Thanks for the feedback. Yes, I’ve heard about the “dc fix” stuff and may go that route.
Thanks, really appreciate the detailed feedback.
I think I need to keep looking for more video/photo reviews that show beamshots between the floody and non-floody versions. My current headlamp is a Thrunite TH20, which I like quite a bit. It certainly has a hotspot, but the orange peel reflector smooths that out quite a bit and makes for some decent spill-over flood. I do have a pure flood headlamp (a $6 “COB”), which I really dislike, because even though the thing is quite bright, I never feel like I can see anything all that well, even within a few feet, because the light is spread out all over the place and I can never move my head to concentrate the light on the thing I want to see, because there is no hotspot to concentrate. I understand the the H53F-series does have a diffuse hotspot, but in the videos/photos I’ve seen so far I can’t see it at all, it just looks like 100% flood.
There’s the DC-FIX solution as an option and I’m thinking that may be the way I go.
Is it at all possible and/or easy to simply swap out the optic glass on the H53-series? One clear and one frosted, which would solve my dilemma as I could try both of them out. I thought I read somewhere that ZL’s are not at all friendly to modding.
EDIT: Just heard back from Zebralight, “Lens and switch can’t be replaced by user. ”. But I finally found their return policy, which is very generous. Any light can be returned for refund or exchange within 30 days of receipt of shipment and purchased direct from ZL. I think I’ll just order both!
I want almost exactly the same thing as dekozn, with a lot of focus on weight.
Unfortunately I haven’t seen anything that really competes with the Zebralight AA series. The TH20 that people have mentioned is WAY heavy. Like twice the weight of an 18650 skilhunt H03!
Hello new to the forum and am currently waiting for my zebralight H502 to get back from china it is being repaired. Lasted 5 years of extensive everyday use before what seems like the switch went south.
Can anyone elaborate on what the “dc fix” is?
Also looking for another floody to possibly replace the H502.
Does anyone else make a floody like this?
Looking into the armytek tiara a1 but they dont seem to make a floody.
I want a single AA headlamp and it has to be a floody.
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks!
d-c-fix is a possibility to make the beam with a diffusion film more floody
maukka examined the effect of one of those diffusion films
https://budgetlightforum.com/t/-/52949
d-c-fix is a german based company with a quite variaty of those foils
Another AA Headlamp with no reflector like the H502 would be the Spark SG5
What I’d also really like is to see someone make a model out of super lightweight plastic…
I have both and I’m pretty sure the th20 is not that heavy. I don’t even think its heavier than the h03. I can check later.
I swapped leds of both lights to 219cs and they’re absolutely lovely. Add in dcfix to the th20 and the beam becomes very clean and floody.
Thanks…. very extensive details… I loved my zebralight… but with armytek offering a 10 year warranty as opposed to zebralights 1 it’s kinda hard to not switch brands.
The spark looks interesting enough will definitely look into that some more.
thanks for taking the time to reply
All the armytek headlamps are floodies if I’m not mistaken. Bought an AT tiara a1pro cause I like the switch placing better. It has a pebbled lens. it’s just about as floody as my zebralight but it has a more pronounced centre, where as the ZL fades more even towards the edges.
Well that’s interesting thanks
Not sure what TIR means exactly but reflector hotspot and spill seem to be 70° 120°….
How is it in close quarters for instance working under the hood of a car at night? Or say navigating a power failure in the house?
Do you find yourself having to point more towards what you’re looking at than with the zebralight?
That’s what I primarily use it for. Also for snowshoeing and cross country skiing, I love that it’s bright enough
for that even without a reflector.
All the armytek headlamps are floodies if I’m not mistaken. Bought an AT tiara a1pro cause I like the switch placing better. It has a pebbled lens. it’s just about as floody as my zebralight but it has a more pronounced centre, where as the ZL fades more even towards the edges.
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Not that I notice. But I still use my ZL more. My AT has problems, I’ve got make a vid for AT but I haven’t yet. (I lost my AT for a week before I got it back and I hate making stupid vids). I also hope I don’t have to send it back to AT…
If you don’t mind the switch placement on the ZL and the stupid UI, I’d say go for ZL. It’s just so damn cute, small and light. The new versions don’t support LiIon batts though AT does. So if you want/need high output on an AA size headlamp go for AT with a 14500 cell.
TIR is some kind of lens.
Ok thanks…. my zebralight is in China as I write…. for $15 US dollars they offered to repair it… 13 or so Canadian more for shipping and it was on it’s way.
It was almost 5 years old… I’m 99% sure its the switch…. still waiting… Sent it first week of august and it arrived September 2nd
1 year warranty seems kinda lame when armytek can offer 10yrs but at least zebralight is still willing to fix for a modest fee
Can you elaborate more on the pre-flashes on Zebralight H53FC? According to Zebralight’s website, on the H53FC, you can start in moonlight by holding the button, and then let it ramp up. You can also get to medium directly by doing a double click. I have the ZL SC600Mk2 and the ramp from low is done the same way, by holding the button. I don’t have any “pre-flashes” or anything like that on the SC600MK2 unless I mess up and don’t hold the button long enough?
If I program the light so that a long click is Mid and short click is High then when I long click I will get a short High before it goes to Mid. Hope this makes sense.
Well that’s not preflash, that’s just how you have the light programmed…
The old 47’s quarks, that’s pre flash.
The new zebras are super powerful, change the way you have it programmed or the way you use it and you’ll be fine.
I’ve swapped elliptical (wide oval) TIRs into several headlights with great results.
Remember you can search within the site using the buttons or the Google interface, like this:
Any new 2019 AA headlamp options floating around?
any news budget AA reflector Headlamp at around 10 usd ?
I got this one for around $8 last year:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B077TBT658/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
For the price, not bad.
mmm yes but doubt that led is Cree,120 lumens.
Doesn’t look a good heatsink for future upgrade,external is full plastic
Have you try to diassemble and post detailed photos?