Zebralight H52w beamshots & review (lots of pics warning)

[DIΩDΣ]

I decided to finally upgrade my very handy H51w to the newer H52w. I've been so excited about it I decided to take a bunch of pics. I was very happy with my H51w, but there were so many new features and small upgrades that I couldn't resist.

Some new features compared to the older H51...
+14500 Li-ion support (allowing a 1 minute burst of about double the lumens too)
+more programmable sub-levels
+beacon and additional strobe mode
+XML-L2 more efficient
+XML-L2 has a bit better spill and slightly wider hotspot (for those who like it more floody)
+ever so slightly smaller and lighter
+battery capacity check
+all levels current regulated (no PWM)
+low battery alert
+strobe modes not in main group but easier to get to
+power switch stiffer, and smaller, no more problems with accidental activation

Can't think of any of the new changes I don't like, except for maybe the switch being a bit too hard to activate. I never had any problems with my H51w though, but I'm not going to complain too much about it. I also noticed the groove for the pocket clip wasn't as deep (or the ridge beside it not as high) and a few times I've noticed it wasn't properly seated. Still work fine, but I like the deeper groove on the H51w not sure why that was changed.

Here is how the power levels compare, and physical comparison (H52 left, H51 right):

I read right at spec, 32g. For backpacking I would most likely use the ZL headband and L91 primary, at 70g, very light compared to most other backpacking oriented headlamps.

My first time using my macro filter for flashlight... looks pretty centered but I noticed a bright streak in the first photo and zoomed in a little more. It appeared to be a reflection of a fiber of some sort along the side of the LED. I marked the hair like piece and its reflection with a ">". I'm not to worried about and it would not have ever noticed had I not been zoomed in so much.

On my computer table, H51w left, H52w right. First shot AWB second shot I set the white balance to 4300k which should be the average of the two (4200k & 4400k). The later looks closer to the eye, the beam centers are very similar slightly yellow, but the H51w is fairly consistent throughout the spill with the same color whereas the H52w has a much more rosy / magenta spill. I like the more consistent color of the H51w, but I do love the tint of the H52w as well, its just slightly annoying that it varies a lot more from center to spill.

Oh and disclaimer, when comparing tints your own monitor plays a huge role viewing the picture. I have three monitors on this computer and one looks perfect but the other too make it look nothing like it does to my eyes. So your warned.

Beamshots up next:

All above shots 1/50sec f/3.5 ISO 400 AWB. Eneloops except for 500L mode with EagleTac 750mAh 14500.

I can hardly tell much difference, so I took some side by side shots:

H51w left, H52w right...

172 lumen vs 172 lumen

172 lumen vs 280 lumen

172 lumen vs 500 lumen

These were all shot with L91, except 500 lumen w/ 14500. In that last shot it looks like the H51w on the left got brighter, not sure whats up with that unless its the spill bleeding over from the 500 lumens sitting next to it, or the very bright H52w messing with the AWB. Above shots are all 1/10 f/4.0 ISO 400 AWB.

Since ZL seems to be a bit overrated, and 47's underrated I put my Quark-X AA2 (280L turbo that supposedly is closer to 400) up against the 500 lumen H52w. To the naked eye they seem much more similar but on the pic the ZL clearly does outpower the Quark using 14500. I like the tint of the H52 so much better too, the Quark is more yellow/green at the center and even cooler in the spill.

And lastly, a more natural setting:

H51w 172L

H52w 172L

H52w 280L

H52w 500L

Above taken at 1 sec f/4.6 ISO 800 AWB. Eneloops except for 500L mode on H52w (EagleTac 14500).

So far I really like this light. I'll be gone the next several days out to 'the camp' for deer season. I might get some usage out of it then, though I'll probably be sporting my H600 instead.

 

[SoCal5150]

Thanks for the review and all the great pics! I'm trying to decide between the H52w and the H52Fw...

 

[davidt1]

Great review! Thank you.

 

[DIΩDΣ]

SoCal - that reminds me I forgot to do a beamshot comparison using DC-Fix diffuser film. I too was debating considerably on whether to get the regular or F version... I decided instead to finally get some of the diffuser film so many talk about on the forum. I put some on my H51w (I received it a few weeks before getting my H52w since the release kept getting delayed) and must say I loved how it evened out the beam! At that point I would have thought I'd just leave it on for good, but did come up to a situation where I desperately needed more downrange lumens so I peeled it off. It didn't give me a lot more, but it helped a little. Now if you have a few lights and some with more throw I don't think I'd hesitate getting the F. But the diffuser film is a good solution too. I'll take a few more beamshots with diffuser film but it wont be for a few days.

 

[RI Chevy]

Thanks for doing this for us! Good luck with it. I noticed the snow and ice in your driveway already. Wow.

Were you running a 14500 or a NiMH/AA Lithium cell in your 52W for the photos?

 

[cyclesport]

Thanks DIΩDΣ, much appreciated...great review, pics, and beamshots. I recvd' my H52w a couple of weeks ago and have been very happy with everything about this light...particularly the tint and wide bright spill, so useful in a headlamp. Having a couple of the SC52's already (one SC52, one SC52w), I was fully expecting the same yellowish green that myself, and many others have observed, but was really pleasantly surprised by the slight rose tint, almost Nichia 219 like! Craig @ Ill. Supply tells me he thinks ZL is now purchasing reels in the US and may have simply acquired a good tinted reel. I've asked him, when time permits, to check the newer lot SC52w's against the existing H52w's exhibiting this rose tint to see if ZL might be implementing this same batch 4400k XM-L2's in the SC52w? My hope is to get a new SC52w in the same great tint!

 

[DIΩDΣ]

Thanks for doing this for us! Good luck with it. I noticed the snow and ice in your driveway already. Wow.

Were you running a 14500 or a NiMH/AA Lithium cell in your 52W for the photos?

Hmm I mention the cells for two of the groups but forgot the other - which I just edited to add. The first group was using Eneloops, the second L91 lithium primaries, and the last Eneloops, all with the exception of the H52w 500 lumen mode running EagleTac 750mAh 14500 cells (just the 500L shots).

Cyclesport - yeah the tint on this one is pretty good IMO. Not sure about the newer SC's, would be nice if they had a big enough consistent batch to use the same LED's for them too. I've got 4 zebras now, but all of mine are H's, I'm sure I'd like the SC's too but I like the angle head even for normal handheld flashlight duty.

 

[RI Chevy]

No problem. Thank you for the clarification! Impressive results.

 

[Disciple]

Can't think of any of the new changes I don't like, except for maybe the switch being a bit too hard to activate.

I got a H52w recently, the first Zebralight I have handled, and I simply don't understand this nonsense about the switch being hard to press. It takes very little pressure to activate and unless you have hands like Andre the Giant I don't think it should be hard to get the tip of a finger into the recess. (And if you do you have no business using a light this small anyway.)

Incidentally my sample has an exceptionally nice tint and less color separation (rainbow effect) than other XM-L/2 lights I've seen. The light is still a bit flat compared to a high-CRI source but I don't think the tint itself could be much better.

 

[lampeDépêche]

Very nice review.

And when the afterburner kicks in to 500 lumens--wow!

Mine is on order from ZL, and with luck it will come before the end of the year.

 

[DIΩDΣ]

So I took a few beamshots with and without DC-Fix diffuser film (it was sold as 'sand' on amazon, but doesnt appear anywhere on the packaging I can tell, instead the packaging says original FWIW).

Hard to tell but I left a small tab to make it easier to pull off. I've had it on and off a few times for the test. I am wondering out in the field, if one could peel it off and stick it on the battery for temporary storage, but I havent tried that yet.

Diffused beam on the left and stock beam on the right (or below, if your monitor isnt wide enough to show them side by side). It was pretty cold outside, so I did this in my basement. In real use, I think the difference is slightly greater than the side by side shots captured on camera show. The hotspot really has no edge at all, almost perfectly tapering from center to outside. Yes its still brighter in the center, but more even across a larger area, just perfect for most of my tasks. The spill might be reduced somewhat, but only at the fringes where its not doing much good anyhow. I really like this diffused beam in actual use.

And of course one of the most annoying uses with a hotspot is reading a book. I grabbed a close by catalog, and actually reading this like I normally would, in a chair, with it on my lap, with the H52w in a headband on my head. Diffused on the left, and stock beam on the right. Again I think to the eye the difference is even greater. Most books I read are small, and the diffused light covers them entirely. With the larger catalog in the picture (those are like regular 8x10 size pages) the beam could cover one page really well, though I have it pointing in the center so it doesnt exactly cover both pages at once well.

I got a H52w recently, the first Zebralight I have handled, and I simply don't understand this nonsense about the switch being hard to press.

Disciple - I should have been more specific. Its not like the switch is that hard to press, just harder than the soft touch H51w (most complained the H51 was way too soft FWIW), and since its smaller, the combination makes the way I am used to pressing my H51 not work. Its just a habit, I reach up and do the squeeze and... nothing. Readjust my finger tip, press again. If your not used to the H51w, or one of the ones who thought the H51 was too soft, than that complaint wouldnt apply. Given the choice, I'd probably opt for a button maybe with the pressure of the H52 but the size of the H51. Again this is all very minor, I was trying to hard to find some kind of fault with this light.

 

[markr6]

That diffused beam looks so much better! I plan on doing the same when mine arrives.

 

[MichaelW]

If only you had the H52Fw to add to test regime.
Then you could make it a double flood with some D-C fix.