretty good but the white is pink-ish. Still some tuning to do, and I think there may be some power loss on the galvo mirrors. Nevertheless, the almost universal reaction from other attendees was 'OMG - must sell my 473 and get one of those 445 diodes'. I expect there to be a lot of pre-owned 473 modules on sale soon...

Damn you, you have some serious power there Is there some videos of UKLEM4.5 where we can see your projector in action?
And is the beam of the Kvant 445nm not too big for the galvos? I heard it is 2mm * 4.5mm...

This thread is about the 445, read posts 21-24, especially Tocket's post:
http://www.photonlexicon.com/forums/...ght=445&page=2

So yes: 1W 445 + 0.2W 532 is as bright as 1.8W of 473 with similar hue according to the model used.

Well, I didn't remembered this. But it seems too good to be true! Imagine, 1.8W of 473nm...

[andy_con]

im still in the process of uploading the UKLM4.5 stuff so keep watching the ftp area

[greenalien]

Will be living off bread 'n water for a while now but hey, it's worth it for such a beautiful colour

I had to think hard before spending the dosh but ended up cashing in a year's worth of pension savings - well, you can't take it with you, can you!

And is the beam of the Kvant 445nm not too big for the galvos? I heard it is 2mm * 4.5mm...

On low power, the beam looks like that - but as the power is ramped up, the central spot just gets brighter and brighter - Kvant seem to be on top of the game when it comes to clever optics, the beams of both my red and blue modules look odd close to the aperture but become lovely tight, thin beams within a metre or so, and just stay that way!

Photos - I haven't had time to upload the ones I took last weekend yet, but on page 21 of the UKLEM 4.5 Surfleet thread, my projector is the last one shown, (the blue module is the small one on the left) and it's in action in the photo before the CuBr monster.

I will be posting more about the build when time permits!

[buffo]

1W 445 + 0.2W 532 is as bright as 1.8W of 473 with similar hue according to the model used.

Despite what the color chart says, I have to disagree with this assesment based on my personal experience.

I have seen two different projector brands that have 445 nm diodes installed for blue. I have viewed multiple laser shows *in person* on both projector designs over several days, and after doing so I *still* say that 445 + 532 does NOT look like 473. The light blue color (I call it sky blue) that you get from 473 simply does not exist in either of those two projectors.

This is why I have a real problem with 445 nm blue. Oh sure, it's expensive as hell, but beyond that, it's too dark of a blue. I find that I really miss the light blue color, in a *lot* of shows.

Oh sure, I admit that the deep blue of 445 nm is a beautiful color all by itself. And I also agree that it makes a stunning magenta. But overall the shows that I've seen running on projectors with 445 nm blue in them were dissapointing because they lacked the light 473 nm blue.

The only way I'd put a 445 nm blue in a projector (assuming I could afford one in the first place) would be if I could *also* have a 473 nm laser in there.

Adam

PS: I do realize that I'm speaking as a purist here. The average audience member likely would never know the difference.

[Zoof]

Despite what the color chart says, I have to disagree with this assesment based on my personal experience.

I have seen two different projector brands that have 445 nm diodes installed for blue. I have viewed multiple laser shows *in person* on both projector designs over several days, and after doing so I *still* say that 445 + 532 does NOT look like 473. The light blue color (I call it sky blue) that you get from 473 simply does not exist in either of those two projectors.

This is why I have a real problem with 445 nm blue. Oh sure, it's expensive as hell, but beyond that, it's too dark of a blue. I find that I really miss the light blue color, in a *lot* of shows.

Oh sure, I admit that the deep blue of 445 nm is a beautiful color all by itself. And I also agree that it makes a stunning magenta. But overall the shows that I've seen running on projectors with 445 nm blue in them were dissapointing because they lacked the light 473 nm blue.

The only way I'd put a 445 nm blue in a projector (assuming I could afford one in the first place) would be if I could *also* have a 473 nm laser in there.

Adam

PS: I do realize that I'm speaking as a purist here. The average audience member likely would never know the difference.

Hi Buffo, I realize that it is a prediction based on a model of human color perception - and I have never seen a 445 blue before. But before we throw theory out of the window, would you consider the following - and share your thoughts.

If the software doing the shows you saw did a simple 1:1 RGB-color to RGB-laser mapping I'm not surprised that the blue comes out wrong / different. The software has to mix a bit of green with the blue, or the blue color definition of the frames has to be 'hue-ed' more towards cyan. Because 445 is still relatively new, not everyone may do this properly. Others have reported to see the most beautiful blue ever so there may be some color tuning issues going on.

Would be nice to get some 445 owner's view on this too.