[Runtimes Review] - Zebralight SC64w HI Cree XHP35 4500K 80+ CRI

NightTime

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Dec 3, 2008
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Today I publish runtimes for my SC64w HI 18650 XHP35 – 4500K

I bought the light in January 2022 directly from zebralight•com through shipito•com as a "man in the middle", which I don't recommend unfortunately. Finally reshipped to Canada. I now use Stackry instead.

Here's the actual version I bought:
IO2d44I.png


Disclaimer:
Please note that my shoebox is only roughly calibrated, so don't take these numbers as the absolute truth.

All tests were done with a Sanyo NCR18650GA 3500mAh battery.

All tests are carried out under cooling conditions with compressed air. Why's that ? See Selfbuilt's elegant explanation. Worth reading:
https://www.flashlightreviews.ca/method.htm#Cooling

Also, for all levels where temperature is assumed to build up, I added the results without cooling the light. I think both kind of runtimes are important and tells something different.

Let's start with Level 12 (turbo):
upw1pZv.png

A nice steady 1042 lumens output for 41 min then drop to 100 lumens until the 87th min mark.
At the ambient temperature of my basement, the output quickly drops into a ~345-394 lumens zone for around 2.9 hours. This reminds me the official specs about runtime…


Level 11:
2rWErGh.png

A steady 710 lumens for 76 min then a sharp drop to ~102 lumens until the 110th min mark.
At the ambient temperature of my basement, the output quickly drops into a ~346-409 lumens zone for around 2.9 hours.


Level 10:
WrTXJpI.png

A steady 424 lumens for 153 min then a sharp drop to ~103 lumens until the 181st min mark.
At the ambient temperature of my basement, the output quickly drops into a ~358-414 lumens zone for nearly 3 hours.


Level 9:
GPOrXST.png

207 lumens for more than 6.1 hours

Level 8:
LERu9D6.png

103 lumens for more than 13.1 hours

First 200 minutes:
L9NdW0E.png



Zebralight - SC600w Mk IV Plus Cree XHP50.2 - 4500K
Versus
Zebralight - SC64w HI NW - Cree XHP35 - 4500K

Fsrfx68.png

Interesting to see how the SC600w is by far more efficient. Maybe the bigger driver, maybe the LED emitter, maybe both, maybe I don't know :rolleyes:

Finally, I compared the the Emisar D4V2, Zebra SC64w and the Zebra SC600w, all around 700 lumens levels and found interesting results:
QyqNLnm.png

Cooled or not, the Emisar D4V2 has almost the same curves as the SC64w. It's nice to see similar efficacy for output/runtime and also a similar heat management from the D4V2 compared to a Zebralight. One point for Zebralight: it does it with a smaller light. One point for Emisar: it does it at much lower CCT. The S600w is just awesome !



The next runtime test will either be with my old SC62w to see how it compares to my other 18650 Zebralight or either my SC5w Mk II or maybe the H604c 18650 XHP50.2 4000K High CRI headlamp. I am not fixed. if I get at least one vote on one of them, I'll accept it.
 

Quality

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This is incredible and fairly difficult to find information, all presented and compared better than I have seen it anywhere else. Thanks so much for doing this and sharing it. Wonder if you feel like buying an SC600w MKIV Plus HI and testing that? :)
 

SYZYGY

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thanks a lot for taking the time to do that. fun read.

i'm not sure why exactly the sc600w 4+ dominates so much... maybe that big cree emitter just stomps as s.

Finally, I compared the the Emisar D4V2, Zebra SC64w and the Zebra SC600w, all around 700 lumens levels and found interesting results:
View attachment 39964
Cooled or not, the Emisar D4V2 has almost the same curves as the SC64w. It's nice to see similar efficacy for output/runtime and also a similar heat management from the D4V2 compared to a Zebralight. One point for Zebralight: it does it with a smaller light. One point for Emisar: it does it at much lower CCT. The S600w is just awesome !

yeah.. having it spread out over 4 emitters definitely helps. sc64w impresses me more considering the small size and single emitter ;)

btw does you d4v2 have the boost driver upgrade?
 

NightTime

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Joined
Dec 3, 2008
Messages
152
thanks a lot for taking the time to do that. fun read.

i'm not sure why exactly the sc600w 4+ dominates so much... maybe that big cree emitter just stomps as s.



yeah.. having it spread out over 4 emitters definitely helps. sc64w impresses me more considering the small size and single emitter ;)

btw does you d4v2 have the boost driver upgrade?
Yes my Emisar D4V2 is using the boost Driver. Il bought it last december. Hank W. told me that the boost driver was a more advanced option then the 9A constant current option.
 

NightTime

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Joined
Dec 3, 2008
Messages
152
This is incredible and fairly difficult to find information, all presented and compared better than I have seen it anywhere else. Thanks so much for doing this and sharing it. Wonder if you feel like buying an SC600w MKIV Plus HI and testing that? :)
I wish lol. But after the reshipping fees, USD-CAD conversion and custom surprise fees, an SC600w cost me between 150-180 CAD. It's to much just for runtime tests for me :). Actually, I would Buy another SC600w to let Bob_McBob mod it with a 3500 K emitter. I'm still trying to convince myself...
 

NightTime

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Dec 3, 2008
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Thanks for doing this. Can you sun up your findings and thoughts in a sentence or two for us that are slow?

I did these runtime tests to find out what the SC64w was capable of as I rarely see runtimes for Zebralight products and I now have a few. Playing around with the graphics, I found that the Emisar D4V2 (with boost driver + Luminus SST20 @ 2700K) has about the same lumen-minute as the SC64w (this version at least), which is great for lower CCT light. The SC64w is however much lighter and smaller. The SC600w is a more comparable flashlight in terms of weight and size. It is also very effecient. It's not the biggest surprise in the world for Zebra lovers... I read a lot of reviews these days, and the SC600w beats almost every light. Even 1x 21700 lights. Some gems are hidden around :)
 
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