# Which AA Zebra Light Head Lamp?



## Super Dave (Aug 18, 2014)

Hi Guys,

I have been real happy with my H51Fc AA Floody Headlamp (85 CRI) for the last couple of years. I use it everyday in the workshop. I run my current one on high and the burn time is about an hour. (High: H1 *123 *Lm (0.9 hrs) 

I'd like to upgrade to one of the newer / brighter versions but damn...they have too many choices. 
http://www.zebralight.com/Headlamp_c_7.html

I'm out of the loop on all this flashlight stuff. Can you guys point me in the right direction for the best floody AA Zebra Light head lamp available. 

Thanks,
Dave


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## chadvone (Aug 18, 2014)

H52Fw would be close to what you have now. CRI might not be as good. Tint specks out a little whiter.


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## Super Dave (Aug 18, 2014)

Thanks, is that the one you would get if you were looking for a AA floody headlight from Zebra Light?
Dave


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## chadvone (Aug 20, 2014)

Depends on what your doing with it. The H502 will give you more flood without hot spot. I have used the H50 H51 H502 (all gone). I miss the H50 the most. Didn't like the bouncing ball of the H51. The H502 didn't support 14500 cells. Next purchase from Zebralight AA lineup would be H52fw.


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## Super Dave (Aug 20, 2014)

Thank you very much.
Dave


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## markr6 (Aug 21, 2014)

chadvone said:


> Depends on what your doing with it. The H502 will give you more flood without hot spot. I have used the H50 H51 H502 (all gone). I miss the H50 the most. Didn't like the bouncing ball of the H51. The H502 didn't support 14500 cells. Next purchase from Zebralight AA lineup would be H52fw.



I agree. I don't feel a headlamp should ever be very throwy like the H51/52. But I think the H52f is a little too diffused. So I always go with the standard versions (H52w) and add some d-c-fix diffusion film. I find it to create the perfect beam - much floodier but still a nice big, but smooth hotspot.


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## Super Dave (Aug 21, 2014)

Hi Guys,

Thank you for your help. I've been out of it for quite a few years. Basically, I reached a point where I was happy with my lights...how cool is that?
I've got one of the original lights on my bedside table from Don in Maui. It's old but still perfect. I've have a nice light from Gene Malkoff, the one that Don made the reflector. And I have the Draco on my key ring. The Zebralight did it for a headlamp.

So, when Chadvone mentions the bouncing ball he must be talking about the hot spot, no? My Zebralight does have a hot spot now that you guys mention that. No wonder I have to adjust the beam angle to get the light on what I need. I use it for cleaning guns mostly...probably 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 feet away from the head.

MarkR6, when you mention a smooth hotspot...do you mean a bigger hotspot. That would be good...more light on the subject. Yea, so the ideal light would put more light in a bigger area down at my hands when working on a gun. For this close up application which one would be best?

Thanks,
Dave


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## markr6 (Aug 21, 2014)

Super Dave said:


> MarkR6, when you mention a smooth hotspot...do you mean a bigger hotspot. That would be good...more light on the subject. Yea, so the ideal light would put more light in a bigger area down at my hands when working on a gun. For this close up application which one would be best?



Yeah, I guess I would call it less of a "hotspot", rather just more intense light in the center but much wider than the original hotspot. A nice gradual transition to flood. Working on a gun? Definitely the H502!


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## Super Dave (Aug 21, 2014)

Thanks Mark. Why the H502? The H52's seem brighter? I don't see the difference other than the brightness. Thanks.
Dave


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## markr6 (Aug 21, 2014)

Super Dave said:


> Thanks Mark. Why the H502? The H52's seem brighter? I don't see the difference other than the brightness. Thanks.
> Dave



The H502 is very floody, no reflector. It puts out a wall of light with no definitive hotspot whatsoever. Good for close up work.


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## Super Dave (Aug 21, 2014)

Right on. Thank you for the clarification.
Dave


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## Outdoorsman5 (Aug 22, 2014)

+1 on the H52fw. I have the H502w and like the H52fw more since it runs on a 14500 and doesn't have the dorky glowing area around the LED after turning it off.


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## SubLGT (Sep 17, 2014)

would the H52Fw work well for automotive work, home repairs (such as being under the sink replacing a faucet) snow shoveling, and snow blowing?


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## Stefano (Sep 18, 2014)

H52Fw is a good compromise. 
Watching this thread to understand the differences (There are many photos on this page and also in the other.)
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb...F-(Floody)-vs-H602-(no-reflector)-beams/page6
H502w is great for close up work but it has little shot, then if you want to use the flashlight off from work you may feel the lack of throw
To understand how the beam of H502w see the pictures of H602w, it looks like the only difference is the type of battery and the power output

(Translate with Google)


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## Stefano (Sep 18, 2014)

SubLGT said:


> would the H52Fw work well for automotive work, home repairs (such as being under the sink replacing a faucet) snow shoveling, and snow blowing?



Yes


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## RGB_LED (Sep 20, 2014)

+1 for the H52Fw. I agree with the comments about the 'bouncing ball': I also find that when you have the bright hotspot, you get tunnel-vision. 

I have had a few ZL AA lights, including the original H50 (still have it but retired it), H51w (too much of a hotspot, gave this one away to a friend), H502d (very diffused, good for close-up work but sold this to a friend) and, now, an H52Fw. i like this one a lot since it still has a bit of hotspot but without the distracting bouncing ball and with good side-spill. The plus to this headlamp is that on the M2 setting of 47Lms, it has a runtime of 7.5hrs which is more than sufficient for most situations.



SubLGT said:


> would the H52Fw work well for automotive work, home repairs (such as being under the sink replacing a faucet) snow shoveling, and snow blowing?


I would say yes for most of the tasks you listed. I use my H52Fw for working on the innards of my pc under my desk, searching for things in the closet, working on the car. I even use this when soldering. Not sure about the snow shoveling as it depends on how far out do you want to see and I don't tend to use this for that purpose. For further distances outside, i tend to use my ZL 600w MKII (1x18650) headlamp.


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