# Nitecore HC30 vs. Zebralight H600w MK II?



## ateupwithgolf (Jan 7, 2016)

Looking for comparisons to those who have tried/or are familiar with both?

I want a the ZL for myself and I'm about to buy my brother the Nitecore hc30 for his birthday next month (He's worth $50, but not $89 ). 

Both lights rated to 1000 lumens or so, they look very similar in style. What's the consensus?


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## ColdZero (Jan 7, 2016)

*Re: Nitecore HC30 vs. Zebralight SC600w MK II?*

Do you mean the Zebralight H600w mkll ?

I use the H600 but not the HC30 sorry cannot give a comparison..


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## ateupwithgolf (Jan 7, 2016)

*Re: Nitecore HC30 vs. Zebralight SC600w MK II?*



ColdZero said:


> Do you mean the Zebralight H600w mkll ?
> 
> I use the H600 but not the HC30 sorry cannot give a comparison..



Yes, that's what I meant, sorry. I went ahead and ordered the hc30 for $42 shipped, for 1/2 the cost of the ZL, we shall see how it stacks up.


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## saypat (Jan 7, 2016)

*Re: Nitecore HC30 vs. Zebralight SC600w MK II?*

I have the HC30. It's a fairly nice light, compact, lightweight, 5 modes and 3 flashies, great output, and a decent beam. I'm not much caring for cool white though. The thing I don't like about it is you have to hold the switch down for a bit to turn it off, i can't get used to that.

I have a Zebralight H302W. Now this is an AWESOME light in my opinion!!!!!!!! I love it. I want the H602W, for maximum flood! I have about 70 lights and not the one I really want! Can't go wrong with Zebralight. But u have to pay for em.

$42 shipped is a great price. I know cuz I got mine for $38 shipped.


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## WigglyTheGreat (Jan 8, 2016)

Well I'm just gonna copy and paste a comparison I put up on the specs of Those lights and also the Armytek Wizard Pro Warm so here you go.

From what I can see the Nitecore HC30 is only offered in Cool White which would eliminate it for me right off the bat for outdoor use. I looked up the modes for the Nitecore HC30, Zebralight H600w MkII and also the Armytek Wizard Pro Warm. The extra modes on the Zebralight were a big plus for me. The Zebralight and Nitecore seem to be about the same weight, while the Armytek is a bit more approximately 20 more grams for the light itself, but claims to be built more robust and excellent waterproofing. I listed the modes and some specs of these three lights below hopefully it can be helpful. Let me know if I got something wrong on here.

Modes for Nitecore HC30 in lumens are: 1,000, 400, 210, 70, 1, (strobe, beacon, SOS) Peak Beam Intensity: 6,600cd, 40.3g lamp weight. Can use 18650 or CR123 batteries, IPX8

Modes for Zebralight H600w MkII are : 1,020, 620, 330, 150, 65, 30, 11, 3.5, 0.4, 0.06, 0.01,(Strobe, Beacon, Batt. Runtime Indicator) 39g Lamp weight. Peak Beam Intensity: N/A (reflector with 12 degree spot and 80 degree spill, definitely more throw than the Armytek, not sure if it reaches as far as the Nitecore.) 18650 battery, IPX7

Modes for Armytek Wizard Pro Warm are: 975, 390, 185, 65, 14, 1.8, 0.2,(Strobe, Beacon, Batt. Runtime Indicator) 59g lamp weight. Peak Beam Intensity: 2,900cd (70 degree spot, 120 degree flood) Can use 18650 or CR123 batteries, IP68


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## mountain_man (Jan 8, 2016)

One other thing to consider is the battery life at different outputs. For example the Zebralight delivers some 30 hours at ~65lumens, compared to the Nitecore at only 15hours at ~65lumens.


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## NPL (Jan 8, 2016)

If you are looking for a cheaper alternative to the Zebralight, you should take a look at the Skilhunt H02. There's a good deal being offered via Budgetlightforum if yous search the light there. Its also offered in Neutral White which I believe the Nitecore is only in CW.


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## Konstantin (Jan 9, 2016)

Hello.HC 30 bought the first on _*content removed_ .Easy, bright.Comfortable in exploitation.In the pocket of jacket does not occupy much place with fastening.For work near-by the second mode sufficiently.Light cold.Accumulators are necessarily with a salient plus contact.Zebralight H 600 w bought through small time.Light is warm as at a glow lamp, id est complete opposition of HC 30.Together these flashlights complement each other.HC 30 distant distances - H 600w fellow creatures and to the large area.Both good.


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## Telkwa (Jan 9, 2016)

I bought a ZL H600w II a coupla weeks ago, and a Nitecore HC30 this weekend.

As mentioned above, I also don't care for the NC's "hold the switch down and wait for something to happen" UI. You gotta wait for it to light up, and you gotta wait for it to turn off. I don't think this is a deal-breaker, and some folks might even like it. The ZL is also a little weird - although "off" is just a simple click, the LED continues to burn for a moment. So I tend to click it a second time, which then sends it into the "scroll thru the brightness levels" mode when all I wanted to do was turn it off.

The NC's glass lens sets a little deeper into the head than the ZL. So the glass is just a little bit less exposed to damage.

The HC30 has a bit more throw, and it's a little cooler than the ZL H600w. 

I want to talk about the ring, or bezel, that holds the glass lens in. I don't know about the actual assembly techniques, but it appears the bezel screws into the head (?) The ZL bezel is metal and recesses into the head flawlessly. The NC bezel does not recess into the head. I can slip a piece of paper _between_ the lip of the bezel and the flashlight head. In other words, the outer lip of the bezel is not supported by anything. A strike to the face of the headlamp of sufficient force is going to bend the bezel lip back if it's metal, and most likely crack it if it's plastic. I can't tell, but it looks to me like the HC30 bezel is plastic? I hope it isn't.

As you probably know, the ZL is a little fussy about battery length. The NC doesn't seem to have a problem with the longest protected cell I have, an EVVA 18650 that measures almost 70mm. The ZL has a spring in the head as well as the tail cap. The NC only has a spring in the tailcap. I believe the ZL method is considered superior but not sure about that.

The HC30 has very deep finning behind the diode. The ZL fins are much shallower. 

I was told recently by a forum member that running a protected cell in a ZL showed a basic lack of understanding. I believe he was referring to the ZL's built-in protections against under- & over-voltage, temperature, etc. I don't know if the HC30 has the same robust level of protection that you get with a ZL? I'm under the impression that some lights have a better suite of protective circuitry than others.


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## Stefano (Jan 9, 2016)

Telkwa said:


> I believe he was referring to the ZL's built-in protections against under- & over-voltage, temperature, etc. I don't know if the HC30 has the same robust level of protection that you get with a ZL? I'm under the impression that some lights have a better suite of protective circuitry than others.



I have heard here on the forum that Nitecore not have protection on low battery discharge
I wrote to tech support Nitecore to know if the Nitecore P12 has it but I never received a response.
The technical details of the HC30 does not mention any cut off automatically in case of low battery.
I think they assume that you are using a battery with protection circuit.
The HC30 seems a good headlamp at a reasonable price, but is currently not available with tint neutral withe


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## Telkwa (Jan 10, 2016)

Thanks, Stefano -
Yeah, I gotta get to the bottom of these internal circuitry differences. Anyone can assess physical differences, but learning about the internal circuitry is harder. Buck/boost and all the rest of it.

So, there may be more differences at the circuit board level, but at this point in time do you think it's safe to say that the ZL has low battery cut-off and the HC30 does not? 

For clarification, what I mean by low-battery cut-off: some of these lights are smart enough to actually disconnect from the battery at a preset low voltage. Other lights are not capable of that trick. A light that does not have low-voltage cut-off (or disconnect or whatever the accepted term is) will continue to draw from the battery. While in use, or even just laying in a drawer with the battery still inside. That's my understanding anyway ... 

Another internal protection that's important to me is temperature regulation. The highest lumen settings create a lot of heat. From reading on the forum it appears that some temp regulation circuits are more elegant than others. So it's not just a question of "yes" or "no" but "how good is the temperature regulation?"

These questions about the internal differences bear directly on the OP's original question. If he's going to give his brother the Nitecore, one could argue it's his responsibility to make sure his brother understands why he shouldn't run unprotected cells, and to make sure he knows about not leaving the light laying around for months with the cell inside. 

Of course, that second point is more of a generic rule for all of us rather than a caution specifically aimed at the HC30, but you know what I mean...


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## willowisp (Jan 10, 2016)

I've done "research" on both the H600 and HC30, looking to get either or both. More or less obvious conclusions below...

- Both are excellent multi-role lights.
- Virtually equally powerful.
- Both have a spot and spill beam profile. HC30 is a better thrower due to the smooth reflector. H600 is presumably the better flooder, with an orange peel reflector.
- Mode options are far more generous on the H600, which will easily adapt to any use. On the HC30, the 1lm Firefly mode may be too bright for pitch black, and the 70lm Low mode may be too bright for close-up work. 
- The H600 comes in both neutral and cool white, while HC30 is cool white only (although it's a rather neutral cool white).
- Heat dissipation (and duration on non-regulated Turbo mode) may be better on the HC30, due to the LED seemingly being mounted directly on the large cooling fins on the back of head.
- Overall run times are better on the H600.
- The HC30 may be a better EDC due to it having a clip (H600 does not).
- The H600 has deep discharge protection while the HC30 does not. Protected 18650s may have trouble fitting into the H600 due to length.
- The H600 has potted circuitry (not 100% sure about this though) and springs on both ends of the battery compartment. Only a bottom spring on the HC30. This would imply that the H600 would handle a drop better.

I already got the cheaper HC30 and am happy with it, all things considered. Will see if the H600 will still be interesting to me, after using the HC30 for a while. So far, I've only been missing the ultra low Firefly modes on the H600.


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## ateupwithgolf (Jan 11, 2016)

The HC30 came in today. Here is my impression from a LED newbie. Lighter than I imagined without a battery. Doesn't feel as sturdy as my Zebralight SC62 (I know not a headlamp, but my only small light I can compare). This doesn't seem to effect performance at all. Very bright white light, whiter than my SC62, may also appear brighter than the sc62 b/c of the tint. 

One problem for me. The headband is way too big for my head even after adjustment. If I snug it up to my head, then the middle portion is way off center. Weird. Maybe I should have ordered kid head. I would always have to wear a hat and that blocks a portion of the light for me. Good thing is...I bought it for my brother who has a bulbous head, should be just right.

For the cost, it should be fine. Of course I'm going to get a ZL for me just because.

I really like the brightness modes, low to medium is plenty for what he will use it for (duck hunting...putting out decoys before sunlight).
Nice feature of strobe, SOS, beacon with a double tap....long hold from off to go directly to turbo...plenty of output.


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## Craigd18 (Jan 11, 2016)

Don't want to hijack the thread but does anyone know if a ZL 600w MKIII is coming out any time soon?


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## willowisp (Jan 12, 2016)

According to this post, the regular (non flood) H600 Mk III may come out in two or three months.


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## flash415 (Jan 15, 2016)

I bought the HC30 this week as a gift for friend. I was too curious to not test the light before I deliver it  . I have a Zebra light H600w to compare the two. With just my natural vision to compare the lights and no meters, I would say they both have similar throw and spill. The HC30's hot spot has a slightly rough transition to the outer part of the beam vs. the ZL's orange peel, but the difference is not significant or distracting.

The main difference I find is the color/tint, and I now appreciate the ZL's neutral white much more compared to the cool white of the HC30. The HC30 make things looks pale....pine trees become bluegreen vs. the green with the ZL. A fire yellow hydrant looks pale under the HC30. 

I've been running both lights on burst mode in a room that is about 65 degrees. Putting the lights on their tails without the headstrap seems to give the lights enough surface area to dissipate the heat. I have not noticed a step-down for either light after more than 15 minutes. When bike riding with my ZL H600w, I have experienced the step-down at slower speeds, likely due to airflow only hitting the front of the light and the helmet insulating the heat on the backside.

If tight on a budget, I think the HC30 is great, since you could buy a couple 3400mAh batteries and a two-bay charger along with the light (about $87 total package) and still be saving money over the ZL H600 ($89). If you have more spending money, then I think the ZL is a superior light, due to programmable main/sub-levels, and neutral white tint.

The HC30 fits in the ZL headstrap and vice versa. The the two silicone circles on the ZL headstrap are a couple mm closer together than on the HC30.

I hope to do a bike ride with both lights to have a more detailed experience to share.


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## Koam (Apr 13, 2016)

Telkwa said:


> I bought a ZL H600w II a coupla weeks ago, and a Nitecore HC30 this weekend.
> 
> 
> 
> I want to talk about the ring, or bezel, that holds the glass lens in. I don't know about the actual assembly techniques, but it appears the bezel screws into the head (?) The ZL bezel is metal and recesses into the head flawlessly. The NC bezel does not recess into the head. I can slip a piece of paper _between_ the lip of the bezel and the flashlight head. In other words, the outer lip of the bezel is not supported by anything. A strike to the face of the headlamp of sufficient force is going to bend the bezel lip back if it's metal, and most likely crack it if it's plastic. I can't tell, but it looks to me like the HC30 bezel is plastic? I hope it isn't.



I noticed that the little gap you mentioned allows me to snap on a homemade difuser over the bezel. I took a Costco Kirkland 16.9 oz water bottle cap and cut the threads off with scissors. There's a little lip inside the cap that snaps right over the NC bevel. I don't think I can post pics yet but if you look at the cap it's easy to figure out.


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## aquaholik (Apr 15, 2016)

Have both and the throw is very similar. The nitecore threw a little further but it's not very noticeable. The old Fenix HP 11 has a tighter beam and throws further despite the lower lumen rating. Nitecore UI is simple and easy to get used too, even coming from the Zebralight UI. All I have to remember is hold longer than 1 sec to turn it off and double click to get to strobe mode. For $87 with two nitecore 3400 mAH and a nitecore charger, it's a great deal for a simple easy to use light. Both have very similar beam pattern.


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## esprout (Oct 25, 2016)

Koam said:


> I noticed that the little gap you mentioned allows me to snap on a homemade difuser over the bezel. I took a Costco Kirkland 16.9 oz water bottle cap and cut the threads off with scissors. There's a little lip inside the cap that snaps right over the NC bevel. I don't think I can post pics yet but if you look at the cap it's easy to figure out.



That's brilliant, I just tried it and it works!


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## Blues (Nov 1, 2016)

Can anyone display a beam shot with the diffuser in place? I just ordered one of HC30s in neutral white to replace my Princeton Tec EOS from many moons ago.

(The Princeton Tec is still great for late night dog walks on our unlit country road but not so much for looking from the road into the surrounding woods.)


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## cumeche (Nov 1, 2016)

Has anyone compared performance of the HC30 to the similarly specced HC60?


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## myflashguy (Nov 7, 2016)

Love my H30 than H60 (i don own H^) bcos it has clip which can be use as EDC, Bike light as well as headlamp so imo it's a 3 in 1 headlamp which I think is much better & practical than H60.


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## elcidroyale (Jul 30, 2017)

esprout said:


> That's brilliant, I just tried it and it works!


Would this have to be Kirkland brand? Some of us don't have Costco membership!


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