Tabletop Lighting

**Ellis Vener** · 6-Jul-2001, 22:17

Try putting a 7-10lb weight on the end of a six foot boom and then attach a softbox and you'll quickly see the need for a bigger stand than even a Matthews C-stand and 40" arm and grip head.

I can't really give advice about what sort of pricing you should expect to pay for used Balcar or any other equipment: Some equipment that is 20 years old is in better shape than some stuff that is 2 years old. All I can say is I've bought all of my Balcar equipment used, about 60% of it on e-bay and with a few exceptions I'm quite happy with the gear and with the prices I paid, but I did some research on everyone I was buying from.

**Jonathan Brewer** · 7-Jul-2001, 16:45

You don't need anything bigger than a legit Matthews 'C' stand and the arm for 7-10 pounds. I've used my White lightning Ultra with just this set-up with a softbox on occasion. When you've got the monolight at the end of the arm, You should always have a counterweight at the other end of the arm and lots of sandbags on the base of the stand. If you ignore this you're inviting the stand to fall over. A legit Matthews and the HD arm are going to hold 10 pounds no if,ands, or buts. If this is the only set-up you have the couterweights and sandbags are a must to keep the set-up comparatively safe.

In the last few years in an effort to get power cords and cables out of the way, and in an effort to keep myself or anyone else from tripping over the stand or knocking it over, I've drifted away from this set-up. I've come to rely on some bogen wallmounted booms(you can screw the base into the wallstuds). These booms were intended for the lighter heads that come with power packs, but they support the White lightning Ultra easily if you don't extend the arm to any great degree which I don't have to since they're set up directly behind camera position(for portraits not tabletop).

**Garry Edwards** · 10-Jul-2001, 07:11

I agree that pack lights are much more convenient than monos especially when they are supported on a boom arm and when you need to adjust them.

I have a mixture of lights here, and am very happy with my Elinchrom 2400 watt units, although I am less happy with Elinchrom mono units. They have fairly short flash duration, plenty of power and a vast range of adjustment.

**Bruce Eisenberg** · 11-May-2004, 15:55

I have photogentics monos that I use for tabletop and have not had any problems using them for all kinds of lighting situations.

They have been very reliable and they are a good starting system.

I am curently looking at deadolights as well for jewelry work.