Flash Hotshoe Mounted Laser Pointer

[Knight of Clear Skies]

A very modest project compared to some of the others on here, but here's my flash hotshoe mounted laser pointer I put together yesterday.

It's a hotshoe mounted microphone holder similar to this one with the smallest and least offensive laser pointer I could find (<0.5mW, red) blue-tacked to it. Gave it a trial run last night. It works pretty well, easy to align, but it could do with a bit of refinement. Press too hard on the on button and the mount slips, I may need to glue it at the correct angle. The laser may be a little too inoffensive, I had to be get close in line with it to see the beam. Total cost, about £7.

[Colsey]

I could of done with one of these last night, I worry too much with lasers tho the local police helicopter/air ambo is based just behind our house and they are always complaining about people shining lasers at them, im worried the police would come knocking.

[JamesF]

Nice idea.  I wonder if a plastic tube could be used with an O-ring at one end and some screws at the back in a similar style to optical finder mounts to give you a reliable alignment mechanism?  Glue/screw the tube to the mic holder and you're sorted.

James

[Knight of Clear Skies]

Nice idea.  I wonder if a plastic tube could be used with an O-ring at one end and some screws at the back in a similar style to optical finder mounts to give you a reliable alignment mechanism? 

That could work well thanks.

I could of done with one of these last night, I worry too much with lasers tho the local police helicopter/air ambo is based just behind our house and they are always complaining about people shining lasers at them, im worried the police would come knocking.

Kids and laser pointers. I wouldn't worry about anyone noticing, the low powered one above is invisible unless you are right behind it. Just make sure the skies are clear in its path first. One thing I have to be careful about, my camera is mounted on a ball head and could easily slip, so I need to make sure a big quadrant of sky is empty before using it.