I need a high-CRI light for work, and I want a right-angle type because it’s the one type I don’t have and it’ll be useful for other things. I want it in 18650 format because I have an 18650 cell that’s not getting the use it needs and I don’t want it going to waste.
I’ve narrowed it down to the Skilhunt H04 or the Zebralight H600 varieties. Both come in TIR optics with high-CRI and output levels that are very useful.
The Skilhunt only comes in 5000k in the configuration I want, whereas the Zebralight can be had in 4000k, which may be a little nicer for my eyes. Not too crucial though.
Obviously the Zebralight is nicer, but the Skilhunt is almost half the price.
I love my zl , I have the thrower 4k, about to put a filter on it to make it more floody. The skilhunt looks nice. I also have a Ylp 2mcri that is great. The Zl wins to me for low mode and I love the ui after I got used to it. It’s hight mode is very high as well. Good luck on your choice. The lh351 emmiter will be much lower than the Zl as well. Most are 800 to 1k though it says 1200 compared to the Zl at around 1600
I vote ZebraLight, but I own a couple handfuls so I’m biased.
They’re about as compact and lightweight as an 18650-powered headlamp can be. My latest H600 series weighs 110 grams with the headband and a battery. I couldn’t find a definitive weight on the Skilhunt. Perhaps an H04 owner can weigh theirs?
I love the ZebraLight UI, but plenty of folks don’t.
I like the headband and use mine without the strap that runs across the top of your head. You can reroute the strap to position the slack between your forehead and the silicone mount to minimize the dents in your forehead after prolonged use.
If you’re unsure about clear lens vs. frosted lens, you might go with the clear one. You can always add a small piece of diffusion material such as d-c-fix or even a piece of frosted Scotch tape.
I got an H04 RC this week. Partly because it was quite cheap and partly because ZL doesnt ship to Spain anymore. The H04 is nice, feels very well made and its very lightweight. It will serve you well, but if you have the cash the Zebra is just better. The Zebralight UI is better, have much lower low modes and the option for warmer leds. I also trust them more. It will serve you well for many years, so its worth the price IMO. The H04 is very good too for 35-37$, there are plenty of sales and coupons if you decide to go for one.
Seriously eyeballing the H604c now. The flood should be excellent for inspection and phone photography. But some reviews say the XHP50.2 has a green ring thing going on. Is it that big a deal?
Don’t rely on their site as well, I have had stuff on backorder ship within days to waiting a month. I used nkon for my sc64le and it turned out cheaper but took a month to get here because of the goofy stuff last year. I went with the h 600c because you can add the film filter to floody it , it throws more like a flashlight than a headlamp without it.
I have its grandpa, the H602w. It is very floody since there’s no reflector. I love it, but I’d steer you toward the H600* series instead. I have two of those as well, one clear lens and one frosted. They’re better for all-around use.
The H602w is great for closeup work because it also lights your peripheral. I like it for hiking too, but only if I’m by myself. It hardly throws at all, so a companion light with a reflector is a must. The wide angle makes it annoying for others around because it’s near impossible to keep the light out of their eyes.
‘Stefano ZebraLight’ on YouTube compares beamshots of different ZebraLight styles. Here’s a good one for you to start with:
That’s pretty much exactly what I’m after. I’m doing quality inspection on high-end bicycles and sometimes have to shoot photos for reports. The super even beam will be really good for lighting.
The H04 TIR optic is very close second though, smooth blend between hotspot and spill.
Sounds like the H604* might be a decent fit for you! You’ll love it and end up buying another ZebraLight soon enough anyway.
If you’ll be carrying it as a right-angle light instead of wearing it as a headlamp, I highly recommend the deep carry pocket clip from the Armytek Wizard. It will require a little bit of modification with a file or sandpaper for a perfect fit, but it’s great. They’re available from a few online vendors for about $5 each.
I carry an H600w as one of my EDC lights and have attached a rectangular magnet to the clip with heatshrink tubing. I have a thin round magnet inside the tailcap’s spring, too. The two magnets make it possible to aim light in nearly any direction as long as there’s a ferrous object nearby. I can offer more info on the magnets sizes if you’d like.
I have an older Skilhunt H04 and have been very happy with it. Read some reports a of durability concerns a while back, failing after being dropped, etc, but can’t speak to it from experience as I’ve never dropped mine and it still works great.
Also have an Armytek Wizard Pro Nichia. Another nice one. Only complaint is that it is advertised as “warm” at 4500k. Very nice emitter, but to me warm is like 3500k and below. Guess it’s warm compared to 6500 though…
