Boom arm question...

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Archive 2010 · Boom arm question...

JoJo S.
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p.2 #1 · Boom arm question...

Thanks Ryan! It was a LITTLE bit outta my price range, but I put my house up for sale and I was able to purchse 3 of them! I'll post some pics of the resulting shots I get with it! Thanks again!

Feb 09, 2010 at 12:55 AM

jdben622
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p.2 #2 · Boom arm question...

I use a Avenger 600CB on a C-stand for my head and BD. I don't understand the point about the boom shouldn't weigh more than the light. Why not? My combo is very sturdy, the integrated grip head is very secure and I only use a 5lb. rock-cod weight in the sandbag to counter-balance, so the overall weight isn't all that much IMO.

Feb 09, 2010 at 01:00 AM

RobertLynn
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p.2 #3 · Boom arm question...

Carmen Miranda wrote:
RobertLynn wrote:
It looked like something that wouldn't work well ....

Looks can be deceiving.

C-stands work quite well outdoors. I depend on them. Aside from heavier lazy leg stands, I find that C-stands work outside much better than regular stands.

Next to flags, gobos and grids, the C-stand/grip arm combo may be one of the least appreciated and most misunderstood pieces of kit available to lighting neophytes.

Good luck.

Thanks! I didn't know this. Just from the looks it looked like it would be a pita to deal with in the outdoor conditions.

Even though I've got a handfull of 630B's, maybe I'll look into some C-Stands too.

Feb 09, 2010 at 01:26 AM

RobertLynn
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p.2 #4 · Boom arm question...

tomrock wrote:
C-stands are GREAT outside. The extra weight and the ease of sandbagging both help them not blow away.

And they make C-stands where one of the legs can be adjusted up and down for uneven terrain (one of the links above may show that particular stand; I haven't followed all the links).
I need to buy more sandbags. I left mine at my last outdoor gig...and strangely enough, they weren't there when I went back. Who in the hell would steal 50lbs in sand?

Feb 09, 2010 at 01:26 AM

Dameon
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p.2 #5 · Boom arm question...

I've been doing a ton of research on these as well. It's hard to find something that is:

a) portable and suitable for both indoor and outdoor use
b) relatively inexpensive
c) strong enough to support anything from speedlight/umbrella combo to a monolight/BD/softbox combo

I'm going to order the Manfrotto Heavy Duty Boom & Stand.

Individually, the components add up to over $400, so I think this is a good deal (fulfilling requirement "b)".

Also, while not as flexible for outdoor use on uneven ground (doesn't appear to have a lazy leg), I see no reason why you couldn't leave off the casters when using it outdoors and put them on in-studio, fulfilling most of requirement "a)".

***EDIT - Just went back and looked and it reads "One leg section may be independently extended to level the lightstand on uneven terrain."***

Lastly, the 9' boom arm with 7' stand seems like it should be able to suit almost any purpose (i.e. enough height for an out-of-scene hair light or for a BD and clamshell lighting). The 9' arm being able to split into 3' sections, provides flexibility and strength, especially with the included 15lb counter-weight

Anyone see any issues with this set-up, or restrictions? Am I comparing apples and oranges trying to compare this with a C-stand? Still not sure what the difference is between a C-stand and regular light stand are, besides the funny legs...

Edited on Mar 16, 2010 at 10:45 PM · View previous versions

Mar 16, 2010 at 09:38 PM

colinm
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p.2 #6 · Boom arm question...

Dameon wrote:
Still not sure what the difference is between a C-stand and regular light stand are, besides the funny legs...

Generally speaking, a C-stand is a heck of a lot sturdier. It's beefier by virtue of the big metal tubes, it's not going to fold up on you (since the legs don't fold), and it's designed with a huge front leg to resist tipping under weight. Setup and tear down are faster too; give the legs a fling and you're done.

Mar 16, 2010 at 10:07 PM

RMS956
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p.2 #7 · Boom arm question...

JoJo S. wrote:
Thank you for your reply Hatcher!

I got the LS3900 from alien bees. Its the 13 foot heavy duty lightstand. As far as a boom is concerned, I wasn't sure what would be a good fit for it. And the beauty dish would be the 22" BD attached to an AB800.

And the fastest land animal is the cheetah with a maximum speed of up to 120km/h. Or me after I've taken an 8 ball of speed...

. I have two 13 foot AC PCB stands from years back(1999 i think) that still work great and I use this boom http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/546560-REG/Manfrotto_024B_Boom_Assembly_Black_.html#specifications with a X2400(4.9 Lbs.) and a Photoflex 3x4 foot softbox(2 Lbs.) attached to it with no problems. I'm sure a beauty dish will work on it just fine.

Edited on Mar 16, 2010 at 10:46 PM · View previous versions

Mar 16, 2010 at 10:18 PM

Dameon
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p.2 #8 · Boom arm question...

colinm wrote:

Generally speaking, a C-stand is a heck of a lot sturdier. It's beefier by virtue of the big metal tubes, it's not going to fold up on you (since the legs don't fold), and it's designed with a huge front leg to resist tipping under weight. Setup and tear down are faster too; give the legs a fling and you're done.

If the legs don't fold, how do you pack and transport the base easily? Also, and I realize that photos can be deceiving, the width of the C-stand bases seems like a smaller diameter than the overall footprint of some of the 13-foot stands. Wouldn't the width of the base have a lot to do with the relative sturdiness of the stand?

I'm not trying to be argumentative here, I'm really just trying to understand the differences as I'm planning on buying a couple of lightstands, as well, and am wondering, now, whether or not C-stands or regular lightstands would be the better choice?

Last question, what's the difference between the "boom" arm that is part of the set-up I just posted and a "grip" arm that goes through a "grip" head? Maybe I'm over-thinking this, there are just too many choices and I don't have enough experience to know their respective value-props and I don't want to have to re-buy anything anytime soon if I can help it.

Mar 16, 2010 at 10:40 PM

Carmen Miranda
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p.2 #9 · Boom arm question...

^^^^^

Dameon,

C stands come in 3 basic leg configurations:
1) Standard; legs fold flat, but stick out from riser like a L.
2) Lazy leg; same as above but one leg is adjustable up and down the riser so that it can be used on uneven terrain or near stairs.
3. Turtle base; legs fold flat, but can be removed from the riser.

I personally prefer the turtle base version because they're is easier to pack, transport and store in pieces. Plus you can change out risers if need be. C-stand legs have smaller footprint than a comparable light stand and their legs are designed to be sand bagged, which makes them more stable in the end. C-stands may be heavier, but IMO they are quicker, stronger and easier to work with than regular light stands. Not a perfect solution in every case, but a tool you'll always find a use for.

40" grip arms are very strong and well matched to a C-stand making them extremely versatile combination; excellent for booming, flagging and a host of other uses. Booming with a 40" grip arm will generally give you as much offset as you need or (more importantly) should use. You may be over thinking this, but the brigger problem for most people is "over booming". Anything more than 40" requires a much heavier set up than most people want to bother with or need in most cases.

Good luck.

Mar 16, 2010 at 11:13 PM

Dameon
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p.2 #10 · Boom arm question...

@ Carmen - makes a little more sense now. Now I know this is going to seem silly, but I can seem to figure out how you actually attach a strobe/speedlight/umbrella bracket/etc. to the grip arm. I've been going through just about every category on the B&H lighting section and it just seems like the arm goes in to the grip head without any sort of connection mechanism on either end. I know, for sure, that I'm missing something that's just not being included in kits. What am I missing?

Mar 17, 2010 at 02:49 AM

cwebster
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p.2 #11 · Boom arm question...

You need a stand such as a c-stand, you need a boom arm (several have been mentioned), you need a grip head (I like Avenger D200 but YMMV), and you need a sand bag or counterweight.

The "baby" stud at the end of the boom arm goes in the socket on the strobe. A few modifiers also mount directly to the arm, but most attach to the strobe head with a speedring.

<Chas>

Mar 17, 2010 at 04:16 AM

Carmen Miranda
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p.2 #12 · Boom arm question...

Dameon wrote:
@ Carmen - makes a little more sense now. Now I know this is going to seem silly, but I can seem to figure out how you actually attach a strobe/speedlight/umbrella bracket/etc. to the grip arm. I've been going through just about every category on the B&H lighting section and it just seems like the arm goes in to the grip head without any sort of connection mechanism on either end. I know, for sure, that I'm missing something that's just not being included in kits. What am I missing?

Dameon,

There are any number of ways to attach strobes to a C-stand. You can use drop down pins with the knuckle end or attach directly to the baby (5/8") arm tip as described above. For a speed light and an umbrella you'd probably use a
umbrella adaptor or something like a Justin Clamp. The 175F spring clamp can hold either a umbrella or a gobo.

A C-stand is a bit overkill for speed light use only though. Another option for speedlights is a Combi Boom, which will give a bit more reach with the lighter weight. The Combi Boom has a leveling leg which is nice, but it still requires more counterbalancing than a C-stand.

Good luck.

Mar 17, 2010 at 05:34 AM

Dameon
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p.2 #13 · Boom arm question...

This makes sense. I should have been more specific with the use of monolight wording instead of strobe. I want to have something flexible enough for both monolights and speedlights with modifiers, so I'll need to plan for the heaviest configuration if I only want one boom set-up. From what I can tell, the combi-booms would be good for speedlight and modifier-only set-ups, but not for hoisting a x3200 of x1600 up in the air with a large SB or Octa.

So, if you were building a boom using a C-stand and grip arm, it would go something like this:

Once you decide on whether you want a permanent or detachable base, you need to decide on the height/number of risers you need for the center column. On the top of the center column, you need a spigot that would allow you to attach a grip head. Next, you would select a length for your grip arm. The grip arm is just a hollow tube that fits through the grip head on one end to stabilize it. On the other end of the grip arm is where the magic happens. There are numerous options for connecting lights, modifiers, clamps, etc. You need some way to "securely" connect your lights, modifiers, clamps, etc. to the extended tip of the grip arm. You could do that with a pin, such as this. I think my only remaining question involves securely seating the pin in the hollow end of the grip arm. Am I missing another component, as I haven't read anything that leads me to believe that a 40" grip arm, for example, is threaded at the end that would allow you to screw in a pin. Nor does it look like the Avenger E650 "baby" pin has a thread.

So, how do you get the pin to securely attach to the grip arm so that you can put lights, clamps, etc. on the business end of the grip arm? Lastly, do they make a hook for the unused end of the grip that you could attach somehow that would allow you to hang a counter-weight, or is the tightened grip head with a sandbagged stand base the "proper" way to secure a C-stand with grip arm?

Sorry for the degree of detail I'm requesting, I just can't seem to find an answer on my own.

Mar 17, 2010 at 05:08 PM

muskydave22
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p.2 #14 · Boom arm question...

Not to hack this thread or anything, but does anyone know if you can put the grip arm from a c stand on a normal light stand? I don't need a huge boom, just need something to hold a speedlight and a 24" softbox and I was thinking the avenger grip arm that comes with most c stands would work well.

Dave

Mar 17, 2010 at 05:37 PM

rico
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p.2 #15 · Boom arm question...

Weight is a serious factor in larger configs, and C-stands are spec'ed for 20 lbs only. My boom weighs 40 lbs before the light is mounted.

Mar 17, 2010 at 09:51 PM

bacilonur
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p.2 #16 · Boom arm question...

Dave, I do that all the time. You'll just want to make sure your stand can take the weight and torque. The Avenger A625/630/635 series is ideal for that. And it's better if you have a real grip head and arm that allows you to adjust the extension and have a counterweight, not just one of the arms with a fixed grip head.

Mar 18, 2010 at 02:51 AM

Sneakyracer
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p.2 #17 · Boom arm question...

This is what I use:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/243964-REG/Avenger_A2033FCBKIT_A205SCBKIT_Century_C_Stand.html

Mar 19, 2010 at 02:43 PM

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