Help me pick out some American Grip gear...

T

themagichoof

Active member
I don't know what I'm doing. Never bought pro light stands, and actually, any light stands at all for that matter. My budget allows for some American Grip stuff. I got in touch with them and they sent me a few pics of some of their gear but I'm still confused.

http://www.americangrip.com/catalog.asp

I'm going to need a stand for an Arri 1k with a medium chimera softbox that I'll use as a key light, and I also need a stand that can get pretty high up that I'll use as a hair light with an Arri 150. I do need a reflector stand, but I'll probably get that one on the cheap.

All of the gear I'm getting will be used in a studio setting, mostly for sitting interview & standing/green screen footage. No outdoors stuff, so it need not be moved very much. I hope someone can help me out here, the catalog is extensive and I have no idea what to get.
 
Buy Norms or Modern instead and save some money. Their price is 20% off the listed catalog (web) price. I would use a beffy-baby for the 1k softbox combo. Get a C-stand for your 150.
 
The thing is though, I've heard so many good things about American Grip that I was going to invest and get the best that I could. If American Grip is worth the expensive price and they'll be around for the years to come then sure, I'll go with that.

But if the other brands mentioned above are seriously just as good and will last as long, then I'll definitely take it into consideration. Can those brands/items match up with American Grip stuff?
 
By the way, could you link me directly to some examples of a Beefy Baby and a C stand that you think would suit me well? I'd appreciate it
 
I have some Norm's that I have had for 15 years and my gear works hard nearly everyday. I have over forty c-stands including American, Matthews, Norms and Modern. I would never pay the premium price for American again.
 
I have used all of the brands mentioned over the years, and have never had a failure with any of them.
If your stuck on American Grip, then by all means. But as Paul has said there is no reason to pay a premium.
 
Thanks Paul, looks like that review saved me some cash. I'll go with some Norms instead, probably the exact ones you posted.
 
Paul has been at this much longer than I have, but I can't let this thread go by without my opinion. As far as American gear goes, I really think it's the best money can buy, if you buy it, you'll be happy. For a baby stand, I don't think I would notice too much of a difference between the Norms and American brand, I'll admit that.

For the C-stand on the other hand, I feel like the American heads are much better built and much less prone to slipping. When you lock em down, they're locked down. I also like how the American handles are shaped much more than I like the Norms.

I don't know if Norms has changed their design or done anything different in the last 5 years or so, but I know we have one rental house in town that has pretty much strictly norms gear and although we'll use their trucks on jobs, we tend to curse the norms stuff as we work on set, wishing it were American. When the big jobs come into town and we pull gear at the rental house I work at, everyone always makes sure they have all American gear on their trucks...I feel like that says enough.

The thing is..yeah. It's pricey, no doubt about that. I just always try to go to American in LA and buy direct from them, as you'll get 35% off that way. I think with that discount their prices become very very reasonable, almost giving you not much reason to buy anything else if its what you like. Either way though, everyone likes different stuff for different reasons and everyone does everything differently. Maybe try renting a norms C-stand and American C-stand from your local rental house on your next shoot. See which one you like best?
 
I think if I get the stand for my Arri 1k + softbox, all I'll have to do is mount it and go with the Beefy Baby. However for the C-Stand, will I need some additional mounting adapter if i'm using an Arri 150? The Arri 1k says it takes a "5/8" Baby spigot" mounting thing, and the Arri 150 says it "5/8" (16mm) stand mount". I'm not sure if that's the same thing or not.

The C-Stand for a hair light... I'm guessing I won't need an additional boom arm since the I can adjust the grip heads and somewhat position it like a boom, no?
 
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