It's here the Zebralight SC5C MK II H CRI

[gunga]

I have an update for those interested.

I sent my Zebralights (Sc5c II and h53c) back due to some nicks and scrapes I did not appreciate, along with some rather nasty tint variation. After some negotiation, they agreed to pay for the majority of the the return shipping cost (to the states).

After a delay of a week or so, the new lights shipped from China (I'm in Canada). I insisted they ship via ems since that was what was originally paid for. An extra one to two month wait was not acceptable.

In any case, I'm pretty pleased. While not 100% perfect (what is?), these are a definite improvement. The LED Centering seems spot on for both. The fit and finish is excellent as it should be (no noticeable splotches in the anodizing, bad nicks etc). The tint seems improved. There is still tint variation, and the corona is still not pretty (touch of green) but it seems better. This is all subjective of course.

As before, the beam and tint is very pleasant in use, I don't notice any issues with the beam and tint when I'm not staring at a white wall. It's nice and somewhat warm (which is my preference). Also, when the beam is blended with a diffusion film the tint is smooth and uniform.

Overall I'm very pleased now and wish they had gotten it right the first time. At least was able to exchange the original lights. Kudos for some nice customer service.

 

[Swede74]

I have an update for those interested.


I sent my Zebralights (Sc5c II and h53c) back due to some nicks and scrapes I did not appreciate, along with some rather nasty tint variation. After some negotiation, they agreed to pay for the majority of the the return shipping cost (to the states).


After a delay of a week or so, the new lights shipped from China (I'm in Canada). I insisted they ship via ems since that was what was originally paid for. An extra one to two month wait was not acceptable.


In any case, I'm pretty pleased. While not 100% perfect (what is?), these are a definite improvement. The LED Centering seems spot on for both. The fit and finish is excellent as it should be (no noticeable splotches in the anodizing, bad nicks etc). The tint seems improved. There is still tint variation, and the corona is still not pretty (touch of green) but it seems better. This is all subjective of course.


As before, the beam and tint is very pleasant in use, I don't notice any issues with the beam and tint when I'm not staring at a white wall. It's nice and somewhat warm (which is my preference). Also, when the beam is blended with a diffusion film the tint is smooth and uniform.


Overall I'm very pleased now and wish they had gotten it right the first time. At least was able to exchange the original lights. Kudos for some nice customer service.

I think I have discovered what could be a firmware bug. In mode group G7 (possibly also G6) if I program M1 or M2 to max output, the 3-min step-down is disabled, or non-existent. I let the light run for well over four minutes, at which point it was quite hot to the touch but not alarmingly so.

If you have the time, perhaps you could program any other level than H1 in mode group 6 or 7 to max output on your new SC5c II, and let it run for >3 minutes? I would like to know if they have addressed the issue with the 3-min step-down working only if you leave max output in its original H1 "mode slot".

 

[iamlucky13]

Gunga, do you have any thoughts on how your SC5C compares to your Reylight Ti Lan? I know they're rather different - the former with more modes, an electronic button, and the resources of a larger company to help refine it, the latter with a rear clicky, more pocketable, and far a more attractive, premium body material, but they're both high CRI AA lights in a similar price range.

How do you think the XP-L2 compares to the 219C aside from the former obviously being capable of higher output levels, but perhaps being more of a tint lottery.

 

[Antal gábor]

If you have the time, perhaps you could program any other level than H1 in mode group 6 or 7 to max output on your new SC5c II, and let it run for >3 minutes? I would like to know if they have addressed the issue with the 3-min step-down working only if you leave max output in its original H1 "mode slot".

Dear Swede74! This question did not let me rest, so I wrote to the customer service! ... they said:

Customer
6/29/2017 10:45:25 AM Dear Zebralight, I bought two sc5c ll flashlights.I would like to believe it works according to the specifications ... but before I have some questions !!! 1): When I set the light to the g6 or g7 group and the maximum brightness (475 lumens [No matter if H1-H2 or M1-M2 or L1-L2]) I'll let it run for more than 3 minutes, but the light will not go down to 352 lumens !!! Go ahead 475 lumens and the light is very hot !! This is a normal phenomenon or my flashlight is defective? If this is normal then I have to worry about burning the electronics or can I run the light while the battery is running out? Note: Everything in the g5 group works well The above-described phenomenon is the same in both light Works! 2): Is the low battery warning feature removed from the Sc5 models?

Staff (Administrator)
6/29/2017 11:46:59 PM To your questions:
1) We have not decided whether or not to have a timer on the highest output level yet. The 475Lm output will be 'hot', but the max temperature will be less than 65 degree Celsius, and is within the safe working limit of all electronic components and the battery.
2) No.

Customer
6/30/2017 12:39:13 AM Thanks for the quick and reassuring answer! Sincerely, Gábor Antal.

I think this is very good !!! This is a real Little Hot-Rod !!!

 

[TCY]

So the light has been out for two months and they still don't know if they should include the step down feature on turbo?

 

[Antal gábor]

So the light has been out for two months and they still don't know if they should include the step down feature on turbo?

Now we know !!! But it's cool !!! ... it's like if a BMW could turn off the speed limit !!! FACTORY !!! This is a good opportunity to get the maximum, impunity!

 

[Swede74]

Thank you for the information Antal gábor (and Zebralight).

It is good to know that my light is not the only one exhibiting this behaviour. Although a part of Zebralight's response is somewhat peculiar: "We have not decided whether or not to have a timer on the highest output level yet" when the light, as TCY noted, has been out for two months; what they said about the max temperature being less than 65 °C is reassuring and has helped me decide that the lack of a timer in mode groups G6 and G7 is a feature, not a bug.

 

[Antal gábor]

I think Zebralight referred to the third generation. Sc5c ll and its brothers are relative "low power" so there is no need for a step down or PID circuit! Then maybe the Mklll generation gets PID circuit! I hope you will not have a problem during long-term use! Then time will tell you. But I'm calm because Zebra knows what he is doing!

 

[autoxer]

Here is how I set mine up, you may want to try it as it works great for me.

Single click - I programmed my low settings of choice here, a 3 lumen and around .28 lumen setting.
Double click - This is my high mode, when I double click from off you don't get a weird preflash you can see since the single click is low. Works out great.
Press/hold - This is my medium setting, I put my most used level here which is 79 lumens. If I need more light I just hold a bit longer and get the high. The only thing you'll notice with the press/hold setup like this is it'll very briefly start at the L1 level and then kick up to your medium setting.

The reason this setup works so well is I have instant click to low, if I need more than that I just press/hold and it cycles to M then H. From off if I need medium it's quickly accessible with the press and hold and if I want high from off it will just take two quick clicks. This seems to be the best setup for how I use my light, since I use the 79 lumen and moonlight modes the most. Maybe try setting this on your G6 or G7 and see how you like it? Hope this helps

I just wanted to chime in to say thanks for this setup advice!! I received my SC5w MKII yesterday - my first Zebralight. After playing with it in G5 for a while, I really wanted single click low and double click high. I found your post and set up my G6 exactly like this, and I feel it's perfect now. It makes more sense in my brain and is a very natural configuration for me.

 

[snowlover91]

I just wanted to chime in to say thanks for this setup advice!! I received my SC5w MKII yesterday - my first Zebralight. After playing with it in G5 for a while, I really wanted single click low and double click high. I found your post and set up my G6 exactly like this, and I feel it's perfect now. It makes more sense in my brain and is a very natural configuration for me.

Awesome, glad it worked for you!! I thought for several weeks about the best setup and this one seemed the most practical, easy to use and prevents the bright preflash issue. I usually click for low, then if it's not enough just press/hold until medium or high works. For the rare times I need high from off it's just two clicks away! Enjoy the light, they're tough as mine survived a washing machine due to my 18 month old putting it in there lol.

 

[Swede74]

I think Zebralight referred to the third generation. Sc5c ll and its brothers are relative "low power" so there is no need for a step down or PID circuit! Then maybe the Mklll generation gets PID circuit! I hope you will not have a problem during long-term use! Then time will tell you. But I'm calm because Zebra knows what he is doing!

I am not sure I would call the SC5c and its brothers "low power". It is true that they do not put out as much light as the SC600 and SC6x models, but they are also smaller and less efficient at dissipating heat. Perhaps a timed step-down or PID is not absolutely necessary on the SC5c, but if there was no need for it at all, why would there be a step-down in mode group G5 (and not in G6/G7)?

Anyway, while I still think Zebralight has not quite answered your question, I am no longer worried that if I run my light in turbo until the cell is depleted, it might damage the electronics. It may be safe to do so, but the runtime you get out of an Eneloop Pro will be very short, plus it will probably cause the cell to age prematurely, so I am not going to run the light on turbo deliberately for more than three minutes, except for testing purposes.

 

[gunga]

I just got my replacement lights and have not tried this yet. The only issue I can think of is that I still have some Zebralights with the old firmware. I might get mixed up.

 

[Antal gábor]

I am not sure I would call the SC5c and its brothers "low power". It is true that they do not put out as much light as the SC600 and SC6x models, but they are also smaller and less efficient at dissipating heat. Perhaps a timed step-down or PID is not absolutely necessary on the SC5c, but if there was no need for it at all, why would there be a step-down in mode group G5 (and not in G6/G7)?

Anyway, while I still think Zebralight has not quite answered your question, I am no longer worried that if I run my light in turbo until the cell is depleted, it might damage the electronics. It may be safe to do so, but the runtime you get out of an Eneloop Pro will be very short, plus it will probably cause the cell to age prematurely, so I am not going to run the light on turbo deliberately for more than three minutes, except for testing purposes.

The 3 minutes of step-down may be part of the original firmware and it's about battery life. But since we've got a new user interface where you can "do what you want" (of course not quite), they left us the opportunity too! I agree that the battery is aging fast, even Eneloop pro. But this light is a little hot rod, and if the Dunlop tires are burning, it should be replaced!:devil:

 

[Antal gábor]

... so Zebralight would be expected to release a detailed information about each model, what is it that is free or not. I remember how surprised (and many others too!) when the sc600 mklll HI was released and there was a certain announcement: " Programmable PID thermal regulation temperature target value (existed in all lights with the PID thermal regulation feature since late 2012)" WTF??? Since 2012, and are you just saying?!! Who knows, but it may be that sc5c and his brothers already have this function, but we will officially know it in four years' time. If I remember somewhere in Selfbuilt review I read once that first generation sc5 lights have a PID circuit but are not calibrated and use the timer ....

 

[Nichia!]

It's a funny thing that this New model and the other one they have been IN STOCK for a while now!
It seems there is not much interest in these lights anymore because of the reports..

 

[eraursls1984]

It's a funny thing that this New model and the other one they have been IN STOCK for a while now!
It seems there is not much interest in these lights anymore because of the reports..

Or they are having more made in the initial batches.

 

[gunga]

I got mine replaced. Now it's one of my favourites...

 

[Swede74]

I got mine replaced. Now it's one of my favourites...

I have sent mine back for a replacement. Here's how I described the problem to Zebralight, who suggested I sent it back to the reseller.

I tried to capture the problem on video. The video shows, albeit not very clearly, a SC52 and the SC5c I have since sent back powered by identical cells. I press and hold the buttons on both lights; hopefully you can tell that the SC52 cycles through low-mid-high and completely outshines the SC52, when it's supposed to be the other way around.

The light worked well out of the box, although I soon discovered that in mode groups G6 and G7, the three minute step-down in H1 is disabled, or does not exist. This has not been a problem since I have mostly used mode group G5, in which the step-down is present and reliable.

Yesterday, when I turned on the light by pressing and holding the button, it appeared as if H1 was missing. The light would cycle through low/mid/-/; I could "kind of" detect that it also cycled through high, but high was not any brighter than mid. Much like when you cycle through modes with a nearly depleted battery.

Low is still there, and I can toggle between L1 and L2, and program L2 to different levels.
Mid is brighter than L1, but only just, and there is no noticeable difference between M1 and M2.
High is, as noted above, completely gone.

I tried resetting all mode groups by clicking 5*3 times, 6*3 times and 7*3 times. I also cleaned all contacts, and tried three different fully charged NiMH cells of good quality (Fujitsu HR-3UTC, HR-3UTHC)

During my attempts at restoring factory settings and trying different cells, I noticed some flickering, and a couple of times the high modes briefly returned – if I turned on the light with a single click, in what is supposed to be high, and left it on it would suddenly jump from a low output to what looked like 400+ lumens. This occurred haphazardly and the light would not stay in high for more than a few seconds.

My specimen has a slightly off-centered LED. This in itself is not a problem, I just thought I should mention it in case it helps you identify my light and determine whether it can be repaired or has to be replaced.

Zebralight responded (very promptly, on a Saturday) that they can only speculate there are some connection and/or battery issues.

NKON also responded very promptly, on a Sunday.

 

[Mattz68]

I think the negative feedback early on definitely hurt this light's reputation (at least on C.P.F.) It's a shame because it's VERY well constructed and feels great in the hand. However, it's a light advertised to have a "top level" tint, so you would think Zebralight might have inspected the quality BEFORE shipping.

 

[markr6]

The high CRI wasn't enough for me. I replaced it with the SC5w II and I can't tell a difference in CRI. I do like the 4500K instead of 4000K.