# C-Stands



## hombredelmar

Hello everyone!
Read some articles about C-Stands but still unsure which to choose for  on location photography.
Any suggestions guys?????


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## tirediron

What sort of location photography?  A good quality C-stand is solid as a rock, BUT... it's heavy and awkward.  For mobile work, I tend to prefer some good quality "standard" light stands; Manfrotto, Speedotron, etc.


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## Dave442

C-Stands are great if you have a truck to carry them around and a couple helpers to set them up and put the sandbags on them.


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## Don Kondra

I really like my Kupo C stands even for on location work !

They're are not that heavy and come apart for transport 

Cheers, Don


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## hombredelmar

tirediron said:


> What sort of location photography?  A good quality C-stand is solid as a rock, BUT... it's heavy and awkward.  For mobile work, I tend to prefer some good quality "standard" light stands; Manfrotto, Speedotron, etc.



Hello tirediron,
There is no specific place where i would want to take a c stand, as i am thinking now i also would use it at home but besides that, what i thought is that i am planning to use 5ft octobox plus monolight so it might get really heavy for regular "standard" stand and it is easier of use sand bags with a c stand. I might be mistaken though and if i am please correct me.
thank you in advance for your response.


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## hombredelmar

Dave442 said:


> C-Stands are great if you have a truck to carry them around and a couple helpers to set them up and put the sandbags on them.



You might be right Dave442 since i have never used one. I think i will visit B and H store in NY to see and "touch" the selection they have. 
Thank you for your response !!!!


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## hombredelmar

Don Kondra said:


> I really like my Kupo C stands even for on location work !
> 
> They're are not that heavy and come apart for transport
> 
> Cheers, Don




Hello Don Kondra,
You made a good point! I would definitely planning to buy the one that i can take a part to transport otherwise i would not be able to carry it around 
thanks !!!!!


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## tirediron

hombredelmar said:


> There is no specific place where i would want to take a c stand, as i am thinking now i also would use it at home but besides that, what i thought is that i am planning to use 5ft octobox plus monolight so it might get really heavy for regular "standard" stand and it is easier of use sand bags with a c stand. I might be mistaken though and if i am please correct me.
> thank you in advance for your response.


I regularly use a 60" brolly box with a Speedotron M11 head on these stands at/near full extension with absolutely no problem.  As far as sand bags go, rather than just draping them over the leg, I place mine between the leg and the support brace as well.


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## Don Kondra

I have two ProMaster stands, I find that with them at their lowest, they are still too high for some uses.

So I purchased two Manfrotto sliding arms > Manfrotto 231ARM Hand-Grip Sliding Support Arm 231ARM B&H Photo

I also place my sandbags on the leg braces.




 

Also not shown in the picture are the casters I installed > Impact Locking Caster Set for Light Stands with 25mm LSA-LW25

I find one 15# sandbag is sufficient.

Cheers, Don


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## Derrel

No doubt about it, the C-stand is better than any other stand type on uneven ground, due to the different leg heights. I have a couple of these Avenger  C-Stand (10.7', Chrome-plated) A2033F B&H Photo Video

that I use on-location outdoors. The metal stand Tirediron linked to above is a nice, solid stand, and it weighs in at 17.8 pounds. The 10.7 foot Avenger I linked to weighs a lot less, 12.1 pounds and holds significantly more (22 pounds as opposed to about 6 Kilos, or roughly 13 lbs), and both are virtually the same height, 10.7 feet, at max extension. The reason the C-stand has a higher weight rating is that it has much more weight way down low, in the legs. Both use the same 1.38" diameter lower column tube.

The senior stand has a different type of top: it has the larger, drop-in receptacle for Manfrotto boom arm heads, and has a female (drop-in) spigot receptacle for mounting studs (also called spigots), so the Senior Stand has sort of a built-in functionality, but it also has a sort of knobby-and-levery bulk at the top...the C-stand's biggest issue is the three legs in the so-called turtle base...the legs sticking out from the main column makes the C-type stand a lot more of a PITA to transport, because instead of a slim, straight, three-tube bundle, you have the shaft and the risers, and then three awkward legs that make the thing into basically, *a giant "L" shaped thing*.

One thing I've found with my C-stands is that on softer ground, I can step on the legs and literally bury them into the ground with my not-inconsiderable physical weight...they pretty much sink into grassy areas and "stick"...you can't really do this with a straight traditional style leg, but really do need sandbags with traditional stands: however, not the high WEIGHT of the senior stand Tirediron linked to--that is not a light-weight aluminum stand--it is an *almost-18-pound, steel* stand.

For sheer strength and the ability to accept ridiculous amounts of weight, the C-stand is superior, and it levels up pretty well, and it's stout, but when you have to transport two of them it's annoying, and three is like a migraine. The senior stand Tirediron is showing is a lot like the base of the Manfrotto Heavy Duty Boom STand, minus the boom, but with a leveling leg option on the senior stand.

The area where the C-stand is genuinely the clear, obvious winner is when you have a tabletop set, and need to put multiple stands in close proximity to one another: the C-stand is by far the easiest stand when it comes to the legs not interfering with "stuff", like legs and leg braces of  stands stacked right next to one another. The C-stand type stand also good if you want to have an assistant actually STAND ON one of the legs to act as stabilization.


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## tirediron

Ooops... apparently I linked to the wrong stand.  The ones I'm referring to are definitely NOT 17  pounds.  *Wanders off to gear closet to check*


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## hombredelmar

Don Kondra said:


> I really like my Kupo C stands even for on location work !
> 
> They're are not that heavy and come apart for transport
> 
> Cheers, Don



Yes, that stand looks very sturdy and well build but i am looking to use a beauty dish and so i would need an extension arm that is why, i believe, Don Kondra may not be my best choice


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## hombredelmar

hombredelmar said:


> Don Kondra said:
> 
> 
> 
> I really like my Kupo C stands even for on location work !
> 
> They're are not that heavy and come apart for transport
> 
> Cheers, Don
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Yes, that stand looks very sturdy and well build but i am looking to use a beauty dish and so i would need an extension arm that is why, i believe, Don Kondra may not be my best choice
Click to expand...


I meant to say ProMaster stands


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## hombredelmar

Derrel said:


> No doubt about it, the C-stand is better than any other stand type on uneven ground, due to the different leg heights. I have a couple of these Avenger  C-Stand (10.7', Chrome-plated) A2033F B&H Photo Video
> 
> that I use on-location outdoors. The metal stand Tirediron linked to above is a nice, solid stand, and it weighs in at 17.8 pounds. The 10.7 foot Avenger I linked to weighs a lot less, 12.1 pounds and holds significantly more (22 pounds as opposed to about 6 Kilos, or roughly 13 lbs), and both are virtually the same height, 10.7 feet, at max extension. The reason the C-stand has a higher weight rating is that it has much more weight way down low, in the legs. Both use the same 1.38" diameter lower column tube.
> 
> The senior stand has a different type of top: it has the larger, drop-in receptacle for Manfrotto boom arm heads, and has a female (drop-in) spigot receptacle for mounting studs (also called spigots), so the Senior Stand has sort of a built-in functionality, but it also has a sort of knobby-and-levery bulk at the top...the C-stand's biggest issue is the three legs in the so-called turtle base...the legs sticking out from the main column makes the C-type stand a lot more of a PITA to transport, because instead of a slim, straight, three-tube bundle, you have the shaft and the risers, and then three awkward legs that make the thing into basically, *a giant "L" shaped thing*.
> 
> One thing I've found with my C-stands is that on softer ground, I can step on the legs and literally bury them into the ground with my not-inconsiderable physical weight...they pretty much sink into grassy areas and "stick"...you can't really do this with a straight traditional style leg, but really do need sandbags with traditional stands: however, not the high WEIGHT of the senior stand Tirediron linked to--that is not a light-weight aluminum stand--it is an *almost-18-pound, steel* stand.
> 
> For sheer strength and the ability to accept ridiculous amounts of weight, the C-stand is superior, and it levels up pretty well, and it's stout, but when you have to transport two of them it's annoying, and three is like a migraine. The senior stand Tirediron is showing is a lot like the base of the Manfrotto Heavy Duty Boom STand, minus the boom, but with a leveling leg option on the senior stand.
> 
> The area where the C-stand is genuinely the clear, obvious winner is when you have a tabletop set, and need to put multiple stands in close proximity to one another: the C-stand is by far the easiest stand when it comes to the legs not interfering with "stuff", like legs and leg braces of  stands stacked right next to one another. The C-stand type stand also good if you want to have an assistant actually STAND ON one of the legs to act as stabilization.




Thank you for the info, 
From the information you provided i understand that the C-stand is a solid stand, holds lots of weight, something that i am looking for, can be very useful on soft soil and in a smaller places because of the legs design. 

All what i am looking for, all i need is to decide which brand to go with 

Thank you once agian for your info, you are always helpful !!!!!


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## Don Kondra

Kupo/Mattews/Avenger/Impact all make boom arms that will attach to the C stand and/or a normal light stand with an accessory head. 

BTW > the 20" column extends to 60" plus 14" for the base, the 40" column extends to 73" plus the base.

Cheers, Don


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## hombredelmar

Don Kondra said:


> Kupo/Mattews/Avenger/Impact all make boom arms that will attach to the C stand and/or a normal light stand with an accessory head.
> 
> BTW > the 20" column extends to 60" plus 14" for the base, the 40" column extends to 73" plus the base.
> 
> Cheers, Don



Finally got Impact from B and H store, have not used it yet, but finally bought it.
Thank you for the info and replies !!!


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