Reputable lighting stands?

M

mo sizzle

Active member
Hey I'm looking to buy some cheap but reliable stands for 650w arri fresnels. Can anyone recommend a good brand/off brand lighting stand?
 
"Cheap" is pretty much undefined without some sort of currency symbol and some digits. It would also help if you completed your user profile at least to reveal where you are on the planet? And how tall are you needing here?
 
Investing in film gear is where I really learned first hand that "you do get what you pay for". If you plan on doing film for any length of time, it's sooo much better to buy it once, and buy it right.

Pro gear, even lights stands, lasts when you need it to, and you always have a market for used pro gear no matter how old it is.
 
Exactly -- we've bought a lot of cheap stuff over the years when we had no choice ... it got the job done, for a while. The times when we've gone first-class has yielded us gear that we're still using decades later.
A tricky thing about light stands is whether you ever plan on using them on location. Uneven terrain, people moving around, unsecured cables, maybe even an occasional cross-wind....none of this is an issue if you are never outside. If you do go out, what you save on cheap stands might get eaten up by your liability during your shoot. Take this from a guy who creased the hood of a beautiful little Mercedes Benz...... :-/
 
OK Luis, Min. 45" and Max 107". They really are very good stands. The t-handles aren't as slick at matthews or American but who cares if they last as long. I have dozens of all three brands. I now only buy from Norms the cost difference just does not make any sense.

The personal service you get from Shawn at Norms is fantastic I can't tell how great it is to have someone who really cares about your business. If you buy from him tell him I said hi.
 
thanks for all the info guys. I think I can afford the extra for those norm's baby stands if they are really quality. i'm not sure if I want c-stands cause i would like to fit it all in a case for easier transport and storage, and they are usually pretty expensive.
 
mo sizzle said:
thanks for all the info guys. I think I can afford the extra for those norm's baby stands if they are really quality. i'm not sure if I want c-stands cause i would like to fit it all in a case for easier transport and storage, and they are usually pretty expensive.
Click to expand...

You will not be unhappy if you are comparing these to impact stands or the other "$50" stands.
 
mo sizzle said:
I think I can afford the extra for those norm's baby stands if they are really quality.
Click to expand...

If your based in the USA another advantage of buying gear built here is easy repair. I had to replace some Avenger grip as it was cheaper then repairing it.

I'm a huge fan of American Grip, especially their ergonomic grip heads, as nothing holds as well.

http://www.americangrip.com/

But that said, Avenger's grip heads are very good, & more versatile.

I own a bunch of Norm's gear too, but am not a fan of the grip heads. However there are many Grips who are, & in general their prices can't be beat.

Best,
Bern
 
Does anyone have experience with these "Kupo Master" C-Stands?

Their open/close mechanism looks interesting, but I'm wondering what the overall build quality is like, and I'm having a hard time trying to find any 3rd-party reviews, though they seem to be in most of the major stores (B&H, Adorama, ...). The price seems reasonable too; specs seem similar to other brands which cost more?

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/840677-REG/Kupo_KS702312_Master_30_C_Stand.html


Thank you!
 
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