When will we see the alternate screw-in reflector for the Spark SD series?

[Bolster]

1) Glad to hear it
2) I didn't do anything except whine for it
3) Hopefully Zebralight is paying attention.
4) Mine's finally in the mail. (Waited till it was stocked at Goinggear since they had other stuff I wanted.)

 

[vtunderground]

Has anyone measured the width of the spill beam with the SD reflector?

 

[Bolster]

Thought we'd have a measurement or a beamshot by now...nothing. My reflector's in the mail. If nobody will beamshot/measure before then, I will.

 

[loopguru]

Thought we'd have a measurement or a beamshot by now...nothing. My reflector's in the mail. If nobody will beamshot/measure before then, I will.

There's a review with some beamshots in the German Taschenlampen-Forum .
Compares SD6 with and without reflector against ST6.

Click here for Google translation of the review.

Best regards,
Thomas

 

[vtunderground]

There's a review with some beamshots in the German Taschenlampen-Forum .
Compares SD6 with and without reflector against ST6.

Click here for Google translation of the review.

THANK YOU!

Those beamshots are very helpful - I can see that the reflectored SD6 has a much tighter spill than the ST6. I'm considering buying a Spark for caving, and I'm looking for as wide a spill as possible.

 

[Bolster]

Received my reflector today...but given the nice job at the German website above...no need for me to take more beamshots (unless someone really wants to see a white wall.)

I trigged the beam with reflector to: 18° spot, 70° spill. (Check my math? 36" from wall. Spot dia of 11.5", spill dia of 51".)

My impression: it's turned the SD52 into a traditional sort of spot-with-spill light. It's tighter and more throwy than I was expecting. Which is fine, especially if I need to use this light for searching at an upcoming CERT event. However I read a previous post where someone said something to the effect that "the reflector now makes this a useable light." I disagree-- for my purposes at least (handwork), the all-flood beam with the original bezel is superior. But...now we have a single light that should do duty as either a wide light for handwork, reading, or setting up camp; OR a throwy light for bicycling, searching, kayaking, etc, all with just a quick change of the bezel. That's how it should be. This would be a nice dual-use backpacking light now. (Watch and learn, Zebralight!)

I still have a carp with the original bezel. It should be painted white at least; I think it loses a lot of light to the dark anodization. And the next generation of this light should also remember its last setting (past the first couple of months of ownership); it should also step down, and not just die, when batteries are near exhaustion. Still a very usable and now FLEXIBLE light, despite these drawbacks.

Good job on the optional reflector, Spark. :thumbsup:

 

[Justintoxicated]

I wonder if you could remove the anodizing and polish the aluminum for he stock reflector? Just an idea. Great beamshots, I think the SD series is not what I am looking for though, the beam is too tight with the reflector and maybe too floody without it. Oh well.

 

[leaftye]

This finally makes this light appealing for me. I hate floody lights while trail walking at night, although a floody light is nice in camp. Now I can have both options with very little additional weight & bulk.

 

[Bolster]

I wonder if you could remove the anodizing and polish the aluminum for he stock reflector? Just an idea. Great beamshots, I think the SD series is not what I am looking for though, the beam is too tight with the reflector and maybe too floody without it. Oh well.

Yeah, exactly. I tried to disassemble my stock bezel, and finally asked Xyber why I couldn't disassemble it. Answer? The chrome ring that retains the glass is a press fit. Removing a press-fit ring next to optical glass is extremely difficult; chances are you'd break the glass trying. But if you could remove that chrome ring, then you could get to the inside of the bezel and paint it white, or polish it, or whatever.

LOL at the too wide/ too focused comment, I understand. I was a little deflated how focused the reflective bezel was, I was hoping for a 60-80 degree flood. (Zebralight H501s are 80 degrees.) I am actually considering trying to diffuse the reflective bezel but that's probably a fool's errand. With a hot spot that strong it's not going to modify easily. Probably best to just enjoy it for what it is, and the throw will come in handy on occasion.

Not complaining, I'm thrilled to have my first ultra-wide-flood AND spot/spill convertible light, rolled up into one bright, long-lasting 2AA headlamp. Maybe not perfect, but in some ways, as good as it gets.

 

[Bolster]

Update, just tried the reflector for my first night walk. WOW, that makes a big difference; the trail is nice and light for a good amount into the distance, with good spill to either side. Quite the improvement over hiking with pure flood. I think the trail hikers will like this accessory a lot. (I doubt it throws enough for bicyclists, but haven't tried it yet.)

If this light were offered in a compact 1AA format, that stepped down toward the end of battery life, and retained the interchangeable bezel function, I think you'd have a wildly popular backpacker's light...especially when it became available in high CRI versions.

 

[hazna]

hmmm... I've just recently bought the st5-190 for a future overseas trek. you sorta making me regret not getting the sd52 with reflector (I would have liked a like with pure flood capabilities).

I do have to say, I still really like the st5-190. I like that it runs on a single AA and is relatively lightweight. The output levels are spaced well (though a low-low would be nice). You can change the lens to a floody lens and while it's not pure flood, it would still work well for close-range campsite activities. With the normal lens on, the xml LED provides a beam with a fairly wide hotspot.

looking at the beamshots of the sd6 with reflector, it seems to reflector does reduce a lot of the spill (compared to the st6). It's hard to tell whether the st6 or the sd6 with reflector provides more throw. They seem comparable.

 

[Bolster]

it seems to reflector does reduce a lot of the spill (compared to the st6).

An empirical question. What's the angle of spill on the ST6? On the SD with reflector the spill is 70 degrees. (Assuming that all SD models behave similarly).

 

[vtunderground]

An empirical question. What's the angle of spill on the ST6? On the SD with reflector the spill is 70 degrees. (Assuming that all SD models behave similarly).

I recall reading somewhere that it has a 90-degree spill.

 

[uk_caver]

I'm just curious - is the new 'flood reflector' effectively a short matte black cone?

That's what it seems to look like in the pictures, but if so, I'm wondering what advantages that has over other possibilities, like a matte white, machined metal or silvered cone.

 

[degarb]

These lights just got my interest. Before, I was waiting for a reflector. Now, my only reservation is target runtime on the 18650--they don't appeal to me as practical. I would like to see the 18650 target runtimes of 4h, 8-10h, and 16-20hours. I would not mind a 109 hour or 2 hour setting, but less useful than a half day, full day, and two day runtime.

Though, to be really useful, it would need to be no heavier than my 3 AAA Cree High def light circa 2010 from Home Depot (so I could pair it up with a Fenix HP11). If not, it would need to be at least more comfortable than the hp11--for wife and female helper who do not like messing up their messy hair. Else, it would be like getting a $130 bedtime reading light, with really long runtime--and yes, potential to kill my family at night with the occasional flame out.

My most comfortable modified head light to wear, was a single AA (Browning phantom 70) light that I added wires and rear AA battery. It had better balance than the single aa--just less pocketable. ... I wonder if a similar design could be made in a 18650 format to double battery run-time and increase comfort.

 

[Bolster]

I'm just curious - is the new 'flood reflector' effectively a short matte black cone? That's what it seems to look like in the pictures, but if so, I'm wondering what advantages that has over other possibilities, like a matte white, machined metal or silvered cone.

First off, the new bezel/reflector that Spark introduced is a throwy parabolic reflector.

Second, the original "floody bezel" (I would not call it a reflector) is indeed a short, matte cone, with no reflectivity to speak of--it's an olive drab anodized color, rather than black, but I think it absorbs plenty of light. I have no idea what advantage a dark bezel has, unless it's just the easiest way to make it. Which is what I suspect.

The reason I'm so criticial of the "floody bezel" is that the SD52, while plenty bright, isn't putting out the illumination you'd expect for its lumen rating when wearing the "floody bezel," as has been discussed at length. And I suspect the light-absorbing "floody bezel" is to blame, as the alternate explanation is an inflated lumen count, which is at odds with Spark's excellent reputation.

 

[uk_caver]

Ah - it makes more sense now - I'd read a few threads but since pictures showed both, and many posts were about being able to have both flood and throw, I'd got the wrong end of the stick (probably didn't help doing most of the reading at about 3am last night either).

It does seem a very odd choice for the original flood setup.

Though LEDs are rather less bright in well-off-axis angles, there's a lot of 'area' well away from the axis, and the total amount of light going somewhat sideways can be quite large.

If I had one, I'd certainly be tempted to see what I could do with the flood bezel.

 

[robostudent5000]

First off, the new bezel/reflector that Spark introduced is a throwy parabolic reflector.

Second, the original "floody bezel" (I would not call it a reflector) is indeed a short, matte cone, with no reflectivity to speak of--it's an olive drab anodized color, rather than black, but I think it absorbs plenty of light. I have no idea what advantage a dark bezel has, unless it's just the easiest way to make it. Which is what I suspect.

The reason I'm so criticial of the "floody bezel" is that the SD52, while plenty bright, isn't putting out the illumination you'd expect for its lumen rating when wearing the "floody bezel," as has been discussed at length. And I suspect the light-absorbing "floody bezel" is to blame, as the alternate explanation is an inflated lumen count, which is at odds with Spark's excellent reputation.

i suspect that the dark bezel isn't really the culprit. if it was, then running the SD naked should improve output, but my guess is that it doesn't, right?

i think what you're really looking for is a Zebra style focusing lens.

 

[uk_caver]

i suspect that the dark bezel isn't really the culprit. if it was, then running the SD naked should improve output, but my guess is that it doesn't, right?

Naked would only be an improvement in the 'sideways' directions, in the angles which were blocked by the bezel but open with it removed.
How do the angles from which the LED can be seen change with the bezel on and off?

A shiny conical reflector would chuck a meaningful amount more light generally forwards, improving distance vision while still giving a flood beam, and being a better floody beamshape for things like walking than a naked flood.

 

[Gryffin]

A shiny conical reflector would chuck a meaningful amount more light generally forwards, improving distance vision while still giving a flood beam, and being a better floody beamshape for things like walking than a naked flood.

True, but it would possibly do so in the form of odd artifacts, unless it was shaped like an actual reflector... but then it would no longer be a "pure flood."