Lighting stands that don't fall over?

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i have some cheapo lighting stands that will happily support a brolly on a flat surface indoors.

Try and hang a soft box on them outside on uneven ground and they like to tip....

Any recommendations for heavy duty wide platform lighting stands that can handle an 80cm soft box and uneven ground?

Ta
 
Even good ones can fall over in a wind. Try sandbags!

I think it's a case of you get what you pay for.
 
Sandbags, or my tip, I picked up some fitness weights that Velcro to wrists and angles to add extra effort for joggers. They are small but heavy and Velcro easily to the light stand for extra weight or dangle for a string.
 
There's a number of issues here.
Firstly the cheaper lightweight stands don't really have the footprint required to be sturdy. Bigger heavier stands are better.
Secondly, the uneven ground, a C stand, or a stand with a 'lazy leg' cope better for uneven surfaces.
Thirdly, the softbox is creating a top heavy structure, you need to counteract with weights, guide ropes or similar.
That lot might get expensive to do properly.
 
Sandbags, training weights, guy-ropes, tent pegs, bottles of water, bags of stones. Take your pick - but there's only one thing guaranteed to stop a softbox falling over in anything but a very light breeze, and they're known as VALS - voice activated light stand. That is, an assistant.

In pics of outdoor set ups, you'll often notice the total absence of softboxes and umbrellas, and small metal reflectors instead - particularly the high-intensity tulip-shapes ones. They not only deliver much brighter light when you need every drop you can muster, they're far more aerodynamic. Unfortunately, the quality of the light is often less than ideal.
 
HoppyUK said:
Sandbags, training weights, guy-ropes, tent pegs, bottles of water, bags of stones. Take your pick - but there's only one thing guaranteed to stop a softbox falling over in anything but a very light breeze, and they're known as VALS - voice activated light stand. That is, an assistant.

In pics of outdoor set ups, you'll often notice the total absence of softboxes and umbrellas, and small metal reflectors instead - particularly the high-intensity tulip-shapes ones. They not only deliver much brighter light when you need every drop you can muster, they're far more aerodynamic. Unfortunately, the quality of the light is often less than ideal.
Click to expand...

To add, I have a couple of these Bessels http://www.bessel.co.uk/acatalog/Heavy-Weight-Lamp-Stand-5060339961378.html#SID=46 Pretty sure they are the big stands Lencarta used to sell (the ones I have). The 2.5m stands Lencarta currently offers are good, but these 2.65m Bessels at only £30 are a bit bigger, wider footprint, and I find the spigot that fits either upright or horizontal quite handy. You can get bigger, but the price jumps up and they're a bit unwieldy for regular work.

Not tried these stand weights, but they look neat http://www.amazon.co.uk/Pixapro®-3k...578782&sr=1-2&keywords=counter+balance+weight
 
I think I'm getting the picture;)so ballast or VALS. Unfortunately VALS was eating yesterday but ballast could be an option!
 
HoppyUK said:
there's only one thing guaranteed to stop a softbox falling over in anything but a very light breeze, and they're known as VALS - voice activated light stand. That is, an assistant.
Click to expand...

That is of course the best solution.
 
Something I just discovered while fiddling with my boom counter-balance weight.

Water is heavy, sand is heavier, and a plastic 1-litre milk bottle filled with water weighs 1kg of course, but filled solid with wet sand, it weighs 2kg. Apparently. Will see :)
 
HoppyUK said:
Something I just discovered while fiddling with my boom counter-balance weight.

Water is heavy, sand is heavier, and a plastic 1-litre milk bottle filled with water weighs 1kg of course, but filled solid with wet sand, it weighs 2kg. Apparently. Will see :)
Click to expand...
I was happy when I discovered my 'sand bag' that hangs on my boom arm has 2 pockets which each hold a bottle of beer perfectly. And 2 bottles of beer balance my beauty dish quite well :beer:
 
HoppyUK said:
Something I just discovered while fiddling with my boom counter-balance weight.

Water is heavy, sand is heavier, and a plastic 1-litre milk bottle filled with water weighs 1kg of course, but filled solid with wet sand, it weighs 2kg. Apparently. Will see :)
Click to expand...

Confirmed. A 1-litre milk bottle filled with wet sand weighs exactly 2.0kg. The little one-pint ones are 1.2kg.
 
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