I'm looking for a set of light stands that will be used MOSTLY for my two 580 flashes, and Manfrotto 026 Umbrella Adapters. Rare use of umbrellas, mostly used with my Lumiquest Softboxes. I would on rare occasion put some very small soft boxes on them, about 24x24 and 18x18, but I can add weights on the legs to accommodate those.
I would like them to be light weight, and fairly collapsible, and inexpensive (under $100 for the set of two). Kinda like wanting my cake and eating it too I guess. This is predominately for outdoor fill flash work, I do virtually NIL in the way of portraiture.
I've looked at Cowboy Studio ones, and Impact, and just can't seem to find exactly what I want, do any of you have any good suggestions?
What about the Manfrotto Nano 5001B? I have two and they work well enough for light-duty stuff, but I don't exactly have a lot of experience with comparable stands from other companies.
Also check out the Matthews Mini Reverse stands. For just a little bit more cost than the Manfrotto Nano 5001B, you get a better stand with about three times the load rating. Big umbrellas or small softboxes can make it useful to have the additional load rating. If your focus is on extreme portability, Nano may be best, but the Mini Reverse gives a lot more versitility. And I would stay far away from the "cheap" stands that you mentioned, which are not very durable. Manfrotto, Avenger, and Matthews are all well built and will last a long time.
Thanks Gentlemen! I'm thinking about the Manfrotto 1051 BAC, that looks like it might be the best option for me, that or the Nano's. Greatly appreciate the advice.
How are you transporting these stands? Even the Nano tests the internal dimensions of many bags and multiple bags means stands are not there when you want them.
Anything other than the Nano's means separate bags/cases which can be a real pain, I use quite a few of these for Quantums and Lumedynes with power packs without any issues and they all fit in the same cases and bags.. 24x24 softboxes would be OK. I've had bigger on them, but if you're not having to carry them any distance more heavy duty stands would be better, but not as convenient.
The stacker stands are OK, but the leg spread is reduced by the design - despite the packed size being longer - and I found no advantage to the 'stackability' of them over regular stands when it comes to space saving. The packed length offers no advantage.
If closed length is an issue for transport and storage, then keep the Matthews Mini Reverse that I mentioned before in mind also. It is nearly as short as the Nano, but with more load rating and better build.
Hey Roland, thanks for pushing the Matthews! Looks like a great stand, but does the bracket on top have any threads? I might want to use it just with my RadioPopper RP Cube and flash, without the Manfrotto umbrella adapter. I could put some other brackets on top if the opening is a standard 5/8".
The top of the Matthews stands, and the top of almost all other lighting stands, is just a 5/8 inch round male rod with a recess grove. Normally most gear meant for stands goes right on that. The Manfrotto umbrella adapter is a good way to mount most any other item on a stand, but if you really want a small simple adapter that goes to 1/4 inch threads, they exist. For me I always have a Manfrotto umbrella adapter available for flashes or other things I want to mount.
Roland W wrote:
The top of the Matthews stands, and the top of almost all other lighting stands, is just a 5/8 inch round male rod with a recess grove. Normally most gear meant for stands goes right on that.
Most of the stands I have are 1/8" screw fittings with the 5/8" stud below, this I prefer. The Manfrottos are all the same but with the Nanos they come with a 1/4" adapter which is really useful for direct fitting of any screw base hotshoe or ball heads. Although I standardise on swivel adapters, and everything I have is intended to fit to 5/8 studs, some fittings like the Magtech ball heads or tripod heads or speedlight hotshoe adapters... etc etc. all have screw fittings so when I use 5/8 spigot stands there's always the risk that adapters might be needed which are not always available unless you specifically buy these to suit.
I have a set of ARRI 050KA stands which are ideally sized (but discontinued) which have 5/8 studs only, but can only be used with specific swivel adapters or the hotlight/strobes they were intended for.
Which to go for? Any really - just remember to buy the additional fittings which might be required as you can guarantee you will need them when you least expect it.
Jo Dilbeck wrote:
Thanks Gentlemen! I'm thinking about the Manfrotto 1051 BAC, that looks like it might be the best option for me, that or the Nano's. Greatly appreciate the advice.
Jo
I have the 1052BAC and while it's ok it's not up to the build quality of the bigger stands for some reason, my 1005 has much better locks. Still, it is totally fine for a speedlight + softbox though but I'd probably go for the avenger A630B if I were to buy again.
Nanos are small but 6ft is way to short if you are going to photograph people and their footprint is very small too.
Definitely go with an air ride stand. I wouldn't recommend anything less than something in the 8-9' range. I have a couple of the Giottos 8' air ride stands and use my OEM camera straps on my light stands to make them easy to sling over a shoulder and carry. I use other straps for my camera, so they were sitting unused. They are pretty light weight, but decent stands.
I settled on the Nanos and they arrived today. They will be PERFECT for me and the purposes for which they are intended. They are so much stronger than the el cheapo stands I've been using, and they fold down perfectly so that I get two stands w/umbrella brackets, and two compact 43" Westcott umbrellas in a small Tundra bag. Yes, I'll need some weight for them if outside in a wind, but that's an easy fix.
If you photograph people nanos are far too short. I use the manfrotto 1052 but honestly compared to bigger manfrotto stands (I have the 1005) it's pretty crappy in terms of rigidity and how well it locks, it sags and softboxes swing round in any strong wind. I'd look at the avenger 625 instead.
