Tip for mounting heavy light modifiers onto booms

[texxter]

In the past I have struggled to mount heavy light modifiers, like my 22" beauty dish or 5' octabox on a boom. The problem is that the strobe is not sitting on the boom the same way it sits on a light stand, and it's common for the modifier to not keep its intended position.

Recently I bought this Avenger piece of hardware, the Avenger F830 BABY to JUNIOR SWIVEL PIN - AVF830, which mounts on the boom and allows me to reposition the light any way I want. I love it - no more messing with slow-sliding-forward softboxes! This hardware can be used with any standard boom, not just the Avenger boom.

I am not connected to Avenger or B&H in any way, I am just a happy photographer using this equipment. Best $32 I have spent in some time!

Here are some pictures using the beauty dish.

[The Loft Studios]

Nice piece of hardware, but I would use it differently.....
I would turn the swivel pin in a downward position (so that the flash head as well and the modifier is in an upside down state) and DO NOT tighten the friction knob (give it some leeway) so that the "Center Gravity" levels out the whole flash head and modifier..... or at least that's how I use mine.

[texxter]

Mark, what is the advantage? If the light is hanging from the adapter, as opposed to being sitting on it, the chances that it'll hit the ground and desintegrate are higher, were the bolt that attached it be loose. I never hang a light upside down because I'd be helping Murphy's law. Maybe I am missing something and a picture may convince me that your suggestion is better. The way I have mounted the light and the BD feels very safe and will not move or slide at all.

[nameBrandon]

Good find! I might look into that.

Nice stand.. Which one is that? Looks pretty heavy duty.

This is the one I use for all the heavy stuff. Depending on what I"m doing I can get away with mounting my White Lighting X3200 + 22" BD without a counterweight.. though obviously I prefer to use a counterweight outdoors.

Century Stand with Grip Arm Chrome

[RKDauph]

Does the thing really weigh 1.5 lbs? That's a lot of weight to add to a 'balanced' rig.

[texxter]

Ray, I didn't weigh this hardware, so I don't know it's exact weight. Mounted on a Avenger D600 boom supported by the Avenger A420, the setup feels rock solid and the light/modifier will stay in place. I have the casters on the A420 locked and a heavy sandbag balancing the boom. It works for me with this heavy duty setup, but I would not use it with light weight stands or booms.

[RKDauph]

Originally Posted by texxter

Ray, I didn't weigh this hardware, so I don't know it's exact weight. Mounted on a Avenger D600 boom supported by the Avenger A420, the setup feels rock solid and the light/modifier will stay in place. I have the casters on the A420 locked and a heavy sandbag balancing the boom. It works for me with this heavy duty setup, but I would not use it with light weight stands or booms.

Thanks, I got that weight from the B&H ad (1.54 lbs exactly). That just seems a lot of extra weight at the end of any fulcrum in a balanced setup. At a minimum I would think you'd loose height, reach on the boom or both to maintain the system in balance. As with all things, there's a trade off. Thanks for the info.

[The Loft Studios]

Originally Posted by texxter

Mark, what is the advantage? If the light is hanging from the adapter, as opposed to being sitting on it, the chances that it'll hit the ground and desintegrate are higher, were the bolt that attached it be loose. I never hang a light upside down because I'd be helping Murphy's law. Maybe I am missing something and a picture may convince me that your suggestion is better. The way I have mounted the light and the BD feels very safe and will not move or slide at all.

Sorry, totally forgot about this Thread.
IMO, Paco, the advantage is when using a HEAVY Beauty Dish or even a 4' or 5' Octadome such as I do (especially outdoors) the weight of the modifier (being top heavy) WILL NOT rotate, by having it your way, it's possible that the light and modifier will slowly start to rotate in a downward position (the natural position that it wants to be in due to gravity). Since gravity would keep the light as well as the modifier in a natural straight angle, it's seems better t just go ahead and put it that position from the start. And when you want to adjust your boom arm up or down, again the gravity will allow the light and modifier to naturally adjust itself and keep it in a straight angle (as long as you don't tighten the "Rotating" knob) I've included some images because I'm confused on why you think the set would fall off the boom and hit the ground. Anyway, let me know if you're still not seeing what I'm trying to explain.....


Pictures Featured Below:
(FIRST IMAGE) Notice the difference of a Drop Down Pin -VS- a Swivel Pin..... "some" swivel pins don't allow for a FULL drop down

(SECOND IMAGE) See how the light unit and the modifier hangs in a natural straight angle. And as the boom arm is raised or lowered, compensating the angle via lowering the boom stand then un-tightning the knob on the light head, then adjusting the angle again, then re-tightning the knob, then raising the boom stand back in place is not necessary. And if you don't get the angle just right, you'll have to lower the stand and start all over again.....

[picman]

If falling is a concern, add a safety wire. Used them in a TV studio all the time. They never came into play, but it was nice to know they were there.

[texxter]

Thank you for the clarifications. I personally feel unconfortable with equipment or human failure when heavy lights are hanging like that - an accident can injure someone for sure. But it's probably unlikely. An accident can happen regardless, but if the light is hanging and the retention mechanism fails, for sure it's going down. If it's resting on the bottom surface of a pin, a bad fall may be prevented.

[stephenpinn]

Paco, have you looked at the RedWing booms? I have the small one and mounted on an avenger stand it is exceptionally stable and well balanced

[texxter]

Stephen, yeap, I'd love to have one of those too!