Zebralight SC52 EDC/long term use impressions

Wiggle

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I have had my Zebralight SC52 for almost two years and wanted to post some long-term impressions for anyone considering this torch.

My Usage

This light is my typical EDC (every day carry) torch. It is usually carried in my front jeans pocket along with a wallet and, beginning about 5 months ago, a small Gerber Paraframe folding pocket knife. I try to keep the knife and SC52 separate but sometimes they rub against each other, especially the protruding thumb stud on the knife. I carry this light at least 90% of the time I go out. Only occasionally I will go for a slimmer fitting penlight while wearing certain types of dress pants.

I also use the light around the house, sometimes using it to provide ceiling bounce soft lighting. The SC52 is excellent for this as it provides a very stable, non-wobbling stance. Better than any other 1xAA light I have encountered. I tend to favor other lights for dedicated outdoor tasks as I sometimes prefer the longer runtimes and punchier output of 18650 lights but the SC52 still sees use in outdoor and rougher scenarios periodically. I've used the SC52 almost exclusively on 14500 li-ion cells. In fact I've used the same Zebralight Panasonic based 14500 for almost all of the usage of this light for two years.

The SC52 is treated reasonably well but has seen some drops onto some hard surfaces and exposure to rain water, puddles and cold temperatures.

Performance/Impressions

I am happy to report that the SC52 has met or exceeded all my expectations for performance of a small EDC-style light. The output capability relative to battery source and physical size is still at or near the top of the class even two years later. The output levels are well selected and are capable of providing the right output for almost any scenario I can envision needing. The 500 lumen Turbo mode is particularly impressive even if its runtime is limited due to thermal concerns. The lower levels are well spaced and, even though the moonlight modes do not meet their specification, I find there is rarely or never a time when I am unable to find an output level appropriate for the task I am doing.

One feature I find particularly helpful is the integral battery meter. While some have reported that theirs does not work well with AA cells I know that personally my meter works very well with my cell of choice: the 14500 Li-ion. This feature is useful because I like being able to have a quick confirmation that my cell is full so I don't waste my time charging a full or nearly full cell. This is a big time saver because, with a Li-ion cell especially, I feel that there is no good reason to not have a full cell at all times but at the same time it doesn't require me to open the light and take a voltage reading to make that choice.

Physically the light has held up quite well. Considering all the usage it has received it is still in excellent condition. The anodizing has held unexpectedly well well and only shows some light wear on the sharpest transition points on the aluminum body. It has held up noticeably better than my previous EDC (a Quark AA-Tactical XP-G R5). There was only one physical aspect of the light I was not a huge fan of, the stock clip. It was not the worst clip I had ever seen but I had a hard time with it and found the pressure excessive. I replaced it with a Nitecore Titanium clip that performs better and also, in my opinion, looks better.

I am also a big fan of the UI. For a dedicated outdoor task I tend to prefer torches with forward clicky switches and a mode selection style usually involving head position or a control ring. But for EDC use, I feel like this UI is very close to ideal. I am able to very quickly and consistently get into the right mode and all while only requiring one hand. The only issue I have ever had is when I want to get into my alternative "High" mode. This sometimes can result in getting into low by accident if enough delay is not left between the first single-click and the follow-up double-click but this is rare. On a side note as well, I've never had a single accidental activation of the SC52 in the entire time I've owned it.

My SC52 after two years of EDC and general use:

WP_20141219_003_zps9aa1d6e4.jpg


Please leave your comments or any other long term impressions below.
 
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WalkIntoTheLight

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I agree with everything you said. I prefer the harder switch and no-blinkies interface of the SC52 over the newer SC52-L2, but the newer one is okay too. Mode spacing is great, and easy access to 6 modes.

My only issue is that max brightness on a AA Eneloop is really only achievable when the cell is freshly charged. After a few minutes of use, it probably loses about 20-25% in brightness. Still very good for a single AA, though.

Not a great outdoor light. Too floody to see much past about 30 metres. Excellent indoor light. I also use it as a bike light, with a velcro holder. Limited use with only an hour run-time on max, but good enough for a short ride.
 

Wiggle

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My only issue is that max brightness on a AA Eneloop is really only achievable when the cell is freshly charged. After a few minutes of use, it probably loses about 20-25% in brightness. Still very good for a single AA, though.

Not a great outdoor light. Too floody to see much past about 30 metres. Excellent indoor light. I also use it as a bike light, with a velcro holder. Limited use with only an hour run-time on max, but good enough for a short ride.

Yep the max mode on an Eneloop for me also does taper. On 14500 the behavior is nice: You get 500 lumens for a minute and then it drops to a nearly ruler flat 280 lumens for the rest of the run. For bike light use you may also want to use the highest H2 setting (172 lumens I believe), the output isn't much less and you get significantly more usable runtime.
 

cyclesport

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+1 and largely in agreement your entire assessment! I've also held on to my first SC52 and SC52w (also around two yrs. old and run exclusively on 14500's) and they are still my most used EDC lights...even after buying the excellent SC62w, which I only carry if I know I'll need the extra run time. Really quite incredible how well these lights are aging, both from a technology standpoint, and sheer rugged build, surviving numerous drops and general EDC abuse. I even like the clip after some ScotchBrite work to remove the shiny bling. *Even the switch boots, which I thought would have worn through by now, show little wear?

In these days when tech gadgets useable lifespans are measured in weeks...it's remarkable that the UI, output, beam quality, and form factor are still cutting edge competitive with the SC52(w).
 

KITROBASKIN

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I have a 2013 year, model SC52 with the green tint. Since tint preference has become important, and my mother wanted a brighter light, I gave it to her. My opinion currently, it was not such a great idea to let my 81 year old mother keep it. She probably forgot how to utilize the simple 3 mode options and probably fell asleep with the light on while reading. She claimed the battery runtime was not very much. I told her to only use lithium primary AA's to keep things simple and hopefully safe. Well, she is visiting now and I have offered her another flashlight but she wants to keep the ZL. Small size and very bright output are her reasons. It has been living at the bottom of her purse. After cleaning the particles off of the o-ring area, I used a one half minus green LEE Filter that just looks fantastic, if you are fine with the cool side of neutral. The color rendering is amazing for what it is. The filter was applied on the outside of the lens with two small specks of double stick tape on opposite sides of the periphery. A 14500 battery is the way to go, in my opinion. Now if I can just get her to remember about the modes.


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WalkIntoTheLight

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She claimed the battery runtime was not very much.

It isn't, on max. The interface is set up so it comes on in max for novice users that don't know about press-and-hold or double-click. You only get about an hour run-time. That's fine for most tasks, but I tend to change the Eneloop in mine almost every day or two. If I didn't like using rechargeables, the SC52 wouldn't be my choice for a light. An 81 year old would probably get better use from a 2xD light or something like that, and just replace the alkaleaks once a year.
 

KITROBASKIN

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It isn't, on max. The interface is set up so it comes on in max for novice users that don't know about press-and-hold or double-click. You only get about an hour run-time. That's fine for most tasks, but I tend to change the Eneloop in mine almost every day or two. If I didn't like using rechargeables, the SC52 wouldn't be my choice for a light. An 81 year old would probably get better use from a 2xD light or something like that, and just replace the alkaleaks once a year.

You have my agreement. Numerous times she was instructed about the press-and-hold method. I asked her to read my post. She claims she does not read with it; only wants it for bright mode. She needed to water her garden at night once last Summer and was pleased with the brightness. I am guessing she did not notice the stepdown after, what, a minute? Do you think I should set it to the second highest light level? She absolutely does not want a larger flashlight because she keeps it in her purse. Rechargeables, even NiMh, I am afraid are too complicated for her. She nodded yes when I voiced the idea of rechargeables being too involved. She does not use it that much. It is great to have an SC52 in hand again, though. And I much prefer that lighter anodizing.


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Derek Dean

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Funny, but I had expected to sell my SC52w when I got the SC62w, but I just LOVE the little SC52w. It's now my around the house light. I use the SC62w as my EDC for anytime I leave the house or go to work, but when I get home, the SC62w goes on the table and the SC52w goes right in my pocket for all those little peeking behind things, or looking in closets, or any number of things where I find I need a quick bit of light. I'm also one that likes using it with the 14500 cell, and yes, I LOVE how easy it is to check the battery with the built-in meter.

KITROBASKIN, it's always nice to take a light with a green tint and, with only a bit of effort, watch it transform into a beautifully tinted light. I wonder if your mother noticed the difference?
 

AVService

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I too have had mine since the day it came out and it is in my pocket every day all day too.
No issues at all except snagging the clip a few times and needing to remove and rebend it before screwing it back into place.

I carry it and a Fenix LD12 in the same pocket and use the ZL for close work and the Fenix for some throw and for me they are a perfect pair.
I work in racks all day long and in attics,crawl spaces and just darkness in search of wiring and electronics that have gone bad and the main power for mine are standard disposable batteries,I just can not get myself to run rechargeables in a practical way and I might go through 4 to 8 batteries a day really.

Just an amazing reliable and easy to use light in almost every situation and with the LD12 I rarely need anything else unless camping or in a darkened arena or barn of some kind.

I lost my LD12 again recently and immediately ordered a replacement and of course I found the light before the new/spare was delivered and the only other light that I have that I would do the same for is the SC52!
I also have an H52 and 502 and they have performed exactly the same way for me as the original.

Everyone that sees mine orders one too.:

twothumbs
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AVService

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I too have had mine since the day it came out...I just can not get myself to run rechargeables in a practical way and I might go through 4 to 8 batteries a day really.
Sounds like you need a SC62/SC62w?:whistle:

I realize it sounds that way but I already have several 18650 lights and the whole problem for me is that I use a light so much that I can not become obsessed with charging and thats what it would take to be able to rely on them.
I also would need to track the dead ones and remember to charge and so far I am just not willing to go there enough to get it done.

I just do not have any real problems using Alkaline's in work lights. I buy them cheap and just keep going. I have not had any leak in constant use lights and they are available everywhere which is why both of my main lights use them.
 

KITROBASKIN

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What a treat it is to see the lights AVService uses on the job. And if disposables work for your profession, so be it.

Derek Dean is the person who has introduced tint alteration to many of us. His thread on the matter is enlightening.

And no; my mother said it would be OK if I used the filter for one of my other lights. No way am I removing it. When I enter the room she is using, I am always picking her light up and looking for an excuse to use it. That SC52 brought me into the world of compact powerhouse flashlights. And now that the tint is so nice, it's love all over again: Truly an iconic light.
 

cyclesport

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I too have had mine since the day it came out...I just can not get myself to run rechargeables in a practical way and I might go through 4 to 8 batteries a day really.

I realize it sounds that way but I already have several 18650 lights and the whole problem for me is that I use a light so much that I can not become obsessed with charging and thats what it would take to be able to rely on them.
I also would need to track the dead ones and remember to charge and so far I am just not willing to go there enough to get it done.

I just do not have any real problems using Alkaline's in work lights. I buy them cheap and just keep going. I have not had any leak in constant use lights and they are available everywhere which is why both of my main lights use them.

I understand...glad your system works for ya'!:D *I used to have the "when to charge which cell" confusion too until I started dating and numbering cells w/a paint pen.
 

AVService

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I understand...glad your system works for ya'!:D *I used to have the "when to charge which cell" confusion too until I started dating and numbering cells w/a paint pen.
This is not what its about either.
Not to put too fine a point on this but for me to have another thing to maintain at the end of the day is just not in the cards for me.
In Winter it is somewhat easier a proposition I guess as I have more pockets handy for good and bad batteries and the ability to keep them segregated but then I still need to remember to bring them inside and stick them into the Maha to get juiced up again. I am not opposed to the idea at all but the reality is that I seem to maintain the routine for a few days at most and then I have batteries dead all over the place.

I got into Eneloops for Photo Flashes but that is a different application for me altogether.

While working I will be somewhere dark on a ladder with tools over my head when......Bam!darkness!
So I carry 4 main lights all the time when working but mostly use those 2 in my right front pocket so I can pull a new one and put the dead one in the pocket and keep working.

So when able I stick a fresh Alkaline in the dead light and go to the next task.

It just doesn't lend itself to using rechargeable's to me.
 

StorminMatt

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My SC52w has done well over the last year and a few months. I think what I REALLY like about it is that it is a small, easily pocketed light that is capable in situations above and beyond typical EDC use. For instance, it actually lights up a trail quite well if I take it on an unexpected hike. And although my SC62w/d might be more appropriate in this situation, I actually find that the SC52 and a box with four extra batteries can be LESS intrusive in my pockets. Also, in many situations, the SC52 provides ample light for my needs. This is even true with the less bright SC52d. I should also note that, as others have said, this light is just plain BETTER with a 14500. I have four unprotected Sanyo UR14500s that I use with this light (you know, the pink ones). And I just LOVE the flat regulation I get at 280 lumens. I will use NiMH in a pinch, but NEVER alkalines. Besides, alkalines just don't have the oomph to maintain H1.

With this said, I do have a couple of gripes about the light. First of all, why a dumb, timer-based stepdown for the 500 lumen mode? Zebralight has a great PID control system that it uses on all of their other lights, including the upcoming SC32 models. And since all of these lights use the same heads now, there's no reason why the SC52 couldn't dissipate enough heat to run brighter longer just like the SC32/62 lights. And speaking of the 500 lumen mode, I would like to see a better control for it. I never liked the idea that I HAVE to go into the 500 lumen mode and wait a minute before getting 280 lumens. This wastes battery life when 500 lumens are not needed. And it may give you too much light for a minute, forcing you to wait. I understand that the H1 situation is made somewhat difficult because of the need to accommodate NiMH in addition to lithium. But there HAS to be a way. Perhaps the 500 lumen mode can be accessed with a few short clicks, similar to strobe. How about it, Zebralight?
 

WalkIntoTheLight

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For bike light use you may also want to use the highest H2 setting (172 lumens I believe), the output isn't much less and you get significantly more usable runtime.

Good suggestion. I just tried it, and I get 30 minutes more run-time on H2a than I do on H1. Up until now, I've always used H2b as my secondary high mode, because I figured the difference between H1 and H2a wasn't worth it. Thanks!
 

Wiggle

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I too have had mine since the day it came out and it is in my pocket every day all day too.
No issues at all except snagging the clip a few times and needing to remove and rebend it before screwing it back into place.

I carry it and a Fenix LD12 in the same pocket and use the ZL for close work and the Fenix for some throw and for me they are a perfect pair.
I work in racks all day long and in attics,crawl spaces and just darkness in search of wiring and electronics that have gone bad and the main power for mine are standard disposable batteries,I just can not get myself to run rechargeables in a practical way and I might go through 4 to 8 batteries a day really.

Just an amazing reliable and easy to use light in almost every situation and with the LD12 I rarely need anything else unless camping or in a darkened arena or barn of some kind.

I lost my LD12 again recently and immediately ordered a replacement and of course I found the light before the new/spare was delivered and the only other light that I have that I would do the same for is the SC52!
I also have an H52 and 502 and they have performed exactly the same way for me as the original.

AVService,
Wow I have had my light quite a while but for pure usage your story seems to really prove the long term durability of both the SC52 and the LD12.

Have you ever considered going to the SC62 to reduce the number of battery changes you do everyday?
 

cyclesport

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AVService,
Wow I have had my light quite a while but for pure usage your story seems to really prove the long term durability of both the SC52 and the LD12.

Have you ever considered going to the SC62 to reduce the number of battery changes you do everyday?

See posts #10, 11, 13, and 14.
 

Wiggle

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I'm seeing blank posts.

Edit: Wasn't seeing those posts on my mobile for some reason. Looks like it wasn't my idea first :)
 
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