Don't buy cheap stands

[Mach0]

A few years back, I bought a few light stands from Amazon and I think from adorama ( can't remember the models) but I didn't pay more than 30 bucks each. Never, ever, had an issue with them aside from thumb screw issues but that was it. Few weeks ago, I was at my local camera store and decided to buy a boom arm and and walked out with an avenger boom arm. Didn't think my stands were that cheap until I looked at the build quality of the avenger. today, I mounted my strobe and 60 inch octobox to the boom.... Needless to say, my light stand bent from supporting the weight and the build quality doesn't compare. Not even the slightest. Looks like I'll be upgrading. Should of spent more once instead of paying twice.

 

[480sparky]

It wasn't the light stand that failed due to being cheap.

The failure was caused by the light stand being loaded beyond it's capacity.

 

[tirediron]

It wasn't the light stand that failed due to being cheap.

The failure was caused by the light stand being loaded beyond it's capacity.

Thank-you Dr. Sheldon Cooper!

 

[480sparky]

It wasn't the light stand that failed due to being cheap.

The failure was caused by the light stand being loaded beyond it's capacity.

Thank-you Dr. Sheldon Cooper!

Whoever that is.

 

[tirediron]

It wasn't the light stand that failed due to being cheap.

The failure was caused by the light stand being loaded beyond it's capacity.

Thank-you Dr. Sheldon Cooper!

Whoever that is.

The rather exacting central character on a television sitcom called 'Big Bang" or something similar - a subtle reference to the fact that while what you say is true in the strictest sense, a good quality light stand will have a reasonable load capacity, whereas a cheap one will not.

 

[480sparky]

It wasn't the light stand that failed due to being cheap.

The failure was caused by the light stand being loaded beyond it's capacity.

Thank-you Dr. Sheldon Cooper!

Whoever that is.

The rather exacting central character on a television sitcom called 'Big Bang" or something similar - a subtle reference to the fact that while what you say is true in the strictest sense, a good quality light stand will have a reasonable load capacity, whereas a cheap one will not.

Ah. So a light stand is considered cheap only after it's been overloaded. Gotcha. I'll have to remember that.

Note to self: Don't try to load the QEII onto a flat-bed semitractor trailer, especially if it's a cheap one.

 

[Derrel]

It's unfortunate that the light stand bent under the weight of the light, modifier, and boom arm...most aluminum light stands are only marginal once a boom is added, IMHO. Avenger makes some very nice C-stand type stands. I have a couple, very solid, all-steel with the so-called turtle base style legs.

 

[tirediron]

...Note to self: Don't try to load the QEII onto a flat-bed semitractor trailer, especially if it's a cheap one.

Valid point.

 

[Alexr25]

It wasn't the light stand that failed due to being cheap.

The failure was caused by the light stand being loaded beyond it's capacity.

@480sparky: You forgot to add "due to a lack of properly adjusted counterweight on the boom".

Even the best stand is going to fail if you put a long boom on it without a counterweight to balance the boom.

 

[Mach0]

It wasn't the light stand that failed due to being cheap.

The failure was caused by the light stand being loaded beyond it's capacity.

Ok - let me elaborate.. These were left out since I typed quickly after happy hour lol
- air cushioned = failed prior
- thumb screws = stripped and need rplacing
- bottom rubber stopper = fell right out and let a section of the stand out.
= 5/8 " mount broke off and I epoxied back in

Out of all of these build quality issues, I didn't care with the exception of the thumb screws. When it bent yesterday - that put it in a different perspective.

 

[Mach0]

It wasn't the light stand that failed due to being cheap.

The failure was caused by the light stand being loaded beyond it's capacity.

@480sparky: You forgot to add "due to a lack of properly adjusted counterweight on the boom".

Even the best stand is going to fail if you put a long boom on it without a counterweight to balance the boom.

It had one. The light never tipped. The stand is no longer straight and bowed now.

 

[Mach0]

It's unfortunate that the light stand bent under the weight of the light, modifier, and boom arm...most aluminum light stands are only marginal once a boom is added, IMHO. Avenger makes some very nice C-stand type stands. I have a couple, very solid, all-steel with the so-called turtle base style legs.

Thanks, I was checking them out.

 

[sm4him]

I'm an advocate of the "buy the right thing the first time instead of 'upgrading' three times" principle, BUT...

Really, in this case, it sounds like your cheap light stands were actually worth it. You paid less than $30 per for a "few" of them, so what? $100 total invested? And you've had them for a "few" years now? Got your money's worth, and then some, out of those stands, I'd say.
Would you have really even known what to buy at the time? That $100 investment allowed you to learn what you needed to know so that now, when it's time to invest in quality equipment, you actually know what your needs are.

I bought some cheap light stands, part of an entire set, off Craigslist a couple of years ago. 4 stands with lights, for $40. I'll use them until and unless I start doing work that requires something better--even if that happens tomorrow, I'll consider those cheapo light stands a very good purchase, as they served their purpose quite well, and I've already easily gotten my money's worth out of them.

 

[kdthomas]

It's unfortunate that the light stand bent under the weight of the light, modifier, and boom arm...most aluminum light stands are only marginal once a boom is added, IMHO. Avenger makes some very nice C-stand type stands. I have a couple, very solid, all-steel with the so-called turtle base style legs.

I can certainly vouch for Avenger. They make AWESOME C-stands ... extremely rugged, versatile and solid gear ... for booms etc I will never use anything else. I have plans for more purchases of these.

 

[Derrel]

There has not be a whole lot written about light stands, especially compared against the billions of words written about cameras and lenses and such. This short Strobist post might be helpful for people who want a primer on stands and what to look for, as well as some suggestions for specific purchases: Strobist Choosing Light Stands