Zebralight SC600Fd III Plus - XHP50

[TCY]

So I asked ZL on runtimes and here's the reply:


We are still looking at the areas (XHP50, higher CRI, or new driver) that may contribute to the somewhat different behavior of the SC600Fd III Plus in terms of efficiency. No conclusions yet. The runtimes are taken from a half dozen pre-production samples, and may get updated when the production samples are available (but I doubt the results will change a lot).

A slight chance of having better runtimes:thumbsup:

 

[snowlover91]

I imagine the reduced runtimes are probably a combination of the three things mentioned above. Certainly the new driver will need some tweaks done to further improve efficiency. The higher CRI likely has a big part in it as well. The runtimes as listed will be fine for me though and worth the tradeoff to have the high cri. Thanks for posting that info! ZL is probably sick of receiving emails from us lol!

 

[mico]

So I asked ZL on runtimes and here's the reply:


We are still looking at the areas (XHP50, higher CRI, or new driver) that may contribute to the somewhat different behavior of the SC600Fd III Plus in terms of efficiency. No conclusions yet. The runtimes are taken from a half dozen pre-production samples, and may get updated when the production samples are available (but I doubt the results will change a lot).

A slight chance of having better runtimes:thumbsup:

An unexpected ray of hope.

 

[lampeDépêche]

I'm not so sure. It may not be able to even make 25K at all especially with a Zebralight reflector. The XHP50 is not available in HI configuration and is a multi LED on a single die so it's going to be more floody from the beginning no matter what. So I think it would take more than replacing the frosted lens to make it a thrower capable of 25K cd.

You may be right, but remember that it is already measuring 19k with a frosted lens out front. So 25k is not that much of an increase.

And that 19k already takes account of the ZL reflector, the multi-die LED, and the other factors you are worried about. Those are already diminishing the throw in the floody version, and yet it is still putting out 19k. So is a 25% improvement with a clear lens really so far out of reach?

Put this differently: if it *does* do 25k with a clear lens, and 19k with a frosted lens, then the penalty for a frosted lens is about a 20% reduction in throw. I would have thought that the general penalty on moving from clear to frosted was a *greater* than 20% reduction in throw.

If someone knows the lux numbers for the other ZL models (e.g. H52 vs H52F; H600 vs. H600F), then we can quickly see how much of a percentage lux-penalty the floody front lens imposes. And then that should carry over to this model with fair accuracy.

 

[markr6]

I would also be willing to have some beam artifacts to allow for more throw. Of course I say this without even seeing the light. But even as a picky tint/beam snob, I still think a little "cross" or whatever shows up would be acceptable. I think my EC4S had that...on a perfectly white wall while squinting my eyes.

September is going by fast already! This wait isn't so bad after all.

Runtimes look OK to me. This isn't going to be my backpacking squeeze-every-ounce-of-battery light. I'll be recharging around 50-70% as usual, so I don't really need 50hours of runtime.

 

[TCY]

HI uses clear lens. No way it can do 19K with frosted lens.

 

[lampeDépêche]

Wooops! I just realized that I have been talking nonsense, and I apologize.

The 19k figure is one I read for the HI, over on the HI thread--and then I mistakenly thought it was the figure for the Plus with the Frosted Lens.

Now I realize--we don't know the figure for the Plus, because no one has their hands on one yet!!

Okay--forget all that stuff I said. It was totally based on my reading some reports about one light, and thinking they applied to a different light.

Sorry about that.

 

[TCY]

I would also be willing to have some beam artifacts to allow for more throw. Of course I say this without even seeing the light. But even as a picky tint/beam snob, I still think a little "cross" or whatever shows up would be acceptable. I think my EC4S had that...on a perfectly white wall while squinting my eyes.

September is going by fast already! This wait isn't so bad after all.

Runtimes look OK to me. This isn't going to be my backpacking squeeze-every-ounce-of-battery light. I'll be recharging around 50-70% as usual, so I don't really need 50hours of runtime.

Only 3.5 weeks till I get mine:devil:

 

[markr6]

Only 3.5 weeks till I get mine:devil:

I'm planning on another early arrival for mine. Fingers crossed!

 

[TCY]

I'm planning on another early arrival for mine. Fingers crossed!

So ZL used to say estimated shipping date to be xxx but you get yours earlier than that? Ok fingers crossed too lol!

 

[markr6]

So ZL used to say estimated shipping date to be xxx but you get yours earlier than that? Ok fingers crossed too lol!

It happened once before, or twice? I don't remember, but it was a pleasant surprise!

 

[snowlover91]

So ZL used to say estimated shipping date to be xxx but you get yours earlier than that? Ok fingers crossed too lol!

Mark just got his early because he kept bugging ZL and they wanted him quiet hahaha.

 

[TCY]

Alright let's go bug them:devil:

 

[scs]

Wow! The Plus's runtimes are a huge letdown compared to the regular MK3. Price to pay for high CRI?

 

[KeepingItLight]

Wow! The Plus's runtimes are a huge letdown compared to the regular MK3. Price to pay for high CRI?

Don't forget, the regular ZebraLight SC600w Mk. III uses the Cree XHP35 emitter.

The ZebraLight SC600Fd Mk. III Plus uses the Cree XHP50.

I don't know how much of a difference that makes, but it may be a factor.

 

[roger-roger]

Wow! The Plus's runtimes are a huge letdown compared to the regular MK3. Price to pay for high CRI?

Not sure of the issue exactly, so I'm apparently missing something on runtimes, or looking at the wrong column?

- SC600w MK3: H1 @ 1126 lm is listed at 2.2hr.
- SC600Fd MK3 Plus: H1 @ 1500 lm is listed at 2.3 hr.



Looking at the lm ratings of some of ZL headlamps, I get the impression ZL in their light intensity ratings, accounts for the loss created by the frosted lens. Is this correct?

http://www.zebralight.com/H52Fw-AA-Floody-Headlamp-Neutral-White_p_121.html

http://www.zebralight.com/H52w-AA-Headlamp-Neutral-White_p_120.html

 

[twistedraven]

Yes, their output numbers are ansi standard, so out of the front and after 30 seconds.

 

[scs]

Don't forget, the regular ZebraLight SC600w Mk. III uses the Cree XHP35 emitter.

The ZebraLight SC600Fd Mk. III Plus uses the Cree XHP50.

I don't know how much of a difference that makes, but it may be a factor.

Isn't the 50 at least as efficient if not more efficient than the 35?
I wonder whether the 50 is the 6v version.
Wouldn't a boost driver be able to drive a 6v 50 more efficiently than a 12v 35?

 

[scs]

Not sure of the issue exactly, so I'm apparently missing something on runtimes, or looking at the wrong column?

- SC600w MK3: H1 @ 1126 lm is listed at 2.2hr.
- SC600Fd MK3 Plus: H1 @ 1500 lm is listed at 2.3 hr.



Looking at the lm ratings of some of ZL headlamps, I get the impression ZL in their light intensity ratings, accounts for the loss created by the frosted lens. Is this correct?

http://www.zebralight.com/H52Fw-AA-Floody-Headlamp-Neutral-White_p_121.html

http://www.zebralight.com/H52w-AA-Headlamp-Neutral-White_p_120.html

I think it's difficult to compare the PID controlled levels, as it's unknown how the output changes throughout the runtimes.

Take a look at the sub 100 lumen modes.

Good point about the frosted lens reducing output though.

 

[noboneshotdog]

Run times look ok to me. I typically run my ZLs at the higher outputs anyways and those are in line with past models. :twothumbs