Zebralight - Newer doesn't mean better

PayBack · May 2, 2011

I have to say I'm a bit disappointed in my two new Zebralights.

I should first point out the H30 is one of, if not my favourite light. Zebralight made their name on this light IIRC and the reviews heaped praise on the little light that gave such a lovely smooth flood. The same was true of the H50.

So I got an H51F and despite the higher output, I think it has many steps backwards.

1. It's much bigger than the H50
2. It claims an 90 degree flood, yet it's actually much smaller than the H50's 80 degree flood.
3. It has a bright spot in the middle, fading out to the edges, no smooth flood.

Much of this is down to the lens. They've failed trying to counter the len and bring back the flood that got them noticed.

Oh and it's supposed to have a GITD ring at the bottom.... mine doesn't. My H30 can have a GITD button (this is so handy) but no such option any more.

Sorry if anyone thinks I'm nit picking, but when you see what "progress" has done to your favourite light, it's not nice

romteb · May 2, 2011

You probably wanted a H501 wich is the "all flood" model, the H51 is the reflectored version.

pjandyho · May 2, 2011

I know what you mean PayBack. I too feel the hot-spot free version of Zebralight to be best for all round use. There's no need for me to keep adjusting the beam just so as to get it to shine on where I would like it to shine. You are not being nit-picky. The hot spot free beam was what got Zebralight noticed by many here in CPF and they should keep up that tradition they started. But all said, I too love the H51Fw just because it is much more powerful, and although I don't need that much of power on my headlamp, it is nice to have. Maybe Zebralight could make a mule version of it with XM-L and without a reflector?

New User · May 2, 2011

I for one would love a new Zebralight that has the same beam as the H501. I was also not impressed with the H51, it is basically just a diffuser, not as neat as the cricle of light from the H501.

skyfire · May 2, 2011

i agree, im a big fan of zebralight for their eariler designs. compact, with a beautiful flood.
ive purchased 4 ZLs since my H501w, and all but 1 of those I dont have anymore. and im thinking of selling, or gifting H31w as well.

i would of liked new versions of the H501w and H30w, with its even flood, compact size, and more output.
but ZL decided to just stick on a diffusor film on the lens for their new "flood" models.

Spark headlamps are looking nicer and nicer these days...

PayBack · May 2, 2011

romteb said:
You probably wanted a H501 wich is the "all flood" model, the H51 is the reflectored version.

No I got the H51F which they tout as the new flood version with 90 degree flood. Which just isn't true.

PayBack · May 2, 2011

Well Zebralight, they say for every 1 that posts, 100 agree but don't bother posting. So how about a limited run of your old H30 design? I for one would buy 3 or 4 !!

:hitit:

ZebraLight · May 2, 2011

There will be an H502 (XM-L, <2.9"), slated for release in Q4 this year. The H50 has a negative meniscus lens. The H501 uses a positive meniscus lens. Both are made of polycarbonate. The H502 will use a plano-convex lens (optical grade glass, tempered, AR coated on both sides). We'll have a link to a google docs sheet in 1 or 2 days for all current and upcoming models.

srfreddy · May 2, 2011

And is there a planned release of a reflectored XML AA, or 18650, headlamp? The H502 is exciting for the pure floodists on here, but I prefer a somewhat defined hotspot.

turboBB · May 3, 2011

Woo hoo! Finally, an upgrade to the venerable H501! Can't wait for this H502! If beam profile is anything like the H501 but just brighter and hopefully more efficient then you'd have an instant winner. Try as I may, I find it impossible to replace my H501 and I have quite a few headlamps now (and still growing...).

EDIT: Support for 14500 would be a major plus!

Cheers,
Tim

davidt1 · May 3, 2011

ZebraLight said:
There will be an H502 (XM-L, <2.9"), slated for release in Q4 this year. The H50 has a negative meniscus lens. The H501 uses a positive meniscus lens. Both are made of polycarbonate. The H502 will use a plano-convex lens (optical grade glass, tempered, AR coated on both sides). We'll have a link to a google docs sheet in 1 or 2 days for all current and upcoming models.

Love my H501 and H51w. Hopefully the H502 will combine the strengths of both. I am in for the NW version. Thanks for the information.

Zeruel · May 3, 2011

ZebraLight said:
There will be an H502 (XM-L, <2.9"), slated for release in Q4 this year. The H50 has a negative meniscus lens. The H501 uses a positive meniscus lens. Both are made of polycarbonate. The H502 will use a plano-convex lens (optical grade glass, tempered, AR coated on both sides). We'll have a link to a google docs sheet in 1 or 2 days for all current and upcoming models.

Support for 14500 and NW version as well. :hitit:

Please also consider adding a groove on the head end for the clip to be used both ways, kind of weird that the light is "upside down" right now when clipped to gear.

hazna · May 3, 2011

Considering the brightness they can get out of a nimh AA, support for 14500 is nice, but I feel not necessary. Previously the major benefit I saw from using a 14500 was the boost in brightness, now that you can get a similar boost from a NiMH, its not a big deal.

The H501 gave a nice perfectly even flood, but it wasn't bright enough for my liking. It perfect for close range applications, but given a choice between the h501 and h51f (both of which I have), I prefer the h51F as it offer a wider range of uses.

JA(me)S · May 3, 2011

Zeruel said:
Please also consider adding a groove on the head end for the clip to be used both ways, kind of weird that the light is "upside down" right now when clipped to gear.

I know ZL read and viewed the second pic in this post...:thumbsup:

- Jas.

JA(me)S · May 3, 2011

hazna said:
Considering the brightness they can get out of a nimh AA, support for 14500 is nice, but I feel not necessary. Previously the major benefit I saw from using a 14500 was the boost in brightness, now that you can get a similar boost from a NiMH, its not a big deal.

I completely agree with you hazna: 14500 support would be nice, though not necessary - especially if at the cost of NiMH performance.

- Jas.

Woods Walker · May 3, 2011

The H501 works best in camp rather than on the trail. Never got the H51 as my Fenix HL20 fills the roll of spot 1XAA headlamp just fine for now. If ZL makes a H502 which is better (in real world use not on paper) I will bite. The H501 was something special.
.

ZebraLight · May 3, 2011

hazna said:
Considering the brightness they can get out of a nimh AA, support for 14500 is nice, but I feel not necessary. Previously the major benefit I saw from using a 14500 was the boost in brightness, now that you can get a similar boost from a NiMH, its not a big deal.

The H501 gave a nice perfectly even flood, but it wasn't bright enough for my liking. It perfect for close range applications, but given a choice between the h501 and h51f (both of which I have), I prefer the h51F as it offer a wider range of uses.

The H502, along with T5 (a new 1AA model, tail clicky, to be manufactured in the U.S.), will use a more powerfull AND efficient 1AA circuit than the 51 circuit.

When we had to pick how 'frosted' the lens should be for the 'F' lights, we decided to have something in the middle of the H51 and H501.

JA(me)S · May 3, 2011

ZebraLight said:
The H502, along with T5 (a new 1AA model, tail clicky, to be manufactured in the U.S.), will use a more powerfull AND efficient 1AA circuit than the 51 circuit.

There isn't one word in this sentence I don't find pleasing...

-Jas.

B0wz3r · May 3, 2011

As far as I'm concerned, from the lights from them I have, and from what they're working on, ZL is doing (nearly) everything right. I agree that the in-between of the F models is the best solution for the widest possible range of uses, and that 14500 support isn't necessary. In fact, my understanding, and I'm not an electrical engineer mind you, is that one of the reasons they've been able to get such good performance out of a nimh is by narrowing the voltage range of the driver, which means no 14500 support. That's fine by me.

The only thing different that I'd like to see would be cool and neutral tints released at the same time. I would really love to get an SC600; I could make such good use of it for so many things, like biking, camping, EDC, and so on, but I simply won't buy one unless it's available in a neutral tint. I loathe cool tints and since my 'conversion', I have yet to see a single light in a cool tint that is compelling enough to buy with a cool tint emitter. Lotsa lumens is fun, but to my mind what make a light truly useful is tint, CRI, and beam pattern.

I'm saving my pennies for an SC51c...

ZebraLight · May 3, 2011

B0wz3r said:
As far as I'm concerned, from the lights from them I have, and from what they're working on, ZL is doing (nearly) everything right. I agree that the in-between of the F models is the best solution for the widest possible range of uses, and that 14500 support isn't necessary. In fact, my understanding, and I'm not an electrical engineer mind you, is that one of the reasons they've been able to get such good performance out of a nimh is by narrowing the voltage range of the driver, which means no 14500 support. That's fine by me.

The only thing different that I'd like to see would be cool and neutral tints released at the same time. I would really love to get an SC600; I could make such good use of it for so many things, like biking, camping, EDC, and so on, but I simply won't buy one unless it's available in a neutral tint. I loathe cool tints and since my 'conversion', I have yet to see a single light in a cool tint that is compelling enough to buy with a cool tint emitter. Lotsa lumens is fun, but to my mind what make a light truly useful is tint, CRI, and beam pattern.

I'm saving my pennies for an SC51c...

The 51 circuit is evolved from the SC50 circuit. We 'turned off' the 14500 support because of the safety concerns of 14500 batteries.

We'll release the SC600w as soon as we can get the LEDs with the EXACT bin and tint we like (very picky here). We were told by our distributor that it may take 3-4 months.

Zebralight - Newer doesn't mean better

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