Best booms for strobes?

[jing q]

Recently I've been tearing my hair out looking for a strong boom to extend a strobe horizontally over 2.5m. Most of the booms I've seen extend to a max to 2.7m, it would be great if I could find a boom that can actually extend 3m or more.

What do you guys use to get a light that far out?

[RobertJ]

IMO, booms are stupid and dangerous.  That's why I stick with grip heads and arms, because they're far safer, although, the arms are only 40 inches.

I do have a boom stand, the Avenger A700.  The boom extends up to 8 feet, as most of the others do. 

If you need longer extension, attach a grip head and arm at the end of the boom arm, or buy one of those gigantic, super expensive red wing booms: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/470229-REG/Red_Wing_RD1201.html 

[MAmaro]

I tend to be one of those that didn't like my boom experiences to date but, I'll have to say that I loved working with the RedWing Boom + Extension.  Yes its more expensive but after using it, it worked so well moving it around and once set it was easy to readjust the position of the modifiers I used (rotation, left right movement).  I used it with an Elnchrom 39" Deep Octa and the 7" Octa straight over head. 

I used the 2 sand bags that come with it as they attach to a sliding rail as a counterweight.  I filled the bags with lead shot (#9) to keep the bags pretty heavy, since they are small.  I did have one bag break on me 1/2 way through due to the seams being to large for the fine grain #9 shot, so a #6 shot might work better.  In any case I taped up the last bag with gaffer tape (yes the wonderful uses of gaffer tape) just in case and had no issue with it keeping the deep octa extremely stable, with just one bag.

[BrendanStewart]

Just posted this in another forum:

They call this junior:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/204456-REG/Avenger_A4050CS_A4050CS_Junior_Boom_Stand.html

But it's quite capable of going rather high. In these photos, my ceilings are 14'




Still has about another 2 ft of height to go.

[RobertJ]

The stand posted above by Brendan is exactly what I have, except mine was called the A700 and discontinued and replaced by the A4050CS. 

In pictures, it doesn't look so big, but in person, with the footprint at maximum, and the center column raised, and the boom out, it's a BEAST. 

Using that stand with a strobe and ANY modifier in the world is kind of like using a giant 50 pound steel fork to pick up a piece of lettuce.  I feel that this stand is made for motion picture work, rather than still photography/strobes.

Anyway, as I said, the C stand and grip heads and arms are still my best friend.  They're just perfect for so many things and situations.

[HarperPhotos]

Gidday,

I had this boom made out of stainless steel by a mate of mine who was a engineer 20 years ago.

It was originally 5.5 metres long but I had it shortened to 4.5 meters so I could move it around my studio easier. The front and rear components are off a Manfrotto Super Boom.

Cheers

Simon

[BrendanStewart]

I should mention the first photo is a 39" octa. The second is the 74" indirect. So the scale may put it into perspective. It's a HUGE modifier.

[paul_jones]

my local rental studio has one of these-

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/546484-REG/Manfrotto_425B_425B_Mega_Boom.html

it very nice to use. if i still had my studio, i would definitely get one. it so nice to reach a large boom over where you are working.

paul

[UlfKrentz]

+1 for the 425B, match it with the Avenger B250X - very solid and comfortable with the geared drives - but also not extending more than 2,75m. If you really need more distance you should consider something like two B250X stands, connect them with a traverse hanging the strobe down from it.

Cheers, Ulf

[paul_jones]

+1 for the 425B, match it with the Avenger B250X - very solid and comfortable with the geared drives - but also not extending more than 2,75m. If you really need more distance you should consider something like two B250X stands, connect them with a traverse hanging the strobe down from it.

Cheers, Ulf

doesn't the specs say it extends 3.6m?

paul

[stretchdcanvas]

I have a Flamingo stand with a Hazy light on it that I have been using for @25 years.
It doesn't travel but it is the most secure and quickest boom to articulate I have ever used.

[UlfKrentz]

Hi Paul,

I just measured 2.75 from center of the stand, I suppose 3,6m is the overall length. You can adjust the attachment with the use of tools (getting the counterweight end of the boom shorter), but you need the counterweight, so you are limited to a few inches. Altough this is all heavy duty gear I would not try to exceed more than 3m for safety reasons.

Cheers, Ulf

[bcooter]

The black manfrotto is fine, I love the red wing, (despise that silver bogan with the cheap handles) but none really let you do wide horizontals, as your always getting the edge of the boom in the shot...and today we do a lot of horizontals.

The best way to hang an overhead fixture is to use speed rail mounted on stands or cable.

It seems a little cumbersome but works well and covers a lot of territory.

BC  

Ps If you get the opportunity spend a day on a film set or hire a film gaffer.  You'll learn a lot of tricks, understand why film production requires a big truck and as our industry morphes into still and motion, you'll make the transition faster.  The last thing you want is to set the perfect still shot and not be able to capture it on a 16x9 horizontal.

Still equipment is ok, but kinda wimpy compared to what the film guys use and not always less expensive.

[Rob C]

BC  

Ps If you get the opportunity spend a day on a film set or hire a film gaffer.  You'll learn a lot of tricks, understand why film production requires a big truck and as our industry morphes into still and motion, you'll make the transition faster.  The last thing you want is to set the perfect still shot and not be able to capture it on a 16x9 horizontal.

Still equipment is ok, but kinda wimpy compared to what the film guys use and not always less expensive.

All of which makes setting up your own snapping business ever more difficult, on finance problems if nothing else!
 
No wonder everybody who can sounds as if they hire.

;-(

Rob C

[jing q]

actually I realised a baby boom (Avenger 700?) connected with a arm gives good extension while allowing enough counterweight.
having a high roller really helps too

there are big booms like the megaboom but they're too long to fit in a normal car/van
yeah a rail would be great speed is of the essence sometimes...
thanks for all the input.really helpful

[UlfKrentz]

actually I realised a baby boom (Avenger 700?) connected with a arm gives good extension while allowing enough counterweight.
having a high roller really helps too

there are big booms like the megaboom but they're too long to fit in a normal car/van
yeah a rail would be great speed is of the essence sometimes...
thanks for all the input.really helpful

Hi,

the 425B boom is 2.15cm for transport and should fit in every car that is meant to transport at least some gear 
The A700 does work well, it is a stand including the boom function (you can swap the boom out) Using the boom it does not rise very high. There also is no wind-up function (You have to lift the boom, the strobe and the counterweight to rise the column, pffft) There is a single Avenger boom (D650) that would fit on a high roller, but (sorry again a but) we experience the boom does not lock properly, so we are not using it very often and I won´t use it in great heights or ever with heavy load.

Cheers, Ulf