Manfrotto 2942 Mini Boom Arm with 3 lb Counterweight

Comments about Manfrotto 2942 Mini Boom Arm with 3 lb Counterweight:

I ordered this boom arm kit for portraits so I can position my Nikon SB900 speedlight overhead and close to my subjects without my light stand (or my speedlight) being in the way. Just like any Manfrotto gear It's an awesome piece of equipment. It feels very sturdy and well made. I don't know how it would perform with a regular Monolight but for speedlights this is great. I do wish it was a tad longer though (like the Manfrotto 173HOB) with maybe a 4 lbs or a 5 lbs counterweight.

I like the Counterweight that comes bundled with this arm. It's very compact and attaches well to the arm and the bright orange color makes it easy to spot on the set, which I think is good from a safety stand point. If you're gonna be shooting outdoor with a large umbrella in a windy situation and without an assistant, I would much recommend getting 2 or 3 additional counterweights like the included 3 lbs CounterWeight or the 10 lbs model (Manfrotto 023 CounterWeight - 10 lbs) and attach them to the legs of your light stands. I feel this is a much more elegant solution compared to Sandbags. And of course, having a lightstand with a large footprint diameter also helps in the overall stability of your setup when using a boom arm.

If you don't have a clamp, the Manfrotto - 124 Clamp for 3085 Boom Arm is a pretty good addition to this item.

One quick note: this is listed as a silver finish and, I don't know if it was a mistake from B&H but this item came with the Manfrotto 173B arm (BLACK FINISH) with the 3 lb counterweight. I like the black finish much better since it also matches my lightstand.

Comments about Manfrotto 2942 Mini Boom Arm with 3 lb Counterweight:

Exactly as described, a reliable boom arm. Does what its supposed to do.

Comments about Manfrotto 2942 Mini Boom Arm with 3 lb Counterweight:

I bought this arm to convert my main lightstand into a boom. Setup was easy and it works great. I can't speak to how well it would work with heavier strobes, but for my speedlight setup, it's perfect.