new ZebraLight H30 UI etc.

[Rzr800]

Has it been confirmed that all these new lights H30, 40 (AAA) and 60 (18650) will basically resemble the H50 design except for overall size; beam pattern; UI and switches? I sent for the H50 after all the help up here given in making that decision and am wondering if the do-all design is carried through as the light gets larger.

 

[Duluth Diesel]

This new H30 will be my first ZebraLight. I try to only own 123a lights.

I'm waiting to order!

 

[sledhead]

Been looking for a new headlamp. The H30 looks like it will fit the bill perfectly. Great battery choice, nice UI, 3 levels, sounds great.!

 

[Daekar]

The H30 will be released next month. User interface #4 (digital 3 level ramping) on the list is selected, that is:

press and hold ------cycle through low, med and high, release to set
when ON, click to OFF
when ON, press and hold ---cycle through low, med and high, release to set

The clip will be different from the CAD rendering (not sticking out).

Glad to hear that things are progressing! Don't worry about missing the December ship date - good things take time. I'll be very interested to see exactly how the UI comes out... the thing that people will be nitpicky about is if it's too slow or too fast while switching brightness. If you get that right, I think you'll have a winner!

Good choice to change the clip design - it clearly was a point of concern for those watching the development process, I think the time spent changing it will pay off for you.

I've been trying to buy only 18650 and AA lights to simplify my battery-situation, but if the runtime on an RCR123a is good I might be persuaded to make an exception. Also, I'm betting that some of the engineering for the H30 will make it into the H60 (would be nice to design only one regulation circuit, yes?) so I'm going to keep a close eye on how things turn out, I've been eagerly anticipating the chance to get a worthy accompaniment for my 18650-powered D-mini. Hope the New Year (well, the Western-calendar one, anyway) is kind to you, looking forward to hearing details!

Oh, one last thing. Are there any plans to sell Zebralights in brick-and-mortar stores like Walmart, Target, ****'s Sporting Goods, Bass Pro Shops, Sears, etc? I only ask because the H50 is (and I assume the H30 will be) one of the few products that stands head and shoulders above everything else on the market, I can't imagine you'd have trouble convincing the corporate execs to carry it. As I run into occasions to buy gifts for friends and family I'll be buying several more H50s, I think everybody should have one - but it would be nice if I could just tell the people that ask about it (there have been several) to just go to whatever store and pick one up. Just a thought... :thumbsup:

 

[cat]

+1
paypal ready.

No rush, take another month, or two, no problem. :thumbsup:

Start another thread when H30 is being released; this one is full of confusion. :shakehead

Daekar, you might be wrong about the mass market. Maybe they're more into the typical Energizer type headlights, and dealing with that scale of distribution means that the lean mean company has to become big, all sorts of problems.

 

[Daekar]

+1
paypal ready.

No rush, take another month, or two, no problem. :thumbsup:

Start another thread when H30 is being released; this one is full of confusion. :shakehead

Daekar, you might be wrong about the mass market. Maybe they're more into the typical Energizer type headlights, and dealing with that scale of distribution means that the lean mean company has to become big, all sorts of problems.

You could be right, there are certainly many examples of companies that have failed to maintain effective quality controls as they expanded their operations. I don't know... if you were going to try to get Zebralights into a B&M store, how would you go about it?

+1 for starting another H30 thread when that light is released. This one has certainly served its purpose, but to introduce a new product here would be a bit cumbersome...

 

[raiderkilo]

I own H50-Q5 and this is perrfect multiuse headlamp
H30 is in my wish list

 

[half-watt]

late to the party as i've only now had a H50-Q5 for a week or so.


i really like this light. useful for many purposes. surprisingly tiny (lack of reflector/optics and a clicky switch really allows for a small, tidy package). very light. beautiful floody beam with no artifacts.

the removable body-clip & glare hood are nice touches, IMO. i'm using it more clipped to belt or pack-strap, jacket/anoraks, etc. than in pure headlamp mode.


------------------


while i appreciate and can use all three of the H50-Q5's light levels, for my uses it could use one additional light o.p. (output) level.

there are times (outdoors on some walks and trails) when a floody 13lumen o.p. is insufficient (though for proximity/task lighting purposes it is certainly quite sufficient), and a 66 lumen o.p. is overkill (especially with the much shorter burntime).

a 25-30 lumen o.p. with a significantly longer burntime (at least 2x to 3x longer i'd guess) than a 66 lm o.p. would be greatly appreciated and often utilized (by me, at least).

i wouldn't want to eliminate the 13lm o.p. level as it provides plenty of light for task/proximity lighting and also has an excellent burntime which is quite welcome.


of course, i could just purchase a second Zebralight and run both in 13lm o.p. mode simultaneously. since, it's an unfocused beam, the result would probably be similar to a single 26lm o.p., i guess.

-----------------------

also, i'd actually also like to see if a SECOND mechanism of changing light levels, in addition to the TWISTY, can be implemented.

for momentary light, i just squeeze the head and tail of the H50 and cause the circuit to be completed.

can the electronics be upgraded to allow mode/output-level switching to be advanced to the next levels by momentary presses of head and tail? a second momentary contact point would probably be required for this, or else 0.5sec timing implemented with the current single contact point, which would probably also allow the light to be switched on and off via this same mechanism (maybe the twisty aspect wouldn't be need at all???). this would permit simpler one-handed operation as far as changing light o.p. levels is concerned. anyone see any CONS or PROS to this additional (or sole) momentary activation UI?

 

[Alan]

Twisty on/off is one of the reasons I get H50. This make it smallest AA light I've ever seen. It's even shorter than most single CR123 light. I love clicky switch only on longer light like 2 x CR123 or 1 x 18650. For single AAA/AA/CR123, clicky would increase 30 to 40% of its length.

Oops... I forgot that it's designed as headlamp. I used it as EDC in my pocket.

Alan

 

[half-watt]

clicky would increase 30 to 40% of its length.

true, *IF* a real clicky switch was used.

however, if the electronics were upgraded and a second contact point used to "signal" the electronics by simply momentarily compressing the head and tail of the existing sized unit, then nothing in the physical size would change, only some electronics and programming. interesting; think about it.

 

[cat]

Twisty on/off is one of the reasons I get H50. This make it smallest AA light I've ever seen.

Twisty on/off is also simpler and more fail-proof. No wear/contact/mechanism wear.

For single AAA/AA/CR123, clicky would increase 30 to 40% of its length.

CR123 is shorter than AA so possible to have switch without increasing length significantly.

 

[Alan]

however, if the electronics were upgraded and a second contact point used to "signal" the electronics by simply momentarily compressing the head and tail of the existing sized unit, then nothing in the physical size would change, only some electronics and programming. interesting; think about it.

I normally put H50 in my pocket. With your design, I will have a blinking pocket and I walk

Alan

 

[cat]

:lolsign:

 

[half-watt]

I normally put H50 in my pocket. With your design, I will have a blinking pocket and I walk

Alan

i believe it was Quick-Draw McGraw who said, "Hold on there a minute, Babalooey". not so fast. does that happen with a SF light with its tactical switch? no.

in my suggestion, there is still the twisty aspect as it should really be retained, IMO, but perhaps still isn't absolutely required as a >0.5s compression for ON/OFF operation might(???) suffice to prevent many accidental turn-ons. however, if the twisty aspect remains, just untwist it a bit further and it won't work in either momentary or full on (if a mod was made in the future).

proof? i do this right now, with the H50 as it is. untwist it just a bit more and the "momentary" aspect can't be activated. this aspect wouldn't change with momentary contact "electronic" switching as i'm suggesting.

what could be simpler? [ok,...making no improvements is truly simpler, but not as flexible for single handed operation.]


Alan, sorry my explanation wasn't clearer in my previous Posts. i think my lack of clarity has contributed to some confusion. my apologies. thanks for engaging me in written dialogue. i agree with you, that even as it is, the Zebralight is a very nice light and, as you mentioned, so very small too. clearly, a twisty-only is the simplest, most "half-watt"-proof design.

 

[spoonrobot]

How about a way to change out the plastic emitter window?

I use my Zebralight every day for a myriad of uses and am disappointed by the damage taken by a 2 foot fall onto concrete. There is a small gouge out of the plastic emitter window that affects the beam profile significantly when used up close. As it stands now I see now way to replace the window and improve the beam.

 

[rastaman]

How about a way to change out the plastic emitter window?

I use my Zebralight every day for a myriad of uses and am disappointed by the damage taken by a 2 foot fall onto concrete. There is a small gouge out of the plastic emitter window that affects the beam profile significantly when used up close. As it stands now I see now way to replace the window and improve the beam.

same issue here: my zebralight h50 felt from about 30 cm to concrete and the emitter window has cracked from left to right. seems very fragile.

 

[matrixshaman]

I hope they fix this issue in the new H30. Actually if this light doesn't become available soon I'm thinking about digging out my piece of Titanium tubing that is just big enough to put a CR123 cell in for diameter. I've already got a switch picked out to use in this setup and being that there is no big issue with reflector design in this type of headlamp I'm about ready to go forward with putting a light together. Add a DX 5 mode circuit board, one Cree or Seoul (maybe even a Rebel) and woolah! One tiny very light headlamp. I imagine a trimmed down wide angle optic behind a hole in the side of the Titanium would just about cover any optics needed. Silicone it in place and I think that would work for me. With the design I have pictured though I think I'd use an RCR123 with a small charger jack or charging pins as it would be difficult to get the battery in and out.

 

[Patriot]

same issue here: my zebralight h50 felt from about 30 cm to concrete and the emitter window has cracked from left to right. seems very fragile.

Did it have the black bumper wedge on it when this happened?

 

[Alan]

Alan, sorry my explanation wasn't clearer in my previous Posts. i think my lack of clarity has contributed to some confusion. my apologies. thanks for engaging me in written dialogue. i agree with you, that even as it is, the Zebralight is a very nice light and, as you mentioned, so very small too. clearly, a twisty-only is the simplest, most "half-watt"-proof design.

Please don't take it too seriously. I just make fun out of it with no offend intended. Anyway, for the sake of discussion, Surefire won't be turning on accidentally in pocket is because of harder spring used in the switch. For a light like H50, you might have to use light duty spring that might cause the effect I mentioned. Nonetheless, I am not against your suggestion and I just simply raise potential issue.

While I think the current H50 is hard to improve including its drop and break lens issue, I would highly recommend that new model (not replacing H50) that has front-pointing light like Infinity Ultra. Its recessed LED design might protect it from being broken on drop without sacrificing too much of light-angle. Of course, I am talking about using it as EDC instead of headlamp. I only use it as general usage EDC myself and it could hardly replaces a real headlamp like PT Apec.

Alan

 

[rastaman]

Did it have the black bumper wedge on it when this happened?

no, only the clip was on.

here two pictures of the damage: