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

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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.

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

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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.

This light stand – tripod hybrid is my best stand yet

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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.

How to make a DIY light support system on a budget

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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.

The Spike lets you mount strobes easily on uneven ground

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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.

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

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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.

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

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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.

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

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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.

StandDaddy offers a sturdier alternative to sand bags

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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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