Lowel Tota-light Wide Angle Quartz Light

I've worked in TV for almost 35 years, and Lowel light kits were always an important part of our news gathering equipment. They are tough, durable workhorses able to stand up to the rigors of frequent setups and tear downs. The Tota Light is no exception. A small, lightweight head capable of putting out 750w of broad, bright quartz light at 3200k (when fitted with the appropriate light tube) makes this light useful for everything from broad area lighting (without the optional Tota-brella) to single subject interviews, especially when using the Tota-brella to diffuse the light and reduce harsh shadows. When shooting interviews for news, speed was critical. We frequently didn't have time to setup 3 lights for an interview. Using a single Tota Light with umbrella as the key light and a single Omni light as a hair light, we could make any interview subject look great using just two lights, saving time, space, and weight in the light kit.Because these are quartz lights, they get HOT, as in 2nd and 3rd degree burn hot! So here are a few simple rules:1. NEVER touch a quartz bulb - cold or hot - with your bare hands. The oil from your skin will significantly decrease bulb life, and could cause the bulb to explode when hot! (And common sense should tell you never to touch a hot surface with your bare hands.)2. While on the topic of exploding lights, get the Lowel Tota Protective Screen Lowel Tota-light Protective Screen. It's inexpensive and could keep shards of hot glass from showering your set should a bulb explode!3. Get lighting grip gloves for handling lights like these. They might (literally) save your skin!4. Don't transport these lights while they're hot! The filaments are fragile and could break if bumped around while moving them! You may need to make slight aiming adjustments while the light is on, but do so gently and use the grip gloves you purchased in rule 3!5. Don't put them too close to your subject or anything flammable. (Did I mention they are HOT?)6. If you're using a full light kit featuring a Tota light and several Omni's or DP's, try to spread the lights out on different circuits. Tripping breakers and blowing fuses is no fun and slows you down.I look forward to receiving my Tota Light soon (it's on order but has yet to ship). I just wanted to write this review from my many years of experience with them. Hope it helps.

Note that this does not come with a light bulb or stand. This is over priced. I bought this same set up many years ago with a stand, with a bulb, with an umbrella and the light all for $65. So for just the light itself it’s is way too expensive. It is a nice light to use and I had my old one for a long time. So hopefully this one last as long.

It is very convenient to carry, light weight powerful but it gets very hot so it should not be touched by hand. It covers my 10 X 10 feet booth in the Trade Shows and good for taking picturesArun Bhatnagar

Came in Lowel box, brand new, packaged up very nicely. This isn't really a con but it doesn't come with the bulb. I knew this ahead of time so I ordered one. I went to lowes and got a 500watt bulb to hold me over until my 750 comes in and 500 watts is SUPER bright. Get an umbrella or softbox for sure for this. Either way it is super high quality gear. Espically the plug. I was very impressed with the switch and plug quality. Very high end gear. Don't waste your money on cheap kits. If you're a budget filmmaker, buy one of these lights and get the rest when you can afford them.That is all!

this product does not come with a bulb even though at the bottom of the listing under "customer questions" it saysQ. Does it come with a bulb?A. Yes it doespretty disappointed as it delayed starting my project. I also paid $44 for expedited shipping for something that I couldnt use immediately...

I've been using these lights at trade shows and events for decades. At first I wasted money on lights designed for my purpose that cost 2-3 times as much that were terribly designed, never worked right, were fragile and ended up in the trash. These lights are made for photographers and film-makers, and they work great. They're easy to attach and aim, durable for transport, and are reliable when you need them for your livelihood. I just bought these to replace Tota lights that literally worked for decades (occasional use, but still...) Words can only begin to describe my gratitude for products like this that function beautifully and make my life so much smoother. For some people their favorite things are their Porsche and their Prada handbag, these lights are on my shortlist of favorite things.

I was relatively certain that the advertisement for this Lowel Tota-light specifically stated that it came with a bulb. It didn't.Why would a company ship a photographic lighting unit in this pricing range and not include a bulb so that you able to start using the it upon receipt. Had to go out and purchase a bulb from another supplier which appreciably delayed start of the project that the Tota-light was initially purchased for.

I own three Tota-Lights and feel like I'm getting much more than I paid for. My primary use of the Tota Lights are for two person interviews.One 750 watt light is very bright. With three lights, I have over 2200 watts at my disposal. I can point one up to the ceiling in an average size room, and light up the area. I use the other two with 1000 watt dimmers, and the Tota-Shade Barndoors. I adjust them at an angle that provides the best fill. Before I got the dimmers, I used only two lights with gels or a diffuser, because of how bright they were.If you keep your bare hands off the bulbs, and turn off the light before moving it. You will get long life out of the bulbs, and not worry about them busting. The filament in tungstens make them susceptible to damage when moving them lit.With that said, the construction of these lights are bombproof. They are lightweight and small enough for convenient travel I just ordered another one to use as a one light kit. So I can keep it in my trunk at all times.I am very happy with the tota lights all around. Make sure to get at least the Tota-Shade Barndoors, and leather work gloves, but I recommend getting a 1000 watt dimmer also if you want to control the light.