Zebralight SC600Fd Mk III Plus first impression (pic heavy)

[markr6]

Re: Zebralight SC600Fd Mk III Plus first impression

Of course you need it, you are the ultimate tint snob:devil:

I know, but man is this thing FLOODY! That's what I expected, and that's what I was afraid of. Had to try it though. I'm usually an indecisive person, but I'm not keeping this one.

 

[TCY]

Re: Zebralight SC600Fd Mk III Plus first impression

I know, but man is this thing FLOODY! That's what I expected, and that's what I was afraid of. Had to try it though. I'm usually an indecisive person, but I'm not keeping this one.

TBH this thing is floodier than I thought, and lacking that 1500lm punch I was expecting. Not saying it's bad though, just a bit too floody for my taste. I thought about getting a HI replacement but just couldn't turn down the high CRI. Maybe ZL has an upgraded HI waiting for us next year:thumbsup:

 

[Lumencrazy]

Re: Zebralight SC600Fd Mk III Plus first impression

TBH this thing is floodier than I thought, and lacking that 1500lm punch I was expecting. Not saying it's bad though, just a bit too floody for my taste. I thought about getting a HI replacement but just couldn't turn down the high CRI. Maybe ZL has an upgraded HI waiting for us next year:thumbsup:

The perfect light for backwoods camping. Tired of staring at hot spots. I can finally see the world around me; illuminated by a nice uniform diffuse beam, greens are green and browns are brown. And all these years I though everything turned an ugly faded bleached blue at night. Perfect inside a tent!!!!!

 

[markr6]

Re: Zebralight SC600Fd Mk III Plus first impression

The perfect light for backwoods camping. Tired of staring at hot spots. I can finally see the world around me; illuminated by a nice uniform diffuse beam, greens are green and browns are brown. And all these years I though everything turned an ugly faded bleached blue at night. Perfect inside a tent!!!!!

That's what I was hoping for, but it's excessive for me after seeing it in person. My H600w with diffuser tape still won't be replaced.

As a general torch, I think I would still prefer the standard SC600w III for a balance of flood/throw, at the cost of the tint. Yes, I just said that!

 

[lampeDépêche]

Re: Zebralight SC600Fd Mk III Plus first impression

I have owned a lot of ZLs over the years, and still own about 4 headlamps (5?). I also owned a couple of SC52s, and loved them (but gave them to brothers).

I finally decided to try out the SC600 line, and it looks like I did it at the perfect time: it was after the release of the SC600 III HI, and before the release of the PLUS, so I got a HI.

I'm very happy with it! And now I'm happy that I did not wait for the PLUS.

I know a lot of people are going to love the PLUS.

But given my EDC set-up and my uses, I do need more throw. So it's the HI for me.

Thanks, markr6 and others, for taking the plunge and reporting back.

 

[dubliftment]

Re: Zebralight SC600Fd Mk III Plus first impression

The perfect light for backwoods camping. Tired of staring at hot spots. I can finally see the world around me; illuminated by a nice uniform diffuse beam, greens are green and browns are brown. And all these years I though everything turned an ugly faded bleached blue at night. Perfect inside a tent!!!!!

Same reason here why I am looking forward to this light. I am about to change my flashlight setup to pocketable High CRI flooders like the Astrolux s41 (with a different driver that has heat controlled step down), Zebralight H600Fc, SC600Fd, DQG Tiny 18650 and a costum light from mountain electronics with triple XP-G2 S3 3D and TIR optics. And a Jaxman E2. Only thrower I keep is a BLF Kronos X6/ Astrolux S2 which is a thrower if you need one. I had the SC600w HI and sold it. Neither floody nor throwy.

 

[tops2]

Re: Zebralight SC600Fd Mk III Plus first impression

Edit: Removed my question about throw on this light. Didn't notice it was answered in the other SC600Fd MKIII Plus thread. Its becoming confusing again to follow 2 threads for one light...

 

[markr6]

Re: Zebralight SC600Fd Mk III Plus first impression

Its becoming confusing again to follow 2 threads for one light...

Classic Zebralight talk I think the SC600 HI has about 132 threads.

 

[snowlover91]

Re: Zebralight SC600Fd Mk III Plus first impression

I'm definitely keeping mine, the tint is excellent on my sample. A clean, nice white with a hint of gold in it. I like the flood too, sometimes I prefer a high CRI flood for indoors, up close applications or when walking outdoors. This light will be perfect for all those things I'll use it for!

 

[StandardBattery]

Re: Zebralight SC600Fd Mk III Plus first impression

I'm definitely keeping mine, the tint is excellent on my sample. A clean, nice white with a hint of gold in it. I like the flood too, sometimes I prefer a high CRI flood for indoors, up close applications or when walking outdoors. This light will be perfect for all those things I'll use it for!

Me too! I thought the high might have more oomph, but I'm OK with the way it is with this much flood you're just burning extra fuel and not getting much for it when you run high. It's pretty nice in an enclosed space though when you need it. I'm very happy with the quality of the light for EDC tasks and outdoor walks. No more light tunnels. My SC62w is still clipped to my pocket, but I'm pretty sure I will be changing. I'm sad to see it go, and I have a couple backups also, so it might take me a little while to mentally prepare There is still a small question about the increased size, but it's very small as I've been testing pocket carry of the 600 series starting with the MkIII HI and I think generally for me it will be fine 98-99% of the time. With the right headband this light would make a very good headlamp as well.

 

[ormandj]

Re: Zebralight SC600Fd Mk III Plus first impression

Ok,

I think mine does _not_ have much of a tint to it based on these photos, but opinions are welcome. To my eyes, the items with the ZL illumination most closely match what I'd see if I was outside on an average day. The paper is generic white printer paper. Images are representative of real life (what I saw with my eyes) while viewing them on a color-corrected display. ISO/Exposure was adjusted, but WB/etc was locked. ZL was on M1, EagleTac was set down on the third brightest mode to roughly match the light intensity at the hotspot with the ZL overall. I couldn't grab a sunlight picture, as it's already dusk. The outdoor photo turned out almost blue, but that's how it looked in person.

ZebraLight-SC600Fd_Mk_III_Plus_XHP50

EagleTac-G25C2_MKII_XM-L2_NEUTRAL:

outdoors-shade:

 

[sam7]

Based on some of these initial impressions, I'm still wondering if Zebralight is really delivering a 93-95CRI light at the stated output.

Cree sells bins of XHP50s that are 5000K.... and ones that are 90+CRI... and ones that are >1000 lumens... but I don't see any bins on their website that can do ALL THREE specs at the same time. Maybe I don't get how it works, though: http://www.cree.com/~/media/Files/C...d-Modules/XLamp/Data-and-Binning/ds-XHP50.pdf

 

[twistedraven]

I've no doubt that they're 93-95 cri leds, it's just that many people mistaken high cri for warmer cct or high deep red rendering, and doesn't give the whole story of an led's actual color accuracy.

The leds in this light can probably inch down to 90 cri, just like many 219bs can inch down to 88 cri.

 

[eraursls1984]

Of course you need it, you are the ultimate tint snob:devil:

Based on some of these initial impressions, I'm still wondering if Zebralight is really delivering a 93-95CRI light at the stated output.

Cree sells bins of XHP50s that are 5000K.... and ones that are 90+CRI... and ones that are >1000 lumens... but I don't see any bins on their website that can do ALL THREE specs at the same time. Maybe I don't get how it works, though: http://www.cree.com/~/media/Files/C...d-Modules/XLamp/Data-and-Binning/ds-XHP50.pdf

That's at 1400 mA I believe. Zebralight can push them much harder.

 

[samgab]

Based on some of these initial impressions, I'm still wondering if Zebralight is really delivering a 93-95CRI light at the stated output.

Cree sells bins of XHP50s that are 5000K.... and ones that are 90+CRI... and ones that are >1000 lumens... but I don't see any bins on their website that can do ALL THREE specs at the same time. Maybe I don't get how it works, though: http://www.cree.com/~/media/Files/C...d-Modules/XLamp/Data-and-Binning/ds-XHP50.pdf

You've already expressed your skepticism before, and it's already been answered before. The luminous flux outputs stated in the datasheet are a reference at a set current, just for a comparison between different binned emitters at the same benchmark current.
When you drive the led emitter at a higher current, MORE LUMENS come out the front! (Who'd'a thunk it!)
So the stated test conditions for the results in the datasheet are:
"Binning condition: TJ = 85 °C; 12 V, IF = 700 mA
Reference condition: TJ = 85 °C; 6 V, IF = 1400 mA"

So the reference output is when the emitter is run at 1.4A.
But you can run the emitter at 3A or even higher, if your cooling is good enough. And the output increases accordingly.
See page 13 of the datasheet you linked to, and look at the charts. You see that you'd be getting about 190% of the rated output if you are running the emitter at 3A rather than 1.4A.
So there is no reason to impugn the validity of the claims made by Zebralight. Their track record is pretty solid.

See this chart, and have a play around yourself with the Cree Product Characterization Tool: http://pct.cree.com/dt/index.html

 

[lyyyghtey]

[I'm still interested in this light, but would like to know how the beam angle compares to the S41/E14?

I'm also interested in how CREE achieves the high-CRI. I agree, hi-CRI tends to evoke thoughts of increased deep red, and that's how I usually think about it and explain it to others. It's really an oversimplification, but has been fairly accurate thus far, at least for phosphor converted white LEDs with blue pump. Has Cree increased the CRI in other ways? Filled in more of the cyan trough than usual? Made the green somewhat more the shape of the black body response at that color temp than usual? Somehow widened and smooshed down the blue band? I would find it difficult to believe they could come close to these efficacies with a violet pump, and violet tech doesn't really seem to be necessary for 93-95 CRI from what I've seen.:thinking:

 

[staticx57]

I've no doubt that they're 93-95 cri leds, it's just that many people mistaken high cri for warmer cct or high deep red rendering, and doesn't give the whole story of an led's actual color accuracy.

The leds in this light can probably inch down to 90 cri, just like many 219bs can inch down to 88 cri.

This is true. The highest CRI light we have is in the 5500k range

 

[neil944]

Well guys, I'm dissapointed, but I'm going to be returning mine to ZL.

I got it on Friday and immediately compared it to my S41 with Nichias. Almost identical lights, with the S41 having a slight advantage in throw. I thought the tint was decent, a little golden. But.....I was running exclusively on turbo.
Fast-forward to yesterday when I had time to sit down and compare it to the S41 and my H600Fd. Big differences when on H2 and lower. The green tint really made itself known. There was no comparison when putting it up against the H600Fd.
That headlamp puts out WHITE light on all levels. The S600 Plus was white really only on turbo. Everything else was a greenish gold color. It's a shame too b/c I really wanted a replacement for the S41. I like the light output of it, but do not like the tail clicky combined with heavy front end. Was hoping for an equivalent light with ZL's superior UI. Maybe next time....

With the one-two punch of the H600Fd and the S600 Hi, there is not much else a person can't handle within the ZL lineup. Sure, I have a couple of CR123 lights from them for specialty, lightweight applications. But the first two 18650 lights mentioned can handle 99.9% of my situations.

It was fun to give the Plus a try though, just wasn't enough of an improvement to justify the $100 imo.

 

[snowlover91]

Sorry to hear about your disappointing experience Neil Mine actually stays white throughout low to turbo mode and is quite pleasant. It's now my go to light for accurate color rendering or when I need a floody beam. Looks like the tint lottery is in play here with one.

 

[dubliftment]

I really wanted a replacement for the S41. I like the light output of it, but do not like the tail clicky combined with heavy front end. Was hoping for an equivalent light with ZL's superior UI. Maybe next time....

For me it is the exact same reason to give the Fd Plus a chance. The S41 is too heavy for EDC because this means for me, an EDC light sometimes needs to be stuck under a basecap as makeshift headlight. The ZL SC52, 62 and SC600 III line is able to do that for me, the S41 is too heavy and mode switching on the tail is not possible in this case. I use the S41 with 18350 as EDC now (but the runtimes are not good) and with 18650 as a bike light, there the tail clicky is OK. If the SC600Fd Plus meets color redition and tint of the S41 it will be a keeper for me. ZL lights have been with me for 8 years and I hope they will take the High CRI step as well. So far the H600Fc and SC62c made it for me - both have equally outstanding tint and color rendition. I have given away my SC52 and H600 II for bad tints and a SC600Fd III Plus on order.