Just how excited can you get over a studio stand?  VERY excited!

My new studio is really beginning to take shape, and as I change the way I shoot, it has given me a huge excuse to start buying new gear.

And late last week I received my new C-Stand.

Now a C-Stand is basically a heavy duty lighting stand used and still used with in the film industry as well in lost of comercial studios .  I use Bowens lighting in my studio (see why I continue to shoot with Bowens by clicking here), and I use mostly Bowens stands.  However, even their chunkiest stand couldn’t cope with my 500 head and thee biggest octal box.  Well, it could cope, but you could see it straining.

Now the Bowens Gemini 500 head isn’t the cheapest head on the market, and every time I used it on a stand it worried me.  After all, you wouldn’t balance a £500 lens on the corner of a table would you?  Why would you risk a £500 head?

Back in the 90’s I worked in lots of studios, and in almost every one, there were C-Stands.  Dependable, well constructed and heavy.  They aren’t the most portable, so my Bowes stands still live with the lights.  I also wanted to use a boom arm on the stand too…with the 500 head and the overgrown octa.

So, I decided to try out the PIXAPRO® Super Heavy Duty Double Riser and I got it from Amazon.  Now, £160 is a lot to pay for a stand, but this thing harks back to a time when all things were so well constructed, machined brilliantly and were designed to be used!  And actually, if you take the legs off it’s basically two poles and a heavy set of legs, so it will fit in the boot of most cars.  It’s the perfect lighting stand!

It is brilliant.  So well made and so well designed.  It came with a 50′ boom arm and if positioned correctly, I can get the 500 head and the oxta on the boom (remembering to have it over the longest leg) without using a counter weight – it is that heavy and study.  Although the moment a client comes in there will be lots of sand bags on the other end.  

Three more stands will be ordered shortly… and if you are looking for a stable studio stand, then I would completely recommend the Pixapro Heavy Duty C-Stand.

Please note:  I’m not sponsored by any manufacturer or retailer – my views are personal and based on actually using the equipment.

Bio:  I’m Juan Muino and I’m a wedding photographer based in and around Cambridgeshire (UK) and shoot throughout the uK as well as destination weddings.  I’ve been a photographer all my life, and when not shooting weddings, I also run a portrait studio and also shoot head shots for actors, performers and presenters.