Zebralight H600/H604/H600F MKIV headlamp

[MX421]

Just to keep ZL's terminology straight: the ZL mule models(ie:H604) are called "Flood", the "F" models are called "Floody", and the normal H models are called "Spot/Spill".

I have an Armytek too but, its beam is a bit different then the ZL floody models. It has a tighter beam(likely due to the more recessed optic) that is more even with no hotspot. The ZL Floody models have a broader beam(wider) with more of a highly diffused hotspot that blends into the spill. They tend to throw a bit further then the AT's and offer a wider more useful spill imo.

Personally, I find the ZL Flood models have the least useful beam profile overall of the four(3xZL/1xAT) and are only really suited to up close tasks like reading, dishes, in tent chores etc(although they excel at these tasks).

The Spot/Spill models are ok but, I find they are not good for up close tasks due to the tight hotspot and narrower overall beam profile and give a bit of a bouncing ball effect when walking, running, hiking.

I have tried the diffuser tape trick but, find it annoying and not very practical to switch back and forth out in the field. I prefer to just pick the right light for the task(most of the time this is Floody for me).

What I find works great now for most uses is a combination of a ZL Floody and a throwy flashlight in case I need to see something real far away(fairly rare as the H600F's have a fair amount of throw on H1). Then for reading or general in the tent tasks, I like the Flood models best(although the Floody models still work pretty well for these tasks). I just ordered a H502c L2 as I find the 18650 models have more capacity/output then needed and are too bulky for these up close tasks.

Everyone uses their lights for different things though and this is highly subjective of course. I just figured I would post my experience with these headlamps in case it is helpful:thumbsup:.

My AT has a bit more concentration in the center and its not even. At least not like the H602w. I think its less spill because its a TIR lens under it, but i'm not certain on that.

As you say, to each their own. Like you, i use a combination when i am out in the dark yard working. I'll stick the H600w on my head for throw and keep my H602w around my neck for flood. The H602w flood helps to see where you are walking and anything nearby. The H600w helps you see where you need to go or if you need to check anything, all hands free. For getting firewood or anything else where the main hands free is required on the actual work and not the transit , the H602w is hung around my neck and used to do the task and a handheld if used for the "throw" requirement. At my cabin, usually an extreme throw light is required as none of the Zebras can reach those distances to the water.

When i had to go into container to check equipment, the H602w excelled in lighting the whole container. It was like having a lightbulb in your pocket. I've been trying to see if the AA lights are sufficient for my EDC purposes based on the size. The AA versions are good for reading and close up stuff, but i prefer the 18650 lights for any serious tasks. I guess i'm now spoiled with the higher output (or longer runtimes).

Good to know that the AT and the H600F have different profiles. May check out one if a sale comes up as you suggest. I'm always up for trying something new. Learn something new every day.

Back to the cracking issue I thought i remember it not being final that it was just one batch of lights that had the cracking issue. I figure I'd wait. However, being that Zebralight is better on servicing their lights than other manufacturers, i guess its not that big of a gamble.

 

[Tachead]

My AT has a bit more concentration in the center and its not even. At least not like the H602w. I think its less spill because its a TIR lens under it, but i'm not certain on that.

As you say, to each their own. Like you, i use a combination when i am out in the dark yard working. I'll stick the H600w on my head for throw and keep my H602w around my neck for flood. The H602w flood helps to see where you are walking and anything nearby. The H600w helps you see where you need to go or if you need to check anything, all hands free. For getting firewood or anything else where the main hands free is required on the transit and not actual work, the H602w is hung around my neck and used to do the task and a handheld if used for the "throw" requirement. At my cabin, usually an extreme throw light is required as none of the Zebras can reach those distances to the water.

When i had to go into container to check equipment, the H602w excelled in lighting the whole container. It was like having a lightbulb in your pocket. I've been trying to see if the AA lights are sufficient for my EDC purposes based on the size. The AA versions are good for reading and close up stuff, but i prefer the 18650 lights for any serious tasks. I guess i'm now spoiled with the higher output (or longer runtimes).

Good to know that the AT and the H600F have different profiles. May check out one if a sale comes up as you suggest. I'm always up for trying something new. Learn something new every day.

Back to the cracking issue I thought i remember it not being final that it was just one batch of lights that had the cracking issue. I figure I'd wait. However, being that Zebralight is better on servicing their lights than other manufacturers, i guess its not that big of a gamble.

That sounds like a good setup.

Yeah, the Flood models can be great for confined areas for sure.

Just to let you know, there are two different beam profiles for ZL's floody models depending on when they were made. Sometime in 2015 the switched to a different brand of frosted glass and that changed the beam profile quite a bit as well as increased the durability. Here is a pic and some gifs(courtesy of Stephano) to help show you the difference.

This is also the reason for the glass being stronger on new ZL's. All the new models(post 2015) use Corning Gorilla Glass 3. Frosted lenses will always be a bit less durable due to the frosting process but, I would guess that due to the glass ZL uses, their frosted lenses are likely stronger then most other companies normal glass. Gorilla Glass is one of the strongest and most scratch resistant glasses available. That is why it is used for cell phone screens like I said earlier.

Just be careful with your lights and you shouldn't have a problem. If you do hit one hard enough to break the frosted lens, it likely would have broke the regular glass one too. And, like you said, if you do unfortunately break one, ZL will fix it and the biggest inconvenience will be going without it for a while while it is warrantied. I wouldn't sweat it:thumbsup:.

 

[Tachead]

Oops, double post.

 

[MX421]

Hmm,

looking on the site i see allot of the older models on sale. I wonder if an H600Fw bought direct would be the new beam?

Thinking like that will blow my budget...

 

[likethevegetable]

I'm on the fence about the H600Fc Mk IV...

I have the H53c as an EDC and sole backcountry camping light. At 171lm I find it has sufficient throw for what I need, and I appreciate the beam pattern for anything just a few meters ahead. Whenever I need flood I roll a latex finger cot (linked below) over the light and it works as an awesome diffuser that is very comparable to scotch tape and re-usable. I find that the finger cot diffuses the hotspot well AND widens the beam to almost my entire field of view. I suspect the latex over an F model would essentially turn it into a mule.

https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B01AF018CI/



Some questions:


-Can anyone comment on how much less throw I should expect with an F-model? For example, to achieve similar throw to the regular model, how many more lumens would I need to output? (I suppose this could be calculated with candela measurements at the center, right?). Stefano's comparison photos are excellent but real life commentary would be helpful.


-How is the gradient of intensity from the center of the beam to the edges on the F model? Is the beam very uniform throughout the entire 90°, or is there a noticeable transition (more throw)? I'm slightly concerned about a black hole in the middle of view when looking at distant objects.


-I like my tint with my H53c that uses an XP-L2. Should I expect a similar one for the XHP50.2?


I'm very, very close to trying out my first floody ZL. Part of me wishes a spot/spill combo was available so i could use my diffuser trick, but on the other hand it seems like the floody pattern is good all around without the need to mess around with sub-optimal DIY filters.

 

[TCY]

The F model throw with its sheer power, my 1500lm SC600Fd III Plus can go up to maybe 50 meters but that's it. ZL never publishes lux/candela so there's no official data to fiddle with.

The transition is very smooth, you need to actively search for it to see but there is still a nice, brighter hotspot. No donut hole whatsoever.

Tint wise they should be very close if not identical, but Cree does allow some variation so there is a bit of lottery involved. Generally the 4000K CCT within 3/2 step MacAdam ellipse (which ZL uses in their c model) should have the smallest chance of getting a "bad" tint so I wouldn't worry about it.

Try it out, there's a good chance you'll fall in love with it. I got my SC600Fd Plus as my first floody light, I liked it so much I got the H53Fc as soon as it became available and now I'm getting the H600Fc.

 

[terjee]

There's another thing to consider as well. If you go floody, you'd probably want a few more lumens as well, especially outdoors. Using an 18650 instead of AA would almost certainly give you increased runtime, rather than decreased like a floody with AA might be.

 

[Tachead]

Hmm,

looking on the site i see allot of the older models on sale. I wonder if an H600Fw bought direct would be the new beam?

Thinking like that will blow my budget...

The H600Fw MKIII would for sure be the new lens, the H600Fw MKII might be but, I am not sure. If you email ZL they will let you know though, I'm sure.

 

[eh4]

There's another thing to consider as well. If you go floody, you'd probably want a few more lumens as well, especially outdoors. Using an 18650 instead of AA would almost certainly give you increased runtime, rather than decreased like a floody with AA might be.

Floody with an 18650 battery is really nice, the Clear optic throws a bit further, or alternately as far with less battery discharge, but if you're only getting one, especially if it's a headlamp - seriously consider the H600F models, or get the regular H600 and invest in a little of the diffusing tape.
If I could only have one I'd have to go with the clear lens for more versatility, but the floody is a real pleasure to use, as a headlamp kinda like flood but with a very significant punch in the middle, right where you need the extra lumens... pure flood always seems to have plenty of peripheral illumination, but a dim zone where you're looking.

If the flood is a half sphere of light, then the floody is an elongated egg shape of light, the regular clear reflector being something more typical, a small and blobby thrower on your head, a dancing basketball of light in front of you, with generous spill.

-AA floody is a great close range light, much like having a hand held oven range light, but its limited power makes it a more useful indoor and work light, imo.

 

[likethevegetable]

Well, I just pulled the trigger on the H600Fc Mk IV! Super excited - this will be my first 18650 ZL - really looking forward to checking out the PID control.

I also snagged some NCR18650GAs from Illumn - hopefully they make it to Canada!

 

[eh4]

Nice, that's the model I'd like to get next.

 

[mobi]

I've participated in this forum on and off for years. But I always felt like an interloper. I'm not really a flashaholic. Or so I thought. True. I've bought many Zebralight headlamps over the years. And I use and/or wear a Zebralight all day long. But I almost exclusively use Zebralights. If I collected them, like Stefano, then, yes, I'd be a flashaholic. But my current herd of two Zebras hardly qualifies me to even be a flashaholic wannabe.

That all changed today. I happened to visit the Zebralight website and encountered the H604 series. I'm on a low budget. But what flashed, unbidden, in my mind was, "Can I start a crowdfunding page to raise money for a new headlamp?" I immediately quashed the thought. Since then, I've been left with a haunting feeling.

Gentlemen. I present to you the news that you probably suspected all along. I'm a flashaholic.

 

[MX421]

That all changed today. I happened to visit the Zebralight website and encountered the H604 series. I'm on a low budget. But what flashed, unbidden, in my mind was, "Can I start a crowdfunding page to raise money for a new headlamp?" I immediately quashed the thought. Since then, I've been left with a haunting feeling.

Gentlemen. I present to you the news that you probably suspected all along. I'm a flashaholic.

Thats the light that started me down the headlamp route. I personally love the pure flood. I've abandoned the headstrap and now wear it around my neck. Sometimes i forget i have it on and reach to turn off the light switch when i leave a room...

 

[mobi]

Thats the light that started me down the headlamp route. I personally love the pure flood. I've abandoned the headstrap and now wear it around my neck. Sometimes i forget i have it on and reach to turn off the light switch when i leave a room...

With smart homes and smarter headlamps -- the new Zebras have multiple new programmable modes -- the light switch may go the way of the gas lamp.

"Hey, Dad, what's a light switch?"

"Why, Son, back in the day you had lights which hung from the ceiling!"

 

[Petrsv]

Hi all. First post here. So have been poking around here for a bit and I have a quick question but for the life of me I can’t figure out the difference between the 604 and the 600 mk4 ?

 

[Keitho]

Ha, sounds logical to me, the next round of h models will definitely have AI, and the round after that will definitely be self aware!

 

[TCY]

Hi all. First post here. So have been poking around here for a bit and I have a quick question but for the life of me I can’t figure out the difference between the 604 and the 600 mk4 ?

600 MKIV = reflector + clear lens, you get the typical spot + spill beam profile.
600F MKIV = reflector + frosted lens, typical beam profile but blurred/smoothed out.
604 = no reflector + clear lens, 100% uniform spill with no spot. a "Mule".

Welcome to CPF!

 

[MX421]

Okay, i keep checking back on their site to see if they've completed their obviously flawed spec sheet on the H604 models. As yet, no go on any changes, but i was again comparing the H604c and the H604w specs and came across more verification that things are off. Typically, the non HiCRI versions are brighter than the HiCRI versions, yet the site still has the H604c (and H604d) listed as 1616 while the H604w is listed as 1400 (Reversed!). For comparison, the H603w is listed at 1126 and the H603c listed at 830 (H603d at 900).

With no discount for preordering like they did on the H53c i got (I took a leap of faith there), I'd like to know what I'm getting before i pre-order. I don't think the runtimes will significantly change fom previous versions at the same H, M & L levels.

 

[ingokl]

The H604c (and H604d) use a different LED (XHP50.2) than the H604w (XHP35). Therefore the given data makes sense as the XHP50.2 can be driven much harder (up to 18Watt) than the XHP35 (limited to about 13 Watt).

 

[typevii]

I'm still worried about the low modes. I found the 0.01 lumen on my H602w was perfect as a moonlight mode. However my SC600fd III plus has a lowest low of 0.18 which is too bright. Really hoping Zebralight keep a true moonlight ultra low for the new 604c. Its kind of a dealbreaker for me. I have plenty of super bright flashlights, but not so many with a really low moonlight as well. Still looking for that one flashlght to do it all.