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Can you dim lasers?

Printed From: Speakerplans.com
Category: Other Chat
Forum Name: Lighting Talk
Forum Description: All your lampy, laser and 'other' special FX needs....
URL: https://forum.speakerplans.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=105246
Printed Date: 29 March 2024 at 3:18pm
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Topic: Can you dim lasers?
Posted By: Fred_dibna
Subject: Can you dim lasers?
Date Posted: 17 May 2020 at 2:18pm
I know there are many dimming lighting controllers for LED lights but can you dim a laser light?



Replies:
Posted By: BJtheDJ
Date Posted: 17 May 2020 at 2:45pm
Originally posted by Fred_dibna Fred_dibna wrote:

I know there are many dimming lighting controllers for LED lights but can you dim a laser light?


If it can't be done electrically or electronically I'm pretty certain that putting photographic filter in front of it would do the trick.

Of course if the laser is really powerful then it may burn out the filter LOL


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If your vaccinations were mandatory and nobody in your class had measles,
then you know that you're not a Millenial kid.
</f


Posted By: Fred_dibna
Date Posted: 17 May 2020 at 2:54pm
Yeah i've searched high and low for any information on it and can't find one thing. So i'm guessing only LED and PAR can kind of lights can be dimmed.  


Posted By: James Tengo
Date Posted: 17 May 2020 at 2:58pm
Lasers can be varied in power output, but it's done within the laser rather than using a separate dimmer. What unit do you have, and what are you trying to achieve?


Posted By: Fred_dibna
Date Posted: 17 May 2020 at 3:10pm
I don't have one yet but I absolutely want the Laserworld EL-900RGB it's brilliant. I wanna use it in a pub venue which is the new venue i'll be doing dance music parties at. The problem is it's far too powerful.


Posted By: James Tengo
Date Posted: 17 May 2020 at 3:44pm
Well despite the unit being dmx controlled it doesn't have a dimmer channel, so no way of "dimming" it on board. What makes you think it would be too bright? It's not a particularly high power unit, *disclaimer* that said it is a laser source so great care and attention needs to be taken with it or you can cause permanent ocular damage. 


Posted By: Bams
Date Posted: 17 May 2020 at 4:29pm
With lasers: in doubt do not use.. a pub will be rather low so you will be beaming into peoples eyes at a short distance. I looked at the movie of the effect and this is a fun machine but with half a watt can be dangerous if used in close proximity.


Posted By: Andylaser
Date Posted: 17 May 2020 at 4:42pm
Possibly by turning down the diode drive current, but not guaranteed to work. Depends on the driver circuit.

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"music so loud, that if we move in next door to you; your lawn will die" - Lemmy


Posted By: Andylaser
Date Posted: 17 May 2020 at 4:44pm
If you think the laser is too powerful for the venue then you absolutely shouldnt be using it there.
Part of the "official paperwork" is a risk assessment, which you have admitted to failing already.


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"music so loud, that if we move in next door to you; your lawn will die" - Lemmy


Posted By: Fred_dibna
Date Posted: 17 May 2020 at 6:23pm
Originally posted by Andylaser Andylaser wrote:

If you think the laser is too powerful for the venue then you absolutely shouldnt be using it there.
Part of the "official paperwork" is a risk assessment, which you have admitted to failing already.


What are you about pal? I've not said i'm absolutely going to use it and screw the risks have I? So what gave you the idea that I said that? Read it properly I said I absolutely want the laser I didn't say i'm absolutely using it in the pub. If I didn't care about the risks I wouldn't of asked if it could be dimmed would I.


Posted By: Fred_dibna
Date Posted: 17 May 2020 at 6:27pm
Originally posted by Bams Bams wrote:

With lasers: in doubt do not use.. a pub will be rather low so you will be beaming into peoples eyes at a short distance. I looked at the movie of the effect and this is a fun machine but with half a watt can be dangerous if used in close proximity.


It's more than that it's 900mw not 500mw, i'll be buying the laser regardless because I might be able to use it somewhere else and i'll test it out when I get it but if it is indeed too powerful it won't be used in the pub. Here is the video to show you how powerful it is, and this is in a medium sized warehouse/lighting demo room.




Posted By: djeddie
Date Posted: 18 May 2020 at 9:49am
Originally posted by Fred_dibna Fred_dibna wrote:

...It's more than that it's 900mw not 500mw...

900mW in total, I haven't looked at the specs, but you'll probably find its something like, 500mW red, 100mW green and 300mW blue.


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Chas n Dave : it's like Drum and Bass but with beards.             E=mc² ±3dB


Posted By: Fred_dibna
Date Posted: 18 May 2020 at 10:27am
Yeah that's true. :)


Posted By: Digbethdave
Date Posted: 18 May 2020 at 8:44pm
Couple decent moonflower will do a pub. 


Posted By: mk2_ginger_biscuit69
Date Posted: 19 May 2020 at 1:14am
Originally posted by Fred_dibna Fred_dibna wrote:

Originally posted by Bams Bams wrote:

With lasers: in doubt do not use.. a pub will be rather low so you will be beaming into peoples eyes at a short distance. I looked at the movie of the effect and this is a fun machine but with half a watt can be dangerous if used in close proximity.


It's more than that it's 900mw not 500mw, i'll be buying the laser regardless because I might be able to use it somewhere else and i'll test it out when I get it but if it is indeed too powerful it won't be used in the pub. Here is the video to show you how powerful it is, and this is in a medium sized warehouse/lighting demo room.




discotastic!




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Posted By: woody2
Date Posted: 19 May 2020 at 1:28am
I remember the days when pubs had 20w argon water cooled lasers......


Posted By: monkeypuzzle
Date Posted: 19 May 2020 at 8:28am
Dimming of LED lamps including LED lasers is not like traditional dimming. The light source is switched on and of at a very fast rate. The difference between the on and off time gives a perceived change in brightness. So a source of a 500mw will still kick it’s full power but only in very short bursts. If you’re thinking of using a laser of the power your talking please do some research into laser MPE maximum permissible exposure . Even a very brief burst from a laser is enough to do damage so even when they are dimmed they can cause damage. Putting beam divergence lenses can diffuse the beam but you will still need to do the calculations. I’d also look into local authority licensing regarding lasers. I know that ANY crowdscanning no matter how controlled is banned in Manchester.

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blah blah blah blah blah......


Posted By: APW
Date Posted: 19 May 2020 at 9:46am
If a laser does this to a camera what’s it doing to your eyes?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8bpyMST7eCA" rel="nofollow - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8bpyMST7eCA



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