I received my CHEETAHstand Cheetah8 light stand about a week ago and I'm very happy to report that it's an excellent product.
The stand is lightweight, compact and very portable, made of die cast aluminum. Collapsed size is 28.5" and when set up it has a working height of 29" to 96", making it useful for just about anything from a background light to main, fill, accent or hair light. The footprint diameter is 32.5" and quite stable when used as intended with a shoe mount flash or small strobe. The stand has a 5/8" stud with a 1/4"-20 thread on top. It is not intended for use with a boom or any modifier that is too far from the center of gravity.
I tested the stand with a Nikon SB-900 Speedlight and a 33" umbrella, 45" umbrella, 46" Softlighter, 16" x 22" softbox and a 24" x 32" softbox. Even with a grid in the 24" x 32" softbox there were no problems with stability and no need for weights or sandbags. My tests were done indoors so there were no issues with uneven terrain or wind.
For indoor location work this stand really makes life easy and allows you to move your setup quickly for on-the-fly portraits. You can place the stand in a corner or off to the side and when you need it you can just grab it, lift it up and move through a crowded room or across a dance floor, placing it down on the floor and continue shooting instantly, all without having to put your camera down.
Most stands that are this compact extend to 6 or 7 feet. The Cheetah8 extends to a full 8 feet and still maintains stability, although I wouldn't fly a 24" x 32" softbox off the top at that height. I would, however, place a Speedlight on the stand and raise it up to 8 feet for a room or ceiling bounce.
Considering the cost of other light stands that are well constructed and extend to 8 feet I consider the price of $89.95 to be very reasonable. Online checkout was a breeze, shipping was fast and customer support is excellent.
Also, if you order a Cheetah8 before July 31 you can get free shipping by entering coupon code cheetah at checkout.
I really like this light stand and highly recommend it for wedding and event shooters. Event photographers are always looking for ways to make life simpler and for those that work without an assistant this is a blessing.
EDIT: My purchase and this review was a direct result of THIS THREAD I initially posted.
It should also be mentioned that this is a modern redesign of the original Red Wing QuickStand and then the short-lived Kwik Stand.
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