The Official Zebralight Thread .

[likethevegetable]

I went over mine with a magnifier. Passed the test.

Taking under the microscope to its literal meaning. I dig it.

I'm glad it's a keeper! I just chose the SC64w HI over it and your impressions aren't making me second guess myself any less... lol.

 

[WalkIntoTheLight]

Not that the Zebralight cardboard box is any kind of collectible, but I would have preferred that they mail it in some kind of padded or plastic envelope. There's a big ugly USPS sticker covering most of it. I like to keep the original box. So I removed the USPS label, but it inadvertently sheared off the top layer of paper fiber from the original SC64c LE label... rendering it useless. I've contacted Zebralight and hope they can supply me with a replacement label.

Strange. Every light I've ordered from Zebralight has always come in a padded envelope, with the box inside. I usually throw out the box anyway. I think I've kept one box, in case I ever need to send back a light for repair.

 

[markr6]

Non-US customers: box in padded envelope
US: Big USPS sticker over much of the actual ZL box. Not very attractive for resell. Padded envelope if you happen to buy two and ship the same time.

 

[xevious]

Taking under the microscope to its literal meaning. I dig it.

I'm glad it's a keeper! I just chose the SC64w HI over it and your impressions aren't making me second guess myself any less... lol.

Heh, well with the HI you'll have more output. And also, if you're happy with the tint then you've done well.

Strange. Every light I've ordered from Zebralight has always come in a padded envelope, with the box inside. I usually throw out the box anyway. I think I've kept one box, in case I ever need to send back a light for repair.

Non-US customers: box in padded envelope
US: Big USPS sticker over much of the actual ZL box. Not very attractive for resell. Padded envelope if you happen to buy two and ship the same time.

Yeah, what's weird is that my first Zebralight came in a padded envelope to a US address. They must have changed their policy at some point. I imagine if you make a request, they'll honor the padded envelope. I don't think I'd ever buy 2 at once... but that could change.


Here's some direct comparison shots with between the new SC64c (LH351D) and old SC52w (XM-L2). It's interesting to see the differences and similarities.

 

[koziy]

I just got my SC64c LE and I can compare the beam in the following ways:
-The beam shape (size of the hot spot and proportional brightness in the spill) is about the same as the cool white SC64
-It's less bright than the SC64, but not by a huge amount.
-The beam is slightly warmer than the SC64w HI (the SC64w HI is on the slightly orange side of neutral to my eyes)
-The beam is not nearly as yellow as the SST-20 4000K used in an Emisar D4. I prefer the tint in the SC64c LE, which is warm but more neutral.

I'm not a tint snob, but I like what I see. I don't notice any tint shift in the beam, like I can easily notice with my H600d IV and SC700d. It's about as evenly tinted as the SC64w HI, except that it's a warmer white and the hot spot is broader.

Also, it did come shipped in the cardboard product box with the shipping label slapped right over the product label, which I find annoying for resale (although I have received flashlights from ZL where the product box was shipped in a padded mailer). You can remove the shipping label and preserve the product label if you are really careful and warm it up first, but it's easy to rip the product label accidentally. Incidentally, the USPS tracking showed this as "Pre-Shipment, Irving, TX" up until last night.

 

[xevious]

Also, it did come shipped in the cardboard product box with the shipping label slapped right over the product label, which I find annoying for resale (although I have received flashlights from ZL where the product box was shipped in a padded mailer). You can remove the shipping label and preserve the product label if you are really careful and warm it up first, but it's easy to rip the product label accidentally. Incidentally, the USPS tracking showed this as "Pre-Shipment, Irving, TX" up until last night.

Good to hear that you are happy with your SC64c LE. Interestingly enough, I found that the slight greenish hue I saw initially has now faded off. Either my eyes were playing tricks on me, or the emitter needed a little "breaking in"? Whatever the case, I love the beam.

I tried being as careful as I could, removing the remnants of the original USPS label, but there was no way to preserve the original label. I tried warming it... didn't help.

I also had that strange tracking behavior. For 5 full days after the shipping label was created in the system it read "Pre-shipment, Irving TX". Then just yesterday afternoon, the tracking updated and indicated my local USPS shipping hub. In the morning, it updated further and then said "Out for Delivery."

 

[likethevegetable]

How does color quality compare, koziy? Obviously on paper 90>80, but IRL, is it significant?

Would you recommend the LE over the HI? (Quick, I can still cancel my HI order, lol)

 

[Dark Attic Works]

Well, I just received my SC64w HI and I'm loving it except for one issue - wondering if any of you have experienced this: ocasionally, it gets stuck ON (happened 5 or 6 times now). No amount of clicks or long presses do anything and I have to loosen the tailcap to turn it off. I can't recreated it on demand but it seems to happen after changing modes so maybe the UI freezes or something.

Any thoughts? I emailed Zebralight and they want me to send it back for replacement but they don't cover shipping (even on a defective light!?) so I'm hoping maybe y'all have heard of this and know a fix or something... It's not my first Zebralight (I'm familiar with the UI) and I'm using proper length Samsung unprotected flat-top 18650s. I've even tried a couple different batteries and still experienced this issue. Strange...

Appreciate any suggestions... Thanks in advance.

 

[likethevegetable]

I've had that issue with 3 of my 4 ZLs. Happened maybe 10 times total combined.

 

[autoxer]

Well, I just received my SC64w HI and I'm loving it except for one issue - wondering if any of you have experienced this: ocasionally, it gets stuck ON (happened 5 or 6 times now). No amount of clicks or long presses do anything and I have to loosen the tailcap to turn it off. I can't recreated it on demand but it seems to happen after changing modes so maybe the UI freezes or something.

Any thoughts? I emailed Zebralight and they want me to send it back for replacement but they don't cover shipping (even on a defective light!?) so I'm hoping maybe y'all have heard of this and know a fix or something... It's not my first Zebralight (I'm familiar with the UI) and I'm using proper length Samsung unprotected flat-top 18650s. I've even tried a couple different batteries and still experienced this issue. Strange...

Appreciate any suggestions... Thanks in advance.

I've had that issue with 3 of my 4 ZLs. Happened maybe 10 times total combined.

I have had this happen on my SC64w several (3?) times. I've unscrewed the tailcap to fix it, and I think once a long wait (with no button presses) might have also fixed it - but I am going from memory here.

If it happens again, could you try letting it sit for a little bit (maybe 30 seconds?) and see if the switch becomes responsive again?

If my light does this again I will try it too, but it has not happened in a very long time now.

 

[koziy]

How does color quality compare, koziy? Obviously on paper 90>80, but IRL, is it significant?

Would you recommend the LE over the HI? (Quick, I can still cancel my HI order, lol)

I'm the wrong person to ask about color quality. I'm very happy with the tints of both of them. The beam colors seem very uniform and pleasant to my eyes. I don't really like pure yellow light (for example, I will probably end up selling my D4 with SST-20 4000K emitter, it's just too yellow). Neither of these ZL's seem too yellow to me, though. I don't really put too much stock into CRI, personally. A lot of high CRI flashlights do an utterly terrible job of rendering pure whites, so I take those ratings with a grain of salt. Also, like I mentioned earlier, my H600d IV and SC700d are both high CRI, but they have varying degrees of green to greenish yellow in their tints of white. A lot of people here hate that. Outdoors, which is where I use those flashlights, I don't really notice it. Indoors, it's less pretty, especially for the SC700d.

The HI has a tighter (and brighter) hot spot. It has a noticeable advantage outside in terms of punching light out across a yard, for example. It also heats up faster on the highest mode, but it's pumping more lumens, so that's to be expected. The LE has an advantage for general use, particularly indoors, in my opinion, because the hot spot is broader and a little less intense relative to the spill. Unless ZL comes out with some game-changer, both of these will go into my EDC rotation -- HI for days I might need to use the light outside, and LE for the rest of the time -- and either my cool white SC64 will sit in my drawer unused or I'll end up selling it. So, no, I wouldn't recommend the HI over the LE at all. I recommend getting both.

 

[Dark Attic Works]

I have had this happen on my SC64w several (3?) times. I've unscrewed the tailcap to fix it, and I think once a long wait (with no button presses) might have also fixed it - but I am going from memory here.

If it happens again, could you try letting it sit for a little bit (maybe 30 seconds?) and see if the switch becomes responsive again?

If my light does this again I will try it too, but it has not happened in a very long time now.

Good suggestion. And thanks for the info. I guess it's not uncommon but at least it's infrequent. Maybe a quirk in the interface makes it freeze with an unusual timing of clicks/presses. I do have my modes set kind of unconventionally. Probably won't bother returning it it's a known issue.

Anyway, great light! Love the tint - to my eyes very neutral in a sort of cream/tan kind of way if that makes sense. Most of my other lights in this size range are floodier so I'm really enjoying the more directional beam. I do wish the lowest moonlight mode was dimmer - it's about the same level as the second lowest mode on my H53w. Interestingly, the H53w has a much warmer and yellower tint even though the color temperature is listed the same.

 

[likethevegetable]

Xevious, your eyes definitely do play tricks on you. I've found some tints can look green when looked at during the day, and yellow and night, and pure white if used as my only source of light. Mr. jon_slider has a nice synopsis here: http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?438804-Zebralight-SC64c/page13

 

[likethevegetable]

NKON now has some SC64c LE available for order.

 

[Mr. LED]

Already out of stock :candle:

 

[xevious]

Xevious, your eyes definitely do play tricks on you. I've found some tints can look green when looked at during the day, and yellow and night, and pure white if used as my only source of light. Mr. jon_slider has a nice synopsis here: http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?438804-Zebralight-SC64c/page13

Could very well be. Thanks for the link to Jon_Slider's post. I was certain I saw some yellow-green tinge when first using the light. Now, I barely see it. Even when comparing it to other emitters -- that's usually the easiest way to trigger contrast. I'd read someone posting a long while back about emitters "breaking in..." I don't know if there's any truth to that. I'd imagine in any case, Zebralight QC running tests on lights to be sure everything is in order.

But I think the best way to avoid becoming tint OCD is to simply use a light by itself. Comparing may be fine ultimately to understand where the tint falls in the spectrum of your own light collection, but beyond that it's all about usability. And white wall is not real-world anyway.

I've been using my SC64c LE for light duty across several nights. I have to say... WOW. This is such a wonderful light. I stand the SC64c LE next to my hunky copper molded Astrolux S43 and it just amazes me how much better an EDC it makes. I can't imagine a smaller 18650 flashlight with these features and as rugged a build. My tail cap off to Zebralight, and big thank you for taking a chance on using an emitter from a different brand (as I understand it, they'd been using CREE almost exclusively). The Samsung LH351D is excellent.

 

[woodentsick]

Just received an H53c. Not super happy with the tint, looks like I lost the lottery this time round...Some iPhone beamshots:

H53c


Just look at that sickly green/yellow spill :green:

SC51w


I've had this light for many years now, and still love it.

Folomov EDC C1


Ah, my first Nichia E21A. What a beautiful tint.

 

[markr6]

Just look at that sickly green/yellow spill :green:

I can't really see it on my screen, but I know it's hard to capture on camera and varies on different screens. I'll take your word for it though. With 4000K and 93+ CRI, it should be really nice. Damn the lotto!

 

[Mr. LED]

It's not lotto, it's the XP-L which has terrible tint shift. I had a SC53c last week and while the 4000k tint was OK, there is green shift around the hotspot.

 

[Random Dan]

I recently received an SC64c LE and SC64w HI and I've had a little bit of a chance to compare. In short, they are both excellent. The HI has quite possibly the best beam I've seen from Cree emitter. Clean and white with a tiny hint of rosiness, but no green or yellow and no tint shift. The LE is a bit warmer with a slightly yellowish corona that isn't noticeable during actual use. I'm still not sure I can tell the difference in color rendering between the two.

So far I have no quality issues with either. The anodizing is even and dark, the switches are great, no weird ui bugs. I don't like the new black clips as much as the old but it is not a big deal. The LE has good clip tension but the HI's clip is really weak so I'll have to take it off and bend it a bit.

The 64w HI is in my opinion peak Zebralight. If you are on the fence I would say 100% go for it. I know ZL has had some issues of late, but when they're good they're freakin' amazing.