If you follow this channel closely, you'll know it's full of subliminal programming from
our reptile overlords, known as the federal government... and that my favorite everyday
carry light is the Zebralight SC600w mkIII HI.
And if you follow even closer, you'll know that todays orders are to dig 5 12 foot holes
in your backyard, and I thought the Zebralight User Interface needed some tweaking.
Well Zebralight has been tweaking hard, not because they listened to me... and they made
their UI about perfect with their new AA powered headlamps and Every Day Carry sized flashlights.
Which are some of the brightest ever on s standard AA So let's look at one of their
newest the SC5c MkII, which is an update to their SC5 that removes 14500 support, offers
a Hi CRI Neutral option, and has a more programmable UI, that fine tune the UI to how you like
it.
The SC5c Mk II is an aluminum constructed AA powered compact flashlight that uses a
Cree XP-L2 emitter.
It has a natural anodized finish, and a glass lens, and an orange peel textured reflector.
There's some nice grippy knurling on the outside, and as always Zebralights knurling is well
textured, so it gives a good grip.
It has a decent pocket clip, that's fairly strong, although not a super deep carry like
on the sc600.
In the brown shipping/product box you get spare o-rings the light, and an instruction
manual.
Now since this is a AA powered compact flashlight, expect reasonable useful levels of brightness.
And some says like 5000 lumens?
Which is perfectly fine, because 90% of my flashlight use can be accomplished with 100
lumens or less.
The SC5 has 6 constant light modes, and 4 strobes available at any time for idiots but
there's actually 12 levels of constant light, so you can choose the one to program...
Here are the 12 levels, starting from the lowest.
My figures and Zebralights are on screen First are the low modes, Zebralight knows their
low modes.
.08 lumens, I'll call them by their lumen figures because thats what Zebralight does.
.28 lumens, 1 lumen, and 2.8 lumens.
These modes, especially the 2 lowest sub lumen modes are useful for darkness adjusted vision.
Now the medium lumen modes... lets call these reading modes.
These are too bright if you want to preserve night vision.
7.4 lumens, 18 lumens, 40 lumens, and 79 lumens.
Now the High modes, 144 lumens, 236 lumens, 352 lumens, and 475 lumens that steps down
after 3 minutes.
Generally on my SC600 which can put out over 1200 lumens, I use the 150 ish lumen mode
as my high.
475 lumens is capable of lighting up stuff, over 100 feet away in real world terms.
Now youre like 475 lumens, that aint bright.
Well sorry its bright as shit for 1 AA battery.
I did some brief checking and compared AA powers lights the MT10A from nitecore 170
lumens on a AA Thrunite Archer 211 lumens, Armytek Prime about 320 at least my older
version.
Basically put, this is probably the brightest flashlight you can get off a single AA battery
period.
Im going to say probably, in case theres one or two Im missing.
Again some of those light support 14500 and when manufacturers advertise maximum brightness
they usually mean on a 14500.
Ok... the user interface, or the part where people fall asleep.
I dont care if you fall asleep, as long as the video plays all the way through.
if you have owned a Zebralight that's only a few years or old or less, and love the interface...
the good news is zebralight managed to keep that intact, and they also added more programming
so youtube videos might be longer.
This is now my favorite user interface...
so much that now this is my new EDC light.
Ok let me start with the idiot explanation of the user interface.
Zebralight uses a shortcut based UI.
With 4 groups, Low, Mid, High, and Strobe.
Each of those 4 modes has a toggle-able secondary brightness level.
To get to L or Low, press and hold for half a second from off.
Cool.
Click once to turn it off.
To get to mid double click from off.
Cool click once to turn it off.
To get to high a quick press from off.
To get to strobe 3 clicks from off.
You're like how about that secondary brightness level in each group.
Just double click once you get in that mode for more than a second.
So let's say Medium.
Double click to get to medium, wait a second, then double click again, and it toggles the
secondary brightness...
so whatever mode you used in each mode group last it save it when you get back into it.
So like low... press and hold for a second release... timing is a little tricky on low.
But youre in low, double click to change between the secondary low.
Works on high too.
Awesome.
Also when on from any mode you can scroll through low mid and high main levels by just
pressing and holding from off or on.
Ok... so let's get into programming.
Grab a beer.
But first know there's three saved user interface groups...
G5 is the standard one by default... then G6 and G7 that you can program any mode to
any of the shortcuts.
To get into any of those do the number its labeled from off.
So I want to program G6... its off and I click 6 times rapidly.
Ok now I'm in 6, and youre getting sleepy.
How are those holes coming.
Ok... in G5 the default in get 3 choices in each of the levels in G6 and G7 levels you
can program the main and secondary level to any of it's 12 available modes.
The way you program the levels in G5 and G6 and G7 is the same.
You have to turn it on the mode you want to program.
Lets say I want to program H1 and H2.
remember in G5 you can only program H2... anyway.
I turn on high then double click 6 times, then it gives me the levels... to go forward
in the 12 available levels double click again.. to go downward the scale triple click...
click once to save that value.
That's basically it... you can do that with the main level and sub level.
Main levels are denoted by 1 and sub levels 2... so H1 is high main... and h2 would be
h sub level.
Remember in G5... the sub levels in each mode only have three predetermined choices.
Strobes triple click from off.. then double click to scroll through them... click once
to turn it off and save that last strobe into the strobe goup memory.
I know most boring review ever.
The light has an electronic switch unscrew the tailcap slightly when not in use long
term or are transporting in a bag.
Runtimes.
runtimes are accomplished using a standard eneloop...
I got slightly less times than zebralight in all modes, and I suspect is because they
were using an eneloop pro instead of a standard eneloop..
eneloop pros are 2500 mah and regular eneloops are about 1900 mah.
That's why.
If you want longer runtimes buy the pros.
Please dont use alkalines in your zebralight.
they leak, call you names when your back is turned, drink all your beer, and should only
be used as a backup.
First is 475 lumen mode.
Strap in fools.
Turbo starts out strong, out the gate.
Holds steady and at 3 minutes in it drops about 31% overall.
I measured about 110 Fahrenheit at the head- not bad- not glove territory.
I measured 487 lumens per ANSI and it drops to 332 lumens on my DIY device, and if you
convert the math seen here- it matches that almost exactly.
That tells me this method aint too bad.
So it holds that 300 and a third lumens till about 30 minutes in where we get some big
drops like 88.5% overall thats about 50 lumens at at 37 minutes it drops way down to its
lowest moonlight- like it did in all my runtime tests.
Its a fraction of a lumen emergency light.
Short runtimes, but what did you expect.
Zebralights runtime claim is right on the money on this one at 30 minutes.
Next is what Zebralight refers to as 352 lumen mode- I got 332 remember.
Over the first 30 minutes theres only a 3.5 percentish drop.
37 minutes in theres a sharp drop thats 81% overall from the start 42 minutes in you get
a fraction of a lumen coming out.
Emergency light only.
This is still more than just about any other AA powered flashlight.
Zebra light says .9 hours I say .61 hours
Now 236 lumen mode.
It starts out.
And runs nice and solid 45 minutes in youre at only a 1.5% overall drop even with my lux
meter sensor slowly creeping.
Hopefully you aint mad, about it.
59 minutes in you get a hard bump 73 percent drop overall.
106 minutes its emergency light.
Zebra light says 1 hour and 30 mins.
Put in a new battery.
Now 144 lumen mode, just to test youre patience.
Starts out steady and holds that level of brightness almost constant for 2 hours.
Then at 2 hours and 12 minutes its done.
Zebra light says 2.8 hours.
My figure would be 2.2 hours.
Again they probably used an eneloop pro.
Or theyre just wrong.
Youre like how about 79 lumen mode or M1.
Glad you asked no one.
1 hour goes by.
Remember youre not getting this time back.
2 hours 3 hours whatever.
You get a total of 5 hours and 34 minutes of constant light.
Zebra light says 4.9 hours on its spec.
You wouldnt know because youre no longer here.
Now 40 lumen mode this is the last one Im going to do.
Zebra light says this one gives you 9.6 hours but in reality.
you get 10 hours and 22 minutes of constant light.
Sorry thats a spoiler as this just runs.
Beamshots.
Ok... so I'm doing this in the basement.
Here are the lights I'll be comparing it to.
Distance is about 3o feet from flashlight to the DVD shelf.
First is the Zebralight SC5c Mk II.
I have seen some people complain about the tint- mine came as a nice warm slightly yellowish
orange tint.
Zebralight claims about 4000 k.
I like the tint, and the hotspot is larger and less intense than my Other Zebralight,
the SC600.
That light is a little better suited when you need to illuminate stuff far away.
My estimated lumens figures are on the screen, and the lights are set to their maximum output.
Its much brighter overall, as you can seen when going back to the Sc5.
Which is able to squeeze quite a bit of brightness out of the AA battery...
more than any other of y lights on a AA.
Next is Fenix LD15.
That is a two mode light, and only puts out a bit over 100 lumens, and has a large hot
spot.
Back to the SC5... much nicer tint, although I do like that the fenix has a big hotpot.
Now the Armytek Prime Pro on a AA...
I like the tint, and this one can be run off a 14500, although it's a larger light than
the Zebralight, so it's bulkier in your pocket.
I also like the looks of the Zebralight more too.
Back to the Zebralight for a few seconds.
Basically I'm trying to keep this comparisons to AA or AA lights only, except the Zebralight
SC600.
What about the 2 AA powered Olight Baton S2A this is a pretty bright AA powered light,
but thats because it uses 2 AA batteries, and supplies a greater voltage.
Its a nice light, but a tad long in the pocket Lets go back to the SC5 to keep it fresh in
your mind.
Now the Lumintop IYP365.
Great tint with a Nichia emitter, thinner and longer light...
so some might prefer it in the pocket even though it has a lower high brightness.
We'll go back go the Zebralight for s second before moving onto the....
Thrunite Archer A1.
I have reviewed all these lights, so watch them all if you prefer not doing things or
talking to people.
Ok... so let's go over the dimensions as we wrap it up.
It's light and small right?
Zebralights are my favorite because they're compact and durable.
Well...
I actually had to send my first Zebralight SC5 back to them
because I saw visible PWM on one mode, and the lowest mode flickered.
My new one exhibited no such issues.
The pocket clip is ok... it aint deep carry...
I'm not sure why it isn't like the SC600 clip... because thats a great one...
The UI is everything I hoped for.
I have now programmed the high modes out of the single press and long press.. and made
them require more buttons to push to get there.
That was my problem I hated that I could accidentally activate high if my press to low wasnt quite
long enough So now I have high mode set as a double click because it made much more sense.
I like working up in brightness, not the other way around.
I don't care about the lack of lithium ion support...
the AA is plenty bright for me.
I can't wait until they put the new UI in an 18650 version, but until then I'm glad
Zebralight addressed the complaints from a few of us about their UI.
Complaining on the internet works!
You heard it here.
By the way it saves all your changes into memory, so when you switch out batteries it
ain't no thang.
Also Zebralight recesses its buttons, so they are hard to activate in your pocket.
Some manufacturers make the light hard to push, and dont recess them like Olight.
I prefer the Zebralight way.
And one more time this is the best AA light Ive ever reviewed, and it gets a very strong
recommendation from me.
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Thanks for watching.