# FieldTest on Zebralight Q5



## photonhoer (Oct 29, 2007)

FieldTest on Zebralight Q5

*Location*: My wife and I just returned from 2 weeks in rainforest jungle in Guyana, South America. Average temp ~90-100+ F. Humidity, constant 100%.

*Pattern of Use*: We had to rise before sunrise, and go to bed well after sunset, so our usage ran about 4-6 hrs per day each, for 15 days. We set up camp (tents, etc), purified water, cooked meals, read a little, did paperwork, organized medical supplies, “showered”, and walked to the river and latrine every day in a different village - in the dark. Personal lighting was one of the most important tools we had with us. 

*Form Factor*: This light is terrific. It is small, light weight, multi-leveled, usefully bright and dim, very well regulated, and very efficient. The right-angled emitter is a terrific design for this use!! And the soft shield really eliminates the spill from hitting an eyeglass wearer. (We had a PT Apex along for internal body cavity illumination; it did fine for that task, but we could hardly wait to get its weight off ones head and use the ZL when its flood was appropriate.) Furthermore, after being caught in the dark at a dirt airstrip and having to walk a mile to the village along unfamiliar and uneven trails, we took to carrying the ZL+headband in our pockets all day long; virtually no weight or bulk meant that we always had a light with us.

*Silicon Brackets*: We found these worked very well. Due to weight limitations, we only took the headband and its one bracket. It was light, comfortable, and easier to find in the dark due to the glow properties. Some have speculated about spontaneous rotation in the bracket – we found none. It is appropriately easy to adjust the angle up and down (much easier and wider range of motion than any of the other 8-10 headlamp I have owned,) but neither walking, vigorous up and down head motion, nor an occasional jog ever resulted in the light changing from the angle we set for it. Terrific design, well implemented.

*Battery Usage*: Due to weight, temperature and run-time considerations, we used Energizer AA Lithium L91s exclusively. (For medical examination and surgery purposes, we had three other lights along, both LEDs and incandescents. A vital criterion was to get all lights using the same primary battery, as no mains power was ever available to recharge anything.) This gave us UNBELIEVEABLY LONG RUN TIMES. Using Zebralight’s advertised continuous run-times, we took several batteries apiece for each light. In reality, we used each light longer each day than we had estimated, and we came home with the original battery in each light still producing full output. This means, that we got at least 75 hours of use on one battery, being pretty much “on” full time in each 4-6 hr daily chunk of use, in a mixed pattern of (roughly) 60% low, 30% medium, and 10% high level. Perhaps others will not be so impressed, but I was flabbergasted and delighted that I got this much appropriately-scaled, evenly-regulated light from one AA battery!! WOW!! Next time we will not take nearly so many backup batteries.

*Light Pattern (Wide-Angle Flood):* We knew full well that a flood pattern would not be the most useful for every purpose, and it was not good for illuminating surgical/biopsy sites and internal body cavity locations. But, it was virtually perfect for all our camp/living/reading/record keeping chores. The even light from the edge of peripheral vision to the center of a task was wonderful. Not having to move ones head to see something just off-center increased efficiency and reduced the psychological annoyance of living in a “light tunnel.” Everyone around us marveled at how evenly the lights illuminated things, and I would say that this is the most useful general task light I can imagine. (Some have questioned whether the flood pattern is more annoying by shining in the eyes of another while talking face-to-face; our prolonged experience was that indeed it has a wider angle of hitting another in the face, but the light is less concentrated and so is certainly not more annoying than a focused beam, and it is so easy to rotate the ZL to shine directly upward that one does it quickly and evenly, maintaining overall illumination without blasting ones conversations.) We used the ZL to illuminate trips to the river and the latrine once we knew the general direction of the object. However, two situations presented themselves in which the ZL was not the light of choice (nor was it designed to be). 
First, looking for an unfamiliar object or trail at some distance (30-60 meters) calls for a stronger central spot, for which we had a pair of Fenix L1D-CEs, which served perfectly. (Had a L2D-CE body along, but never needed to use it.) 
Second, at times we wanted to illuminate a room with general light from a site remote from ones body, as when cooking or using a solar shower; aiming the ZL at the ceiling meant that the very wide angle dispersion hit one in the eyes unless the ZL was placed on a pretty high surface. By contrast, tail standing the L1D-CE with its narrower beam worked much better. 
So, as I imagine everyone knows, no light is perfect for everything, and the ZL is no exception. When a focused beam is needed, that is what is needed. But for the usage on this mission, the ZL’s flood pattern was simply excellent at 95+% of the daily tasks we needed to illuminate, and I for one cannot ask for better than that.

*Switch (Twisty):* Changing levels is a simple and easy series of off-on twists, facilitated by a short but noticeable pause in the off position when moving to the next level. I was delighted NOT to have a blinking pattern in this light; to me this is a task light, and flashing is not useful when doing work-oriented tasks (tho I do like and use the strobe mode in my L1D-CE when walking on narrow roads in the dark to really get the drivers’ attention.) There is no doubt that it would be more convenient if the ZL could change levels one-handed, e.g., with a clicky switch of some kind (I very much like the switch on the Fenix L1D-CE). BUT… I would not want to compromise the weight, size, or reliability of this light just to get one-handed operation. I must have changed levels a minimum of 15 times a night for 15 nights, so I have enough experience to conclude for myself that it really is not that annoying, and I would opt to retain the light weight and reliability as more important priorities.

*Overall*: A truly useful light, extremely well implemented. Quality is excellent, performance is brilliant. In combination with a light like the L1D-CE, we had exactly what we wanted and needed when we truly had to depend on small, hand lights for every aspect of our lives. I would buy the Zebralights again, and would recommend them highly. 5 Stars.

*************************************
Post Script 10/30: First, thanks to so many of you for your complementary remarks. Frankly, it was a pleassure to pull together my evaluation of this light that served us so very well in a situation of real necessity. I am quite certain that if we had had to spend the same number of hours illuminating our lives with the more focused beam of most lights, the situation would have seemed substantially more stressful. Having a broad field of even light in front of us was so much more natural than living in the tunnel of light from most lamps. Working on tasks, especially searching for something and writing notes and filling out patient record forms, was so much easier and more natural than in a narrower field of light. 
Second point: I did not really say anything above about the objective of the trip since I did not want to bore the reader. But, since several of you have asked, yes it was a medical trip. My wife is a gynecologist and I am a psychologist. We like to volunteer in remote, interesting and adventurous places as often as possible. (Last year we went to Rwanda, where the genocide took over a million lives in 1994.) This year we went to Guyana (where, totally unrelated to the purpose of our trip, Jim Jones coerced lethal doses of cyanide into over 700 of his People's Temple members in 1978. Remember, "Don't Drink the Coolaid!"?) In Guyana we worked with the native AmerIndian tribes who live deep in the interior. There are no land roads to these places. It is a several week walk along one-track trails to the nearest city. One has to fly into one of the few regional dirt airstrips, and then travel by river in dug-out canoes. Like backpackers, we carried everything we needed, living in tents, "cooking" freeze-dried dinners on a one burner stove, having CliffBars for breakfast and lunch, and carrying all our personal and medical gear from village to village each day. We had torential rain most days (even tho it was the "dry" season), and the temp and humidity made it very physically stressful. The point of the trip was to address the fact that the AmerIndian women have one of the highest rates of cervical cancer in the world, and seemingly caused by a diffrent strain of the Human Papilloma Virus than American and European women suffer from. It was a facinating experience, and we are still deciding whether to make this a regular commitment on the calendar. (I played secretary, handling medical records; my wife was the key player!)

*********************************
Update 6/11/08
An UPDATE after several months: Two of these little devils didn't seem enough - one for my wife, one on my bedside table for middle of the night reading when we are not traveling, but I wanted one for my pocket.

So, I ordered a third Zebralight - and after it arrived I felt that the threads on the end cap to turn it on and off were a little rough. So I cleaned them and lubricated them, but still it was "stiff". Ocular examination "revealed" that there were burrs on the threads inside the cap.

One email to Zebralight got the following response:
"Please send the defective lamp only (without all accessories) to ZebraLight. We will send you the replacement this week. Sorry about the problem."

Lo and behold, 2 week later I received a new light, and the threads are butter smooth. These guys are great!!

[For the record, I have no relationship with nor any compensation whatsoever from Zebralight. They just build a TERRIFIC product.]

I am really lookig forward to the new AA formfactor- ?the 51? We simply cannot do multiple battery types in our work, and the AA has a terrific weight/size/power ratio, so... bring the new ones on!!!


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## WadeF (Oct 29, 2007)

Thanks for the report! Now I'm even more excited about receiving mine.  Got the Q5 version on the way.


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## Grubbster (Oct 29, 2007)

Excellent review! It is great to hear real world usage like this. Those are the same thoughts I have had about the light, but I have only put it to limited usage. It is nice to know that even when used to more extreme levels, the light performs admirably.:thumbsup:
P.S. - let's see some pics of where you went!


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## gunga (Oct 29, 2007)

Excellent and detailed review.

Cheers and thanks!

:wave:


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## Haz (Oct 29, 2007)

Great review, sounds like you have a pretty interesting job as well!. I think i have to order one!, thanks.


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## Marlite (Oct 29, 2007)

Thank you for a well documented very comprehensive review, the reason for your adventure and your intriguing usage of a good compact headlaamp.

You doubtless donated time to a grand humanitarian purpose. Kudos to you and your team for giving back. Your organization deserves a mention too.

Huge cheers Doc, marlite :bow:


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## paulr (Oct 29, 2007)

Great report. I wish they'd gone with a multi-level twisty (i.e. turn further to get brighter) or adjustment knob instead of the multi-twist UI, but that probably would have increased the cost and complexity.

Did you not have access to 12V vehicle power? That's good for charging NiMH cells. The Energizer 15 minute charger comes with a 12V cig lighter plug these days so you can operate it directly from a lighter socket without needing inverters or anything like that.

Did you have any concern about the silicon bracket wearing through / cracking? I felt happy that they included some spares.


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## photonhoer (Oct 29, 2007)

paulr: Great report. I wish they'd gone with a multi-level twisty (i.e. turn further to get brighter) or adjustment knob instead of the multi-twist UI, but that probably would have increased the cost and complexity.

_I cannot really discern what you are asking about. The three levels worked really well for our purposes, if that is what you are talking about.
_
Did you not have access to 12V vehicle power? That's good for charging NiMH cells. The Energizer 15 minute charger comes with a 12V cig lighter plug these days so you can operate it directly from a lighter socket without needing inverters or anything like that.

_There was absolutely NO vehicle availability where we were. There are no roads and very few air strips for planes in the Cessna 182 class. So, forget recharging!!!! We've used the 15 min charging cells many times in Africa and like them, but here there is no opportunity to rechrge at all. Much more primitive!!_

Did you have any concern about the silicon bracket wearing through / cracking? I felt happy that they included some spares.

_No, this implementation seemed to work very well. After we got back, I noticed someone using the spare bracket to hold a 1AA light like the L1D on the same headband as the ZL, and while I have tried it I cannot yet offer an opinion about the functionality/practicality of this arrangement.
_


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## paulr (Oct 30, 2007)

By multi-level twisty I mean I'd have preferred an interface where you turn the knob to get to low, turn it further to get to medium, and turn it even further to get to high, all in the same direction; instead of multi-twist where to get to high you have to turn right-left-right-left-right as if you were opening a safe. Thanks for the responses re the other stuff.


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## PhantomPhoton (Oct 30, 2007)

Wonderful report; thank you for putting the time in and letting us know how it performed.

Sounds like Lithium AAs worked well. Were you generally under the Jungle canopy and/ or clouds where quick solar charging wasn't viable? I get generally good performance from solar charging NiMh AAs as long as its sunny... cloudy as it often is up here in WA its slow going taking all day for one charging unit and 4 AAs.


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## Xygen (Oct 30, 2007)

Great review! Thanks!
May I ask what the purpose of your journey was?
The ZL is great but two things I don't like after some weeks of use:
1. The twisty is a little to stiff (need some different lube)
2. To change the modes one needs to stay a little in off-mode. Switching too quickly doesn't work...


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## Oddjob (Oct 30, 2007)

Good to hear about some very specific real world uses. Thank you. Sounds like you were on some kind of medical mission. Good for you! It's nice to read about flashlight usage but it is even nicer to read about people helping other people.


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## :)> (Oct 30, 2007)

photonhoer said:


> ...We had a PT Apex along for internal body cavity illumination...



You had me a bit worried about the story until I was able to tell that you were medical professionals... whew:nana:

One of the best and most useful reviews that I have ever read! Thank you for taking the time to produce it.


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## photonhoer (Oct 30, 2007)

I have added a post script to the original post #1:

*************************************
Post Script 10/30: First, thanks to so many of you for your complementary remarks. Frankly, it was a pleassure to pull together my evaluation of this light that served us so very well in a situation of real necessity. I am quite certain that if we had had to spend the same number of hours illuminating our lives with the more focused beam of most lights the situation would have seemed substantially more stressful. Having a broad field of even light in front of us was so much more natural than living in the tunnel of light from most lamps. Working on tasks, especially searching for something and writing notes and filling out patient record forms, was so much easier and more natural than in a narrower field of light. 
Second point: I did not really say anything above about the objective of the trip since I did not want to bore the reader. But, since several of you have asked, yes it was a medical trip. My wife is a gynecologist and I am a psychologist. We like to volunteer in remote, interesting and adventurous places as often as possible. (Last year we went to Rwanda, where the genocide took over a million lives in 1994.) This year we went to Guyana (where, totally unrelated to the purpose of our trip, Jim Jones coerced lethal doses of cyanide into over 700 of his People's Temple members in 1978. Remember, "Don't Drink the Coolaid!"?) In Guyana we worked with the native AmerIndian tribes who live deep in the interior. There are no land roads to these places. One has to fly into one of the few regional dirt airstrips, and then travel by river in dug-out canoes. Like backpackers, we carried everything we needed, living in tents, "cooking" freeze-dried dinners on a one burner stove, having CliffBars for breakfast and lunch, and carrying all our personal and medical gear from village to village each day. We had torential rain most days (even tho it was the "dry" season), and the temp and humidity made it very physically stressful. The point of the trip was to address the fact that the AmerIndian women have one of the highest rates of cervical cancer in the world, and seemingly caused by a diffrent strain of the Human Papilloma Virus than American and European women suffer from. It was a facinating experience, and we are still deciding whether to make this a regular commitment on the calendar. (I played secretary, handling medical records; my wife was the key player!)


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## Xygen (Oct 31, 2007)

My true respect to you both!


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## DM51 (Oct 31, 2007)

That is a very good review. Considering the heavy rainfall and jungle-type humidity that the light had to deal with, it is also about as tough a field-test as you could get.

The postscript is a great account of what you were doing and what you and your gear endured. That was a fine job you were both doing. Thanks for telling us about it.


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## Bushman5 (Oct 31, 2007)

Great review........thanks! :twothumbs

only problem now.....i cant decide between the Zebralight, the Pentagon MOLLE light or the Streamlight Sidewinder.... 

too many choices..... :sick2:

best buy them all :devil:


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## JKL (Oct 31, 2007)

Thanks Photonhoer for your detailed review in a real test enviroment
and especially for your Humanitarian support.:thumbsup:


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## drmaxx (Oct 31, 2007)

Very good and careful review! Thanks!:twothumbs


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## photonhoer (Nov 2, 2007)

PhantomPhoton said:


> Sounds like Lithium AAs worked well. Were you generally under the Jungle canopy and/ or clouds where quick solar charging wasn't viable? I get generally good performance from solar charging NiMh AAs as long as its sunny... cloudy as it often is up here in WA its slow going taking all day for one charging unit and 4 AAs.



PhantomPhoton
Tho I considered a solar charger, I did not think we could afford to rely on one in this case - both due to the weight (vs. extra L91 cells) and the length of time required to achieve a full recharge. We could have found canopy openings in the villages, but there is constant intermittant cloud cover so charging times would be long. 

Plus, we had the concern that when we ran a battery down we needed an immediate replacement (during the day for exams, pap smears and biopsies) and at night for conducting our lives. The weight-energy ratio, the shelf-life and the immediacy of availability weighted the decision for extra L91 primaries for us in this circumstance. 

We really were well-outside the edge of civilization, could only bring limited amounts of gear, and had to fully depend on what we had.


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## Pumaman (Nov 2, 2007)

thanks for the review, as well as your good hearts and deeds.


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## bendlite (Nov 17, 2007)

Thanks for the review and the commentary.


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## Grateful Ned (Nov 20, 2007)

I was already leaning toward buying one of these for some upcoming winter night outings with students and scouts but *wow* that was a great review. Thanks for your efforts, both in developing countries and here on CPF !


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## tsia (Nov 20, 2007)

Great review and one word RESPECT


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## medicmerlynn (Nov 22, 2007)

great review man! glad to hear about your trip too. many thanks to you and your wife on both accounts. think you just sold me a ZL Q5!


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## photonhoer (Nov 23, 2007)

Thanks, everyone, for the very nice and encouraging comments. I was - and continue to be - glad to have reviewed this light, as I found - and still find - it to be so VERY USEFUL.

Several of the posts on other threads seem to criticize the light for its flood. This frustrates me a little, as these comments seem to ignore the fact that nothing can be everything to everyone. A narrow-focus light is more useful and most approproate in some situations, and this is when you need to have one. (I do have a variety of"throwier" lights, up to a Mag85 for extreme nightime illumination in 4x4 off-road travel and impromptu exploration of caves and mines.)

What the H-50 Zebralight excells at is giving a broad field of even light out to at least 20-30 feet, with diminishing illumination beyond that point. It is also well made, light, and gives incredibly long battery life on lithium L91s.

No one light can do everything, but an awful lot of life's chores are close in to one's hands (regulated by the length of our arms?) and in this zone the Zebralight is more useful to me than any of the other 6 models of headlamps I have used extensively. The even wall of light vs. the tunnel of more focused beams is a vast improvement to me. On the other hand, this is not a throw-monster, and we could not use it for PAP smears and vaginal biopsies, at which for example a PT Apex served extremely well.

This is a different tool than a "throwier" light, just like a socket wrench is different from a crescent wrench. Depending on what you do, you may well need both; I think it is artificial to try to reduce the choice to a binary "buy-one-or-the-other" decision.

John


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## 0dBm (Nov 23, 2007)

Excellent post; superb reporting!:thumbsup:


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## selfbuilt (Nov 23, 2007)

Great review, thanks for sharing your experiences! :thumbsup:


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## medicmerlynn (Nov 24, 2007)

preciate the response man, but one thing i wanted to know is if there was anything you didn't like about it. i was looking more into it and i might try to wait for the cr123 model... then again, i don't know. i honestly don't 'need' a headlamp right now, but it sure would be a fun stocking stuffer... as i'm sure most everyone else would agree... but, i was trying to get a feel for how it performed. i don't need a thrower; i have several. what i don't have is a friggin' awesome little lite that i can wear on my head while i'm working on my truck or doing odd jobs around the house (insert plumbing, wiring & electrical... you get the point) and walking to my deer stand tomorrow morning... things like that... sounds like i won't be disappointed with the h50, but i also accept perfection to be a journey, not a destination.


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## photonhoer (Nov 24, 2007)

medicmerlynn said:


> ...one thing i wanted to know is if there was anything you didn't like about it. ....



After our usage in Guyana and back home (on a small ranch) we have found nothing to not like about the light. The simplicity and reliability of the twist-UI overrode the possible convenience of a clickie; the floody wall of light is highly desireable in our usage (having a separate small thrower for when that is needed, like a Fenix L1D-CE); and the size, adjustability and absoluute minimal weight, and excellent construction are terrific.

I thought saying this would be redundant, but happy to say it again.

John


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## Burgess (Nov 24, 2007)

Thank you for your fine review. :thumbsup:


I have one of these myself (Q5 emitter).


The *only* thing i'm not happy with is:


My unit has a very strong *GREEN* tint !


Well, maybe not *that* pronounced. 



Probably woulda' sent it back to dealer for exchange,
if not for dealer being in Shanghai, China.
(took 16 days for me to get it in the first place)


Still, i like mine a lot, and do lots of useful work with it.

Guess that's what really matters most, eh ?


Anybody ELSE have a poor tint in their ZebraLight ?

_


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## greenLED (Nov 24, 2007)

It's always great to see a real world review like this one. :twothumbs

Exactly what were you doing in South America?


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## photonhoer (Nov 24, 2007)

greenLED said:


> Exactly what were you doing in South America?



My wife is an OB/GYN, and we were generally doing treatment and research on cervical cancer, among the AmerIndian population deep in the interior jungle, where the women experience a cervical cancer rate more than 10 times the AmerEuropean rate. Specifically, we were doing PAP smears, cervical biopsies, and surgical follow up - using only equipment we were able to transport in ourselves, with no mains power (so battery lights were EVERYTHING for both medical and personal matters.)

I am a psychologist, but in this setting I was the secretary/clerk: registering people, labeling records and specimens, and giving out results from previous tests.


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## WadeF (Nov 26, 2007)

I love my Zebralight, but the one day I noticed something, when you open it, it STINKS. It smelled like they lubed the threads with motor oil. The twisty on mine would also kinda stick a bit if it was left in one position for awhile (on, or off). So I cleaned it to get rid of the smell, and whatever the lube was before, which seemed to cause it to stick, and used some nanolube. Now it doesn't smell like a garage and the twisty doesn't stick and is smoother to operate.  

Now all of you Zebralight owners, go sniff your threads and report back.


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## jirik_cz (Nov 26, 2007)

The smell reminds me WD40 :duh2:


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## WadeF (Nov 26, 2007)

jirik_cz said:


> The smell reminds me WD40 :duh2:


 
You know, it could have been WD40 smell. All I know is it didn't smell good. WD40 might make more sense, since it get get gunky and sticky can't it? Might explain why my twist would stick a bit after sitting for awhile 

If it is WD40, everyone should get it out of your treads and replace it with something better.


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## curlyfry562 (Nov 26, 2007)

Awesome review, keep up the good work:twothumbs

Just ordered mine, plan on using it to debug wiring harnesses for our schools 26ft. tall Liquid fuel rocket out in Mohave. Usually have to put my surefire in my mouth, anodized aluminum doesn't taste so good :green:


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## DM51 (Nov 27, 2007)

curlyfry562 said:


> Just ordered mine, plan on *using it to debug wiring harnesses for our schools 26ft. tall Liquid fuel rocket* out in Mohave.


_*PICS PLEASE!!!*_ 

An illustrated account of this would make a terrific new thread!


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## cat (Nov 27, 2007)

I didn't notice any smell. but it was sticky, and stiff, so I cleaned it off and put some silicone grease on it.


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## curlyfry562 (Nov 29, 2007)

DM51 said:


> _*PICS PLEASE!!!*_
> 
> An illustrated account of this would make a terrific new thread!



I am limited on what photos I can publicly disclose, but I will see what I can do. Will be heading back out in January and will try to get pics. This was our last trip http://www.garvspace.com/News.htm didn't go so well.


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## bendlite (Dec 12, 2007)

Has anyone else taken this headlight on an extensive testing experience? What has your experience been?


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## raiderkilo (Jan 6, 2008)

Perfect review.I buy one for me
thx


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## cy (Jan 8, 2008)

nice review..


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## Patsplace (Feb 13, 2008)

Great review!! Thanks very much. It answered all my "real world use" questions to a "T".

On the other thread where you mentioned that you would be writing a review, I noticed your post right after I ordered my H50-Q5, zoomed over and read your review. Isn't it nice when you buy something and then read the review and the review is glowing. 

Gotta love it!!

Regards,
Pat


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## bendlite (Apr 5, 2008)

Bump


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## monanza (Apr 5, 2008)

Nicely done. Have to say that I had been procrastinating on getting a couple of Zebralights (H50 and H30) and this review just tipped the balance. Now I can't wait. Good review; good peoples.:thumbsup:

Cheers.


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## Talas (Apr 5, 2008)

Sorry so late, but I just discovered this review now and all I can say is WOW, that's one of the all-time best reviews EVER! Real-world, practical; a run-time and beam quality test that... albeit subjective... tells me more about the usability of this light than any lab-inspired light meter and white wall test! Refreshing in that there is no armchair commando tactical scenarios or brand bashing/advocating. You could write professionally! Your descriptions make for colorful and compelling reading. The icing on the cake is that you did this while performing truly meaningful humanitarian work! My hat is off to you!


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## cave dave (Apr 7, 2008)

This is a really great review!

It shows that it doesn't take fancy equipment or photo skills to create a review that is really useful. I hope other people are inspired to write reviews of lights based on their real world experiences.


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## Wattnot (Apr 8, 2008)

Well this settles it. The ZL 50 is now on my list! I've been wanting a good headlamp. 

I'm assuming you were using this as a headlamp most of the time but it also sound like you stood it in a room a lot too?

Where is the best place to buy this?


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## Sharpy_swe (Apr 8, 2008)

Thanks for a great review 

Real-world experiences is always very interesting to read.

You and your wife has my deepest respect, it's wonderful to read about your aid work!


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## RustyKnee (Apr 8, 2008)

Mine turned up today.

What a great light.

Stu


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## LED_Thrift (Apr 8, 2008)

Wattnot said:


> ...Where is the best place to buy this?


I got one from Fenix-Store recently for my brother-in-law. Free shipping. Use code CPF8 for a discount.


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## rotncore (Apr 8, 2008)

First, kudos on an awesome review, and international volunteerism. As an often couch bound light enthusiast who imagines using my lights in exotic and remote places, it's nice to hear that they can perform when needed.

I have noticed the 'motor oil' smell, and wiped what I could off the threads with a Kleenex, and used Nyogel instead. Should slick things up a bit. Is there a better method to clean threads of old oil/gunk? I have a few lights that are due.

I think this light could be a huge success if the right brick and mortar retailers decided to carry it (Zebralight - spend some money on N. American retail friendly packaging!). I could see it becoming the new default ultralight hiking light to replace the Petzl lineup.


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## gadgetnerd (Apr 9, 2008)

I too was motivated to get hold of the Zebralight H50 after reading your review - which is possibly one of the best I've seen posted on CPF photonhoer.

It arrived to today and all I can say is wow! What a great little torch. So tiny, interestingly designed, beautifully built, thoughtfully packaged with accessories, useful and interesting. Phew I've nearly run out of adjectives. I noticed a slight motor oil smell, but I immediately clean all my new lights with isopropanol and lube them with silicone, so i's not really an issue.

This light is a real sleeper, seemed to come out of nowhere and impress the hell out everybody! Good to see zebra not resting on their laurels, and pushing things forward with the H30. I'd love to see an H50 variant with a 70 degree LED at the top of the torch.

This one's going into my pocket and staying there for some time!


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## josean (Apr 9, 2008)

*Zebralight H50: The perfect setup*

I just received my Zebralight H50 and I like it a lot.

The accesories are very useful. If you put the clip inverted, you can place the light on your belt. This way, you can twist the tailcap switch using just one hand.



 



This is a great light, well finished and with an excelent regulation, but I find the beam too wide open. I think that the new H30 design is a great improvement over this one, since the beam is a bit narrower and the lens is less exposed. Anyway, since I only use NiMH AA/AAA batteries, the H30 was not an option for me.


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## Sevy (Apr 11, 2008)

Hi Josean, 

That's how I use my light too. Very useful light!
My only fear is to break the rubber band that maintains the clip, but up to now it's all well.

I couldn't imagine how useful this little light could be until I actually used it. :thumbsup:

Sevy


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## gadgetnerd (Apr 11, 2008)

*Re: Zebralight H50: The perfect setup*



josean said:


> I think that the new H30 design is a great improvement over this one, since the beam is a bit narrower and the lens is less exposed. Anyway, since I only use NiMH AA/AAA batteries, the H30 was not an option for me.



Josean, I'm pretty sure that Zebralight will shortly be releasing the H501, which will essentially be the AA version of the H30.


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## powernoodle (Apr 11, 2008)

Zebralight tells me that the AA clicky version, called the H501, will be released in 4-5 months. They are working on "several" handheld flashlights before the release of the H501.

Considering how well-received the headlights have been, I am looking forward to their other offerings.

I would prefer the H501 to the H50, but don't think I can cool my jets that long, so I'll probably order the H50.


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## f22shift (Apr 12, 2008)

nice info.
i wonder when the fenix headlamp is going to appear.:thinking:


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## photonhoer (Jun 12, 2008)

An UPDATE after several months: Two of these little devils didn't seem enough - one for my wife, one on my bedside table for middle of the night reading when we are not traveling, but I wanted one for my pocket.

So, I ordered a third Zebralight - and after it arrived I felt that the threads on the end cap to turn it on and off were a little rough. So I cleaned them and lubricated them, but still it was "stiff". Ocular examination "revealed" that there were burrs on the threads inside the cap.

One email to Zebralight got the following response:
"Please send the defective lamp only (without all accessories) to ZebraLight. We will send you the replacement this week. Sorry about the problem."

Lo and behold, 2 week later I received a new light, and the threads are butter smooth. These guys are great!!

[For the record, I have no relationship with nor any compensation whatsoever from Zebralight. They just build a TERRIFIC product.]


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## Mikellen (Nov 28, 2008)

I just ordered the H50 from 4 Sevens. Does anyone know if the H50 can be placed on its side with the emitter facing up without the flashlight rolling over?
Also I just noticed a few posts back that Zebralight is suppose to come out with the clicky version called H501. This was stated to be released 4 or 5 months from the date of the post (April 08). Since now it is almost December, has anyone heard if the newer version is going to be released soon? I'm wondering if I should have waited instead of purchasing the H50 now.
Thanks to any replies.


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## kaichu dento (Nov 28, 2008)

Mikellen said:


> I just ordered the H50 from 4 Sevens. Does anyone know if the H50 can be placed on its side with the emitter facing up without the flashlight rolling over?
> Also I just noticed a few posts back that Zebralight is suppose to come out with the clicky version called H501. This was stated to be released 4 or 5 months from the date of the post (April 08). Since now it is almost December, has anyone heard if the newer version is going to be released soon? I'm wondering if I should have waited instead of purchasing the H50 now.
> Thanks to any replies.


That H501 isn't going to be released until you, me, and everyone here on CPF buys the alternative lights to the H501, because we're sick to death of waiting for Zebralight to get off their a** and release a product they've probably got sitting on the shelf and they won't let go of it until the day after everyone here has bought something else. :shakehead   

Sad but true.


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## PlayboyJoeShmoe (Nov 28, 2008)

I have been wanting a perfect reading headlamp. Seems that this H50 might be just what the Doc ordered!

When one of these hits the end of runtime on high, does it switch modes, dim slowly or go out like a breaker was thrown?


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## selfbuilt (Nov 28, 2008)

PlayboyJoeShmoe said:


> When one of these hits the end of runtime on high, does it switch modes, dim slowly or go out like a breaker was thrown?


Full review with runtimes shown here.

As you will see, the H50 has a nice moon mode on all battery types, including NiMH


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## bhds (Nov 28, 2008)

PlayboyJoeShmoe said:


> I have been wanting a perfect reading headlamp. Seems that this H50 might be just what the Doc ordered!
> 
> When one of these hits the end of runtime on high, does it switch modes, dim slowly or go out like a breaker was thrown?



It dims slowly.:thumbsup: I wish my my H30 behaved the same way. It goes "out like a breaker was thrown":thumbsdow


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## PlayboyJoeShmoe (Nov 28, 2008)

Cool! I'm in! (as soon as I get permission)


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## photonhoer (Dec 12, 2008)

Well, guys and gals,

It's been a year since we did a major trip to Guyana during which we initially tested the ZebraLight H-50. Since then we've been in Guatemala doing essentially the same thing (medical exams and daily living off the grid), and all over the US and Canada. 

I guess this is my effort at a longevity report -- after just over a year of constant use the ZebraLight is unfailing. The light and accessories (including all 3 lights that we use regularly) are working flawlessly, giving us more than anything else freedom from the "tunnel of light" effect that is so annoying in most other lights. These babies wear so well that it is really surprising to me that other manufacturers have not also recognized that there is a major market for "work-in-the-dark" light as well as "probe-the-darkness" light. The headbands still have stretch, the silicone pieces glow in the dark, and EVERYTHING WORKS. What a wonderful thing to be able to say!!!

I have no interest at all in ZebraLight -- except that they make a wonderfully useful light for our purposes.

Season' s Greetings,

John


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## LED_Thrift (Dec 12, 2008)

Thanks for the follow-up report. It is a great, very useful piece of info that is often missing from other reviews. Mine is working fine also after about a year, although it should since it gets used much less than yours. I was just using it up in the attic - it is a great tool. 

Thanks also for doing the work you are doing - this world needs more like you.


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## PlayboyJoeShmoe (Dec 12, 2008)

Still hoping to get one for Christmas.

It's the next thing on my want list for sure!


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## photonhoer (Apr 13, 2009)

Bump, because people have been asking and not finding this thread.


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## PlayboyJoeShmoe (Apr 14, 2009)

Add a piece of semi useless info here.

I did get an H30 Q5 from a member on CPFM and it is everything I could hope for except for one little detail.

It does in fact go out like a fuse blew when the battery will no longer support the light.

It's really easy to have a fresh primary easily gotten to and to change it however. And it runs WAY longer than my Rayovac 1AA!!!


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## Burgess (Apr 14, 2009)

Off-Topic, but i can't help it . . . .



Happy Birthday yesterday to PlayboyJoeShmoe !





BTW, you were born exactly one year after my "baby" brother.

He turned the big *5-0* yesterday !



_


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## PlayboyJoeShmoe (Apr 15, 2009)

Thank you Burgess! (also off topic!)

Sure like my H30 Q5!!! (on topic!)


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## agua bendita (May 13, 2009)

I just received the Zebra Light H50-Q5 Headlamp from Zerbra Light (http://www.zebralight.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=183).

Costs $49.00 + $5.00 (shipping). There is a special upgrade during the month of February for EMS Shipping for the same price.

From ordering the light and receiving the light it took 17 days.

The fit is good. 

The machining is good

The Type III Hard Anodize is excellent.

Uses CREE XLamp XR-E Q5 Bin.

Impact resistant LEXAN polycarbonate lens.

120 degree beam. Very different type beam than I was used to. Very smooth light. No hot spot just a flood light. If you are looking for a beam thower this is not the light to get.

Uses rear twistie. Three levels of light. Low, medium and high. Tailcap Operation sequence: OFF, low, OFF, Medium, OFF, high. If the light is turned off for more than 5.6 seconds, the light level resets to low.

The threads on my light were gritty but a cleaning and lubrication solved that problem.

I also cleaned the back of the Cree module with Deoxit DL100 (Red). There was some black stuff that came off. Coated it with Deoxit G100L (Gold).


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## RMS (Sep 2, 2009)

hi there! thanks for the review! we're heading on a similar mission soon. Zebralights sound good. did you have the H50-Q5 or H30-Q5? Thanks!


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## fareast (Sep 2, 2009)

photonhoer said:


> *Battery Usage*: Due to weight, temperature and run-time considerations, we used Energizer AA Lithium L91s exclusively.





RMS said:


> hi there! thanks for the review! we're heading on a similar mission soon. Zebralights sound good. did you have the H50-Q5 or H30-Q5? Thanks!



Most likely, seeing the above quote, he was using the H50... 

:welcome:

I recently have gotten me an H60w. If you have not gotten a Zebralight yet, the "W" versions have the Q3-5A emitter which makes for a lovely warm tint. I just love the H60w.


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## hoaiviet (Sep 25, 2009)

Sorry if it is kind of off the topic.... but anyone knows or has a link to websites that sell small twist power switch for DIY flashlight?
TIA


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## photonhoer (May 23, 2010)

Roughly 1.5 years since my last report, and 2.5 since the initial one (post #1 this thread):

Three Zebralight H-50s still going strong under constant usage, both at home (great middle-of-the-night reading lights) and on the road in all sorts of climates (frequently near the equator.)

Zero problems, zero maintenance, terrific flood/work lights. One headstrap is starting to lose its stretch. When possible we have been using Eneloops, which are also working great!

John


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## cy (May 23, 2010)

my zebralight ... original issue is still going good... that is if I can find it
for some reason it keeps on getting lost


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## photonhoer (Mar 25, 2012)

Well, we are almost up to 4.5 years of continuous use on our (3) original H-50 Zebralights. Just thought I'd post about the continuing results:

Overall, FLAWLESS. We have used these (3) lights in the dry high desert of Oregon, and in the jungles of Central America. We have traveled with them over at least 4 continents, experiencing absolutely NO problems. We get very long battery life using eneloops and Energizer Lithiums, depending on whether we have access to mains power to recharge. 

These are great work lights as well as reading lights. And when I need to traverse in the darkness an area that I have a feeling for, I almost never reach for one of my 'throwers' — which now is a Zebralight SC-51. [If they come out with the rumored SB6330, I will be interested to see what it can do.]

John


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## davidt1 (Mar 25, 2012)

Thanks for the update. The reliability of the H50 has me wishing Zebralight consider making the twisty UI again.


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## TEEJ (Mar 25, 2012)

It occurs to me that you guys should consider contacting cottonpicker over in CPFM about a solar powered charging station.....he custom makes them to your specs, and they are designed for this type of off the grid support.

I set up remote environmental monitoring stations as part of investigations to catch polluters, etc, and a solar system means that I can charge the phone, camera, batteries, etc...as well as charge storage battery boxes for use during extended darkness/weather, etc. He made me one with two battery boxes (modular, can use 0-2 at a time) for example. These are folding units, that fold flat like a notebook when not in use, and then open up to collect sunlight when needed.

His units outperform the commercially available options I've seen, especially for the size/price ratios.

Food for thought!

And kudos to you all for your work out in the boonies!

:thumbsup::thumbsup:


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