KT750U 750-Watt Thrifty Photoflood Kit

So I've used this kit for a couple of shoots, and here are my observations:

Pros
* Very inexpensive way to get into lighting
* Once you've put it together, simple to break down, move, and setup fairly quickly.

Cons
* Absolutely no instructions for assembly, whatsoever. While its not rocket science, there we some moments that I would have liked some instruction. However, once you get the first light together, subsequent ones are simple.
* Cheap materials and/or poorly tapped screw holes makes it impossible to fix one of the lamps into position (horizontal, not vertical).
* Umbrellas are (as you can see in the pic) translucent, so a lot of the light hits the rest of the room, limiting your control of lighting. On the converse, I have also used the unit reverse, lighting the subject through the umbrella, which works nicely for other shots.

Suggestions to purchasers:
* Find a suitcase to carry/store the kit in. I think a cheap hard plastic case (greater than 18" in length) would work well. I ended up buying a soft sided tote suitcase from Walmart for $25.
* Use velcro straps to secure the power cable to the stand, otherwise the cables hang out and can get you tripped up.
* Purchase extra bulbs, you can't get these at walmart! :) These are special color-corrected bulbs.
* Recommend a dimmer for each unit (I imagine you could get a generic dimmer from any electronics store that would work).

I've only used this once so far and it worked as I expected. Not pro duty but it gets the job done. I like the third light. Original bulbs are still working but I will most likely replace them with higher wattages if the fixtures will accept them. If I had a wish I'd wish this came with a carry bag. I would have even paid more for this if it had a bag.

This is a great lighting kit, but, I would recommend buying two 500 watt bulbs.

› Go to Amazon.com to see all 22 reviews  3.9 out of 5 stars