Review: TorchLED Bolt 220R Remote-Controlled Dimmable Light

Testing the Light

In testing, the light definitely proved brighter than my old 200 version, but I noticed it seemed to have a slightly “hotter” spot in the middle of the wall, as you can see at the 4:08 mark in the test video below. It wasn't much, but I could tell there was a difference. It was not enough to be very noticeable in real world situations unless you really looked for it. You can see this in the test video.

I was able to put the light through the paces for a few recent weddings. On my first gig with the light I forgot to pack the remote so I had to use it manually. It did great, but I kept bumping into scenarios where the remote would have come in handy. For the second job I remembered the remote and like I expected it did prove very useful; I could adjust the brightness as needed based on how the venue set the lights at different times.

Battery Run Times

For run times, Switronix says a Sony 770 battery will run the light about 90 minutes. I borrowed a Sony battery from a colleague for testing. He gave me a generic 960 equivalent. After 2 hours, the light was still going full power. You can see where the battery fits in the light in Figure 2.

I also have an adapter cable to plug the light into a gel cell battery like those used in electric wheel chairs. It will run the light for hours. The light also comes with a standard video power tap cable in the event you have those plugs on your camera or external battery setup like the different ones Switronix manufactures.

Overall, the TorchLED Bolt 200R proved to be a great light and it lived up to the expectations I had for it with the remote. It's worth checking out if you are in need of a little more punch in a camera light or you need a small off camera light that can perform without getting big studio lights. Switronix keeps making great products that deliver big bang for the buck.