ZebraLight SC600 MkII

[thaugen]

I joined just to make this post! I've been lurking off and on for years.

I bought and received an SC600 mkII a couple weeks ago. In the past few years I've become more concerned with self-defense, and in the past few months I decided I wanted to carry a flashlight. The SC600 is my first "real" flashlight. The build quality, the feel of the switch, the compactness -- all outstanding. And it's insanely bright, as expected.

But there's one thing I don't like about it: color. I get green tint around the hotspot and a purple discoloration around the outer perimeter of the spill. In turbo mode, the discoloration is less noticeable and I would characterize the color as cool white. I get this on all settings, including turbo.

Regardless of whether I like its color (and I don't), I don't plan to send it back. It's my first EDC and I'm pretty happy with it. It's just nutso to be able to walk into my backyard and see, well, everything when I hit the button. My middle son (age 6) has discovered without any influence from me that he likes flashlights too, and he takes one of my Dorcy Cool Blue #1's to bed so he can read with it. (Yes, he's six and he reads in bed with a flashlight. Pretty cool huh?) But he loves it when I shine the SC600 on the ceiling of his room so he can compare it to the paucity of light coming from the Cool Blue. We then chant "Hefty hefty hefty! Wimpy wimpy wimpy!" together and laugh. He doesn't even know where that comes from but he likes to say it. Ah, good times with flashlights.

Welcome to the forum and thanks for sharing your story! As a father of three I spend a good deal of time playing flashlight games with my kids as well.

Regarding your experience with the tint on the Sc600Mkii mine is exactly the same. I love everything about this light except the tint. It seems all my Zebralights with XML emitters have had the nasty green hotspot with purple rings. My XPG Zebralights have beautiful tints. All this being said I am very happy with my Sc600Mkii. It is a great light, but I do hope the XML2 will improve the tint quality.

 

[fnj]

I joined just to make this post! I've been lurking off and on for years.

I bought and received an SC600 mkII a couple weeks ago. In the past few years I've become more concerned with self-defense, and in the past few months I decided I wanted to carry a flashlight. The SC600 is my first "real" flashlight. The build quality, the feel of the switch, the compactness -- all outstanding. And it's insanely bright, as expected.

But there's one thing I don't like about it: color. I get green tint around the hotspot and a purple discoloration around the outer perimeter of the spill. In turbo mode, the discoloration is less noticeable and I would characterize the color as cool white. I get this on all settings, including turbo.

Regardless of whether I like its color (and I don't), I don't plan to send it back. It's my first EDC and I'm pretty happy with it. It's just nutso to be able to walk into my backyard and see, well, everything when I hit the button. My middle son (age 6) has discovered without any influence from me that he likes flashlights too, and he takes one of my Dorcy Cool Blue #1's to bed so he can read with it. (Yes, he's six and he reads in bed with a flashlight. Pretty cool huh?) But he loves it when I shine the SC600 on the ceiling of his room so he can compare it to the paucity of light coming from the Cool Blue. We then chant "Hefty hefty hefty! Wimpy wimpy wimpy!" together and laugh. He doesn't even know where that comes from but he likes to say it. Ah, good times with flashlights.

I remember that when the SC600 first came out the weird color variations in the beam were a bitter disappointment to many of us. We just accepted it as a tradeoff due to the horrible XM-L, but it always seemed to me that whoever was responsible for the XM-L design and execution at Cree should be shot (obvious hyperbole here, guys). If that was the best they could do, sorry but it just stinks. I can't wait to see if the XM-L2 is any better in terms of the horrible color problems with the XM-L - I am getting one from Brand A since Brand Z is not coming through with it at this time.

Notwithstanding my derision for the XM-L, it sure has allowed some wonderful flashlights to be made, like the SC600! And oh yeah, you bet I have an SC600 Mk II on order!

 

[SAVERIO]

Regardless of whether I like its color (and I don't), I don't plan to send it back. It's my first EDC and I'm pretty happy with it. It's just nutso to be able to walk into my backyard and see, well, everything when I hit the button. My middle son (age 6) has discovered without any influence from me that he likes flashlights too, and he takes one of my Dorcy Cool Blue #1's to bed so he can read with it. (Yes, he's six and he reads in bed with a flashlight. Pretty cool huh?) But he loves it when I shine the SC600 on the ceiling of his room so he can compare it to the paucity of light coming from the Cool Blue. We then chant "Hefty hefty hefty! Wimpy wimpy wimpy!" together and laugh. He doesn't even know where that comes from but he likes to say it. Ah, good times with flashlights.

Awesome! I gave my 6 yr old daughter a Fenix E11 and she loves it!!!
It's so funny to see a 6yr old "EDC" a flashlight. haha!

Thanks for your comments about the SC600 MKII.
This is one I have been researching/comparing against the EagleTac (I'm very indecisive...).

I see that people are saying these are not stocked anywhere. Is that maybe just a non-U.S. thing? Most places I've inquired do have stock of the SC600 MKII.

 

[kaichu dento]

It seems all my Zebralights with XML emitters have had the nasty green hotspot with purple rings. My XPG Zebralights have beautiful tints. All this being said I am very happy with my Sc600Mkii. It is a great light, but I do hope the XML2 will improve the tint quality.

I can't wait to see if the XM-L2 is any better in terms of the horrible color problems with the XM-L..

Much like my first P4, my first XM-L impressed me with its beam pattern, but disappointed with tint shifting across the beam. Both great emitters for a soft floody beam, but poor in tint consistency in the warmer versions.

Maybe with the XM-L2 they'll finally get it dialed, but I suspect that it's a problem related to large area emitters and getting the phosphor thickness just right that needs to be addressed.

 

[PocketBeam]

I don't think the green is that bad. Most of the time I don't notice.

As for the purple, I believe that is the anti-reflective coating.

 

[kaichu dento]

In general usage where you're focusing on looking for things they're not bad at all, but when you start looking at areas where the tint shift is apparent, then it's there. Whether it's bad enough to worry about is another thing and I still have lights with both emitters that I like a lot.

Don't know about the anti-reflective coating theory, but it's been noted in both these emitters in lights with no coating as well.

None of that is going to stop me from getting an SC600 MkIIw though.

 

[wedlpine]

I don't think the green is that bad. Most of the time I don't notice.

As for the purple, I believe that is the anti-reflective coating.

Could it be chromatic aberration?

 

[thaugen]

In general usage where you're focusing on looking for things they're not bad at all, but when you start looking at areas where the tint shift is apparent, then it's there. Whether it's bad enough to worry about is another thing and I still have lights with both emitters that I like a lot.

This is a great point. I only notice the green and purple tint when white wall hunting. And I do love to do some white wall hunting!

 

[GordoJones88]

But there's one thing I don't like about it: color. I get green tint around the hotspot and a purple discoloration around the outer perimeter of the spill.

The bluish-purplish hue around the edges of the spill can indeed be from the anti-reflective coating.

Having a greenish tint is not necessarily normal and is not simply just part of having an XML LED. You can buy a Cool White XML that has a very nice white tint. However, most Cool White LEDs are not whitish. Lots of flashaholics will opt for a Neutral White LED, which is typically a tad bit yellowish and is not actually a neutral white color. The yellowish/greenish halo around the hotspot is the reflection of the yellow LED. You can even sometimes see the halo as a square shape of the LED. It's much more complicated than that, and everybody has their own opinion, which is just fine.

 

[kaichu dento]

The bluish-purplish hue around the edges of the spill is indeed from the anti-reflective coating.

No it's not, otherwise it wouldn't exist on lights without coated lenses.

This is the SC600 MkII thread and it needs to go back to being about the light itself.

 

[fnj]

The XM-L LED is an important and prominent feature of the SC600 MkII as it was of the SC600 before it.

 

[Waymed]

After reading 32 pages on this thread, I believe that I want one of these lights.

My eyes are tired from reading....lol.

 

[kaichu dento]

Everyone is aware of that, but going too far into emitter or battery discussion is a derail of the light centered thread.

 

[ToyTank]

Is anyone using a white Film Can diffuser on the MKII?

I'm assuming it works as it did on the MKI but I see no mention after searching this thread.

 

[toysareforboys]

Is anyone using a white Film Can diffuser on the MKII?

I'm assuming it works as it did on the MKI but I see no mention after searching this thread.

I use DC Fix Sand film on my flashlight lenses when I need more flood. http://www.homedepot.ca/product/window-transparency-film-sand/983422

-Jamie M.

 

[Johnnyt]

ZebraLight SC600 MkII interface and tint observations

Received my new sc600 MKII and been playing with it for a couple days. I am still getting used to the interface as it is my first ZL and it is growing on me. However, for me, I wish they would have reversed the functionality of the long click vs the short click. Short clicking thru low med high or holding the click to go directly to high seems much more intuitive to me than than hold clicking for l-m-h. Also I have a hard time getting just the right timing down for low. Sometimes I hold down too long and it cycles to medium. Sometimes too short and it short clicks to high which is really bad if your need is the moonlight mode. However maybe it'll be old hat soon.

My biggest disappointment with my particular light is that I am wondering if I have a bit of a loser in what many refer to as the tint lottery. The hotspot of my light is not particularly cool in color so that was quite pleasing maybe a mix of cool-neutral. However in all but the brightest mode the ring right around the hotspot does seem to have some 'mountain dew'-ness to it. It is hard to explain really as the beam does not have rings per se. But to me at least the tint of the beam in general on low and medium is just not pleasing. If I can figure out how to post a pic I may try to see if I can capture something that better explains what my eyes (or mind?) is seeing.

For brevity I am skipping a lot I like about this light but just wanted to point out these couple of things. I do not regret the purchase but was expecting to really love the output of the beam more than I do so far.

 

[toysareforboys]

Re: ZebraLight SC600 MkII interface and tint observations

My biggest disappointment with my particular light is that I am wondering if I have a bit of a loser in what many refer to as the tint lottery. The hotspot of my light is not particularly cool in color so that was quite pleasing maybe a mix of cool-neutral. However in all but the brightest mode the ring right around the hotspot does seem to have some 'mountain dew'-ness to it. It is hard to explain really as the beam does not have rings per se. But to me at least the tint of the beam in general on low and medium is just not pleasing. If I can figure out how to post a pic I may try to see if I can capture something that better explains what my eyes (or mind?) is seeing.

Are you using it indoors, hunting those elusive white wall creatures?!? That's the only time I notice it. A bit of green and a bit of purple, you're not seeing things. Outdoors I don't notice at all.

-Jamie M.

 

[Johnnyt]

Re: ZebraLight SC600 MkII interface and tint observations

Are you using it indoors, hunting those elusive white wall creatures?!? That's the only time I notice it. A bit of green and a bit of purple, you're not seeing things. Outdoors I don't notice at all.

Hi Jamie- yes most of my playing has been indoors so far as the are too many street lights near the house to try mediums and lows outside. My former EDC was an eagletac D25LC2 clicky which was very cool beam but I loved all the modes. I lost that light so I won't be able to compare directly. I also have a crelant EDC with a pleasant creamy colored beam that ramps and somehow that also I seem to like. I will have to compare it tomorrow to see it I can pinpoint the beam differences at similar ouputs. The crelant ramps in brightness so should be easy to set up a comparison.

 

[toysareforboys]

Re: ZebraLight SC600 MkII interface and tint observations

Hi Jamie- yes most of my playing has been indoors so far

I tried super hard, different modes, different camera settings, but I couldn't get the green to show up good on the camera.


LICK FOR HIGH RES!

I highlighted the purple region, and from looking at the light with my eye, and then my computer monitor, I highlighted the area that's slightly greenish in real life, it might be slightly closer to the hotspot than where I drew it.

-Jamie M.

 

[ToyTank]

I use DC Fix Sand film on my flashlight lenses when I need more flood. http://www.homedepot.ca/product/window-transparency-film-sand/983422

-Jamie M.

The film can works as a diffuser wand giving light in all directions-(for photos it gives a "large" light source giving MUCH better photos)

Putting diffuser film on the lens gives a cone of diffused light. Both are useful but are not functionally the same.

Camping at night the SC600 and film can make a perfect lantern for soft light on the table or in the tent.

On the MKI it snaps tight and secure in place. I'm hoping that is the case for the MKII. Any place that processes film will give you a white film can for free:thumbsup: