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light stand

You should (maybe) swap your tripod for a light stand

Jul 12, 2023 by John Aldred 2 Comments
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This is going to be a controversial idea for some of you. It certainly made me raise an eyebrow when I ran across this video from Caleb Pike at DSLR Video Shooter. He’s switched from using tripods to light stands for his cameras in the studio. And he thinks you should, too.

In this video, he talks us through why he believes light stands are a better choice, along with some suggestions for light stands that can stand up to the task. In the interests of fairness, he also covers some potential problems you may face.

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How to convert a clothing rack into a DIY camera, light & monitor stand on wheels

Feb 11, 2021 by John Aldred 2 Comments
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Solid stands, especially ones on wheels, that you can mount cameras, lights, monitors to and whatever else you want to attach aren’t that cheap. Even if you have a go at designing and building your own from scratch, they can still work out to be fairly expensive. But if you need a mobile camera, light and monitor stand, there is a less expensive option. And this one comes with a little storage space, too!

YouTuber DIY Tech House recently posted a video on building such a stand on wheels based on a cheap clothing rack. A clothing rack that’s adjustable in both height and width, allowing you to resize it to your needs. Although, I probably wouldn’t go too wide with a big heavy monitor on there.

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This light stand – tripod hybrid is my best stand yet

Feb 6, 2021 by Paul Monaghan 1 Comment
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Over the years, I’ve invested in many ways to hold lighting equipment, but recently I found a light stand that seems to get very little attention. The K&F Concept Heavy Duty Light Stand.

Now the name a little misleading.  This light stand is more of a sturdy travel light stand, and you should use it accordingly.

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Phottix releases a new type of stackable light stands

Jul 12, 2019 by Dunja Djudjic 10 Comments
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Phottix has just announced Padat Compact (300cm/118″) light stands. These all-purpose flat stackable stands are super-compact and lightweight, designed to make transport and storage easier and to take up minimal space.

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How to make a DIY light support system on a budget

Jan 8, 2019 by Mike Piontek 3 Comments
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The system began a few years ago when I needed more light stands and, like most DIY types, didn’t want to pay a lot for them.  I happened to have a lot of 3/4″ PVC and 1/2″ metal conduit laying around so I started experimenting.  My goal was to come as close as I could to the functions of a retail light stand.  The basic stand fits the bill except for the fact that the legs don’t collapse.  Since this was a DIY project I wasn’t limited to manufacturer’s accessories.  I could dream up as many different add-ons as I wanted.  The simple stand soon grew into a complete light support system.

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The Spike lets you mount strobes easily on uneven ground

Jul 29, 2018 by John Aldred 2 Comments
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Finding somewhere to put down a light stand on location isn’t always easy. Especially if those locations are woodlands or other wilderness areas where the ground isn’t exactly flat and level.

They say that necessity is the mother of invention, and finding a good light stand on location was a need for motocross photographer Colin Brister. So, he made his own. The Spike. And now it’s available for you to buy, too.

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How to make your own DIY Justin Clamp for half the cost of a real one

Jun 12, 2018 by John Aldred 2 Comments
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Originally made to help Joe McNally solve problems that would occasionally pop up on shoots, the Justin Clamp has become a popular addition to many photographer kit bags. It was created by Bogen/Manfrotto employee Justin Stailey from some standard off the shelf components. It served its function perfectly, so it became known as the Justin Clamp we still have today.

While excellent, they’re not exactly cheap. A handful of these in your bag can set you back a couple of hundred bucks. Another Joe, photographer Joe Edelman, has different solution, though. A DIY option that costs about half of the original Manfrotto (less if you shop around), and it seems to be a very good substitute.

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This lighting setup will save you hours in set-up time

Nov 3, 2017 by John Aldred 3 Comments
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I love these Frankenstein setups for supporting our gear. Whether it’s for cameras, lights, microphones, whatever. It’s rare that a single commercial option offers us everything we need, and sometimes we just have to mix it up. It’s why products like the Manfrotto Magic Arm exist, because a straight up light stand or tripod on its own just doesn’t give us what we want.

In this video, Caleb Pike from DSLR Video Shooter shows off what he calls “the best light stand setup I’ve ever used”. Which is essentially a regular light stand, an articulated microphone boom arm, a ball head, a 1/4″ spigot and a couple of washers & wing nuts. It’s repurposing gear to work in a way it was not originally intended. But work it does, and very well, according to Caleb.

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A simple DIY method for storing stands and tripods: use two bungee cords

Jun 14, 2017 by Dunja Djudjic 3 Comments
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If you’re looking for a neat and simple way for storing light stands, tripods and booms, guys from The Film Look have come up with a simple solution and they share it in their latest video. All it takes are some screws, hooks and two pieces of bungee cord, and you’re all set.

The stands and tripods usually end up crammed in a corner of the room or behind the door. This makes it difficult to reach the right one, especially if you’re trying not to tip over all the others. The storage hack from this video helps you organize the stands better, make them easily accessible, and also use up the otherwise unused space. And you’ll have to agree, it’s always good to use the extra space to the max.

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StandDaddy offers a sturdier alternative to sand bags

Jun 11, 2017 by Udi Tirosh 5 Comments
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If you are a long time reader of the blog, you know that we love sand bags. I mean, what can ruin a shoot better than a piece of gear flying into the talents eye, right? Especially if they are talking about sand bags….

I thought that there was little to innovate in that area, but we saw the water weight bagel thingy last year, and now comes StandDaddy.

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Udi Tirosh: from diyphotography.netUdi Tirosh is an entrepreneur, photography inventor, journalist, educator, and writer based in Israel. With over 25 years of experience in the photo-video industry, Udi has built and sold several photography-related brands. Udi has a double degree in mass media communications and computer science.

Alex Baker: from diyphotography.netAlex Baker is a portrait and lifestyle driven photographer based in Valencia, Spain. She works on a range of projects from commercial to fine art and has had work featured in publications such as The Daily Mail, Conde Nast Traveller and El Mundo, and has exhibited work across Europe

David Williams: from diyphotography.netDave Williams is an accomplished travel photographer, writer, and best-selling author from the UK. He is also a photography educator and published Aurora expert. Dave has traveled extensively in recent years, capturing stunning images from around the world in a modified van. His work has been featured in various publications and he has worked with notable brands such as Skoda, EE, Boeing, Huawei, Microsoft, BMW, Conde Nast, Electronic Arts, Discovery, BBC, The Guardian, ESPN, NBC, and many others.

John Aldred: from diyphotography.netJohn Aldred is a photographer with over 20 years of experience in the portrait and commercial worlds. He is based in Scotland and has been an early adopter - and occasional beta tester - of almost every digital imaging technology in that time. As well as his creative visual work, John uses 3D printing, electronics and programming to create his own photography and filmmaking tools and consults for a number of brands across the industry.

Dunja Djudjic: from diyphotography.netDunja Djudjic is a multi-talented artist based in Novi Sad, Serbia. With 15 years of experience as a photographer, she specializes in capturing the beauty of nature, travel, and fine art. In addition to her photography, Dunja also expresses her creativity through writing, embroidery, and jewelry making.

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