Hello, my name is Jonathan Ward and I am a laser-o-holic. Luckily, this is a happy addiction. One that will not cause harm to me or my family. Of course, powerful lasers and laser systems can be dangerous if one does not know how to operate them. But for now, this is a different story entirely. So, how does a man in his thirties end up with a custom-built cabin dedicated solely to housing various handheld lasers and laser systems?
My Background
Sorry to disappoint, but I have no dramatic story to tell here. Lao Tzu, the great Chinese teacher, once said that “The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step”. In my case, the journey started with an overweight cat called Sufjan. Back in 2013, I bought a keychain laser-pointer as a last resort to help him lose some weight. Well, it worked. The cat is still alive and kicking (and in very fine health).
But, to my surprise, it wasn’t only the cat that was entertained by the little red beam. During the after hours, I found myself testing the capabilities of my silly 5mW red laser. Needless to say, there is only so much you can do with a 5mW beam. The laser-enthusiasm of me and Sufjan was shared by my two kids. And, as you probably guessed, I had to get them the same two handhelds as well.
The key moment came when one of my boys wanted to up his laser game. He was asking for a green laser pointer as one of his birthday gifts. Hmm, does a green laser pointer even exist? Online we go. And oh boy, did this open up a whole new can of worms for me. I found out that green beams do indeed exist, and, they are much more powerful than red ones. This was the fact that got me hooked. After this, I started visiting various online laser forums and YouTube reviews. All to find the best handheld laser for me…err, my son.
The Inspiration Behind Optics Advisors
Much to my surprise, despite having a large market, the laser community does not have much of an online presence. The noble purpose of this site in a nutshell? To give laser-enthusiasts a voice, a definitive resource. Orienting through online forums and YouTube can certainly be overwhelming, especially if you are looking to purchase your very first beams.
So, how about neatly categorized “best-of” lists? Articles on games one could play with handheld lasers? Up-to-date articles on the latest developments on the field? These are just a few examples of content I am planning on having on Optics Advisors.
Why Trust Me?
Ok, just to get this out of the way, I have no technical education whatsoever. For me, optical devices are a hobby, first and foremost. But, over the years, I have accumulated quite the collection. And, not to toot my own horn too much, but I consider myself quite an expert on the field. So, I feel confident in advising on different solutions for both entertainment and professional purposes. For example, a small club in my town recently invested in a portable laser system. Who did they go for a tutorial? Yours truly. Not to mention the countless outdoor laser tag parties I have helped organize for the kids of my friends.
If phrases such as laser tag and portable laser systems were unknown to you, stay tuned. Most people have little knowledge of various possible uses for laser devices. For example, did you know that you could use lasers as high-quality engraving devices? Or in astronomy for pointing out stars such as the Milky Way, and the Andromeda.
To sum it up, I am confident in this site. Confident that it will open many eyes to just how fun and useful laser devices can be.