Zebralight sc700d 21700 XHP70.2 3000LM 90CRI

will34 · 2019-01-03T07:08:26.000Z

Some folks over there are overly picky when it comes to tint and anodizing finish. ZL uses natural HA so every light may vary sightly, and the tint seems fine from what I’ve seen in pictures. There have been far worse tints in other XHP70.2 lights such as Acebeam L30 (I like mine but the corona drives me crazy when used indoors).

ZL are workhorses and not just pretty shelf queens which you turn on once in a while to admire how perfect it is. Based on the comments from the other forum and their obsession with the “ZL tint lottery” one might think they are really that bad, but actually even the worst tints are pretty decent, I mean they are Cree emitters after all and for $120 I wouldn’t expect cherry picked leds.

BurningPlayd0h · 2019-01-03T07:34:57.000Z

will34:

and for $120 I wouldn’t expect cherry picked leds.

I would. I can buy or build a light with nearly perfect tint for a quarter that amount.

Zebralight’s refusal to use Nichia emitters is beyond puzzling and ridiculous at this point. They are the perfect candidate to use the 144A and E21 quad with their amazing drivers.

WalkIntoTheLight · 2019-01-03T12:37:17.000Z

[quote=BurningPlayd0h]

will34:

Zebralight’s refusal to use Nichia emitters is beyond puzzling and ridiculous at this point. They are the perfect candidate to use the 144A and E21 quad with their amazing drivers.

Zebralight tends to concentrate on small lights with efficient drivers and high output. I think they generally stick with Cree because of their output and relatively good efficiency.

It might be that there’s not enough market for a Nichia emitter, considering they’d have to redesign their PID thermal controls for it, and probably the driver too. A swap might work for those inclined to mod a Zebra, but it might not be an optimal design.

Lexel · 2019-01-03T12:44:33.000Z

There are LEDs that are:
as efficient as Creee top binnings
come in same package
have a lot less angular tint shift from LED source
have very good tint groups (smaller variation window on CCT)
and are even cheaper

so sticking to Cree makes no sense
We got good Nichia, Samsung, Luminus and Lumileds that beat Cree in many ways

Tjohn · 2019-01-03T13:01:58.000Z

Lexel:

There are LEDs that are:
as efficient as Creee top binnings
come in same package
have a lot less angular tint shift from LED source
have very good tint groups (smaller variation window on CCT)
and are even cheaper

so sticking to Cree makes no sense
We got good Nichia, Samsung, Luminus and Lumileds that beat Cree in many ways

In total agreement……can the CREE brand name be as important as performance for the lemming market?

- ZL could stress their drivers and other strong points, but they need to boast about what they can to the masses. If they coveted the mod and budget market, they would not make their models so difficult to violate, maintain their prestige level price points reminiscent of Sony, or ignore the flash forums.

WalkIntoTheLight · 2019-01-03T13:50:45.000Z

Lexel:

There are LEDs that are:
as efficient as Creee top binnings

Okay, since we’re talking about the Zebralight SC700d, which uses a Cree XHP70.2 emitter. What do you propose as an alternative emitter, that is just as bright and efficient?

Lexel · 2019-01-03T14:10:47.000Z

WalkIntoTheLight:

Lexel:

There are LEDs that are:
as efficient as Creee top binnings

Okay, since we’re talking about the Zebralight SC700d, which uses a Cree XHP70.2 emitter. What do you propose as an alternative emitter, that is just as bright and efficient?

Quad Samsung L351D with frosted TIR optic

The_Driver1 · 2019-01-03T14:33:38.000Z

The L351D also has angular tint shift. The Luxeon V doesn’t have much tint shift, but is not available with high-cri. The Luxeon MV also doesn’t have angular tint shift, but the tint is above the BBL and the 90CRI version is not available with a neutral-white CCT.
The Nichia E21A is better than all of them in regards to angular tint shift and tint in general. It’s not efficient at high currents though.

WalkIntoTheLight · 2019-01-03T15:01:09.000Z

Lexel:

WalkIntoTheLight:

Lexel:

There are LEDs that are:
as efficient as Creee top binnings

Okay, since we’re talking about the Zebralight SC700d, which uses a Cree XHP70.2 emitter. What do you propose as an alternative emitter, that is just as bright and efficient?

Quad Samsung L351D with frosted TIR optic

It’s not a bad choice for a frosted optic. But the ZL SC700d uses a clear lens, and from some of the beam shots given elsewhere, it seems to have more throw than I expected.

Frosted lenses are fine for headlamps, but not really that practical in hand-held lights, IMO. But, sure, if Zebralight offers a frosted SC700, and they likely will, it might make a good choice. Then again, with a frosted lens, domed Cree emitters look pretty good anyway, since the tint-shift is mostly blurred away.

Lexel · 2019-01-03T16:20:48.000Z

depending on drive current to stay within specs you can also use 351C which got better options for CRI

not sure how a whitewall shot looks with this CRI XHP70 with clear lens, but from many other lights it does not look good

WalkIntoTheLight · 2019-01-03T16:55:16.000Z

Lexel:

not sure how a whitewall shot looks with this CRI XHP70 with clear lens, but from many other lights it does not look good

Over on cpf, the people that already have the light, seem to be pleased at the tint and say the beam is nice. I’m kind of surprised, as the XHP70.2 has a lot of tint shift from what I’ve seen, but I’ve never seen the high CRI version that Zebralight is using.

IMO, Zebralight has got a lot better at using nicer tints with less shift, over the past couple of years. My old Zebralights from a few years ago have a lot of green in their corona, and are not very pleasant when white-wall hunting.

The ones I bought last year are way better. Two of them use the XHP35 HI, though, so I suppose they should be good. But even the one that uses a domed XHP50.2 has a relatively nice beam.

BurningPlayd0h · 2019-01-03T21:19:41.000Z

WalkIntoTheLight:

Lexel:

There are LEDs that are:
as efficient as Creee top binnings

Okay, since we’re talking about the Zebralight SC700d, which uses a Cree XHP70.2 emitter. What do you propose as an alternative emitter, that is just as bright and efficient?

I would question the choice of a 70.2 in general since its not being pushed to nearly the levels it is in other lights. I suppose its for increased efficiency but the trade off is that they had to make the reflector much bigger than the SC600 to maintain a similar beam pattern to other ZLs.

WalkIntoTheLight · 2019-01-03T22:35:18.000Z

BurningPlayd0h:

I would question the choice of a 70.2 in general since its not being pushed to nearly the levels it is in other lights. I suppose its for increased efficiency but the trade off is that they had to make the reflector much bigger than the SC600 to maintain a similar beam pattern to other ZLs.

Yeah, I thought it was an odd choice for a Zebralight, too. They have mostly sacrificed the easy pocketability that they’re known for. I supposed it’s still easy to carry in a jacket, though.

As for over-driving, Zebralight doesn’t do that in their lights. They generally push them close to the spec sheet max, but not more. Probably for reliability reasons. Their thermal controls are excellent, so over-driving wouldn’t make much sense in that regard anyway.

Lexel · 2019-01-04T06:24:50.000Z

they could have done the same with a XHP50.2 at maybe only 10% Lumen loss at same current
but they likely didnt want to overdrive a XHP50.2 that much
with a smaller light and same beam characteristics

Tally-ho · 2019-01-04T09:38:52.000Z

zieloczek100 made a review of the EAGTAC TX3G Pro using a Cree XHP-70.2 in a small SMO reflector an the beam doesn’t look as bad as I was expected…in facts it looks pretty good.

A few of his pictures :

Field shots, camera settings ISO-200, f / 2, 1s, white balance – Fluorescent H
EAGTAC TX3G Pro – TURBO

Emisar D4 – TURBO

EAGTAC TX3G Pro – TURBO

Emisar D4 – TURBO

will34 · 2019-01-04T19:25:17.000Z

Not bad, but holy crap that’s a beautiful beam from the D4

Terry_Oregon · 2019-01-04T23:18:05.000Z

Arrived today.

Typical Zebralight minimalist packaging, just big enough.

As you can see, the anodizing color is a bit lighter than two of my other Zebralights (SC600Fd IV Plus and SC53Fc). Personally, love the lighter color of the SC700d the best.

I will be doing some runtime graphs over the next couple of days - with and without active cooling.

Pavlo · 2019-01-05T00:09:17.000Z

I find the SC700d (based on images) very beautiful and well proportioned.
So many flashlight manufacturers out there, and Zebralight is always able to step it up.

Looking forward to your runtime graphs. If you can compare it to your SC600w Plus that would be amazing.

Terry_Oregon · 2019-01-05T00:15:50.000Z

Pavlo:

If you can compare it to your SC600w Plus that would be amazing.

That will be easy, since I ran runtime graphs on the SC600fd last summer - with and without active cooling.

justanotherguy · 2019-01-05T01:58:20.000Z

Terry Oregon:

Pavlo:

If you can compare it to your SC600w Plus that would be amazing.

That will be easy, since I ran runtime graphs on the SC600fd last summer - with and without active cooling.

which battery are you running, the 40t? maybe the 50e too?