H50b or H501

If you already own a H50, which would you pick a H50b (80 degree reflector) or the H501 (80 degree reflector and a clicky switch)? Discuss.

Just to add I recently received my Princeton Tec EOS 4 mode 50 lumen headlamp (recommended by Wood Walker) and absolutely love the beam tint and run-time. I do wish it started at low first, that may be my only gripe with the EOS. So either the H50B or H501 will have to compliment the EOS I already own.

I already have the H50 and I just ordered the H501 because of the one handed operation. You can still lock out the tailcap on the H501 to prevent accidental operation while packed away. Also, I'm not sure what tint bins are available now on the H50B, but my H50 is very cool blue. I'm interested to see how the WD in the H501 looks (hopefully closer to my EOS Rebel).

Beacon of Light said:

If you already own a H50, which would you pick a H50b (80 degree reflector) or the H501 (80 degree reflector and a clicky switch)? Discuss.

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I just got an H50 (not B) and an H501. I definitely prefer the narrower beam of the H501 and the (simpler) user interface of the H50. The H501 button is too sensitive to not lock it out when carrying it around, so in practice you have to twist the tailcap to turn it on anyway. The button will just be an annoyance for me as far as I can tell.

So maybe the H50-B is the best of both worlds. But maybe not: the H501 is rated as being brighter and more efficient than the H50, and mine certainly appears so to the eye (although part of that is due to the narrower beam). I assume the H50-B is the same (less efficient) circuit as the H50, but with a different lens, so it will be less bright for a given battery life than the H501 would be. But I'll probably order one anyway, given the better UI.

I like the lights a lot, that said. My main complaint about both is fairly trivial: the clip. The rubber sleeve that attaches the clip makes the light a lot bulkier, much more than you'd think it would from the pictures.. I'd much prefer a simple removable clip made from a single piece of metal (like on, say, the arc-aaa and most other similar size lights).

HCaul, yeah that's the dilemma as I think I'd probably prefer the UI of the H50/b to the sensitive clicky of the 501. That said I prefer 1 handed switching and I'm not sure I'm adept enough to switch the H50 with one hand. I do know I'm sure I probably would have preferred the H50b to the H50 but I didn't know the B version existed when I ordered the H50. I didn't know the H501 was more efficient in low mode, actually I thought the run-time was longer on low with the H50 than the H501.

Beacon of Light said:

HCaul, yeah that's the dilemma as I think I'd probably prefer the UI of the H50/b to the sensitive clicky of the 501. That said I prefer 1 handed switching and I'm not sure I'm adept enough to switch the H50 with one hand. I do know I'm sure I probably would have preferred the H50b to the H50 but I didn't know the B version existed when I ordered the H50. I didn't know the H501 was more efficient in low mode, actually I thought the run-time was longer on low with the H50 than the H501.

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I've not taken any measurements myself, and base the efficiency entirely on the manufacturer's specs: 2.3 hours at 66 vs. 96 Lumens, 3.5 days at 2.6 vs. 3.3 lumens.

Ok I guess you're correct about it being more efficient, but not at the expense of run-time as it is still the same. For reading at night I prefer lower low so 2.6 I would rather have than 3.3 even though there might not be much of a noticeable difference when the lumens are that low.

For me:

H50(b) pros:
- smaller and little lighter than H501
- tailcap switch safer i.e. in the backpack

Cons:
- very thin tube and cap, with delicate thread (easy to damage?)
- lens outside the head, easier to damage than H501
- tailcap switch needs two handed operation
- possibly dimmer than H501

H501 pros:
- possibly lighter than H50(b)
- on the pictures looks like tailcap is build from thicker aluminum, with deeper thread on it
- Head and body are one part, so less possibility that it will take water that way
- switch located on top of the head makes it easier to operated when taken in hand, one handed operation
- lens little "hidden" inside the head, less exposed to damages than H50(b)

cons:
- very (too?) sensitive power switch, need to unscrew tailcap to "lock" it.
- no information how the rubber of the switch is waterproof (and differently to other models, you cannot disasseble it and seal with silicone lube)
- little bigger and heavier than H50(b)

If I had H50 I would prefer H501 - should be brighter than H50b and having two different types of switch I can choose between them depending on my needs. H501 should be also more durable than H50(b)

Beacon of Light said:

Ok I guess you're correct about it being more efficient, but not at the expense of run-time as it is still the same. For reading at night I prefer lower low so 2.6 I would rather have than 3.3 even though there might not be much of a noticeable difference when the lumens are that low.

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Using my OCD I tested both low modes for H50-H501 to my eye and believe that the H501 is brighter but this could be due to the optic or maybe the combo of higher lumens too. This only becomes clear when both lights are side by side as there is no way the human eye could pick out 1/2 of a lumen by itself. Still more is more no matter what anyone tells me. If I was you maybe consider the H501. ZL is getting better Q5s these days for all their headlamps so guessing the newer H50B shares this but don't know. Still brighter has just got to be better with the exception of tint which for me is more important than lumens due to my personal field applications. On the downside the switch of the H501 must be locked out for packing however the 1/4 to 1/2 tail cap turn lock out is so easy and locking out lights is just something that most pack packers do. The easy switch becomes a plus once the harder UI is mastered. It would give a new user some issues if loaned out but for you after an hour it is kind of second nature. Also I like the fact the headlamp can turn on low or high with the first click but this too took me about 15 minutes to get the timing right. After that it is second nature. Now like the Rebel EOS what works for me may not work for everyone. Heck some people didn't like that headlamp not that I can see how or why. So maybe the H50b would better for you. Still you have a H50 so the only gain would be less flood maybe a little more throw and no glare shield and maybe a little better tint. Given that you have a H50 I would pick the H501.

Good advice Woods Walker. Since you have the EOS and H50 and H501, which of the Zebralights have the closest tint to the EOS? Is the EOS what you would call neutral/cool? I love that tint, and it doesn't seem warm or yellow to me. Not blue or green either.

Beacon of Light said:

Good advice Woods Walker. Since you have the EOS and H50 and H501, which of the Zebralights have the closest tint to the EOS? Is the EOS what you would call neutral/cool? I love that tint, and it doesn't seem warm or yellow to me. Not blue or green either.

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It is worse than that. I have the 4-mode Rebel EOS and the 2-mode Rebel EOS work light plus the Zebralights to boot. Oh man this place is killer. Now there is a lottery with the Rebel EOS too. My 2-mode EOS is neutral/cool but compared to the angry blue of my APEX 5mm 4 side LEDS could even be called warm however in reality this is more of a lack of blue than any yellow. Fooled my eye are first until I compare that Rebel to the warmer 4-mode EOS. The 4-mode is yellow/warm. For me the yellow/warm rules due to an unusual conflict between the AT trail markers and tree liken that grows on the same trees. Only the warmer tints (not squid **** green that makes me want to vomit) allows of easy separation between the markers and liken to my eye. Sounds like the Rebel EOS you got has the same neutral tint of my 2-mode EOS. The tint of this REBEL LED that PT used for that run has little angry blue or yellow. So if this is what you want the tint of the Q5 WD may be just what you are looking for, however with tint of any LED even the Q5 WD there is a range and tint is in the eye of the beholder. But I got to feel that your odds of getting a tint that matches the same neutral run of that particular Rebel used in your EOS is better with the WD that ZL seems to be putting in the newer runs. So my older H50 is too green on low, better on med and ok on high. The H501 is almost the same as the 2-mode Rebel EOS but would need to look a both lights side by side. If want I could do some beam shots of both the neutral 2-mode Rebel EOS and H501 against a white wall as my memory could be wrong.

Woods Walker, maybe it is just me not describing the tint too well. I just know from my limited experience I tend to like the cooler/neutral tints to the current trend of people wanting warm tints.

Here is an example of an animated .GIF from Selfbuilt demonstrating the TK20-Q2 to the L2D-Q5.



As you can see the TK20 is warm tinted. I prefer the cooler/neutral tint of the L2D. I am guessing most people prefer the warmer of the 2 tints, but that just reminds me of incandescents which is what I am glad we got away from with the advent of LEDs.

In any event my EOS tint looks more similar to the L2D tint in this picture than the TK20 tint. Which Zebralight can give me this cool colored tint?

Photos are worth 1000 words. I did this on the fly so not the best. Also in the real world both H501 and EOS are more alike than they appear at ranges beyond a foot.






The wall is a little eggshell so not pure white so this should be taken into account.

I guess I would take your beamshot with a grain of salt then. The EOS color still looks the most pure white even in your picture with the H501 looking yellow, and as floody and indistinct as the H50 is from the beamshot it actually looks cooler than the H501 and more to my liking (tint wise). I do prefer the H501 as it at least has somewhat of a hotspot even if it has a lot of spill to go along with it. In comparison the H50 just looks like 100% spill. I dunno I may like it but I know how much I like my EOS already.

Beacon of Light said:

I guess I would take your beamshot with a grain of salt then. The EOS color still looks the most pure white even in your picture with the H501 looking yellow, and as floody and indistinct as the H50 is from the beamshot it actually looks cooler than the H501 and more to my liking (tint wise). I do prefer the H501 as it at least has somewhat of a hotspot even if it has a lot of spill to go along with it. In comparison the H50 just looks like 100% spill. I dunno I may like it but I know how much I like my EOS already.

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The H50 is greenish and the H501 is more white than the photos show. The EOS is also less cool than one might think. Here take a look at this. 21 lumen Aurora that like many 5mm has a blueish tint though not very bad.

Maybe it's me then but I actually would prefer the bluish tint even over the greenish tint of the Zebralight. If the Aurora had a larger spill and a hotspot more diffused, I would prefer it just based on tint alone.

Woods Walker can you comment on the pic I posted. I am just wondering if what I am describing as cool/neutral is what everyone else is referring to as cool/neutral, thanks.

Here is another shot of the older H50.

Beacon of Light said:

Maybe it's me then but I actually would prefer the bluish tint even over the greenish tint of the Zebralight. If the Aurora had a larger spill and a hotspot more diffused, I would prefer it just based on tint alone.

Woods Walker can you comment on the pic I posted. I am just wondering if what I am describing as cool/neutral is what everyone else is referring to as cool/neutral, thanks.

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My older H50 is more greenish than the photos showed. I posted another beam shot of this that might help. Here is another that may help.




2-mode EOS is white with a hint of blue but this does not show up when used in the field. Point blank against a wall is kinda crazy. Warm 4-mode Rebel EOS is brighter and warmer than the other EOS. Guessing there is a lumen lottery too however the 2-mode is all of 50 lumens. Just this 4-mode seems more. A Tikka plus that is less blue than the Aurora in the other photo but like most 5mm blueIsh just the same.

Now I think cool/neutral is well a little blue mixed in with mostly white. However if I use the 4-mode EOS next to the H501 it sure looks cooler. But if I look at the beam of the 2-Mode EOS and H501 they are more alike than the 4-mode EOS and both less blue than the 5mm headlamps shown. Again tint is in the eye of the beholder.

Yoo said a whole bunch the last post but you didn't clarify from left to right what each light is. I prefer the tint of the light all the way to the left. Do not like the tint of the middle light AT ALL, and the tint on the right is a bit blue but I like it.

I guess after re-reading your post from left to right would be:

LEFT: 2 mode EOS (very white cool/neutral tint) MY FAVORITE TINT
CENTER: 4 mode EOS (very yellow almost incandescent) DO NOT WANT my 4 mode EOS looks nothing like it and I am glad I got lucky with the lottery then.
RIGHT: Next is the Tikka, kind of blue but I am probably one of the few that don't mind it and would prefer it over warm yellow/green ringy crees.

BOL,
You might want to pick one up off of BST. You might get find someone who got a cooler tint from the lottery and doesn't care for it.

I have a cool tint H50 and a Warm White H501, and I doubt I'll ever use the H50 again, even though I would just as soon have the twisty instead of the super sensitive clicky. The Warm beam is great. Neither the 80deg and 100 deg optics make a differnce to me, neither thows far enough to make a differnce.

I hope they keep the twisty in the lineup but add the recessed LED and updated electronics. I find the rubber glare shield mandatory on the H50, but consider it an after thought solution.

What I really want ZL to work on though is the H51. A small shallow reflector would provide just enough throw to increase the usefuless and you could still have an 80deg spill. Make it a twisty!