Manfrotto Boom Assembly, Black - 6.5' (2m)

Comments about Manfrotto Boom Assembly, Black - 6.5' (2m):

I use this mainly for a beauty dish slighty overhead so it works great. All I can say though is you better have a really sturdy base stand for it. It's typical Manfrotto quality and well worth the money!

Comments about Manfrotto Boom Assembly, Black - 6.5' (2m):

I have been struggling with the boom vs. standard checked luggage problem for some time. The ability to break this boom down to under 3 feet makes all the difference in the world.

Lightweight but solidly built. Great piece of gear.

Comments about Manfrotto Boom Assembly, Black - 6.5' (2m):

I use this for Speedlights and it works great. Setup takes some getting used to but overall not difficult. The reason I gave it a four star rating is that, although I am able to set this up by myself, to do things quickly it almost requires a second set of hands. I mainly use this to provide rim or separation lighting.

Now that I'm getting into video I get this would come in handy for an external microphone hooked up to my 7D.

Comments about Manfrotto Boom Assembly, Black - 6.5' (2m):

Great, just what I needed for a Speedlite with a modifier on it

Comments about Manfrotto Boom Assembly, Black - 6.5' (2m):

I have had this boom for 3 weeks now and I have run into only one problem with the clamp used to attach it to the stand. I needed to get a boom for my Beauty Dish. I went with this one as it was in my price range. This has given me tons of fleiblity with my modifier but fully extended with a light on it I am a little scared as you can see the boom wanting to bend. I think going with the next model up I would be a little more secure but this is solid as long as it is not at its full length with a modifier on it.

Comments about Manfrotto Boom Assembly, Black - 6.5' (2m):

The 10# counterweight is handy but overkill for the low weight this boom arm will support. The arm bowed significantly under a light setup that a cheap Chinese telescoping boom arm & stand kit never flinched under, and that whole set-up cost thirty bucks less than just the Manfrotto arm by itself (without a necessary stand). And the low weight supported and non-telescoping arm limits it's usefulness for a considerably higher cost.

While it's much higher quality and will last longer than the less expensive gear, I believe it's best suited for strobes or very lightweight mono-lights and modifiers, a small lamp or LED used for a hairlight, or perhaps as a stationary boom for a big studio mic or shotgun and blimp.

Comments about Manfrotto Boom Assembly, Black - 6.5' (2m):

I want to correct one statement I made in my earlier review, clarify one confusing item in the specifications of this unit, and make one suggestion for using this GREAT multi-purpose unit.

1. Correction. You do not need to figure out the attachment system to a pair of stands. One end has permanent fitting, and you use the included clamp for the other stand. Works great.

Specification confusion. It says the unit weighs 12.57 pounds. That amount includes the 10 pound counter weight, so the arm and clamp only weigh 2.5 pounds, and 2/3 of that is probably the clamp.

Suggestion. The unit assembles and disassembles quickly and easily using recessed allen-headed screws-works great, but if you lose the included allen wrench, ... Solution: Buy a couple of spare allen wrenches from your local hardware store (they only cost pennies) and duct tape a spare to the arm near the handle or to the counterweight.

Comments about Manfrotto Boom Assembly, Black - 6.5' (2m):

Besides being a fine boom arm, you can put this between a couple of light stands (you need to figure out and purchase a clamp for one end) and make a very portable (it breaks down to 3 short pieces) and light background support system. It's not as wide as a 'real' background support, but if you are just doing head and shoulder shots, it works just fine.

Comments about Manfrotto Boom Assembly, Black - 6.5' (2m):

I bought this to use with an Alien Bee 400 and a 5' octobox. It holds it up, but bows slightly, so I'm not sure it's quite strong enoug for the job. With a lighter weight modifier I think it would be great.

Comments about Manfrotto Boom Assembly, Black - 6.5' (2m):

Yep, it's great. Boom is solid, use it for every shoot. Great for a one light white seamless background light, long enough to extend the light into the middle of a 9 foot roll of paper.

Comments about Manfrotto Boom Assembly, Black - 6.5' (2m):

This product is essential for indoors photography. It is well built, solid. It comes with everything you need to install on a stand. Make sure you have a sturdy and reliable stand, because this boom is heavy with the light and the counterweight on it, so it will make a weak stand bend. I love to use it with my Westcott 28" Apollo Soft Box and a Speedlite 580 EX II as a overhead light. Extraordinary and professional looking results. It is easy to assemble but a little akward to mount on the stand. Overall, I'm very happy with this purchase. It is a nice addition to my amateur setup.

Comments about Manfrotto Boom Assembly, Black - 6.5' (2m):

5/8" stands use the 20mm opening.

5 star rating is for my old discontinued 3085 model.

Comments about Manfrotto Boom Assembly, Black - 6.5' (2m):

I own Manfrotto Super Boom (025B) and it's great. I also needed something more portable and thought this would be a good addition. What a mistake!First, the mechanism connecting the pieces together is very clumsy. Not great, but I could live with that.Now comes the best part. The grip/clamp that comes with it DOES NOT fit 5/8" studs that virtually all light stands come with. It mounts on 19mm, 20mm, 25mm, and 28mm studs. What kind of standard is that. This should have been mentioned in the specs. Manfrotto claims that it fits any heavy duty light stands. REALLY? 5/8" is the standard.I'm very disappointed. I will be returning mine as I cannot use it. I could get separate grip, but why do I need to spend another $30-$50 to make this work? I'd be better off just buying different boom, which I will do.[...].I don't know why nobody mentioned this by now. To me it is pretty major. I'm posting this review so at least others can make informed decision when considering this boom.

Comments about Manfrotto Boom Assembly, Black - 6.5' (2m):

I tend to put a light directly above my head on portrait shoots. No need to work around the stand with this boom in action. A solid and versatile piece of gear every shooter should own.