The case for the SC52 over the SC62...

Don't get me wrong, the new SC62w is one hell of an appealing light. I'm planning on picking one up. I doubt I'll carry it much though, and here's why:

I love 18650 lights. I love the runtime and the bump in output over a 14500. You gain some size, of course, but I can live with that. But to keep the size down, ZL gave up the 2 x CR123 option. So if the cell in the light in your pocket fails (even quality cells take a dump) you need an 18650. Even though expensive, CR123's can be had a variety of places. Not so for their larger, rarer counterpart.

Now the SC52... pretty decent on a 14500, still respectable on an alkaline or eneloop. If for some reason you're stuck with what's on your person (you're separated from your EDC bag or equivalent) an AA can be scavenged from a million places.

I know some guys carry backup lights since, as long as we're figuring cell failure we should consider light failure as well. I get that. But personally I've had more battery problems than light problems. My SC52w is unlikely to be unseated (unclipped) from my pocket for that very reason.

I'm almost all 18650 now, but I see your position. It's nice to have eneloops to fall back on in the SC52. Pretty much guaranteed to work


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An interesting opinion, but I will not let the cell my light uses dictate if I'd EDC it or not. For me comfort is king, and in spite of it's larger size I actually find the SC62 more comfortable in my pocket than the SC52.

I tend to have a spare 18650 on my person or close by in case it's needed, not to mention the SC52 that usually tags along with me as a backup

Compared to other AA lights, the SC52 is darn near unbeatable in both performance and size. That combined with battery versatility makes for a compelling argument indeed. Because of this, it's hard for me to say whether the SC52w or SC62w is my favorite light. Even if the 62 took primary CR123s, I still wouldn't consider as versatile as the 52.

So here's a question: what about ANY OTHER AA light* vs. the SC62?

*I don't like to consider custom or modded lights in these comparisons

Jeffg330 said:

An interesting opinion, but I will not let the cell my light uses dictate if I'd EDC it or not. For me comfort is king, and in spite of it's larger size I actually find the SC62 more comfortable in my pocket than the SC52.

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I agree. I think the SC62d definitely feels more comfortable in hand, and in my pocket. I'm not sure why since it's longer, but it just seems to stay put better. I think the SC52w is short enough it tries to twist sideways in my pocket.

Maybe it's just me, but I've never ever had an empty battery surprise me. Especially on a zebralight SC52 or the battery indicator is pretty accurate, and whenever it gets to two blips, I tend to either recharge the cell or bring another. Even without a battery meter, I'm still somewhat aware of how long a cell has been in my lights and how much I've used it. The only lights that have run dry on me have been AAA keychain lights that had been vampiring batteries from remote controls.

18650's aren't really that expensive anymore either. I just bought an eagletac 3400mAh for 16 euros (expensive) and another 2500mAh for under 7 euros. The second one is nice enough as a spare but in retrospect I kind of regret getting the 3400mAh. For the way I normally use my lights, it's very unlikely I'll drain a battery in a single trip. Still, it might come in handy and I use the 3400mAh in my predator now, which is on high a lot more than my other lights.

Still, while the SC52 is easily my favorite light to use, I rarely walk around with just one light. I think there's three in my bag, another two in the car, two in the living room, one in the kitchen drawers, one in a hall closet and three or four in my bedroom and one in my pocket right now...
I might need help.

TweakMDS said:

Maybe it's just me, but I've never ever had an empty battery surprise me. Especially on a zebralight SC52 or the battery indicator is pretty accurate, and whenever it gets to two blips, I tend to either recharge the cell or bring another.

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I've had my SC52's go flat on me a few times, but that's only when I've been using them on high for awhile (which drains the cell at 2.5 amps). The battery indicator on my SC52w-L2 is pretty good, but the indicator on my old SC52 may as well just do random blinks between 1-4, it's useless.

Normally I pop in a fresh Eneloop every day or two, so it's only on rare occasions that I run it down.

18650 availability or cost isn't where my issue lies. I have over a dozen different cells from AW, Nitecore, Olight, Panasonic and a few others. The problem is that they're too big (for me) to carry on my person. I have three spare 18650's (for other lights I have in my bag) in my EDC bag. But there are a lot of ways I could be separated from my bag but still have my EDC light on me. So, for me, better cell availability is desirable.

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One thing I dislike about the SC52w is how when the battery is partially depleted, the duration of 500 lumen turbo decreases. Instead of staying on for a minute in turbo, it might stay on for only 5 or 10 seconds. I'm hoping the SC62w doesn't do this.

I really have no need to have my EDC able to run on disposable cells so I'm not worried about the lack of CR123 support.

Incidentally, I recall reading that the original SC600 actually worked with 2xCR123, even though it was rated only for 1x18650. I wonder if the SC62w is like this. I'm not going to try it in my light though.

Zebralights H60 and H600 headlamps not being compatible with primaries is the reason why i dont buy them.
when i carry back up batteries, its always primaries.

zebras are not my ideal lights though, i prefer my simpler surefires with more throw, and a tail switch.

Similar to others, I usually have multiple batteries and lights around so running out of juice isn't realistic in my case.

BUT... The only lights that are going in my go-bag/emergency kit are lights that don't require rechargeable batteries. The sc52 is my choice because of 1)the relative ease of finding AA batteries and 2)L91 batteries have a good shelf life. If things ever go pear shaped, the sc52 is my best chance of having a decent flashlight.

No comparison between the SC62d and the fine SC52 for me. Living in an area that is probably more 'wide open' than some of you, I need more light and the SC52 simply can not sustain what I need. Not enough mAh. bottom line. Alkaline batteries sag and I hope to never have to rely on them again for serious illumination. Recently picked up a 15 watt solar charger, so now can charge 18650's in a more portable way as well. Definitely don't want to be lugging around several alkalines. One opinion.

KITROBASKIN said:

Recently picked up a 15 watt solar charger, so now can charge 18650's in a more portable way as well. Definitely don't want to be lugging around several alkalines. One opinion.

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I find it difficult to believe that "lugging around" a solar charger is any more convenient than lugging around some AA batteries.

I would carry both if I had them, they're small enough I could carry both comfortably and its always good to have a backup.

I'm my experience, lumens seem to count more in "wide open" areas (rural). Better night eyes with less light pollution equals more perceived performance. I remember an old HDS 120 that seemed like a freakin' lighthouse when camping because it was the only light source.

If I'm looking for AA performance, I'll bring out my D40a.

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WalkIntoTheLight said:

I find it difficult to believe that "lugging around" a solar charger is any more convenient than lugging around some AA batteries.

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In preparing for various contingencies; should there be some solar flare EMP event that knocks down the grid for an extended timeframe, I don't want to rely on half drained alkalines or have to be burdened with a finite supply of those primary batteries. I do carry a delrin capsule for a single 18650 (from Oveready) in my daypack and not the solar panel. Each of us makes our own decisions.

For regular indoor use, the handy SC52 should be fine, and 14500's are lightweight.

I recently bought an SC52w specifically for some of the reasons stated by Valpo Hawkeye. I like having a light that can use easily available AA batteries, and yet, can still make use of a 14500 lithium-ion to provide a lot of light for those rare occasions that I might need it. A very versatile, and cute, little light.

However, I use my lights at work, and the reason I moved up from a smaller RCR123 type light (NovaTac 120P) to an 18650 light is that I often need to use my light for hours on end, and while I do carry spare AA cells for the SC52w, in reality it's simply more convenient to have the longer runtime found with an 18650 cell.

Luckily, this is one of those debates where there is no right or wrong answer, just each person choosing whichever light they feel will suit their needs best.

I'd like to think I've lived up to the finest traditions of CPF, and bought both, along with a newly modded triple nichia SC600. I think it will be fun to rotate the lights for a while and see which one finally wins out as my favorite EDC.

Like many on this forum, the SC52(w) has become my most carried EDC light primarily due to the UI and size (size trumping batt. capacity for me), but I also really like the battery status indicator, side switch and cell flexibility as well...even though I just ordered the SC62w.

I did it mostly because I have been waiting/searching for a very small 18650 light but with many of ZL's features and could find nothing I liked that much until the SC62w was just released. It's (1) small enough to be an acceptable EDC size, (2) has ZL's great UI and feature set, (3) seems to be a super small 18650 light with a neutral option from an XM-L2 for a max output that's competitive with many "tactical" 18650 lights in the 1000 lumen range.

I have many 18650 lights that mostly languish in drawers because they're too big for EDC or I just don't like the UI as well as ZLs. I'm hoping that the SC62w will earn more pocket time than my other 18650 lights?

Valpo Hawkeye said:

Don't get me wrong, the new SC62w is one hell of an appealing light. I'm planning on picking one up. I doubt I'll carry it much though, and here's why:

I love 18650 lights. I love the runtime and the bump in output over a 14500. You gain some size, of course, but I can live with that. But to keep the size down, ZL gave up the 2 x CR123 option. So if the cell in the light in your pocket fails (even quality cells take a dump) you need an 18650. Even though expensive, CR123's can be had a variety of places. Not so for their larger, rarer counterpart.

Now the SC52... pretty decent on a 14500, still respectable on an alkaline or eneloop. If for some reason you're stuck with what's on your person (you're separated from your EDC bag or equivalent) an AA can be scavenged from a million places.

I know some guys carry backup lights since, as long as we're figuring cell failure we should consider light failure as well. I get that. But personally I've had more battery problems than light problems. My SC52w is unlikely to be unseated (unclipped) from my pocket for that very reason.

Click to expand...

ZL took out cr123a compatibility in order to optimize the circuit for a narrow voltage range. a moot point anyway coz these lights draw a lot of current, might trip the PTC on the cr123a, probably unsafe

if you're worried about cell failure then use bare unprotected 18650. no nipple, no metal strip, no PCB. very low probability of failure

i used to EDC sc52 but always found the runtime lacking so i now carry this, brighter than sc52 and about the same beam pattern, but not as powerful as sc600