Recommend a boom

Livin The Dream

Livin The Dream

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I would like to boom a light directly above and need a decent stand to do that, just looking and can't see much that have caught my fancy. I have fancied a c-stand because they look good quality but need to know a little more about adding weight to counterbalance the head, what are the options?

Edit: just looking at the Interfit one, any good?
 
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I have a manfrotto boom. Excellent and not too bulky when folded away.
 
It depends on what your requirements are, Interfit do a few different models but I assume you're referring to COR757 which is OK but uses a cheap pivot clamp (you can replace it but that's an extra £30 or so).

C stands are nice and the Americans seem to use nothing but they're overkill for a small space, I quite like the Kupo baby boom but you have to factor in the cost of the boom, grip head and a c stand (£200 together). You'll also need to obtain 1-2 sandbags (only one to counterbalance or two if you can't make sure the base is stable). If you do go down this route there's a ton of grip equipment which works together nicely but it's not a cheap option.
 
Frankly, it's difficult to recommend any boom arm attachment - basically a boom arm that just fits onto the spigot of a lighting stand.
For safety, you need a boom arm that comes complete with a special heavy duty stand.
 
How much weight and at what length are you trying to hold?

I'm a big fan of grip equipment, can't beat a well engineered C-stand, grip head and a grip arm but it does depend on the above question. I have no problems using regular grip arms (kupo hex grip), head and 120cm octa properly sandbagged up.
 
Garry Edwards said:
I've watched part of that advertising video - it might be effective but I certainly can't agree that it's safe. It might be OK as long as nobody breathes or farts...
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The advertising comes with the territory with the photovideoedu channel which is the MAC group and they distribute sekonic, bowens, kupo etc.

Nothing wrong with grip kit provided it's used appropriately as with anything.
 
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Garry Edwards said:
I've watched part of that advertising video - it might be effective but I certainly can't agree that it's safe. It might be OK as long as nobody breathes or farts...
Click to expand...

I've not watched the video but was the objection with the equipment or the handling of it?
 
Garry Edwards said:
I've watched part of that advertising video - it might be effective but I certainly can't agree that it's safe. It might be OK as long as nobody breathes or farts...
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Get off the fence Garry and tell us what you think. :D
 
I can't reccoment you a good boom but I can recommend one that you should not buy. Do not buy this type of ebay boom for use with studio flash heads. I made the mistake and bought one. It struggles even with small speedlites. I've now adapted mine for use as a microphone boom for when I do videos.
 
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redsnappa said:
I can't reccoment you a good boom but I can recommend one that you should not buy. Do not buy this ebay boom for use with studio flash heads. I made the mistake and bought one. It struggles even with small speedlites. I've now adapted mine for use as a microphone boom for when I do videos.
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Linky not worky :)
 
It works nowy...
 
simonbarker said:
I've not watched the video but was the objection with the equipment or the handling of it?
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Maybe it was the 'sponsored by Kupo' at the beginning!

I'm also curious about what @Garry Edwards finds so objectionable and wonder if his comment was based purely on the a brief part or the entire thing.
 
redsnappa said:
It works nowy...
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Yeah. That looks complete s***e!

Although I have a reflector arm which is almost identical in build (obviously doesn't need the build quality a light would.
 
Sharky said:
Maybe it was the 'sponsored by Kupo' at the beginning!

I'm also curious about what @Garry Edwards finds so objectionable and wonder if his comment was based purely on the a brief part or the entire thing.
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I looked at various parts of the video. In one part he is saying that a sandbag should be added, but he just holds it up, he doesn't say where it should go and in fact there is nowhere for it to go - which means that it can only go on the base of the stand, where it can't counterbalance the weight on the boom...

The whole point of a boom arm is that it needs to be part of a heavy duty stand that has a large footprint and it needs to be perfectly balanced, in other words the counterbalance needs to be adjusted so that the flash head doesn't move even when the clamp that locks the boom in place is left completely loose - it is then balanced and reasonably safe. If the stand isn't strong enough or if the weight can't be counterbalanced, there is a good chance IMO that someone will end up wearing a heavy flash head.

On the section with the grip, there is no counterbalance of any kind, making it patently unsafe for anything that actually weighs something. He does mention that it should only be used for something that isn't heavy, but he doesn't stress that point. He uses that arrangement with a very lightweight continuous light, for which it might be reasonably OK, but if that was all that I had I wouldn't put any kind of flash head onto it.

I thought that the presentation on the video was very good, and I have no objection to sales videos - but I do feel that the risks should have been pointed out much more strongly, so that people can make informed decisions.
 
Garry Edwards said:
I looked at various parts of the video. In one part he is saying that a sandbag should be added, but he just holds it up, he doesn't say where it should go and in fact there is nowhere for it to go - which means that it can only go on the base of the stand, where it can't counterbalance the weight on the boom...

The whole point of a boom arm is that it needs to be part of a heavy duty stand that has a large footprint and it needs to be perfectly balanced, in other words the counterbalance needs to be adjusted so that the flash head doesn't move even when the clamp that locks the boom in place is left completely loose - it is then balanced and reasonably safe. If the stand isn't strong enough or if the weight can't be counterbalanced, there is a good chance IMO that someone will end up wearing a heavy flash head.

On the section with the grip, there is no counterbalance of any kind, making it patently unsafe for anything that actually weighs something. He does mention that it should only be used for something that isn't heavy, but he doesn't stress that point. He uses that arrangement with a very lightweight continuous light, for which it might be reasonably OK, but if that was all that I had I wouldn't put any kind of flash head onto it.
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Did you watch the bit where he said that "grip head and grip arm is suitable for lightweight equipment" for heavier loads "use a boom arm with a hanger for a sandbag as a counter weight" and "with the sand bag on the other end it balances out, think about it as a see-saw", "this is a better way to go if you're going to mount a heavier weight".

Specifics about the boom arm:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=CMvoC979yRw#t=656

Fair point about the sandbag location though, he doesn't explain it well enough (high leg pointing in the direction of the load and sandbag over it, me i add more bags on the other legs as well). As a basic overview to anyone who has not used grip before it gives you a reasonable idea. He does say that in the video, it isn't a comprehensive grip instruction video but meant as an overview and go to Kupo for more detailed info:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=CMvoC979yRw#t=1248

Fair play if you watched the entire video and you're commenting on it in full context but if you've only looked a various parts you may have missed some content.
 
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Livin The Dream said:
I would like to boom a light directly above and need a decent stand to do that, just looking and can't see much that have caught my fancy. I have fancied a c-stand because they look good quality but need to know a little more about adding weight to counterbalance the head, what are the options?

Edit: just looking at the Interfit one, any good?
Click to expand...

Also have a look at the Lencarta studio boom, very well made piece of kit!
 
JohnPh said:
Also have a look at the Lencarta studio boom, very well made piece of kit!
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It is, both models are 'real' boom arms. But sadly both are now out of stock, new delivery arriving in a month.
 
+1 on the Lencarta, used on once and waiting for them to come back in stock to buy one for our new studio.
 
Gary, no immediate rush for me so I will keep an eye on when the new stock arrives.
 
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