Has Anyone Used An Avenger A5017 Light Stand?

I know that the Avenger A5017 has 2 aluminum risers as opposed to an A420 with the first riser made of steel and I see a slightly larger footprint on the A420 but the maximum loads are almost equal and I'm wondering if the A5017 used in a non-boom application is a good stand.

Anyone have experience with this light stand? Any negatives? It looks like a very good general purpose stand and has a leveling leg.

http://www.bhphotovide​o.com …er_Stand_17.htm​l#features

TMR Design wrote in post #8135632
I know that the Avenger A5017 has 2 aluminum risers as opposed to an A420 with the first riser made of steel and I see a slightly larger footprint on the A420 but the maximum loads are almost equal and I'm wondering if the A5017 used in a non-boom application is a good stand.

Anyone have experience with this light stand? Any negatives? It looks like a very good general purpose stand and has a leveling leg.

http://www.bhphotovide​o.com …er_Stand_17.htm​l#features

A5017 is the new designation of the A660, Robert. I have an A660 and also an A420. The 660 is a fantastic stand and I'd certainly give it two thumbs up. The footprint is, as you've noted, smaller than that of the A420 but the stand is very stable for the non-boom applications you mentioned. It will hold my largest softbox (36"x46") very comfortably. For boom use (D600 in my case) it's always the A420 but for all other applications, the A660 is the weapon of choice. The lazy leg arrangement is a bit unusual: The unfolded legs are normally parallel to the ground. One leg has an elongated bolt head with two holes in it near the central column. The bolt is apparently cammed because as the bolt head is turned (which is accomplished by sticking something through one of the holes for leverage) the angle of the leg changes. The maximum possible angle change seems rather minimal before the leg starts returning to its "rest" position. My stand lives on flat floors so I have no opinion how this lazy leg implementation would work in the field. With the legs folded, the stand is quite compact but you do wind up with the casters sticking out at 90-degrees to the central column. One other point: the fact that the legs lie parallel to the ground makes them extremely sandbag friendly which is appreciated considering the stand's footprint. All things considered, the A660/A5017 is a wonderfully strong, unobtrusive, and flexible stand. Highly recommended.

Dave F.

tetrode wrote in post #8135784
A5017 is the new designation of the A660, Robert. I have an A660 and also an A420. The 660 is a fantastic stand and I'd certainly give it two thumbs up. The footprint is, as you've noted, smaller than that of the A420 but the stand is very stable for the non-boom applications you mentioned. It will hold my largest softbox (36"x46") very comfortably. For boom use (D600 in my case) it's always the A420 but for all other applications, the A660 is the weapon of choice. The lazy leg arrangement is a bit unusual: The unfolded legs are normally parallel to the ground. One leg has an elongated bolt head with two holes in it near the central column. The bolt is apparently cammed because as the bolt head is turned (which is accomplished by sticking something through one of the holes for leverage) the angle of the leg changes. The maximum possible angle change seems rather minimal before the leg starts returning to its "rest" position. My stand lives on flat floors so I have no opinion how this lazy leg implementation would work in the field. With the legs folded, the stand is quite compact but you do wind up with the casters sticking out at 90-degrees to the central column. One other point: the fact that the legs lie parallel to the ground makes them extremely sandbag friendly which is appreciated considering the stand's footprint. All things considered, the A660/A5017 is a wonderfully strong, unobtrusive, and flexible stand. Highly recommended.

Dave F.

Thank you Dave. That's the kind of review and recommendation I was hoping for.

I've got the newly renamed A5017, and I really enjoy it. Simple, sturdy, and wheeled. It even has a levelling leg, which I find odd on this stand...but still nice to have.

When using it in a studio situation, I must admit I'll use the stand unsandbagged (gasp!) with a 600RX and 53" midi octa for a fill that I can move along with me to stay as close to me as possible.

If they're the same as the A660s then yes, I have quite a few of them and highly recommend them for studio work. The casters are nice and smooth and there are no angled leg-supports to get in the way. I don't sandbag them either and I've never felt the need to - the footprint and max load are plenty when you're not using a boom.

IMO the A420s have too wide a footprint and too poor a minimum height to work as all-purpose stands that you can use easily in all situations, and at the same time they're not quite wide enough or strong enough to be ideal as boom stands - that's why I don't own any.

Cathpah wrote in post #8135999
I've got the newly renamed A5017, and I really enjoy it. Simple, sturdy, and wheeled. It even has a levelling leg, which I find odd on this stand...but still nice to have.

When using it in a studio situation, I must admit I'll use the stand unsandbagged (gasp!) with a 600RX and 53" midi octa for a fill that I can move along with me to stay as close to me as possible.

Hermes wrote in post #8138169
If they're the same as the A660s then yes, I have quite a few of them and highly recommend them for studio work. The casters are nice and smooth and there are no angled leg-supports to get in the way. I don't sandbag them either and I've never felt the need to - the footprint and max load are plenty when you're not using a boom.

IMO the A420s have too wide a footprint and too poor a minimum height to work as all-purpose stands that you can use easily in all situations, and at the same time they're not quite wide enough or strong enough to be ideal as boom stands - that's why I don't own any.

Thanks Jeff and Hermes,

These are all the things I was thinking when I spotted this stand. I'll definitely be grabbing a few of these.

TMR Design wrote in post #8138200
Thanks Jeff and Hermes,

These are all the things I was thinking when I spotted this stand. I'll definitely be grabbing a few of these.

Enjoy!

You must be thinking of something else, these are dedicated roller stands - check the link.

Hermes wrote in post #8161649
You must be thinking of something else, these are dedicated roller stands - check the link.

HAHA....oh no! I was thinking of the other stand I bought in that Avenger purchase.

post edited. Thanks for pointing that out, Hermes.