From the specs it sounds pretty nice. It’s one of the smallest stock 18650 lights available. And this new version produces 930 lumen of neutral white light at max.
Main Features and Specifications
LED: Cree XM-L2 Neutral White (Nominal CCT 4400K)
User Selectable Levels: 3 main levels (High, Medium and Low). Each main level can be programmed to one of its two sub-levels. The second sub-level of the each main levels can be further programmed to different brightness levels.
Light output are ANSI out the front (OTF) values. Runtimes tested (and parasitic drain estimated) using ZL634 batteries.
Operating Voltage Range: 2.7V - 4.2V
Battery: One 18650 size (up to 69mm long) 3.6/3.7V li-ion rechargeable. Batteries are not included in the package.
Parasitic Drain: Negligible (much less than the self discharging of a battery)
Beam Type
* 80 degree spill
* 12 degree hot spot
Dimensions
* Head Diameter: 0.96 inch (24.4 mm)
* Length: 3.8 inch (96.5 mm)
Weight
* 1.4 oz (40 gram)
Features
PID thermal regulated outputs (930 and 577 Lm)
Battery capacity indicator (LED flashes 1-4 times, 4 short clicks to start)
Automatic stepping down from High to Medium, and from Medium to Low when battery capacity is low
Builtin over-discharging protection (2.7V cutoff)
Durable electronic soft-touch switch
Smart user interface provides fast and easy access to all brightness levels and beacon-strobes.
Precision machined unibody casing from premium grade aluminum bar stocks
Proprietary heat sinking design bonds the LED board directly to the unibody aluminum casing
Durable natural hard anodized finish (Type III Class I)
Sealed and potted LED driver circuitry
Battery reverse polarity protection
Tempered optical grade glass
Orange peel textured reflector
Waterproof to IPX7 (2 meters, 30 minutes)
UPDATE: Even though their website lists the light as “preorder” and “shipping 8/22/14”, I just ordered one and received my shipping notice with tracking number just 15 minutes later.
Looks interesting, but it's very similar to the SC600w II, both in terms of size and output. Though I guess it is a tad smaller so that might appeal to some users.
It’s very similar to the SC600w II in output, but it’s MUCH smaller in size.
(picture from Markr6 at CPF). The one on the left is the SC600 L2. The one right next to it is the SC62.
The SC62 is shorter and much narrower, especially at the head.
It’s also a lot lighter weight. The SC62 weights 40g… the same weight as a DQG18650, tying it for the smallest stock single 18650 light you can buy. The SC600 at 78g weighs almost twice as much.
The difference in size and weight is quite dramatic. The SC62 is similar in size to many 1xAA lights, but holds a bigger battery and has more output. Unlike the SC62, the SC600 isn’t comfortable as a pocket EDC in typical pants pockets due to its larger weight and size.
Zebralight lists the 930 lumens as ANSI lumens. That would mean 930 lumens OTF measured measured 30 seconds to 2 minutes after turn-on.
The SC62w doesn’t use a timed stepdown. Instead it has a thermal sensor chip that dims the light when it gets too hot. No idea how long that is, but it probably is affected by factors such as environmental temperature and whether the light is held in the hand or left on a table.
Mine was picked up by the postal service yesterday and is scheduled to arrive Saturday. I should have it in-hand on Monday.
The SC62 has half the mass of the SC600 and both run at nearly the same output. Without having it in-hand to test, my guess is that the SC600 can go longer before thermal stepdown.
The newer zebralights don't have a traditional abrupt stepdown. The output is lowered as the light gets hot, but the change is gradual so that you will not notice it abruptly. They are also very sensitive to ambient temperature, and airflow as a result. I haven't had any issues with the stepdown, on the same size headlamps.
Anodizing: The anodizing is a medium matte grey and looks perfect. It doesn’t look painted on like the somewhat glossy and uneven anodizing on my SC62d. My SC62d also came with some small chips on the anodizing near the switch. There’s no chips at all on my SC62w. The anodizing on the SC62w is also much more uniform between the body and tailcap.
Logo: The Zebralight logo and model number on the top of the light is very crisp and clean with no defects. looks crisper and cleaner than the writing on any of my other Zebralights.
Switch boot retaining ring: My SC62d had an issue with the switch boot retaining ring sticking up slightly above the rim of the aluminum body adjacent to the right side of the switch. That’s been fixed with the SC62w. The switch retaining ring is below the level of the aluminum on both sides and looks great!
Switch stiffness - the switch is stiffer than on the SC62d and has a well-defined click. It looks like they’ve gone back to the switch used in the SC80, original SC600, and earlier SC52 models. That was my favorite of the Zebralight switches so I’m pleased with this change.
Clip - my clip is the same as on my SC62d. It’s stiff and is firmly attached to the light. There’s no lateral or vertical movement where it is screwed on.
Output - as expected this light is bright! I suspected it would outhrow my SC62d and I was right! Here’s my luxmeter results at turn-on with a fresh cell:
Tint - I expected to turn it on and see a piss-yellow-green tint like on my SC52w. I was shocked when I turned it on!
My SC62w has a superb neutral tint that at max power didn’t seem yellow at all. I almost thought it was cool white at first, the color looked so pure. Note that at lower outputs there is a hint of yellow. My initial impression is that this is a great tint.
I compared the tint on my SC62w in side-by-side comparisons to many of my other lights. Surprisingly, this light has one of the best tints I’ve ever seen from Cree. The tint is as good as that on my early model D25 neutrals and my Spark SL5 190 NW. It looks almost like a Nichia 219A 4500k. The tint is a pleasant light white-tan, slightly rosy. I think it actually looks better than the cooler tint in my Nichia 219Bs. At lower settings it starts to look a little yellow but there’s no hint of green on any mode. This is by far the best tint I’ve ever seen in any Zebralight. I’m quite pleased with it.
My initial impression is VERY positive. This might well be the best Zebralight yet!
Those are some very nice results! I have a feeling that once the dealers here start stocking it, I will end up grabbing one, and possibly replacing my current edc, which more often then not turns out to be the SC52w L2.
Can you check if it will run on a regular nimh, or alakaline AA battery? If it does, I think I'll 100% get it, and work on making an adapter to use it with a 14500.
It does not work with 1.5v regular AA. I just tried it with the cap off using a paperclip to make the connection. The light did not work.
This is not surprising given that it’s designed for 3.7v 18650 cells. I don’t know of any single 18650 lights that work when powered with a single 1.5v AA.
It does work with 14500, though I’m not sure how good battery life will be. Frankly, if you want to use AA or 14500, you’re better off getting a light specifically designed to use those cells. The Zebralight SC52w would be a good choice.
The SC62w is designed to use much larger 18650 cells. For that use it works quite well.
Thanks for the pics, impressions, and tests Firelight2. I didn’t know that the SC62 light was even out until a couple of days ago.
I just ordered the SC62d today and am going to get the w when it is in stock. I haven’t been this excited about a light for a while.
I’ve had a SC60w for a few years and didn’t realize what a great light it was until they quit making them. It is the only flashlight that has given me non-buyers remorse for not buying a spare or two. I hope that the SC62w and d will fill that void.
Looks like a nice light. Maybe I’ll get one when the SC62Fw comes out.
Or maybe not. I’ve gotten a little spoiled by custom lights and “pretty” lights in bare metal, and I find that even a small 1x18650 is usually too big. I like my original SC52, but it doesn’t really get used much these days because I have much more interesting items to play with. It’s a great workhorse light though, and I use my H52Fw nearly every time I have real work to do.
I am interested in this light… but I am trigger shy over the QC issues Zebralight has had over the past 2 years.
I have owned a sc600 and a sc52…. both suffered from crappy anno and horrible pea green tint…
I messaged Calvin from IS about a sc600w mk2 L2 and he said that the buttons still feel squishy on the warm models but were ok on the cool white models…
awesome light and awesome UI… but I think I will wait.
