Show and Tell: My New Light Stand Family

Couple more questions. Do both the booms come with counter balance weight or not? Also do I need to get the grip head if I go with the Kupo boom? Thanks.

bobbyz wrote in post #18302452
Couple more questions. Do both the booms come with counter balance weight or not? Also do I need to get the grip head if I go with the Kupo boom? Thanks.

Neither come with a counterbalance weight. I suppose they don't know the weight of your light/mod or your desire for degree of offset from the stand. Counterweight; ??100-150% of your light/mod weight.

With the Kupo Baby boom (either steel or aluminum) the Grip-head is extra. MSE throw theirs in. If you are inclined not to use a Drop Pin or similar, then the Hex flats on the Kupo boom's terminal pin's neck can be very useful in an anti-twist role.

I am thinking Mathews magic finger instead of the drop down pin. I have avenger drop down pin, they are nice but only for simple case with modifier facing down.

https://www.bhphotovid​eo.com …78762%2C&is=REG​&A=details

MSE Magic finger .. nice, but they don't articulate beyond 90 - would that matter?

I think that's why Scott favoured the MSE Knuckle Head instead:

https://www.youtube.co​m/watch?v=ykdzw-olQ9c

The MSE baby rollers have awesome construction and I use them continuously, but I would hesitate to boom off them. In contrast, the junior rollers are virtually tip-proof: I never sandbag even with 60 lbs overhead. MSE juniors have a larger footprint and larger wheels that are quick to roll. Bumping or walking into a loaded stand is much less dramatic when it can simply move over instead of tip over.

As for the leveling leg, the MSE implementation is not my favorite: a screw that grinds into the leg insert (marring the chrome), and forcing that screw to carry 1/3 of the load. Frankly, dumb and unsafe. I avoid the standard "Hollywood" stands, and stick with the rollers.

bobbyz wrote in post #18302474
I have avenger drop down pin, they are nice but only for simple case with modifier facing down.

You want to completely avoid rotational loads on a baby pin if held by a screw—and I don't think much of the Kupo solution (beveled pin). If the inbuilt pin of a boom is very secure, then a modest rotational load can be supported if you employ a knuckle. A knuckle (either gag or business end of a grip arm) is designed to resist rotation by clamping onto a rod (arm, rod, full baby pin, etc). Heavy loads need to hang down: the laws of physics are annoying that way.

RicoTudor wrote in post #18302814
MSE juniors have a larger footprint and larger wheels that are quick to roll.

Do you have any picture? From catalog and B&H the wheels all look same to me.

bobbyz wrote in post #18303014
Do you have any picture? From catalog and B&H the wheels all look same to me.

Sys shows the Junior Roller larger wheels - on the Left here:

https://photography-on-the.net …showthread.php?​p=18302116

For Rico: " .. As for the leveling leg, the MSE implementation is not my favorite .. "

I agree, but MSE rates the Digital Baby stand 387032 at 26.3 Kg (58 lbs) - which is easily enough for my needs. The leveling leg and de-mountable option of 4 in braked castors (3rd party, in my case) gives me the flexibility of use I require.

Thanks, just saw that picture. Would be nice to know if the wheels are bigger than typical avenger stand. With Junior it will stay inside the studio. With Baby I can take it out once in a while when I offer outdoor photography class at my work.

bobbyz wrote in post #18303267
Thanks, just saw that picture. Would be nice to know if the wheels are bigger than typical avenger stand. With Junior it will stay inside the studio. With Baby I can take it out once in a while when I offer outdoor photography class at my work.

For foot print diameter comparison:

3.3' Avenger Roller Stand 29 with Low Base
3.25' Matthews Baby Jr. Steel Wheeled Stand
4.75' Matthews Jr. Steel Wheeled Stand

Nice rolling c-stands with booms did you also get the arms that usually make up a complete c-stand along with the booms, mine came with booms also I bought the arm kits and made the stands so much more versatile