Recommendations for stands with boom arms for softbox & portable strobe

Hey all,

Would love see and hear of some solid heavy duty stuff that can hold a 6lb strobe (portable) and a 36" to 48" softbox on a boom arm. Anything from entry and affordable (with modifications to make it work) to the "serious stuff" that costs more than the camera & lens does. Just curious to see what's being used out there. I'm in the market to get a better setup than my current light stand and boom arm with a 24" softbox, using a speedlite. But will soon be moving to a portable monolight and a larger modifier. This is for outdoor use primarily, so portability is essential, and the ability to have a long boom with a good counter weight (a bag of waters is fine!) is what I'm looking to do. Right now, I could probably make my current stand and boom work (they are light, inexpensive stuff), but it won't be stable and would likely require someone to just hold it upright with that kind of weight on a long boom arm. So I'm looking for possible solutions.

Currently thinking of possibly picking up a C-stand with a 40" arm or so. But not sure if it's reasonable, since it's heavy and cumbersome, to use portable and outside.

But again, maybe there's something more reasonable for a portable setup that can hold a 6lb light and a 36"~48" modifier outside using bags to weight it down once setup.

Thanks!

Very best,

MalVeauX wrote in post #17567460
... to the "serious stuff" that costs more than the camera & lens does. Just curious to see what's being used out there.

Well, since you ask, I use the serious stuff:

To hold the sort of weight you are talking about requires a substantial boom, sandbagged and counterweighted. Its not a particularly portable setup. Not that it cant be packed up and moved but its more like building a movie locstion than a one man photo setup.

Exactly what offset do you need? If a 'long boom' is essential, then items along the lines of Rico's (maybe lose the wheels outside) will be required.

But sometimes I'm looking to get the stand just off to one side to miss my lens, ie an offset of a foot or two, in which case, that can more simply be achieved with a (no counterweight) Grip arm - a whole lot simpler.

OceanRipple* wrote in post #17567680
Exactly what offset do you need? If a 'long boom' is essential, then items along the lines of Rico's (maybe lose the wheels outside) will be required.

But sometimes I'm looking to get the stand just off to one side to miss my lens, ie an offset of a foot or two, in which case, that can more simply be achieved with a (no counterweight) Grip arm - a whole lot simpler.

Heya,

This is more what I'm aiming to do. Something that can offset the stand by 1~2 feet to get it out of the composition and still have my softbox where I want it. The box will be 24", 36" and up to 48" tops. More likely 36". And the load, again is only going to be 6lb for the light, plus modifier, so not that heavy, but still requires more than just an arm I imagine.

Thanks for the ideas so far guys. Just trying to get something simple and portable that will work. I'm good with putting down sandbags. I like the idea of a "stake" down too, might have to look into that.

Very best,

https://photography-on-the.net …read.php?t=1383​624&page=1

shows my c-stand and grip arm with a lot of talk about it.

i'm using it with CL-360s and 33 to 42 inch modifiers.

i can boom out the 42 inch modifier parallel to the ground.

Heya,

I'm starting to think a standard grip arm (I have one already) just enough to off set the 36" octa softbox from the stand so it's out of the composition, weighted down a little and mostly just using cord & stakes (tent like stake down) to off set the weight side might be enough without having to buy anything significant, and it's lighter weight to carry around too. I would only need 3 basically to make it pretty stable in the wind (Florida...). I'll have to try it since it will cost me nothing. If it doesn't work out, I need to look for a good stand & arm combination that will hold the weight and allow me to either bag it or stake it to hold it down.

Virtually always will be used outside, in potential breeze/wind, and on the ground (not on pavement, sidewalks, etc). Worst case scenario will actually be used on a boardwalk (wood flooring) where I can weight it down or stabilize it to something there anyways.

I'm thinking some 10" stakes and some 48" bungees might do the trick for me. 3~4 of those to figure it out. I also need to remember that with a 600ws strobe, I don't have to be within 3 feet of my subject(s) and can afford for the light to be further back which may make the need for the offset arm to be not needed. Will have to experiment.

Still open to ideas!

Very best,

This is a mini clamp with an eyelet attached that I hook weights to. The benefit here is that the weight can be put all the way on the end of the grip arm.

You might want to experiment without the strobe the first time or two, just to make sure if it does fall at least you're not out a strobe.

Good idea!

Thanks!

Very best,

I'm currently using a Cowboy Suxtudio boom arm. I bought the kit, but it's flimsy and I trust the C-stand more than the stand that came with it. I don't like this boom, mind, though so far no accidents.

And this is one reason I don't like it:

Kupo / Mathews / Avenger / Impact C-stands they are all great on location

Heya,

Man, that Cheetahboom looks like what I'm after. Something simple, all-inclusive, and it's not even expensive. I wonder if it's any different from Impact or other brands. Cheetah is just rebranded if I remember right?

But that kind of setup, the Cheetahboom with some bungees to secure and a counter weight (bag with waterbottles in it; serves two purposes!) looks like it might be promising.

Very best,

Sorry about the Ads but see:
https://www.youtube.co​m/watch?v=u00Hxe4gK9s

An Extension Grip arm is stronger than a lightweight boom. And a Nail-pin (?) is more often called a 'Baby-pin' because Baby refers to the 5/8 in standard.

He's using itsy bitsy lights, though, for which no counterweight is needed. A 3-kg monolight would need a counterweight and a way to secure it to the opposite end of the arm.

Thanks for posting that video, though, the tip about mounting the arm in the direction it tightens made it worth watching.