Manfrotto 5001B Nano light stand as mic stand?

[Samuel Dilworth]

I have a couple of these lightweight (0.97 kg / 2.1 lb) stands for holding umbrellas and soft boxes. Manfrotto product page. How about using them to hold a microphone for sit-down interviews?

The top of the stand has a 1/4″ or 3/8″ male thread (adaptable). I think the stand would be stable enough to hold a shotgun mic a couple of feet off centre, if I aligned the boom to one of the three legs. It certainly would be if the back of the boom (is there a better term than boom?) had a counterweight. And it certainly would if I threw a bag or other weight over a rearward-facing leg.

Does such a product exist? The smaller and lighter and cheaper the better, as usual.

 

[Throwback]

Hi Samuel,

I haven't gone as light as a Manfrotto Nano stand, but when I want a static boom on my Manfrotto 1004BAC I simply use a boom buddy and my Gitzo 4m boom pole set at a shortish length: the boom pole itself used like this provides a reasonable counterweight, and, of course, I add bags for weight when needed. Do you have a boom pole already? You can get much cheaper versions of the boom buddy.

Cheers,

Roland

 

[Throwback]

And, of course, for the price of many boom arms to go on a light stand, or even a cheap boom pole plus boom buddy, you can get a reasonable mic stand with its own boom arm: I've been using Gravity ones recently as good but still fairly cheap.

Cheers,

Roland

 

[Samuel Dilworth]

That Boom-Buddy looks like a viable approach. I have a boom pole.

I’ll get a regular stand with its own boom if I can’t avoid it, but I’m hoping I can figure out a more compact set-up than that for travel without a car (trains, walking, etc.).

Useful suggestions, thanks.

 

[ggrantly]

I use these manfrotto boom stands. No too heavy but plenty good for a boom mic or even smaller lights. They have a surprising amount of reach, but plan on a sandbag for the base and or to counterbalance the boom. Very handy, and not nearly as heavy a a regular c-stand.

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/546705-REG/Manfrotto_420B_420B_Combi_Boom_Stand.html

 

[NielsN]

I use these manfrotto boom stands. No too heavy but plenty good for a boom mic or even smaller lights. They have a surprising amount of reach, but plan on a sandbag for the base and or to counterbalance the boom. Very handy, and not nearly as heavy a a regular c-stand.

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/546705-REG/Manfrotto_420B_420B_Combi_Boom_Stand.html

+1
The Manfrotto 420B Combi Boom Stand is a very nice relatively compact and affordable stand.

 

[paulears]

There are plenty of decent stable real mic stands on the marked - boom stands are very handy - I often pop small cameras on mic stands as you can get them in between the mic stands on drum kits and other stage locations. Decent, stable and not badly priced.