Your Favourite Zebralight and Why ???

[Repsol600rr]

I now have a sc62w on the way. Next will be a headlamp. Have to decide between h52w and h32w. 52 is currently favored due to battery format but I am still thinking about it.

 

[roger-roger]

I now have a sc62w on the way. Next will be a headlamp. Have to decide between h52w and h32w. 52 is currently favored due to battery format but I am still thinking about it.

I bought my H32Fw with prolonged power outages in mind, as well as a neglected life sitting in a car as an emergency light. The slightly longer run times of the H32x was the deciding factor. That and the PID "turbo" mode, especially with the frosted lens.

 

[Repsol600rr]

I did mean f versions with frosted lens. I have a less expensive headlamp for neglecting in the car. This will be a user to actually work on it. I have some 16340s and a small stock of 123s. But my stockpiles in that format are dramatically lower than aa. I know it's more capable but battery compatibility so I have to drag less around when hiking and so on is what's holding me back. The aa would be better there. But around the house I have no issue with 16340s.

 

[Witterings]

My favorite is the SC63w.

I have carried all of the above lights and I almost always grab the SC63w these days, the SC62w before that and the SC60w before that. I like having the runtimes and the outputs that they give me in such a small size.

The SC52 doesn’t give me the run times that I need to get through the work day and I rarely ever find myself in need of the extra throw that any of the SC600 series lights put out. I think the beam profile is perfect on the SC63 for a general purpose utility flashlight.

.

Have you found any real difference with the hot spot / beam between the 62 and 63, I've seen a couple of posts where people have said the 62v has a narrower hot spot and throws that bit further but obviously has the slightly lower top end output which personally I'm not too concerned about.

 

[fnsooner]

Have you found any real difference with the hot spot / beam between the 62 and 63, I've seen a couple of posts where people have said the 62v has a narrower hot spot and throws that bit further but obviously has the slightly lower top end output which personally I'm not too concerned about.

For all intents and purposes, the 62w and 63w are interchangeable. Up against a white wall, the beam profiles are dang near identical. The 62 might be a tad smaller but I have to really look hard to see any difference. I will try to remember to take them outside tonight and see if there is any perceivable difference between the two in throw. I have probably already done that a few months ago but have forgotten.

Although the color temps are similar, the tints are quite a bit different from each other. The SC62w and most of my other Zebralight neutrals lean towards a creamy gold color while the SC63w leans more sunshine yellow. For the record, my 63w does not have a yellow eye in the hotspot like some have reported theirs to have. It has a smooth consistent hot spot.

 

[TCY]

As far as I have been able to tell, there is no difference in the durability of the anodizing of the SC62w and the SC63w. I just happened to get a darker anodizing on my 63 and the finish is glossier.

Wonder what kind of anodizing our Plus will get

 

[WigglyTheGreat]

I just bought a H52fw just because I wanted to try an even smaller light than my H600's and I have a bunch of extra aa rechargeables that aren't being used for anything. I received it Saturday afternoon and went out for a 4 mile hike Saturday night. It worked great and finished the 4 miles on 1 battery and never used my spare.

I was hoping Zebralight would put out a new AA light this year, but haven't heard news of it so I went with the H52fw. The light is rediculously small and light weight and the runtimes are acceptable with the 2400mah Amazon Basics rechargeables that I have. Still the H600 series with 18650s are the best bang for your buck.

The H52fw will be my new edc along with the Nitecore tube on my keychain which is soon to be replaced with the Nitecore Tip.

 

[Woods Walker]

of all time.... H501w because that one got the most use for years. Nice tint as well.

 

[NICSAK]

Hey hope you don't mind me asking but I'm looking at zebralight headlamps and was wondering if there is a big difference between the h600w mkiii vs h600w mkii. I know output will be more with xhp35 but more concerned with beam and tint. Will the beam be more spot on the mkiii due to xhp35? And will the tint be as nice as the mkii neutral? Hoping it is a nice balance of flood/throw. Don't want f version yet. That will come next. Thanks

 

[chrisbfu]

My three favorites. H52w, SC52w, and SC600w ll.

 

[lampeDépêche]

All around favorite? Probably still my H600w MkII. Great headlamp, great tint, and of course the modes, outputs, and run-times are incredible.

I have not tried the Mk III versions of the H600 yet--I'm sure they're good, but they didn't look like a $90 improvement.

I *did* buy one of the Mk III 603s, though, the pure mule in d-tint. Just a great, great light. I love mules, and this is a perfect one.

(Perfect, that is, *after* you take a black sharpie to the bezel-ring to get rid of the slight emitter-image created by the reflection. A weird oversight in such a perfection-obsessed company).

I have never owned an 18650-model straight light from them, but I have the new SC600w HI on backorder. Looking forward to it.

Which light do I carry every day? The H52w. I'm not a prepper in general, but I just can't give up the advantage of having a light that will run on anything in the AA format--1400, Eneloop, Lithium L91, alkaline AA, half a CR-V3--*or* anything in the AAA format, without even needing a spacer.

I ran some tests with fresh AAA's in my H52. It beat the performance of every AAA light that was measured in the recent thread comparing AAA lights--better output, longer runtime. Fenix E01, E05, all that--the H52w gets more out of a triple-A than any of them.

Plus it's a headlamp when you want it to be. And not a whole lot bigger than a key-chain AAA.

So in any case--that may well be my favorite.

 

[Witterings]

I ordered and have had my SC600w Mkiii Hi for a week now and whilst the light is brilliant for it's size, weight, runtimes but I find it so frustrating that you can't easily click from the 139 to the 312 lumen settings and there's nothing you can do about it!!!

It's so incredibly seldom that I need the Higher levels but would go between those 2 on a very regular basis combined with easy access to the M1 61 lumen ... it's so frustrating that could be what would stop it being my favorite torch and make you pick something else up instead.

I heard mentioned somewhere about new firmware coming out, has anyone else heard anything about that and know what changes are planned ... that said I'm guessing there's no way an existing torch could be upgraded so it'd mean buying another one???

 

[StandardBattery]

...
I heard mentioned somewhere about new firmware coming out, has anyone else heard anything about that and know what changes are planned ... that said I'm guessing there's no way an existing torch could be upgraded so it'd mean buying another one???

Yes, Zebralight has said in the new year they will extend the API to be fully programmable. What that means is not entirely clear, but it seems you will be able to program all the 1 levels and also have different sets of programming (configurations if you like) and switch between them. Fully programmable does not appear to mean any Lumen level, but currently there will be at least 18 levels to choose from up from the current 12 levels.

 

[Witterings]

Yes, Zebralight has said in the new year they will extend the API to be fully programmable. What that means is not entirely clear, but it seems you will be able to program all the 1 levels and also have different sets of programming (configurations if you like) and switch between them. Fully programmable does not appear to mean any Lumen level, but currently there will be at least 18 levels to choose from up from the current 12 levels.

Sounds good although i don't have a problem with the current number of options it's only their accessibility.

Shame the update won't be out before Xmas ... would be on my list if so!!!

 

[StandardBattery]

Sounds good although i don't have a problem with the current number of options it's only their accessibility.

Shame the update won't be out before Xmas ... would be on my list if so!!!

Release time is always variable, it's not likely they will be able to offer the new UI in all their models at once, so i would not be surprised it we see it on maybe the top model before year end where the 12 levels is limiting.

 

[MX421]

Favorite? H602w (looking at getting the newer H603w which i noticed is no longer a rumor). Love the full flood, its like having a lightbulb in your pocket. Like someone said above, i usually use the headlamps to read to the kiddo before bedtime. I usually like to carry one flood and one throwish light on me, and if i don't carry the H602w for the flood factor, i always compare any rotated light that took its place that day to the H602w (mostly lacking).

Most used, SC62w/SC63w because they clip into the pocket a little better and some situations are better served (or more comfortable) with the side click. Not only that, but the more focused beam (in the low modes) is better for walking around the house without waking the wife/kids.

 

[tops2]

Man, the other day I went out carrying the Zebralight SC5w instead of my H600Fd. Boy I forgot how nice the SC5w is. The CRI is good enough for me. I forgot how much I (still) like the tint on my SC5w, and how versatile it is. And for outdoor hand cary, its so much more comfortable than hand carrying a headlamp (in my opinion). Seeing how the LED between the SC5w and SC62w is the same, and that the SC62w is in stock and discounted on Zebralight...tempting to pick it up! I think the SC62w will be a better EDC than H600Fd due to the extra throw in case I need it...

But yeah, love my SC5w still. Maybe I should pocket carry it the next few days to get reacquainted!

 

[Swedpat]

So tough question. But I think SC5w. Or H502w L2.

of all time.... H501w because that one got the most use for years. Nice tint as well.

H501w is nice but H502w L2 definitely is an improvement. Much brighter and with a wider beam. But I agree about the tint: My H501w has a nicer warmer tint than H502w L2, but it feels under powered in comparison.
In most cases only high mode feels adequate.
Not a surprise of course: it's several generations LEDs between them.

 

[Witterings]

Who's got more than one of them and if so how many ?????

 

[StandardBattery]

Who's got more than one of them and if so how many ?????

More than one Zebralight? I have more than one of several models. I've never counted; it's more than a dozen could be a lot more.