Looking for a background support

[tecboy]

Any recommended background support? I need one.

 

[tirediron]

Personal or commercial use? For commercial use, I'd go with Manfrotto or a couple of C Stands; for the home studio, there are lots of <$100 units on eBay.

 

[tecboy]

For personal use.

 

[Derrel]

I have accumulated a few background set-ups over the years. A complete Bogen Auto-Pole set with support legs, the auto poles, and multiple expan drives, multi-roll hooks, and the crossbars with alu-cores (aluminium cores that keep 9-foot wide seamless paper rolls from sagging in the middle), and a couple alu-cores with velcro glued along the length, to hold fabrics in place without clamps. I also have a multi-piece 3-section sort of "boom arm" type of deal. I also have a shorter, roughly 7-foot, 3-section telescoping background crossbar that has 5/8 inch stud receptacles on both ends. It's great for quick headshots when you want to be able to carry two light stands and the crossbar in a tube or bag, and have the background support be really,really compact and ultra-fast to set-up.

The Auto Pole setup is really good for "events" where you want things to look professional AND to be safe from guests knocking over stuff. But it's wayyyyy too much work for a 90-second to 5-minute type of on-the-go headshot, but it is perfect for a 1- to 8 hour temporary kind of on-location studio, or where you are using 9-foot wide seamless paper rolls, which do really benefit from the alu-cores AND the expan drive up-and-down capabilities, especially if you are working solo.

Some of the relatively newer made in China sets with two, 13-foot high stands, and a multi-piece crossbar are, I think, really pretty good values!!! I bought one for a mini-studio setup I donated to FOcus On Youth photography project. It was like $100 from eBay, and was, surprisingly well-made and quite sturdy. These normally use 3.5 inch long, brass studs that thread onto the top of a standard 5/8 inch light stand stud, and then the brass fitting goes up, through apprx. 3/8 inch diameter holes that are drilled on each end of the crossbar's end pieces...a VERY simple system, but you MUST not let the brass studs get lost or left behind!

Another quickie is a boom arm with counterweight, and the fabric or half-width seamless roll just slid onto the boom arm. Sets up quickly, and if the boom has wheels, the backdrop can be moved easily.

 

[astroNikon]

I bought one of these.
JTL 10 x10 Feet Heavy Duty Steel Background Support Set 5022

Though I bought it over the Adorama / Flashpoint version due to the "heavy duty". Though I only compared via pictures and description. It is nice and seems heavy duty. The nice part is you get a nice carry case with it.

Of course, the long shower curtain rod I have hanging from the ceiling is just as good for it's intended, stationary purpose.