3 ZebraLight Clickies - 3 Different UIs

[StandardBattery]

The ZebraLight H30, H501 and H60 all have pushbutton (clicky) switches, but each uses a slightly different interface.

Which do you prefer, and should ZebraLight now standardize?

 

[kwieto]

In fact the operation is almost the same:
Click and hold to go through options, Click quickly to go reverse way.
Click once to switch off.

H30 doesn't have option to switch modes reverse way (so it can not start from the brightest, mode), other two are utilising the same concept and only differences are between other options (3 additional modes in H60 or strobe in H501).

I think option to start from brightest mode is nice to have, the choice between strobe or 3 additional brighteness' IMO is not really UI question.

I would like to have 6 lighting levels and strobe (or more liked S.O.S.) in one unit :")

 

[ichoderso]

I like the clicky from the H60 and H501 but the switch must be a bit stiffer.
And a combination from the UI from H60 and and 501.
3 modes: High Med Low
double click on High= turbo mode (like H60)
double click on med= blinking
double click on low= bacon/locator flash

I emailed this zebralight and get positive answer that this is maybe possible in the future, sa. on the H30 (maybe H301?)
and warm white option (and red / green option how I heared)

Jens

maybe it's a good idea, if you can the light switch on only with double click??
So the light go not on unintended in the pocket....(like Novatac...)

 

[StandardBattery]

That sounds interesting, I'm not sure about the 'blinking mode' what would be the frequency and primary purpose be?

For pocket carry you have to use lockout, no modification to the switch for a greater activation force is going to fix the problem.

Should they standarize the interface for all the models or is there a good reason to keep them different?

 

[jankj]

I have only tried the H50, which I like a lot. I'm really not that concerned about the type of switch - as long as it works, also with heavy gloves, I'm OK.

I would like to stress two things I really appreciate in a UI:
- Always LOW on FIRST. When I turn something on, I want the low mode. Every time. Not enough for ya? Simply add more light. The logical sequence is low-med-high. Period.

The reason is that I want to destroy as little of my night vision as possible. With night adapted eyes, the h50 low level is just perfect, but a flash of the high or med level is painful. It takes a long while for eyes to become night adapted, but they become light adapted in seconds... Avoid bright light when not needed.


- Simplicity of operation. The functionality can be complex, but it must be simple to use. 99.9% of the time I want to activate those 3 light levels and nothing else. I don't want to relate to flashes, strobes, SOS, alien communication mode, pizza delivery mode and what else technogeek fantasy they've come up with lately. If the light has anything else but 3 light levels (strobe, SOS, whaever) I want an UI where I don't ever need to relate to it. Maybe a combination lock to get into "advanced technogeek mode"?


The fenix L1D/L2D/LD10/LD20 series is a very good example of a simple UI where the most used items (LIGHT) comes first, the almost never used functionality (strobe/SOS) comes last in the sequence. And - it always start on low (yes, I know, the head can't be fully tightened or else you start with maximum light. BTW, the head tightening thing is a simple way to break 6 different kinds of lightning into more manageable chunks. Zebralight could do something similar, but I am in no way suggesting they should... rather just keep it simple!).

 

[StandardBattery]

jankj, you sound just too sensible. I pretty much agree with everything you said.

If you try the H501 clicky sometimes I wonder if you will think it is too easy to accidently get High, when you want low. I think I'm OK with it, myself but I have not used the H501 with gloves yet. I did have the light accidently change once because I brushed it with my hand or something silly, that was annoying. On the H501 I'm wondering if it's been on for 5min then maybe a mode switch should be disabled, or made more difficult. Maybe on the H501 after 5mins it should revert to H30 operation where the switch must be held to cycle modes. Hmmm... I'm liking this.... anyone else?

I will say though that on the Fenix L01 and LD01 which start at Med, that I have decided that I like it, because of how I use that light. I would be OK with it if it was L,M,H as well, but I think having it M,L,H does save me some twisting. After all M on an L0D is not that bright, and I don't use my keychain light in the middle of the night if I wake up (some may).

Again I've also adapted to the E1B and E2DL which are H,L with the forward clicky it's pretty easy to get low without being blinded. However for the way I generally use I light I would much prefer L,H. These lights are build for different purposes though so I think they made the right choice for their largest customer base.

I still like the H50 as well and people I have given it to really like it as well. I find that the Zebras are not really the type of lights I click on and off a lot, and twisting is fine, and I don't have to remember lockout. The output of the H60 though.... just too awesome.

I think besides HDS, only Zebra has managed to really do the Clicky interface justice... no... LRI on the photon freedom and the pro are also in the very small clicky masters club.

 

[Beacon of Light]

I agree with everything you said jankj. It's almost like logic and reason were an afterthought in most lights and they need the "wow" factor to get techno-geeks interested in their light with crazy raver strobe modes and Close Encounters alien signals to draw attention to their lights.

I wish there were more people that used what we see as important and use that for designing new lights.

The idea of needing to use a passcode or some other method to access the optional modes like strobe/sos is a good one. I never will need to use or want to use them. In fact I just bought and received an iCP C7 (with additional 2xAA iCP C8 body tube) and I got the C7T (tactical version) which doesn't have the strobe or sos modes. Glad they offered the tactical version. They have the iCP7P which has the extra modes. From reviews I have read people are regretting they didn't buy the tactical version. Great simple light with a nice ramping idea that works by loosening and tightening bezel to save light setting. So simple it is genius!

 

[davidt1]

I voted for the H501. Can start on either Low or High. Strobe is completely out of the way. I have not activated the strobe by accident once. The ultimate UI for me, though, is a twisty with user programmable light levels with a beacon mode hidden. Turn the head to one side and you get low, middle is off, and the other side is high.

 

[Shorty66]

I really like the versatility of the h60. I use it like a programmable light: most of the time i just use the three modes, but sometimes i just need a bit more or less light and thats when i switsch the modes. I don`t need the high mode on the h60 often, most important are the foru lower modes. The turbo mode sees hardly any usage.
For me the perfekt UI would be like this:
H60 with the turbo mode replaced by a slow strobe/beacon (about 2hertz).