Boom Mic Stand / Lighting Stand
 

I looked around for some info on this topic on the forum, but didn't seem able to track it down.

We shoot a lot of talking head interviews, and generally mic from above with a AT815. Currently we use K&M Ultra Boom mic stands. They get the job done, but are cumbersome to transport. We're looking to invest in a high quality boom pole, and it seems that we can mount that boom pole on a portable lighting stand (like something from Lowel, which we have an over-abundance of) for stationary shots.

Does anyone do this? What do I need to buy? Will this (http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc...le_Holder.html) do the trick with the required grip head, or is there a better solution?

Thanks.

dupe dupe dupe

I have a very similar holder, and it works fine.

You need a clamp to hold it. The Mattews clamps are very heavy. The Lowel Lobo works fine:
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc...1_30_Lobo.html

There is also a mathews clamp that is smaller and made of aluminum that is very light.

The only possible issue is balance. You have to have enough of the pole sticking out behind to counterbalance or the stand will fall over... or our need a weight on the back end of the pole.

It is also sometimes possible to clamp the holder on an object instead of using a stand.

I believe these holders are very similar to (or in fact are) fishing pole holders, and some versions are available at sporting goods stores.

By the way, if you are looking for a very nice boom pole, you might look at these. I saw them at Cinegear in L.A. last year and they seem to be top quality and work very well:
http://www.loonaudio.com/

Yep, I use something similar to this all the time and it works great. However, I prefer to use a heavier stand as opposed to the lighter lowel setups.

If I was buying now, I'd probably get the BoomMate... http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc..._and_Grip.html

It cost a little more, but would be friendly on the boom pole if I needed to span a longer distance.

boommate / boom boy. lowel stands are too light weight to hold the load. a C stand is about the minimum. there are some other stands with wider legs. problem is with an aluminum stand you have a higher risk of it going over because its lighter and will flex a lot more. this means more sand bagging the base which defeats the purpose. if you plan to carry a 5-10lb shot bag to counter balance, you'll want a steel stand as again the aluminum one will flex too much, and at 15 lbs, you'll be at its working load capacity for the smaller avengers, you'll be well over for a lowel. so back to a C stand you go, and maybe 10-15lb shot bag for the base or counter balance the boom. the lowel clip is flimsy, so the same $ get a real grip head.

Hello Jon,

First, I'd put the 815 back in the box and get an at4053a.

Second, try what I use. Go to www.tyford.com>iWeb>OnLineArchive>Video and download Ty's Boom.mov.

Regards,

Ty Ford

I think this thread went full circle. Ty's method is the same as asked about in the first post, with a lowel stand, a grip head and the device linked to in the first post, but the fishing store version (which some have threads) I mentioned in my post above.

www.tyford.com didn't work for me, so here is another way to the same homepage:
http://web.mac.com/tyreeford/iWeb/Si...&%20Video.html

The Lowel Uni stand Ty has has a very wide base, but as pointed out above, iis not heavy and needs to be balanced properly. But if you are putting it in a suitcase and flying across the world, a C-stand is a little awkward. It all depends on the situation.

For me a full size grip head is too heavy to carry around. That's why I suggest the Lowel lobo. The Mini grip head by Mattews will also work, and it is very, very lightweight. It is made of composite material, not metal:
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc...grip_Head.html.

But just to keep things on the up-and-up, what you really should do is hire a sound person. You won't have to carry any stands.

By the way, I have an Audio Technica 4053a as well as the 4051a capsule. They work very well, and I think they are a good deal for the price.

Suit yourself. My rig has never tipped over on a gig. If I'm using a lot of pole reach (or even if I'm not) I usually hang my mixer on the grip head so I don't have to wear it. That weight also helps keep the stand from tipping.

Regards,

Ty Ford

Not sure who you are directing this to. It must be me since it follows my post, I'm the one on your side.

Thanks, everyone, for the feedback. I agree the Lowel Uni stands are a bit on the flimsy side. However, portability is a big concern for me, so a C-Stand doesn't really cut it from that vantage point. My current mic stand does just fine, except for its bulky size.

Ty's demo video basically confirmed what I thought - this is a quick and easy solution... but I need to consider some of the weight and balance issues discussed in this thread.

Thanks again.

The next Lowel Stand up the KS-Jr along with a Photoflex "rock steady" bag are a good traveling solution. Still compact enough to travel with, the stands collapse down to under 32" (fits in my Samsonite hardcase) and the rock steady bag we fill with water bottles. http://www.photoflex.com/Photoflex_P...Bag/index.html

I'm using a Lowel "Grip" http://lowel.com/clamps.html for a boom pole holder. Probably not the best solution, but it works. I can tilt the pole to any angle. It's the grip they use with their "big boom" so it is definitely solid. Strong enough grip to dent a boom pole, so pad it.

If using the Lowel Grip I suggest using a piece of rubber mat/grid to wrap around the pole to protect it from the hard metal edges of the Lowel Grip.

Here's what I use. It works fine:

http://www.boom-buddy.com/

The picture is too dark on my screen to see what is there. Is there another picture somewhere?

K-Tek also has a boom holder:
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc...le_Cradle.html

It holds the pole gently and can be used on a light stand, C stand or microphone stand. It's not the cheapest option at $171.95 (discounted at B&H).

Funny, I was just about to mention the K-TEK cradle. It's not cheap, but it's probably the best out there. Here's a little bit better picture from another angle http://mklemme.com/pole/cradel.htm

hey guys, i was needing something like this also for interviews. I know that generally we want to boom from above, i was curious how well would a shotgun mic rigged on a basic microphone stand and off to the side of the speaker pointed at the mouth. on the stand is the 416, while another lav serves channel 2. what do you think?

http://boom-buddy.com/_wsn/page3.html

http://www.videogear.co.uk/index.php...&productId=249

http://www.dvuser.co.uk/content.php?CID=151

http://www.creativevideo.co.uk/publi...categoryID=168

Does anybody use just a regular mic stand with a good, long boom arm? Seems like a lot less trouble, and they're not very expensive. In sitdown interview situations, it would seem like four feet or so ought to be plenty.

Marco,

I have in the studio, but when on location I have, but the carbon fiber boom and, suspension mount and lighter stand are each preferable to me on a shoot.

Regards,

Ty Ford