Boom stand and boompole

[Kathy Smith]

Can anyone recommend a good boom stand and boompole? I don't know anything about them. I would want a boompole that can extend quite a bit.

Thanks!

[Chris Medico]

Will you always use it in a stand or will you also hold it by hand? A very long pole held by hand can get really heavy and tiring.

[Chris Medico]

I bought this one for my kit. Its a bit heavy to use handheld at full extension but otherwise I've found it to work well.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/625160-REG/K_Tek_KE_144CCR_KE_144CCR_Avalon_Series_Aluminum.html

[Kathy Smith]

Originally Posted by Chris Medico

Will you always use it in a stand or will you also hold it by hand? A very long pole held by hand can get really heavy and tiring.

always use it in a stand

[Kathy Smith]

Originally Posted by Chris Medico

I bought this one for my kit. Its a bit heavy to use handheld at full extension but otherwise I've found it to work well.

K-Tek KE-144CCR Avalon Series Aluminum Boompole KE-144CCR B&H

What stand are you using with it?

[Chris Medico]

Using it with a normal light stand with a boom pole holder.

[Jonathan Levin]

Kathy.

If you have a Mathews C stand, you can get one of these:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/885688-REG/Auray_BPH_BOOM_POLE.html
This is what I've been doing. I also make sure I have lots of padding under the three base feet to try and minimize unwanted sound.

Then maybe look on ebay for a used pole. Some even have internal wiring, but if it is used, I'd test that first.

Jonathan

[John Nantz]

Another piece of kit one should have (can't have too much kit!) in conjunction with the tripod-mounted boom pole is a counterweight.

Some boom poles will have an "eye" in the end to attach the counterweight and this can be handy.

With regard to counterweights, besides the standard sandbag there are numerous 'creative' options. Everything from small barbells to plastic liter soda bottles filled with water.

Since tripods and poles tend to be black they could be overlooked by a guest and tripped over. As a suggestion, adding some highly visible things to the pole and tripod leg ends would help with it being seen.

[Colin McDonald]

Here's my creative counterweight - a sandbag! But this one's from Tesco for kiddie's sandpits. The plastic bag is quite heavy duty but I still put it in a canvas "bag for life" to avoid damage.

[Jay Massengill]

+1 for using a small sandbag or shotbag to counterbalance a static mounted boompole, especially if you are using a clamp instead of a specific boompole holder.

A boompole holder needs the weight of the extended boompole to hold it securely in its hooks, so you have to be careful how you mount the weight and how much you use.

A clamp on the other hand greatly benefits from the full counterbalance of a small 3 to 5 pound weight.

I use a regular Bogen SuperClamp on top of a sturdy light stand. With the clamp open, you can place the entire extended boompole with mic, shockmount, cables, and counterweight into the jaws at the exact balance point of the rig. It will sit there perfectly stable as the jaws are gently tightened.

An extra weighted bag on the base of the lightstand also adds a safety factor.

Also remember to point one leg of the tripod stand or C-Stand directly at the interview subject with the boom extending out over that leg. If the whole thing were to get bumped and begin to fall it will hopefully be diverted to one side or the other of your subject by that leg extended directly toward them.

[John Willett]

Originally Posted by Kathy Smith

Can anyone recommend a good boom stand and boompole? I don't know anything about them. I would want a boompole that can extend quite a bit.

If it's for stand use only - then the best are Latch Lake (made in the USA).

I have the 1100 stand myself - it looks like a normal mic stand but is, in fact, a lot bigger.

The adjustment is by a special clamp, rather than by rotatable screw clamps and is more secure and faster than a normal stand.

It comes with a 2lb counterweight, so the boom is properly balanced - you can also get 1lb and 4lb weights and they screw into each other to make a heavier counterweight - I also gave a 4lb weight, so I have the choice of 2lb, 4lb or 6lb.

Their bigger stands go higher and longer and have a different counterweight system.

Reckoned to be the best and well worth it.

See pictures - the lady is 5' 8" tall.

.

[Renton Maclachlan]

I've got one of these. They are quite heavy but have a long reach...and it was quite cheap...
Samson — SB100

[Rick Reineke]

Another stand option for around $150 USD is the Manfrotto 420NSB 12.8' Convertible Boom Stand - .
For handheld booming I have a 9' K-Tec KEG100 and a 15' Loon. The K-Tec gets the most use.
I also have the Auray Holder and some standard size MI type booms for sit-down interviews.

[Kathy Smith]

Thank you everyone. I was away and I'm just catching up. Looks like the Samson SB100 would be in my price range.
Renton, what else do I need for this? Do I need a boompole or is this a complete set?

[Rick Reineke]

A stand would likely suffice for stationary placement for a OMB shooter. A (real) boom-pole is recommended otherwise. My boom pole(s) are used on 99% of shoots I work on. (narrative films, docs, corporate). A boom pole with the C-stand holder could double as a boom stand, but generally not the other way around.