Where to buy C-stands?
- Thread starter Inoran
- Start date
HorseFilms
Look ma no hands
filmat11
Well-known member
I bought one out of curiosity. Not bad, will it last as long as a Matthews stand...Time will tell. Mine came with a foam , hand cushion that tore on the second use. If you do go this route, order the X-Large size...
You MIGHT be able to find their C-stands on Ebay..That's how I got mine...I paid about half what they were asking from their website..
You MIGHT be able to find their C-stands on Ebay..That's how I got mine...I paid about half what they were asking from their website..
MattinSTL
Sound Modulator
I'd say it depends on what you end up paying for them... a local friend of mine got one of the amvona stands and maybe I was just unlucky... but on the first use, upon trying to close it back up... there was a sleave inside of the bottom "turtle base" part... that turned along with the last leg... which made it so that the last locking screw handle wouldn't line up... it took us a while to get it sorted and closed.
I sometimes hear of people getting these amvona stands at a bargain price... but if you're going to get anywhere NEAR a hundred bucks then I'd strongly consider the manfrotto avenger option... in black of course.
Currently I'm using American Grip stands... but they 'aint cheap. Eventually my c-stand stock is going to be half American and half Manfrotto. The new manfrottos are lighter then they used to be also... going from something like 16.5lbs for the amvona... down to 12.5lbs for a manfrotto or american... well... that's a big weight difference... something to consider. Although I'll be the first to admit that the amvona stands LOOK and FEEL nice.
On the pro side of things we beat the absolute CRAP out of the American stands... I mean they get beat to death... never seen a problem even one time.
I sometimes hear of people getting these amvona stands at a bargain price... but if you're going to get anywhere NEAR a hundred bucks then I'd strongly consider the manfrotto avenger option... in black of course.
Currently I'm using American Grip stands... but they 'aint cheap. Eventually my c-stand stock is going to be half American and half Manfrotto. The new manfrottos are lighter then they used to be also... going from something like 16.5lbs for the amvona... down to 12.5lbs for a manfrotto or american... well... that's a big weight difference... something to consider. Although I'll be the first to admit that the amvona stands LOOK and FEEL nice.
On the pro side of things we beat the absolute CRAP out of the American stands... I mean they get beat to death... never seen a problem even one time.
I'll tell ya, I would definitely pass on a $100 (with S/H) Amvona stand for a $150 Avenger. I tracked a lot of those Amvona auctions, and, at the end of the day, you end up paying almost what you'd pay for the American or Avenger equivalent.
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hemophilia
Well-known member
The Amvona stands are solid, I have a couple. Zero problems. And yes they're quite heavy, but half the time you want to toss a sandbag on a c-stand leg anyway, so I don't see that as a bad thing in the least.
-Kevin
-Kevin
NewYorkLion
Well-known member
you can usually buy used c-stands off larger grip houses for around 75 bucks.
MattinSTL
Sound Modulator
I got my American stands from Bad Dog Productions in STL... about $180 for a sliding leg with NO arm or knuckle... you can get a turtle base avenger in black, with arm and knuckle for the same price... OR you can get just the stand for $120... and yeah, tripods are more stable when they're heavy also... but I wouldn't want mine to weigh 4 extra pounds. That extra weight isn't just in that one, long leg... it's the entire stand... so even though the stand is 4lbs heavier, it's not like it's more stable then an avenger.
All I'm saying is that those amvona auctions have been CRAZY lately because of the reputation they got from people that paid $50 for the c-stands... when you see these auctions going for a cost of $120 (inc. the $35-40 shipping)... well that is simply insane.
As for getting used c-stands for $75? If they're american or MSE's GOOD stands (not the "affordable" models) then I'd JUMP on that! If my local rental house offered their American rental stands at that price I'd just get 'em all used. When I say these things take a beating... man I mean it. We aren't TRYING to break them... it's just that we do these shoots where you gotta' get IN and OUT really fast... and they just get tossed around.
The Avengers have super-solid t-handles on them also... they look even better then the American stands. The reason I went with at least a couple of Americans is the zero-protrusion bases... it's all smooth welded construction and no bolted parts... but I'm not saying that's BETTER then the amvonas... I'm just saying that after using one of the amvonas I think it's important to qualify the endorsement of those stands by adding the price you paid.
I don't think it does fellow DVXusers a service to imply that they're made as well OR BETTER (as many posts imply) then the Avenger c-stands... and when the price gets so close I feel sorry for the guy who could have had the avengers for nearly the same price.
All I'm saying is that those amvona auctions have been CRAZY lately because of the reputation they got from people that paid $50 for the c-stands... when you see these auctions going for a cost of $120 (inc. the $35-40 shipping)... well that is simply insane.
As for getting used c-stands for $75? If they're american or MSE's GOOD stands (not the "affordable" models) then I'd JUMP on that! If my local rental house offered their American rental stands at that price I'd just get 'em all used. When I say these things take a beating... man I mean it. We aren't TRYING to break them... it's just that we do these shoots where you gotta' get IN and OUT really fast... and they just get tossed around.
The Avengers have super-solid t-handles on them also... they look even better then the American stands. The reason I went with at least a couple of Americans is the zero-protrusion bases... it's all smooth welded construction and no bolted parts... but I'm not saying that's BETTER then the amvonas... I'm just saying that after using one of the amvonas I think it's important to qualify the endorsement of those stands by adding the price you paid.
I don't think it does fellow DVXusers a service to imply that they're made as well OR BETTER (as many posts imply) then the Avenger c-stands... and when the price gets so close I feel sorry for the guy who could have had the avengers for nearly the same price.
hemophilia
Well-known member
MattinSTL said:
No argument there. I paid waaaay less than that for my stands from amvona... I forget what it was.... but it was dirt cheap... and for dirt cheap they're fantastic stands.
-Kevin
MattinSTL
Sound Modulator
That's all I'm saying man. I fully agree with that statement... if you do a search on the archives though you'll see people saying that they're equal or better then anything else out there... which is probably part of the reason current bidders are pumping those up to Avenger pricing.
Like I said... I was really impressed when I saw the amvona stand... and I did think that it felt really nice... but the opening and closing action was very glitchy on this particular stand... it took us over 5 minutes to get it closed... an action that normally takes 1 second... and my friend said he paid about $35 + ship for it... so in that case... I still thought it was a bargain.
I just wanted to make darn sure that anybody who reads this thread finally sees some qualifying statements about price versus value on these... they can be a really good bargain... but you have to be one of the lucky ones and catch a mostly ignored auction... don't get caught up in a bidding frenzy and pay too much.
If the Oktava was $400... I'd still say it was a decent sounding mic... but the entire aura surrounding it would no longer be there... when we all talk about that mic we always make it clear that the bargain basement pricing is a part of the appeal... for some reason these amvona stands escaped that assessment and they shouldn't have. I still love and use the Oktava... and I could happily own some amvonas... but the irrational pumping of the auctions is being fueled by a lack of apples to apples comparisons in these threads.
Like I said... I was really impressed when I saw the amvona stand... and I did think that it felt really nice... but the opening and closing action was very glitchy on this particular stand... it took us over 5 minutes to get it closed... an action that normally takes 1 second... and my friend said he paid about $35 + ship for it... so in that case... I still thought it was a bargain.
I just wanted to make darn sure that anybody who reads this thread finally sees some qualifying statements about price versus value on these... they can be a really good bargain... but you have to be one of the lucky ones and catch a mostly ignored auction... don't get caught up in a bidding frenzy and pay too much.
If the Oktava was $400... I'd still say it was a decent sounding mic... but the entire aura surrounding it would no longer be there... when we all talk about that mic we always make it clear that the bargain basement pricing is a part of the appeal... for some reason these amvona stands escaped that assessment and they shouldn't have. I still love and use the Oktava... and I could happily own some amvonas... but the irrational pumping of the auctions is being fueled by a lack of apples to apples comparisons in these threads.
filmat11
Well-known member
I was on Amvona's website yesterday, and noticed that I couldn't find the "Combo" stands they used to carry...Anyone heard why they might have dropped these...They looked well built ?
Plus I ditto MattinSTL's feelings about American stands.. Top notch, and I prefer the Knuckle/knobs better. They feel better in the hand, and you can put more torque on the knob when tightening if you need to. They are worth the money. I bought my Amvona stand on a whim, and to see what I would get for my $35 dollar bid on Ebay. I'm not disappointed, but if I owned a video equipment rental company, I doubt that I would stock my trucks with these...
Plus I ditto MattinSTL's feelings about American stands.. Top notch, and I prefer the Knuckle/knobs better. They feel better in the hand, and you can put more torque on the knob when tightening if you need to. They are worth the money. I bought my Amvona stand on a whim, and to see what I would get for my $35 dollar bid on Ebay. I'm not disappointed, but if I owned a video equipment rental company, I doubt that I would stock my trucks with these...