Lighting stand help

[PiroStitch]

Hi guys,

Wondering if those of you who have studio setups might be able to help me out. I'm at the stage now which I'd like to consolidate my kit and get what I really need. At this stage, I need a few stands and am seeking your suggestions and advice please.

The purpose of the stands are obviously so I can start having lighting setups of my choosing, instead of having a couple of people hold lights for me . What I'd also like to add in are booms so that I can potentially position the strobe above the subject or subjects. It'll need to support say a SB800 or a Quantum X2 flash and battery (flash is just under 1kg and the battery is say 2kg). I can hook the battery onto the main stand and then have the flash on the boom without too much fuss. Also flexibility would be great in terms of being able to attach an umbrella to it to diffuse the light.

I've had a look at the Manfrotto website and read up on other sites but I'm still not confident in terms of the parts I need, so before I go into a equipment place and have them do a sell job on me I need someone's help to just educate me a bit more

Thanks in advance for your help.

[Oz_Beachside]

a light weight alternative to a boom stand, since its for a flash gun, might be a disc reflector holder. one like the photoflex one, attaches to the top of a lightstand that has a normal 3/8" spigot on top, could then hold the SB800 on with either a bungee ball, or normal hotshoe fitting, or spring clamp.

this could also be used to hold a difusion panel, and make your SB800 softer if you wanted, or the sun...
US $48
http://www.adorama.com/PFLDH.html


if you have some battery weight, that might hold a normal stand enough, and the reflector disc holder as the boom, which may not need a counter weight (but they have a hole drilled in the end so you could hang a dog lead catch on if needed).

the stands that come with the manfrotto portable backdrop stand kit are a nice size for this load, and if you get the kit, you also have the clamps and background with it also.

budget?

call mike at borges in PMelb, and he might still have some cheap used stands, ex hire from the sydney store...

[BBJ]

Hi Piro, I bought one of these stands from a fellow member from the forum who has an ebay shop on the go only i picked my stand up from him while in Adelaide and have been very happy with it as i use with an SB800 and Unbrella on it.
http://cgi.ebay.com.au/Fotogen-Hercules-Heavy-Duty-Studio-Light-Stand-2-6m_W0QQitemZ120261936339QQihZ002QQcategoryZ30088QQtcZphotoQQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp1742.m153.l1262

Something to look at maybe and is a lot stronger than the the ones i seen at Photo Wholesalers in Adelaide that wanted an arm and a leg for.
http://stores.ebay.com.au/Envisage-IT-and-Photo

Cheers
John

[Biggzie]

BBJ ... I was just looking up the eBay link to them

[Pa]

is this the type of thing your looking for.

http://www.soldsmart.com.au/l3.aspx?goods=LF0085

[sirhc55]

Hi Piro, I bought one of these stands from a fellow member from the forum who has an ebay shop on the go only i picked my stand up from him while in Adelaide and have been very happy with it as i use with an SB800 and Unbrella on it.
http://cgi.ebay.com.au/Fotogen-Hercules-Heavy-Duty-Studio-Light-Stand-2-6m_W0QQitemZ120261936339QQihZ002QQcategoryZ30088QQtcZphotoQQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp1742.m153.l1262

Something to look at maybe and is a lot stronger than the the ones i seen at Photo Wholesalers in Adelaide that wanted an arm and a leg for.
http://stores.ebay.com.au/Envisage-IT-and-Photo

Cheers
John

I too bought some stands from this member - good price (eBay) and built like a tank (without the gun)

[PiroStitch]

Thanks for the quick replies guys.

Bruce - I was thinking looking at getting the lighter stands that you have and one or two Mini Articulated Arms (http://www.manfrotto.com.au/LightingPro ... Number=504)

Do you know what's at the end of the arm? Will I need to get an adapter to screw the speedlight onto it?

Thanks Pa and BBJ! That boom arm looks like what I'll need - just to have a look at how much weight it supports now.

[Oz_Beachside]

Thanks for the quick replies guys.

Bruce - I was thinking looking at getting the lighter stands that you have and one or two Mini Articulated Arms (http://www.manfrotto.com.au/LightingPro ... Number=504)

Do you know what's at the end of the arm? Will I need to get an adapter to screw the speedlight onto it?

Thanks Pa and BBJ! That boom arm looks like what I'll need - just to have a look at how much weight it supports now.

not familiar with that arm, but its most likely similar to the camer bracket, which has a "spigot socket" on the end, and comes with the brass spigot insert. on the end of the spigot is a 1/4" thread, which can screw into the SB-800 base plates that come with it. or you can get simple hama brand, hotshoes with the 1/4" threaded hole in the bottom. this will work so long as you can get the 3 dimensions of movement from the arm, which is available from the camera flash bracket, so I expect it is on the arm. otherwise an umbrella bracket would provide the "elbow".

I think the lighter compact stands are called "nano" stands. certainly very compact as the legs are flat aluminum rather than tubes like larger "normal" stands.

[Antsl]

Hi Wayne
I would be having a look at one of these .....Manfrotto 420 Combo. I have one and although it is perhaps heavier than you might be looking for it is also very useful. It has the advantage of being well made, reasonable solid (less likely to blow over outside), very tall (useful if you need to get a light up high) and it is also a boom. The boom arm stores away within the centre of the light-stand and can be pulled out and put into place within moments. Being Manfrotto is will also outlast a generation or two of DSLR's (good for people like me who like to buy right and buy once).
I also have a couple of these Manfrotto 051NB lightstands that are very light weight (1.1kg) with a maximum height of 2.4 metres. I usually use these with might small flash units and they get a lot of use in my magazine work. Then I also have a couple of larger Manfrotto 004B stands that are good for larger lights like my Bowens units.
My advice to you is to get the Manfrotto 420 along with a smaller 051 .... between the two of them you should be happy for a while and I promise you will never be disappointed with them! hope this is a help! Ants

[Oz_Beachside]

Hi Wayne
I would be having a look at one of these .....Manfrotto 420 Combo. I have one and although it is perhaps heavier than you might be looking for it is also very useful. It has the advantage of being well made, reasonable solid (less likely to blow over outside), very tall (useful if you need to get a light up high) and it is also a boom. The boom arm stores away within the centre of the light-stand and can be pulled out and put into place within moments. Being Manfrotto is will also outlast a generation or two of DSLR's (good for people like me who like to buy right and buy once).
I also have a couple of these Manfrotto 051NB lightstands that are very light weight (1.1kg) with a maximum height of 2.4 metres. I usually use these with might small flash units and they get a lot of use in my magazine work. Then I also have a couple of larger Manfrotto 004B stands that are good for larger lights like my Bowens units.
My advice to you is to get the Manfrotto 420 along with a smaller 051 .... between the two of them you should be happy for a while and I promise you will never be disappointed with them! hope this is a help! Ants

good point, agree, the 420 combi is very nice, versatile, can take lots of weight with weightbag, or speedlights with no weight bag. just doesnt fit in a backpack if thats a requirement.

wayne, I can show you these tonight, I know a guy that knows a guy with more gear than he can chew...

[PiroStitch]

That's what I needed to hear Bruce and Ants Thanks again.

[PiroStitch]

Thanks for taking the time to educate me Bruce Certainly lots of options to think about and just have to nut down to what I really need for the time being to last me for awhile.

The 420 Combo is certainly tempting but might be overkill if I end up mounting a dinky SB800 to the end of it

[Oz_Beachside]

no worries, its a two way street!

get this, and an arm, and some brolly brackets, and some super clamps.
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/227524-REG/Bogen_Manfrotto_314B_Background_Support_System.html

[PiroStitch]

Thanks Bruce. Will let you know which ones I plan on getting but that seems to do the trick.

[PiroStitch]

Bit of an update, getting the following:



and a lighter boom

Can't wait now!

Thanks again for the advice and help everyone

[Alex]

Well done! Enjoy the new toys!

Alex