ZebraLight H502 XM-L

[Planz]

Not exactly the same, but check the photo in my sig line. The H502d would not be as warm, of course.

Electrical work is why I'm trying to switch everything over to CRI.

Thanks for your feedback Bolster,
What I am aiming for is that as long as I can pick out the colors, I do not need accurate color rendition.
This is because other than picking out electrical wires, I need to see fine details and I think (I'm not sure) cold white would make things 'clearer'.

 

[Gregozedobe]

..... After reading your reply, I think to make things simple, what would be of practical use would be if you could just shine the H502 onto the 'mess' and see if you could differentiate all the colors. Your point about different people with different perception is taken.

I've just been doing some shining on the "mess" of wires and noticed the following:

For distinguishing between med-dark green and med-dark blue the CW H502 was slightly better than the H502d (not by a huge amount, but enough for me to notice), while for most other colours (and particularly colours with a red component like pink, orange, purple, brown etc) the H502d was generally either better or in some instances a lot better. I guess it depends on which colours it is most important for you to distinguish between.

NB As far as I know I am not blue/green colour blind.

 

[Planz]

I've just been doing some shining on the "mess" of wires and noticed the following:

For distinguishing between med-dark green and med-dark blue the CW H502 was slightly better than the H502d (not by a huge amount, but enough for me to notice), while for most other colours (and particularly colours with a red component like pink, orange, purple, brown etc) the H502d was generally either better or in some instances a lot better. I guess it depends on which colours it is most important for you to distinguish between.

NB As far as I know I am not blue/green colour blind.

Thanks Greg. I did something similar with a Joby cold white and I could generally make out the difference in colors but I do not have a warm light to compare with. For my application, as long as I can pick out the different colors, it will serve my purpose but I think someday, I might just go for something like a H502d just for the fun of it.

 

[fnj]

Very excited about the 502d or other d Zebras. I like high CRI (only a crazy person wouldn't), but I like high color temperature too. 5000 is good; 6000+ would be better but we're up against the limits of practicality here.

 

[Quigath]

I'm assuming these color distinction tests are being done with the lights on their highest settings. Does the color differentiation change at all with lower lumens? The low setting for example.
I can't stand it when I'm doing close up work like soldering or something and I have to blind myself in order to distinguish colors decently.

 

[Gregozedobe]

I'm assuming these color distinction tests are being done with the lights on their highest settings. Does the color differentiation change at all with lower lumens? The low setting for example.
I can't stand it when I'm doing close up work like soldering or something and I have to blind myself in order to distinguish colors decently.

I tried it with the M1 setting on both lights (anything less isn't really bright enough for my old eyes unless I am so close I can no longer focus), no shift tint that I could notice compared with H2 on the CW H502 and H1 on the H502d (so that they both had the same lumens). For soldering I prefer my nose and mouth well away from where the fumes are coming from.

 

[Quigath]

Thanks for the quick test on the lower setting.
Yes, the fumes; I think I just hold my breath.

 

[moshow9]

Can somebody post a comparison tint beamshot between the H502c and H502d? Pretty please.

 

[mellowman]

too bad they didn't put a nichia 219 4500 92+ cri led into one. imagine how many they would have sold and no more 502c vs 502d questions.

 

[B0wz3r]

I got my 502d last week, the day before Thanksgiving. It's a very nice little light, and it's my first true full flood light.

I really like the tint; very much a true neutral, with just a hint of warmth to it. It looks faintly like it may have some yellowishness, or maybe a tiny bit of greenishness to it, but I don't see it every time I inspect the beam in a white wall hunt... Overall, it's a very well balanced neutral, and I can see a small difference in color rendering compared to my Spark ST5-190nw. In comparison to the 502d, my H51w is much warmer... it's clearly more of a peachy tint than the 502. I'm sure the 502c is warmer, and while I do like warm tints, I decided to get the D because I wanted the extra brightness.

The brightness, for a pure flood, is amazing! On H1 it easily lights up an average size room, and M1 is plenty bright for hiking at night, and M2 is enough for moonless/dark night conditions. The peripheral vision it gives is really amazing, and easily exceeds any other headlamp or torch I have. Positioned at a similar angle to my H51w, it even covers some of my front. At the same time, the breadth of the beam is also it's biggest drawback; I wear glasses, and I get a lot of glare in them unless I tip the light up a fair amount, enough that the beam doesn't illuminate the front of my shirt. But, then it's pointing straight ahead, and right into the face of anyone nearby. I find the beam to be too wide for reading in bed, as its spread easily overlaps the edges of any book, and lights up the rest of the room.

For these reasons, for my uses/preferences at least, it's not as suitable as my H51w (which I have DC-fix on), for general use. However, I have found the perfect home for it on the front of my bicycle helmet, under the visor. I took an extra bracket I had and strapped it on with a velcro tie. It holds the 502 perfectly, with no play or wobble at all. Being on the very front of my helmet and under the visor allows me to angle it down enough that it doesn't shine in others' eyes, and gives great illumination directly in front of me and beneath me. I prefer a floody light on my handlebars too, aimed straight at the 10' or so of the ground in front of my bike (and I also use a throwy light on top of my helmet for seeing downrange), and I may try the 502d on a two-fish block on my handlebars for that. But, as it is, it's an excellent light for helmet mounting for up close lighting. I imagine it'd be a good close-up light for a caver as well.

Anyway, that's just a quick report of my initial impressions and use of the light so far. Hope this is helpful.

 

[Bolster]

Bowz:

In all honesty, it doesn't sound like the H502d really fills the bill for you. Knowing your tint preference, I'm a little surprised that you went for the 20% more lumens (a borderline difference in real-world seeing, at best) over your preferred tint. Glad you found a use for it.

It seems we are racking up quite a list of complaints about the 120 degree beam. You already know my opinion (I like it, but for work--I also wear glasses but am not bothered by beam spill into the glasses very often. OTOH, I'm also quite content with an 80 beam, too) but there are enough people having problems with the beam width, it seems to me that the onus is on Zebralight to make the beam modifiable.

I realize I sound like a broken record here...but honestly, making a threaded bezel is not such a huge manufacturing hurdle, and would pay back huge dividends for users...Spark has made screw bezels a standard on their entire floody line.

One additional advantage to a screw bezel...it can be made watertight with an o-ring (like Spark does). I've long suspected that Zebra's press-fit lens (or press-fit lens/bezel combo) is on the skimpy side for waterproofing. While I've not had a leak myself, at this point I assume that's because I'm not out in the rain or waves much. And we've all seen the reports from those who have had water ingress around the bezel/lens. This is a constant drag on ZLs reputation.

ZL could kill THREE birds with one stone: (1) make the beam modifiable, (2) sell an additional line of beam modification accessories for beam width and tint, and (3) put to rest the lingering questions about their around-the-lens waterproofing. BUT I think they've made a calculation they can sell more single-use lights with a non-modifiable light. So I'm not holding my breath, here. It would be more typically Zebra-like to introduce a new 70-degree flood beam in various tint flavors, so that we all rush out to buy another ZL.

In the meantime, I wonder what would be the effect of attaching an o-ring around the inside edge of the bezel, as a mask. A waste of light, certainly, but it might reign in the beam width that's causing you problems. Perhaps even better, a carefully cut ring of electrical tape. Or even a small strip of electrical tape just to keep the beam out of your glasses.

 

[eh4]

...so that we all rush out to buy another ZL.

In the meantime, I wonder what would be the effect of attaching an o-ring around the inside edge of the bezel, as a mask. A waste of light, certainly, but it might reign in the beam width that's causing you problems. Perhaps even better, a carefully cut ring of electrical tape. Or even a small strip of electrical tape just to keep the beam out of your glasses.

I concur, also though I'm a Huge fan of ZL I have only bought three lights, they were identical, I bought them all at the same time based solely on; CPF forum input, ZL posted stats and YouTube, and two of them were bought as gifts, no regrets.
So I'm definitely not in the "more varieties=more sales" category.

O- ring modification needs to be done and posted about.
Threaded bezel for extra lenses would result in More purchases on my part, I'd get spares... BTW, HDS Rotary HCRI is wonderful if you dare remove the reflector/lens head and run it bareback as a mule, I want to fabricate a screw in mule-lens bezel. [Tangent complete]

 

[Bolster]

So I'm definitely not in the "more varieties=more sales" category.

Makes me wonder how many people actually are. Seems ZL is betting on selling multiples, and certainly they do to the enthusiasts, but might they be money ahead with a screw bezel, selling the aftermarket mod devices (lenses, filters, whatnot).

My dream is to fabricate a threaded bezel for an H502, but that is currently far beyond my machining capabilities. I don't even have a lathe, all I have is a mill. So threading is either tap/die or nothing.

And machining a filter also seems excessively difficult for a home-shop guy.

 

[Bolster]

O-ring delimiter for H502

The O-ring idea appears to work, from an initial trial. I retrieved two different sized o-rings (18 and 17mm OD), placed them on the bezel, and they do delimit the spread of the beam effectively, with no beam artifacts.

Haven't tried gluing them in place yet (and might not). Probably rubber cement would be best, as it's reversible. Silicone would probably be semi-permanent.

The o-ring solution wastes lumens, of course.

 

[eh4]

O ring might waste a tiny bit of light but I'll bet it's comparable to the light wasted by the H501's narrower beam, which as a reflectorless light was limiting spread with the bezel anyways.
Rubber cement sounds about perfect to me.

 

[Bolster]

The smaller thicker o-ring I have here (17mm OD) limits the beam down to about 85 degrees of spread (from 120). And the o-ring actually looks good on the light, IMO, like a bumper for the lens. I'm tempted to glue it in place for fun, but I like the wide beam just fine. I think this experiment is better suited for one of you who actually wants a narrower beam. But it looks like it would work well and be a neat, tidy modification. (I think I'll cross post this in the Zebra Mods Thread.)

 

[Mr Floppy]

The smaller thicker o-ring I have here (17mm OD) limits the beam down to about 85 degrees of spread (from 120).

Would love a couple of beam shots if you can. I like the idea

 

[Bolster]

Would love a couple of beam shots if you can. I like the idea

My manual (beamshot) camera is 90 miles away, but I can describe the beam for you: to me looks like an H501. Smooth edge with relatively little fade. I can try with my crappy auto instamatic but it won't be a good beamshot...

[EDIT] OK here you go. This is quick-and-dirty with clear tape holding on the o-ring, and as you can see I didn't get it very centered. I cut the tape out in the center in an odd shape which explains the odd beam shape. But you get the idea. It tightens up (masks) the beam with a fairly hard edge.

Obviously the beam does NOT get brighter with the ring in place; that's just my dumb automatic camera lightening the photo because the light is in a smaller area. And there's the illusion of a hard edge, whereas the unmod'd beam just fades out.

 

[moozooh]

Even though I don't like the glare, man, that second photo would make me miss the original beam angle instantly.

 

[B0wz3r]

Good work Kel. :thumbsup: I think that for me, the biggest issues are the lens glare and the excess height of the beam. You're right that in the past I've preferred warmer tints, but I wanted to try a true neutral HCRI after the warm XPGs I got last. My new Nailbender module is an XP-G2 HCRI and it's cool and has some green in it. You only really see it when WW hunting, but the cooler tint (I'd guess around 4750K) puts me off. I've repurposed it as a camping/emergency prep light. Nice thing about it is that it's a low voltage driver (.8 - 3v) so it runs on 2xAA. It lives in my L2R. In comparison, I'm finding the tint of the 502D to be very pleasing. In fact, it's making me want an SC with the same emitter; not full flood mind you, just emitter and tint.

The electrical tape idea seems like the best solution for me. It would become much more useful with an oval beam profile, rather than a circular one. I'm going to try making an oval mask out of electrical tape to reduce the amount of vertical spread, but allow all the horizontal spread. That would prevent flashing others, and keep the glare out of my glasses.

Another nice thing about an oval or rectangular beam, is that it more closely matches the dimensions of the human visual field. Our VF is about 190º of horizontal spread, and about 100º of vertical spread. And, it's also roughly oval, because the eyes are oblate spheroids.

I'm busy all this weekend, but I can probably make time to give it a try next week. I'll try to stop in again before then, too.