Experimental study of stimulated Raman scattering (SRS) in barium nitrate and potassium gadolinium tungstate crystals are presented. Main features of crystalline single and multipass Raman shifters, Raman lasers with external and intracavity pumping are investigated and compared. Optimization of the optical schemes resulted in development of compact solid state Raman lasers for new important near infrared and eye safe spectral region of 1.2-1.5 μm.