I know every one got a Sipik SK68 in the last 5-6 years, but there’s hardly been any since the Yetzl and TR-Z5. LED Lenser seems all quiet, and I don’t think I’ve seen any with XM-L2 or XP-G2 in them. I’d like a zoomable SRK with XM-L2s, but I lack the skill/knowledge to make a design change that massive.
Not if you look at LEDLensers newer range, they are more powerfull than you expect but pricey.
I looked them over, but I haven’t seen a new product in their line up since last year, unless I’m missing something. Last one they had that I thought was interesting was the Coast HP550 that they had for a limited run in Costco. But I don’t think they use Cree LEDs, as according to their numbers, only a few of their lights break 600lm except the multi-emitters which barely break 1000lm.
The Trustfire Z-5 seemed interesting, but 2S and under-driven makes it unattractive.
The SK-98 was a thermal nightmare from what I read.
Any others I’m not seeing?
I live in hope that it is the case, I really dislike aspheric zoomies with a passion
Why would you not like them?
Is it the emitter square when zoomed?
The way they sometimes get loose?
The smoothness of the beam profile on flood?
And which do you hate worse gords, an aspheric zoomer or a P60? :)
-Garry
Hmmmm… P60 aspheric zoomer host?
That's it! Someone build one and we'll get together and gift it to gords! :) And we'll steal all his other flashlights so he HAS TO use it!
-Garry
Dead? Certainly not!
My N-Light XT50 is a much liked light despite its mediocre build quality.
I have had a bunch of different emitters in it. Currently copper mounted XP-G2 and 3A qlite. Im happy with that combo. (It would rape Convoy L2 with 3A XPG2 on aluminium 0:) )
The light will out-throw my other modified throwers which are much larger, uses large reflectors and are driven harder.
I still have not put a de-domed XP-G2 in my STL-V6 and pushed it to 4 amps on copper, but Im not sure that would throw further than than my little pocket rocket thrower. That is impressive consider the compact size of the XT50. For normal walking outdoors and lighting up anything nearby its also good, pure flood, no tunnel vision. A dedicated thrower would not be usable for that kind of stuff.
Also, if there is a little bit of rain or fog, having no spill can be very useful.
Im not that into zoomies in general, I only have a Sipik (with Nichia 119) and a the XT50, but I like both of those a lot.
I recently gave a Sipik with Nichia 119 to my brother and he use it a lot. He EDC that light more than I have carried any light.
I SRK type light with 3X hard driven and de-domed XP2s on copper combined with LED-Lenser optic could be awesome!
If Led-Lenser optics were cheap and easily available, Im sure we could see some very impressive lights!
Led-Lenser X21R is a very impressive light!
They’ve only been around for a little over 2 1/2 years I think you’ll find.
I might not keep guns in the house, but you are welcome to try and face the wrath……
I just don’t get on with the square die image at all, I’m a traditionalist, I like a light source, in a reflector, that gives an ordinary hotspot and spill.
I never ever need more throw day to day than my d5 edc gives, if I do need more throw, I have lights that will far exceed what I need and once I stop doing 18 hour days the l2 will be seeing a revamp, first iteration was a proof of concept.
I guess the point is, I find zoomies extremely unpleasant and irritating to use, so I dont use them and now I’ve learnt my lesson, my one zoomy is kept on the shelf, unloaded just to remind me how much I don’t like them, aspheric throwers are the same, they simply don’t interest me because I would never ever put cells in one and use it. Sure makes not buying crelants easy, they dont build anything I want, solarforce falls in the same category, handled a couple but I have and can build plenty of lights that work better and I’m not so indecisive that I need to swap light engines every five minutes, there are just no positives for me with either p60’s or zoomies.
Interesting. I really like zoomies, because their flood is so smooth. I dont get on with hot spot/spill at all, I find it quite unpleasant.
Gah, I just thought this thread was titled “Are zombies dead?”
I should get some more sleep. 
good low modes deal with hotspot issues, I use my d5 everyday (work under vehicles, in dark rooms etc) its generally set to memory low and has a very very pleasant nw emitter so there is no glare. It to is due to go under the iron, its getting a hi cri xm-l2 and a 3.4a qlite as I want a lower low and a warmer tint, the tint is the trick, it really cuts down on glare so makes the light much easier to use close quarters ie lay under a van shining up at the undercarriage.
These are my favorite lights. I can only imagine bright future for them. Wavien collars are good sign of technology development for this type of lights.
There are plenty of that on their side of story as:
- They come in small size
- They can out throw any same size reflector light
- They have focus ability
- Their beam has sharp borders, so there is better contrast between illuminated area and dark area. The enhanced contrast lets you to perceive it brighter. Reflector vs zoomies you will see further in the night with same KCD value zoomie.
-They don’t spook people like massive reflector lights sou you can be stealthy and play/work without worry to awake whole neighborhood.
- Ideal for scope hunters as it perfectly covers scope field of view
- Very good flood mode with certain zoomies that is far more useful than any spill.
So most of this zoomies can be adopted to one desires Flood/Throw.
Some people may not like them but no reason to not have one or two zoomies in closet.
I have all types of flashlights and I don’t dislike neither of them. They all have their purpose.
I don’t if they’re dead for everyone, but they pretty much are for me.
One of the 1st lights I bought when I got into this was an SK68 clone (didn’t know that at that time), and I thought it was pretty powerful.
Then I think the next one was a 2x18650 zoomie from Tmart (“1800 lumens”).
Then, I found Fasttech, and bought a couple of AA lights that were way brighter than the SK68 clone and that 2x18650 zoomie when on 14500, and I kind of never went back to zoomies.
I think the almost circular beams from the zoomies I had seemed weird now, and also fairly weak, and when zoomed out, ignoring the square beam, it’s hard to tell it’s that bright at all, as compared to say a good C8.
JMO…
I like my SK68! With de-domed XP-E, it throws a maybe 3.5m by 3.5m square at 50m and is bright enough with a NiMh-Cell. It perfectly fills out the flood-to-throw standard battery universally useful pocked light role and makes a great gift for non-flashaholic friends if you find one with good build quality.
People here are sometimes a little spoiled with their high-output Lithium battery lights. 
But yeah, besides that niche, I cannot see that much use. At least for me. There is no other zoomie on my want-to-have list at the moment.
I like the smooth round beam in flood-mode though.
That N-Light XT50 isn’t available anymore. Are there any good 18650 zoomable hosts out there?
I think that as long as there are newbs getting into flashlights they will always be around. Not to say only newbs like them, as we all know that some really like them no matter what, but I think it's a safe generalization that they appeal greatly to newbies but that most outgrow them when they realize that they never throw as well as a proper thrower and that most find them to be a novelty. I started out with them too and loved them at first but I found them to be limited and while good at most things, zoomers don't excel at anything. They passed by the wayside for me as they do most, IMO. YMMV. ;)
Well put, JMac. Zoomers will do either bare spot or full flood well. Nothing inherently wrong with that but 9 times out of ten I’ll prefer having both a hotspot and some spill.