Re: Zebralight SC600 (1x18650, XM-L) Review: RUNTIME, BEAMSHOTS, comparisons & more!
I've owned my SC600 for 7 days now.
I still say the annodising is 2nd rate, and it lack ss bezel found on many lights like HDS and 4Sevens Maelstroms.
The SC600 is compact.
The 18650 is outstanding.
Now, I've finally worked out that the SC600's side switch has a perfect location, is very easy for the thumb to operate, but it is more difficult to get results.
Sometimes, if we inadvertently press too long, we get the low mode.
If we want the low mode, and we don't press long enough, we get hi.
If we press inadvertently too long, we also find the light ramping up from low, to med, to hi.
I've worked out that a magnetic ring is a touch harder to manipulate because it requires the operation of both the thumb and forefinger, but thereafter the magnetic ring gives precise results, from a low current standby, to low, continuously variable all the way to hi.
The magnetic ring does become awkward for one handed operation if the flashlight has a large diameter - then, it is better to go back to the side switch.
Speaking of which there is Zebralight's recessed side switch, and Nitecore TM11's flush side switch.
Zebralight's recess is superior.
The TM11's flush side switch requires complicated current draining standby's and lockouts to prevent accidental operation.
The flush switch even requires an led ring light for location in the dark, and that's why it also has a low battery indicator.
Also interesting was that I was using my SC600 for a walk, alongside my wife with her Jb TC-R2 XP-G S2.
Her Jetbeam is only compact and 16340 sized, yet it had a decent size hotspot, that is considerably brighter and throwier than the SC600.
Selfbuilt measures the SC600's throw at 145 meters.
There is no test for the TC-R2 nor RRT-0, however Selfbuilt measures the related BC10 @ 167 meters - that's about right.
The lesson I learnt is that the SC600 pure flooder is best for short distances, eg indoors and around the house.
For walks, we often look into the medium distance or long distance, and the SC600 flooder is not ideal here.
My wife's TC-R2 16340 S2 thrower actually did a better job for walks.
Or better still, we may want a single 18650 flood-thrower like an RRT-21, or TN11 etc.
Or, if we are happy to lug something big along, then take a Tiny Monster 4x18650 parallel with flood of 2000 lumens and 283 meters of throw?
The problem with walking with a big pure thrower, is that although it throws well, at short distances, it's just a small yet intense hot spot.
The big pure thrower is good for spotting possums, and fooling around..