# What should I look for in a laser pointer? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 11, 2012, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-look-for-in-a-laser-pointer/643655 "2012-12-11T00:24:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![YogSothoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2013, 5:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-look-for-in-a-laser-pointer/643655/22 "2013-01-10T05:01:51Z")
Got my laser pointer in the mail a week ago. Damn…this green thing…I think I may have too much power. I was not prepared for the brightness of this thing. I went and got the 5mw like people recommended. I shined it upon a corner of a darkened room. The entire thing lit up like it was a freaking light saber. I could see the beam in the room! I tried pointing at it at our parked car in the street, same thing! Even the tree 2 streets over was no problem. I feel like Spiderman and I just killed Uncle Ben. I must not abuse this power. Stay away from living creatures. I can barely look at it when its on any kind of light surface (pointing it at a white door reflected back enough light for me to wince and look away). Its cool, I like this feeling, but damn, this thing’s dangerous! ---
**Author:** ![temp\_user](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/9de053/32.png) [@temp\_user](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/temp_user)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2013, 12:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-look-for-in-a-laser-pointer/643655/23 "2013-01-10T12:00:32Z")
I would take issue with OP’s reasons for needing a more powerful laser. While he says he does not intend to do anything too screwy with it, the reasons he gives - pointing at cats, things in the dark, play light saber battles(!?) hardly justify a more powerful green laser. Unless he has some more legitimate/scientific reasons, you really don’t need anything above the cheapo reds you buy at convenience stores. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2013, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-look-for-in-a-laser-pointer/643655/24 "2013-01-10T18:29:24Z")
> [@](#): > > Unless he has some more legitimate/scientific reasons, you really don’t need anything above the cheapo reds you buy at convenience stores. Aside: A few years ago, I got a small red laser pointer as free swag at a scientific conference. The conference organizers considered giving out a printed sheet of simple science projects you could do with it, along with the pointers. But then they realized that the cost to print up those sheets would actually have been more than the pointers themselves. ---
**Author:** ![YogSothoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2013, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-look-for-in-a-laser-pointer/643655/25 "2013-01-10T19:06:41Z")
> [@temp\_user](#): > > I would take issue with OP’s reasons for needing a more powerful laser. While he says he does not intend to do anything too screwy with it, the reasons he gives - pointing at cats, things in the dark, play light saber battles(!?) hardly justify a more powerful green laser. Unless he has some more legitimate/scientific reasons, you really don’t need anything above the cheapo reds you buy at convenience stores. Well fortunately or unfortunately, I have the laser already. But, you will be glad to know that now knowing the power of this quasi-light saber I now possess, I’m going to do a lot less pointing of it at cats or any other living beings. The brightness on this thing is kinda nuts and I wouldn’t want to harm a kitty with it. Maybe a roach, because fuck roaches ---
**Author:** ![jnglmassiv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f07891/32.png) [@jnglmassiv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jnglmassiv)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2013, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-look-for-in-a-laser-pointer/643655/26 "2013-01-11T01:53:10Z")
> [@YogSosoth](#): > > Well fortunately or unfortunately, I have the laser already. But, you will be glad to know that now knowing the power of this quasi-light saber I now possess, I’m going to do a lot less pointing of it at cats or any other living beings. If it is truly 5mW, it will be difficult to do any accidental damage. Try the pointer on a reflective street sign at night. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Strangelove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.strangelove/32/6613_2.png) [@Dr.Strangelove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Strangelove)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2013, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-look-for-in-a-laser-pointer/643655/27 "2013-01-11T02:32:02Z")
> [@temp\_user](#): > > Unless he has some more legitimate/scientific reasons, you really don’t need anything above the cheapo reds you buy at convenience stores. The red pointers are useless for star pointing. The visible beam of a medium-powered green is fantastic for this purpose. > [@jnglmassiv](#): > > If it is truly 5mW, it will be difficult to do any accidental damage. > Try the pointer on a reflective street sign at night. Yeah, don’t do this with a 100 mW pointer. Reflective street signs are retroreflective, so the beam comes directly back to the source. It spreads a bit, of course, so plenty of the beam should go to your eyeballs (instead of the barrel of the pointer, which it would do with a perfect retroreflector). ---
**Author:** ![YogSothoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2013, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-look-for-in-a-laser-pointer/643655/28 "2013-01-11T16:44:46Z")
> [@jnglmassiv](#): > > If it is truly 5mW, it will be difficult to do any accidental damage. > Try the pointer on a reflective street sign at night. I have accidentally brushed the beam against street signs. It looks like an explosion. Even though it may have been from a quarter mile away, it was quite bright ---
**Author:** ![Foggy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foggy/32/1082_2.png) [@Foggy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Foggy)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2013, 6:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-look-for-in-a-laser-pointer/643655/30 "2013-03-25T06:55:38Z")
I see that this is an old thread, but my answer is the ability to disintegrate incoming missiles. That would cover pretty much any use I can think off and then some. ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2013, 8:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-look-for-in-a-laser-pointer/643655/31 "2013-03-25T08:47:32Z")
> [@Absolute](#): > > Anything more powerful than 5 mW risks permanent eye damage. 5 mW is the limit at which the blink reflex is fast enough to protect you… This is fascinating. Could you elaborate? [nitpick] Since we’re 50-50 here on shined/shone, see what our illustrious predecessors have said on the topic: [Past tense of the verb “shine”](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=510839) [/nitpick] ---
**Author:** ![Absolute](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b2d939/32.png) [@Absolute](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Absolute)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2013, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-look-for-in-a-laser-pointer/643655/32 "2013-03-25T19:05:55Z")
> [@Leo\_Bloom](#): > > This is fascinating. Could you elaborate? At 5 mW, the blink reflex will _usually_ cause your eye to shut or look away from the beam or a direct reflection in time to avoid permanent damage. Above 5 mW, the reflex may not be fast enough to prevent permanent damage. This is the basis of the FDA’s 5 mW limit for “laser pointers”. [http://www.fda.gov/MedicalDevices/Safety/AlertsandNotices/ucm237129.htm](http://www.fda.gov/MedicalDevices/Safety/AlertsandNotices/ucm237129.htm) ---
**Author:** ![Washoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ecae2f/32.png) [@Washoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Washoe)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2013, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-look-for-in-a-laser-pointer/643655/33 "2013-03-26T02:26:36Z")
> [@YogSosoth](#): > > I have accidentally brushed the beam against street signs. It looks like an explosion. Even though it may have been from a quarter mile away, it was quite bright What would happen if I directed the beam at [Elmer’s Glitter Glue](http://www.ericlevonian.com/glue)? And would it be hazardous to bystanders? ---
**Author:** ![Glazer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a88e57/32.png) [@Glazer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Glazer)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2013, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-look-for-in-a-laser-pointer/643655/34 "2013-03-26T02:46:12Z")
I’ve got a nice 3 laser 2 axis self-leveling unit. But I’m looking to upgrade to a 5 laser 3 axis. ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2013, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-look-for-in-a-laser-pointer/643655/35 "2013-03-26T04:45:44Z")
Much of the above might soon be moot. From a [news report](http://news.slashdot.org/story/13/03/20/2015227/govt-report-laser-pointers-produce-too-much-energy-pose-risk-for-the-careles) today: “Commercial grade green and red laser pointers emit energy far beyond what is safe, posing skin, eye and fire hazards. That was the conclusion of a National Institute of Standards and Technology study on the properties of handheld lasers. The study tested 122 of the devices and found that nearly 90% of green pointers and about 44% of red pointers tested were out of federal safety regulation compliance.” The NIST study is linked to at the cite. Also, [an image for OP](http://cheezburger.com/1721253632) and like-minded users of laser pointers. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-look-for-in-a-laser-pointer/643655.md?page=1)